This was the second lineup of my band: Fraser Finlayson (harp/vocals), Jimmy Reed (bass), Danny Haugh (drums). We wore crushed velvet tuxes, used colour promos, called it dance music—but played nothin’ but the blues.

I played this hotel for years. It felt like home—five little ol’ ladies cooked, and meals came with the gig. A real northern getaway. One time we sunbathed on the roof and got tar on our blankets. After one birthday... I woke up naked—except for my boots.

Finally UPSTAIRS at the El Mocambo after serving many, many years downstairs.

Morgan Davis… the king of barbecue!

My bassman Steve Chadwick and I used to do a lot of fishing on the road. I used to time my gigs in Lindsay, Ontario for the walleye opener – 12 midnight – we’d pack up the gear and run to the river. Haulin’ in walleye to take back to Hogtown

On my way to record with Tom Jardin, the hardest workin’ all-around musician’s friend. Tom supplied the two live cuts on my first LP.

A great player who started recording in the late ’20s with Sleepy John Estes. I was playing “Going down to Brownsville…” when he walked in. Afterward, he said, “I recorded that in 1929.” I said, “That’s the record I stole it from!” He cracked up.

The Midwich at the Westminster Hotel was blues HQ—Muddy, the Wolf, they all stayed there. I met Al Lerman in Carey Bell’s room! Muddy taught me “Can’t Be Satisfied” after Fuzz Jones dragged me up. From ’69–’75, Toronto was a blues paradise!

This was our promo shot – in our living room. Me an’ Gene was sharing a house with Crawdad, a dobro player in Toronto’s east end, one block from McDonalds. Gary Kendall played bass and Danny Haugh was our drummer.

I visited Ed at HoundDog to fix my old National. Great guy—took time to show me around and share stories of inventing Dobros and Nationals with his brothers. This guitar? Custom gold-plated, fancy inlay—one-of-a-kind, deluxe showpiece!

I bought this Pontiac Catalina from family friends—$30, and the back seat had never been used! Found a light-up Chief Pontiac hood ornament, painted it dark metalflake green. A bad ride that helped win my wife’s heart… we used that back seat.

With the Knights of the Mystic Sea …playing a gold glitter Goya borrowed from Ring Music. Dig the price tag… hey I was tryin’, not buyin’!

I don’t know how we got this gig. My pal Slim Smith wrangled it somehow. I was living at Rochdale College at the time, getting a ‘higher’ education.

with Slim Smith of Comanche Oklahoma. I’m playing my first National Steel guitar, found in a pawn shop for $90 – it had a big hole in the back …still had the SOUND.

On the balcony, Walmer Road, just about to move into Rochdale, down the street.

My all-time favorite guitarist. I saw Hubert with The Wolf 15 years before this—and later backed him for a whole week! Everyone came down—Colin Linden, Mike Pickett, Donny Walsh, the Hock. A true gentleman, and the HELLUVEST player. Got stories for days!

…wearing my fancy-ass white disco suit. After a gig, we hit Neptune Bar-B-Q—me, James Harman, and Gene Taylor—eating ribs in the lot, J-U-N-K drunk. Woke up next morning and—miracle!—not a drop of BBQ sauce on that white suit.

Playing with David Wilcox in his first band—he’d just finished with Maria Muldaur. Amos Garrett was in the crowd that night. We played everything from Duke Ellington to Moe Bandy. David was wildly experimental. Nightly, new magic poured from his soul.

After my charges were dropped in ’76, I went back to California. Gene Taylor found me at the Bodega and introduced me to James Harman—semi-retired, reconing speakers. We got him gigging again, passing the hat. The Alvin brothers sat in. Neptune BBQ after!

4 AM after the gig. Flat tire on the “Soul Train”, my ’69 Ford Econoline. Steve Chadwick chronicles all. (the rest of the band changes the tire.)

…clowning around with some of James’ vintage collection of all kinda cool musical stuff what we pulled out of his garage in California. Talkin’ bout back in 1977…when we were young men…no grey hair, running wild and making a racket!

Howie Zephyr won the band’s catfish contest with an 8¾-pounder. Folks brought everything—stuffed cats, little guys—but Howie took the prize. He chose fifty bucks over a box of beer, baloney sandwiches, and a day fishin’ with the band on Lake Erie.

Some crazy kinda athletic action after the gig.

Colin Linden and I opened for one of my heroes—King of the microtonal bends, playin’ upside-down, backwards, and left-handed! After two songs, we just looked at each other and shrugged—like watching someone from another planet. Albert was unreal!

Gene Taylor played with me from ’78–’80, then joined Downchild, Ronnie Hawkins, and Amos Garrett. Phil later asked him to join the Blasters—tour the world and play with Lee Allen? He jumped at it. I had a ball sittin’ in… they rocked that stage!

Snooky’s first Toronto gig, as I recall—pure energy, a blues dynamo! He worked us hard and we had a blast. A pioneer of amplified harp, bridging Sonny Boy and Little Walter. Gene Taylor was stunned to see this rare name from old records live onstage.

In recent years, one of the most popular additions to my sound has been the Cigar Box Guitar. This little beauty was custom built for me by my good friend Darren Brown.

I was with the Rhythm Rockets when Sunnyland played the Colonial Tavern basement. I sat in one night—he asked me to stay the week! The Rockets managed without me. He was generous, humble, and full of old-time hollers. He even played with Robert Johnson.

Davis, Morgan