OPAS Presents Grady Gaines & The Texas Upsetters

MSC OPAS will present Grady Gaines & The Texas Upsetters in concert on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Rudder Theatre. Ticket prices range from $30-$50 with special ticket prices available for all area students. Tickets can be purchased at the MSC Box Office at 979-845-1234 and online at www.MSCOPAS.org.

The concert coincides with the release of Mr. Gaines’s new autobiography I’ve Been Out There, written with award-winning journalist Rod Evans and published by Texas A&M University Press. A book signing will follow the performance.

“Long Tall Sally” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” are just a couple of the classics on which legendary R&B artist Grady Gaines can be heard blasting his sax. As leader of the Upsetters, the Texas native backed legendary rock pioneer Little Richard on countless hit records and concert tours that included stops in the great houses like The Apollo and Palladium. Other luminaries Grady Gaines jammed with include Sam Cooke, Gladys Knight, Bo Diddley, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Etta James and more. This is sure to be a rockin’ concert highlighted by Grady’s “honkin’,” bombastic, attitude-drenched saxophone playing.

For the September 24 concert, Grady Gaines (tenor saxophone) will be joined by a full band including John Hernandez (keys), Wayne Richards (bass), Reginald Yarbrough (drums), Rick Restelli (guitar), Nelson Mills (trumpet), Jim Faughn (trumpet), Grady Douglas (alto and tenor sax) and vocalists Patrick Harris, Yvette Busby and Cynthia Antoine. The program for the evening will be selected from titles like “Soul Man,” “My Girl,” “Rollin’ on the River,” and more. The program is subject to change at the artist’s discretion.

GRADY GAINES | THROUGH THE DECADES

1950s: Grady Gaines, Houston saxophonist and recording bandleader for Don Robey, met Richard Penniman. They recorded together at Duke/Peacock. Richard Penniman later became Little Richard, and asked Grady to lead the Upsetters. They recorded many classics such as “Long Tall Sally,” “Send Me Some Lovin,” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” and Grady appeared in three movies with Richard. At Little Richard’s retirement, Grady hired Dee Clark as band vocalist, and continued to tour.

1960s: Sam Cooke hired Grady and the Upsetters to be his band. They recorded “Bring It On Home,” “Twisting The Night Away,” and many more. After Cooke’s death, Grady and the Upsetters continued playing at all the great houses such as The Apollo, and the Paladium, with all the great artists: Diana Ross and the Supremes, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Bo Diddley, Etta James, Jackie Wilson, and many, many others.

1970s: Grady came off the road, and returned home to Houston. He recorded “There Is Something On Your Mind,” and formed the House Rockers, who performed in Houston as Don Robey’s house band until Robey’s death.

1980s: Disco took its toll on live music in the U.S. Grady toured Europe, and recorded his first solo album, “Full Gain.” In the late ’80s, Grady performed at Blues Festivals across the nation.

1990s: Grady recorded “Down and Dirty, Live At Tipitina’s,” and “House Of Plenty.” He toured Europe with Fats Domino; and the Texas Blues Preservation Society honored Grady with its first annual Blues Heritage Award, citing him as being a Texas Blues Ambassador Around the World and a Pioneer in the Creation of Rock & Roll. In 1993, Grady Gaines played at one of President Clinton’s inaugural parties and was proclaimed Blues Artist Of The Year at the Juneteenth Festival in Houston.

2000s: Grady and the Upsetters band played hundreds of dates annually. They also recorded “Just Start” for Gulf Coast Records in 2002; played the Gulf Coast Rhythm & Blues Festival, the BB King Blues Festival, and a number of Houston Press Music Awards Showcases.