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Bluesman Papa Woody Coming To Cafe Grande
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Published: June 18, 2008
NEW PORT RICHEY -- Papa Woody "The Entertainer" rolls off the names of entertainers who have influenced him. Among them are funk band Sly and the Family Stone, soul singer Otis Redding and R & B artist Wilson Pickett.
"I do everything from Frank Sinatra to B.B. King," he said. But he quickly added all his music has a Papa Woody flavor. "I do their songs my way," he said and noted putting in a little R & B never hurts a song.
"People have to move when around me," he explained. "They don't just sit."
Papa Woody and singer Veola Drain have been performing in New Port Richey since March. They are at Boulevard Lounge on Thursdays and Cafe Grand on Fridays.
Papa Woody, whose real name is Woody Blair, started his entertainment career at 14 playing the guitar at the Elks Ballroom in Brooklyn, N. Y. He played by ear then and didn't learn how to read music until he graduated from Helen Hall School of Arts in New York.
He plays keyboard as well as guitar and uses both instruments in his act. He grew up in Jersey City, N. J., where, he said, he became acquainted with Black Muslim leader Malcolm X, civil rights advocate the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and comedian Flip Wilson. His varied career has included law enforcement, teaching and working in prisons, where, he said, inmates often responded well when he played his guitar.
He also developed a popular second career, writing jingles for car dealerships in North Carolina and Jacksonville.
He moved to Holiday last September and is interested in entertaining in rest homes.
The gregarious Woody said his love of people comes out when he performs. "I make people feel very welcome."
He hired Drain because of her strong voice. Her influences include Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Alicia Keyes.
The lowdown
Papa Woody and Veola Drain perform 6 - 10 p.m. Thursdays at Boulevard Lounge, 6214 Grand Blvd., and 7 - 11 p.m. Fridays, at Cafe Grand, 6238 Grand Blvd.
Cheryl Bentley can be reached at 727-815-1069 cbentley@suncoastnews.com.
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