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CLIFF’S NOTES ~ AN INTERVIEW WITH CLIFFORD ANTONE

Welcome to Cliff’s Notes, a conversation with Clifford Antone celebrating the 46th release on the Antone’s records label, the compilation Clifford’s Picks. Mr. Antone is not only the label’s founder but the proprietor of Austin’s Home of the Blues, the nightclub that bears his name, Antone’s. Clifford’s Picks is an album that features 16 songs Clifford Antone personally selected from his label’s catalogue.

Q: Clifford, as a kid growing up in Port Arthur, Texas, you must have been exposed to the Beatles and the rock music of the times. Do you remember when your passion for the blues… was ignited.

A: Yeah, Jody. I was about five, I heard Fats Domino. And that was the first one I’d heard. And I used to take the radio -- it was a clock radio -- bring it in to the bed with me and hide under the covers listening to that Louisiana swamp pop and blues and zydeco. And that’s how I grew up. Those: cajun music - zydeco, swamp pop and the Louisiana blues. You didn’t hear the Chicago blues, you know. But you got to hear Slim Harpo and Lightning Slim and Lonesome Sundown and Clifton Chenier and all the great swamp pop guys, like Jiving Gene Bourgeois from Port Arthur, Texas. And Huey Meaux was on the radio, the great Huey P. Meaux, the great record producer, and gave us all so much music - he was on the radio at KPAC in Port Arthur. And KJET was the Black station in Beaumont. Boy Brown, KJET radio. And those things, you know. And Lightning Slim, I got to hear people like that. And Guitar Junior and the great Louisiana music. The only ones that really crossed over -- the main crossover was Jimmy Reed, from Chicago. And the other person that really crossed over was Bobby Blue Bland. So those were two of my first heroes. And James Brown and the Famous Flames was probably the greatest thing that every happened to me, in my life, was James Brown.

Q: And now we flash forward so many years later. You’ve got a record label that’s put out 45 albums, Clifford’s Picks is No. 46. It must have been hard narrowing down your favorites from the Antone’s Records label for this disc. How did you pick out the songs?

A: Well, you know, like you take a guy like Doug Sahm. Juke Box Music, every song on there could be the pick. So this was kind of an unusual one. And just songs that had a really good feel to ‘em. I really enjoyed Toni Price with the Leroi Brothers and things like that. It made ‘em unusual, you know. But on most of the records, the Girl Group and the Doug Sahm, record, every song on there could have been my pick.

Q: The first song on Clifford’s Picks is Doyle Bramhall’s "Too Sorry." It features Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Most people probably know that Doyle wrote or co-wrote some of Stevie’s biggest songs. But a lot of people, when they hear Doyle sing, they think he’s copyin’ Stevie. Can you tell me a little bit about the relationship between Doyle Bramhall and Stevie Ray Vaughan?
A: Well, the whole group of us here in the early -- late ‘60s and early ‘70s here in Austin who were blues lovers were a real minority. And we were all very good friends. And Stevie and Doyle just had a beautiful relationship. I was lucky enough to get to jam with them before I had a club. You know, some nights I’d get to play bass with just Doyle and Stevie and me. And I got to know how much they both loved each other. And just together, musically, they were so beautiful. But we’ve always known -- just like Jimmie’s little brother, Stevie was great, we knew Doyle Bramhall was great. We knew he was a great singer and a great drummer. Always. It just took the world a long time to find out about these things. But we knew it from Day One. And there is nobody can play drums and sing better than Doyle Bramhall. And, of course, his son, Doyle II, is as great a blues guitar player as there is. He can really do it. So it’s a very talented family. And him and Stevie were just the very, very best of friends and had that beautiful communication as some of the blues guys had, that same kind of communication. To see Matt Murphy with James Cotton or something like that, they have this communication. It’s one of the most beautiful things about music is seeing that communication, where you know what the other cat wants without even saying it, you know. I love that. And Stevie and Doyle had that.

Q: The song "Too Sorry" comes from the album Bird Nest on the Ground, by Doyle Bramhall, one of the most successful releases on the Antone’s label. "Too Sorry" also features Stevie Ray Vaughan. Clifford, what is your earliest memory of Stevie and what is your favorite memory of Stevie?
A: The earliest memory of Stevie was Jimmie Vaughan’s little brother. He was so young and skinny. But I tell people all the time that whenever Stevie walked in the room, everyone smiled. That was the great thing about Stevie. No one ever dreamed of making a record, of going on tour or even having $100 in their pocket. But we loved him as he was our own brother, you know. When he walked in the room, everyone would smile.
The greatest memory with Stevie Vaughan is, the guy most responsible for Stevie’s sound and success, to me, is Albert King. And I know because when -- in ’75, ’76, when we first opened, the first time we brought Albert King, Stevie was there. And that’s the one thing in his life that he wanted was to play with Albert King. And so he asked me if I would go ask Albert King if he could play. Well, you know, I’d never dealt with these guys, you know, before. He was a big man, Albert King. And very intimidating, you know. So I didn’t know him. This was the first time. It wasn’t like later years. So I went up and asked him. I said, “Sir, I have a friend, this little bitty scrawny boy standing right next to me, and he really wants to play with you. Would it be okay?” He said, “No.” I said, “Thank you, sir.” I walked away. I told Stevie, “He said no. man.” Stevie said, “Oh, please, ask him again.” “I’m scared, man.” You know, I really was. But I loved Stevie so much I got the courage to go ask him a second time. And so I said, “Sir, I just want to tell you, we really respect you and we’re honored to have you here. And I would never do anything to embarrass you, but I promise you, I promise you this kid can really play.” So, you know, Albert had been through the Fillmore trip and all of that. And I guess to shut me up or something, he said, “Okay.” And so he got Stevie up there and they started playing. And Stevie almost scared him to death. I mean, he had never seen -- he had seen Clapton and Hendrix and everyone else. But he had never seen anything like this kid. Even though Stevie was little, he had those hands that could really bend those strings, man. And he was doing Albert King. And so Albert had to dig into his bag of tricks, man. And it was the best I’ve ever saw Albert or the best I ever saw Stevie.

Q: That’s amazing. We were talking about the early days of the Antone’s nightclub. Antone’s opened in July of 1975. And it became a place where the, the torch was passed from the original blues greats to the next generation, just like in the scenario you described. Did you ever envision things like that happening when you started the club a quarter century ago?
A: No. No, I didn’t. We were so young and inexperienced that after we got the club built, we booked Clifton Chenier for that week. We did the shows Tuesday through Saturday, five days. We booked Clifton Chenier and didn’t even think that we had to book someone the next week. That’s how inexperienced we were. And so -- no, we didn’t think anything. All we knew is -- this gang of kids that helped me put this thing together is that we wanted to hear the blues before these people all passed away. And that’s what we did. We didn’t have a business plan. People just got together and built that club with me, you know. And it was beautiful.

Q: Another of the next generation of artists that got a start with Antone’s is Toni Price. You chose the song "Chain of Love" from the first of her four Antone’s discs for Clifford’s Picks. How did Toni join the Antone’s family?
A: Well, through her manager at the time. She came to the South by Southwest. She was really good and really nice. And I talked to her. She said she’d like to, you know, move to Austin. I said, “Well, if you come to Austin, we’ll take care of you. And don’t worry about anything.” And she did. And she got to play with Derek and the house band. That’s how she got started. And we worked together for a long time before we ever made a record, you know. She’s got loyal fans, that’s all I can say. The people who know about her, really, really love her. And they love her records. And she makes good records.

Q: Clifford, your family was in the retail business in Port Arthur. And your first business when you moved to Austin in the early ‘70s, it wasn’t a nightclub, right?
A: No. The first thing we did was open an imported clothing store, with beautiful clothing from -- mostly from Mexico. Blankets and baskets and beautiful stuff. And in the back of that store, we had a big office. Well, that’s where all the music equipment was set up. And every night, after the store closed at 7:00, all the musicians would come in and play until the wee wee hours of the morning. And some of the best music I ever heard was in that back room. That’s where me and Stevie and Doyle used to get to play and all the musicians in the blues world came back there and played. Then, after that, we opened an Antone’s imported food store, from my uncle in Houston’s store. And we had a food store and a clothing store. And Texas Monthly opened right across the street. So we knew them in their infancy. And it was a nice little neighborhood. It was at 16th and Guadalupe, more or less.

Q: And then the first of the Antone’s nightclubs’ four locations was on 6th Street, which is now Austin’s equivalent to Bourbon Street. Clifford, you’ve been credited with helping to make that area an entertainment center. How did the Chicago blues greats, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, how did they hear about Antone’s and wind up playing there?
A: Well, first, I’d like to say, the reason we opened the club on 6th Street, is they made 2:00 drinking. That was the big key. Without that, we couldn’t have never opened it. And so, when we got to 6th Street, there was not one thing open at night. It was totally dark. And that club, all of a sudden became the nicest place in Austin. And of course, the two house bands were the Thunderbirds and Paul Ray & The Cobras with Stevie and Denny. So, after the first band, Clifton Chenier, we got Sunnyland Slim, the great piano man. The most -- probably the most well-respected musician in Chicago. And he brought Big Walter Horton, the great harmonica player. Walter Horton I call the prodigy. Those two came and played. And then Sunnyland told everyone in Chicago and around the country about us. And his word was so good, that they all just started calling me. And the rest is history.

Q: The perception of Clifford Antone, when it comes to your nightclub and your record label, is that you’re the music man and you leave the business to others. Is that fair?
A: No, that’s not true. You know, that’s the perception, but I -- with the first club, I did all the booking and all the bank deposits and all those kind of things myself for years. And as time went on, you had people helping you. You know, they did a part and I did a part. But no, I’m completely involved in everything. And I love it. It’s never been like work. It’s always been a privilege and a pleasure and an honor to be in the music business and to be associated with all these fine people, just like the people you know. It’s a pleasure to you to meet these people and talk with them. And it makes your life rich.

Q: There’s also a record store in Austin that bears your name. And it’s the kind of store where one might have found a rare 45 by the late Dallas guitarist, ZuZu Bollin. Who is ZuZu and how did you wind up releasing his album, Texas Bluesman?
A: Well, he was just one of the many, many great, obscure Texas/Louisiana blues artists. And he had run into some hard luck in his life and he was pretty much out of the business. And the Dallas Blues Society, which is a good group of people, kind of brought him back. And he came to Austin and he stayed. And we took care of him. And he loved it and we loved him. When we were recording Doug Sahm at the Fire Station, we brought Wayne Bennett, who was living here, and ZuZu over there. And we cut these tracks. Doug Sahm also used the same track and recorded over it with his voice, too. But ZuZu was just an example of the great, rich history of Texas, of Dallas, the Deep Ellum – there’s a good book on that out right now, Eddie Wilson just gave it to me. And you know, just one of the many great artists in Texas, be it in Dallas or San Antonio or Houston. Now, we just lost Clarence Holliman in Houston, he was on the first Bobby Bland records. There’s another example of the best people in the history of music, but they’re obscure.

Q: Looking back over the last 25 years, what was your favorite location of the Antone’s nightclub, ‘cause there’s been four of them.
A: Well, of course, 6th Street. That was the great, great days. Of course, we’re still doing great things. And, of course, Guadalupe had so many historical shows. But 6th Street, we were just kids on a mission. And more people were alive at that time. But in ’82 when we opened on Guadalupe, we brought in a whole new cast of characters, like Dr. John, Lazy Lester, Earl King, Snooks Eaglin and many other people who hadn’t been at the other clubs.

Q: Antone’s nightclub has always gone through periods of instability. Why is it so hard for clubs to survive? Is it the taxation of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Their taxation is pretty heavy. Is that the reason? Why do you think?
A: Well, all the reasons that exist are the reason. We bought that building in ’85 in the peak of the real estate boom. And by the end of the ‘80s, you know, it was half the value. Well, the taxes were triple. Even though the building’s going down, the taxes were going up. You know, things like that. And trying to bring art-form music and bring so many people, you know, to make these shows great, you just -- sometimes you don’t make it. It’s just rough. But, you know, when you heard the music, it gave you the strength to keep going and to find a way to keep it all going.

Q: Clifford, you’re a noted teetotaler. So your memory may be better than some of the rest of us who spent long nights at Antone’s. We talked about a great night with Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. I know there’s hundreds you could mention as favorites, but pick out a couple of nights that you remember at Antone’s.
A: Well, back then, at 6th Street, there was so many of them. That’s how it started, you know. We’d have Muddy Waters and on the same night, Bonnie Raitt and Johnny Winter just showed up. Both of them on stage with Muddy Waters. And seeing these young people get a chance to play with an idol like Muddy Waters was great. And then, of course, all the Thunderbirds, Jimmie Vaughan playing slide with Muddy. It’s something you never forget. And when he heard Kim Wilson play harmonica, Muddy just went crazy. And he told me, he said, “That’s the best harmonica since Little Walter, for me.” Muddy told me that. And then, of course, Angela and Lou Ann all playing with Muddy. And it was really a wonderful thing.
We talked about the Albert King night. It would be like James Cotton and his good friend, Stevie “Guitar” Miller would show up a lot of times and play with James Cotton. Bob Dylan and them would stay at the Driskill across the street and they’d come over. You know, you saw a lot of great nights. But each one of the Chicago Blues people was a treat. Having Eddie Taylor and Jimmy Reed playing together for the first time in ten years was awesome. And things like that.

Q: You remember the early days of the Antone’s nightclub. You probably know what the first release on the Antone’s label was. What was it?
A: Well, Angela put out four different records all at the same time. One was her record. One was the Anniversary record. One was Ronnie Earle and Matt Murphy and Memphis Slim.

Q: Also, one of the early records was a record called Antone’s Women. And it featured a woman from East Texas named Barbara Lynn. Tell me a little bit about her.
A: Well, of course, that’s one of the people I grew up with in the Port Arthur/Beaumont area. And her and Huey P. Meaux made "If You Lose Me, You’ll Lose a Good Thing" in 1963. And it was a No. 1 song in the nation. And when I opened in ’75, she was one of the first acts we booked. And we’ve had a great relationship ever since. And she’s as great a performer as there is out there. I mean, when you say the ladies, Aretha is like Michael Jordan, you don’t even count her, you know. I mean, she’s in her own category. But as far as the great performers in America, Irma Thomas and Barbara Lynn are two of the very greatest, along with people like Miss Lavelle and Carole Fran and so many of the other good ones. But she can also -- she writes and she plays guitar left-handed just so great. She’s a great rhythm player and a lead player. Great writer and also a beautiful voice. And she’s a true lady, too.

Q: The Antone’s label has received a couple of Grammy nominations over the years. And one went to your friend, the late legendary Texas rocker, Doug Sahm. The two discs that Doug recorded for Antone’s were pure blues. How did you get a guy who is noted for playing so many styles to focus on the blues for his Antone’s releases?
A: Well, where do you start with Doug Sahm? You know, I don’t think I ever met a musician so versatile. I don’t believe I ever met a musician who could play so many styles of music correctly as Doug Sahm. So it was a chore. But, you know, I never met anyone that so many people around the world considered their best friend. All over the world, everyone thinks Doug’s their best friend. And so did I. And we did have a very great friendship. And we loved the Louisiana swamp pop and the Guitar Slim blues. And so we had talked about it. And I told him exactly what I wanted to do. We had a show at the club when Doug was living in Canada. He -- a lot of people didn’t know he even existed anymore in those years. And so we did a show with all the San Antonio guys. And Randy Garibay came. And they did that song "What’s Your Name" together. And that was so powerful that I knew -- right at that song, I knew, we had to record this. So I got Doug Sahm outside on the front porch and we talked about it. And we agreed to do it and how to do it. And it wasn’t going to be any, y’know, farfisas or anything. It was going to be straight ahead rhythm & blues and Louisiana swamp pop. And he stuck with it. And George Rains helped me a lot producing it. And it just was a great thing. The song we picked -- I picked for this album is "She Put the Hurt on Me." George Rains really picked that song. And he listened to it at the store. And I said, that’s great. And Doug said he could do it. And we did it. Doug wasn’t sure he could do it. But George and I knew he could do it.

And he -- it’s such an unusual thing. I mean, most people haven’t, haven’t heard Otis Redding do it. But, you know, so it’s an obscure cut. And he just nailed it. And it’s such a dance tune and stuff, that it’s a lot of joy and people enjoy it a lot. So that’s the one I picked, but every song on the album is beautiful. Juke Box Music is just one of the best Texas recordings ever, I believe.

Q: Clifford, the late Doug Sahm was one of the countless musicians that played your club’s Anniversary parties. These parties have become traditions. They are legendary. Come on, tell us, do you have a lot of material in the Antone’s vaults that may some day be released, some by those who have left us already?
A: Oh, yeah, definitely. We have great, great recordings on Albert Collins and Luther Tucker and so many of the great people that played those clubs. And people that are still alive. I’ve got a live record mixed on Otis Rush that’s just unbelievable. So, yeah we have a lot of stuff in the can that hasn’t been released yet.

Q: The Anniversary shows, a lot of times, it would bring together players who otherwise might have never jammed. And one of the earliest releases on the Antone’s label, I think you call it The Girl Group. It was a collaboration that must have taken some finesse to bring together. It was the album Dreams Come True, by Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton and Angela Strehli. And you got Dr. John to produce it. When this record came out, it was very successful. Is that when you knew the label would fly?
A: We did a show with the girls, Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton and Angela Strehli and Sarah Brown and our band. And it reminded me of the old James Brown shows. It was that good. You know, I mean, they are just tremendous together. So we wanted to record it. And, luckily, Mac Rebennack, Dr. John, was willing to help us do it. And we did it. And it just turned out unbelievably well. I like that song "I Idolize You" from Ike and Tina Turner. And we got the girls to do it. And it just came out perfect. And we did it real quick and it was just done. And it was perfect, and…we’re so proud of that record. I believe -- if the Girl Group and that record, like, got TV exposure and really -- I think it would sell millions because there’s no one that wouldn’t like that, especially the women. They would just go crazy over this. You know, it’s just so good. We’re so proud to present the Austin r&b/Texas singers, like Lou Ann Barton, who is so great. I mean, Marcia Ball played the piano and sang. And, of course, Angela, you know, just nailed it. Angela’s been with us since the day we opened the club. She helped me open it. So, it was a great thing to have all these people together and to do this record. And I think it still holds up as one of the best recordings that we ever did. We’ve done some good ones.

Q: The Ball, Barton and Strehli disc Dreams Come True was produced by Dr. John. But Clifford, many of the Antone’s releases were produced by a gentleman named Derek O’Brien, who’s not a household name to most folks. So tell us about Derek and some of the discs that he worked on.
A: Well, one way or the other, Derek has been on almost everything we’ve done. Derek is just one of those unsung heroes who doesn’t say much, but lets his guitar speak for him. I believe he was Albert Collins’ favorite guitar player because Albert told me many times. So that’s about all you need to say.

Q: There are many perceptions of Clifford Antone. Some correct, some incorrect, some of which we already talked about. One is that you are a blues purist. And I can’t think of a CD you put out on your label that wasn’t blues. But these days, at your nightclub, you’ve been featuring younger artists from Bob Schneider to Mingo Fishtrap, that really have nothing to do with the blues. Are you comfortable with that?
A: I love it. I love Bob Schneider. I love the Scabs. I love Vallejo and all these young bands. They’re just like we were, except it’s a different kind of music. It’s their music for today. It’s got to change. I’m sure the old Mississippi blues guys didn’t like Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters doing that electric blues, you know. So that’s how it goes.
Now, if people could live forever and we could still book Elmore James and Little Walter and people like that, they’d be there. But, unfortunately, they’ve all died, you know. So you go with what’s happening today. And I’m honored to know a guy like Bob Schneider. He’s, he’s, he’s a phenomenon. And I’m glad that in the first years of his career like now, he’s still very young, to be associated with him. He’s as nice as he can be to me. And I never see anyone have their finger on the pulse of what people want like him. And I like that. That’s just as genius as someone else playing guitar or something like that. And he puts on a great show. And he’s a professional. And they rehearse. And he promotes. And everything I like about the music business, he does, you know. So I’ve got nothing but good to say. Vallejo, those young guys have just been my friends, man. And I could talk about a lot of young bands.

Q: Well, was the perception that you were a blues purist for a long time a correct one or an incorrect one?
A: My life is the blues. I am the blues. Everything I do in my spare time is reading about the history of music and learning about the history of music. But, I also enjoy today. I enjoy very much what’s going on today. I can’t control what the people want to hear. And who goes out? You’ve got to cater to who goes out, too. I have made friends with these young people. And I’ve learned one thing, you know. When we were coming up, people judged us by the length of our hair and stuff like that. I don’t want to make the same mistakes, to judge people because they’re different. I want to get to know ‘em. And by getting to know them, I’ve met a lot of great people and nice people and fun people. George Devore, Monte Montgomery, Little Sister - Sister 7...Patrice Pike. I really like her a lot. And so many young people I’ve got to meet.

Q: You talk about the fact that so many of the artists that you would be booking today, if you could, are gone. There’s a gentleman who’s gone who I know was one of your all-time favorites, who was pure blues. And that was Eddie Taylor. Again, not a household name, unfortunately. Who was Eddie Taylor?
A: Well, Eddie Taylor was one of the most important musicians in the history of music. He was so great. He did so many things in Chicago. But the main thing was on VeeJay Records. He brought Jimmy Reed to be in his band in Chicago. And that’s how Jimmy Reed got to be known at VeeJay. And then they started recording Jimmy Reed and it hit. So Eddie became in Jimmy Reed’s band. You know, and that’s how it worked. But he was the most loyal person I ever met. And he just loved me so much. He was the one person on earth you knew you could count on was Eddie Taylor. I think him and maybe Wayne Bennett in Bobby Bland’s orchestra were the two most listened to and copied guitar players ever. Eddie Taylor on the Jimmy Reed stuff. And you know, people are thinking it was Jimmy Reed. But that was Eddie Taylor. And on John Lee Hooker’s VeeJay recordings, that’s Eddie Taylor. And then Wayne Bennett on the great Bobby Bland records. I think those were the -- probably the two guitar players most copied. And a lot of people didn’t know who they were copying. And so his contribution was so great. But maybe in 100 years they’ll recognize him.

Q: Clifford, you’ve always been in the newspapers in Austin over the years. But the last year or two in Austin, you’ve been in the newspapers a lot, except that it was because of your legal struggles. And last month, you pleaded guilty to charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. And you’re going to spend the next four years in federal prison. Since you don’t drink or do drugs, what was it that led you down that path?
A: Well, I don’t know how to answer it. All I can say is, it’s not the right thing to do. And you know, I love the music, I love the blues so much. And my friends, that are really close to me do too, that you do anything you can sometimes to make that music happen. But I don’t suggest for anybody to take that road. I try and tell the young people who say “oh, I want to have a club, be like you.” I say, “Go to school and do the right thing.” And that’s all I can say, you know. That was a long time ago, this case now. Even though I’m going -- it’s almost five years ago. And on that day, I changed my life and it’s been changed for over four years. And all I do is work and try to do the right thing. And I’m doing some real good community service works with a group called Youth Works down on 4th and San Jacinto. It’s a school for kids that have dropped out and stuff and a lot of other community service work. And I’m just trying to do the best I can and hopefully, get to move on. I’ve got so many business opportunities now it’s just unbelievable.

Q: Would it be fair to say that the financial difficulties of running a club and a record label led you to look for other means of financial support?
A: Well, I guess it would be, but all I can say is, it’s not the right way. A short-term fix is not the right way. You need to do the right thing and look at it for the real long run. But when you’re young, you don’t see it. And you don’t see things until you see it. And once you see it, you see it. But until then, you haven’t. And that’s kind of how it is with me right now. Four years ago in April, I saw it. And that’s it you know. And so I’ve moved on. That Cliff is like a dead guy to me, you know. It’s another world now. And I’ve moved way on past those days. But the trouble is still there.

Q: Considering the fact that you helped to launch the careers of artists like the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and in essence, you helped make Austin a tourist mecca, you greatly impacted the local economy and the quality of life, do you feel that you were penalized too harshly?
A: Well, it’s just the way it’s written, the penalties are too harsh. But I got a fair deal. And I thank the judge for listening to me, you know. It’s just the way it’s written is very harsh. I think the best thing to do is take the straight and narrow in this world and not get off that path, you know. And you know, I believe in miracles. And there’s a lot of people around the world praying for me. And I think it’s helped. I believe in miracles. So you never know. I’m dedicated to doing some good work. And I’m going to, as soon as I get a chance, prove that, you know. I’m going to, hopefully, make the judge and everyone else that’s supported me proud. Hopefully.

Q: Will the Antone’s record label and the Antone’s nightclub continue the next four years without your physical presence?
A: I believe so. You can’t ever say. There’s things I do at the club that are very valuable. And with the record company, you know, there’s certain artists that I can talk to better than anyone else can, you know. But I believe they’re going to be okay. And you’ve got to just hope and pray, also.

Q: Clifford since I have the chance to, I’d just like to thank you for enriching my life, and literally millions of others’ lives through your love of the blues. I look forward to the time when you can get back to doing what you were put on this Earth to do: to paraphrase your label’s motto, “bringing us the best in blues.” The song that ends Clifford’s Picks is Earl King doing Guitar Slim’s "Things I Used To Do." Did you purposely pick that song to end the CD with – because of the lyrics?
A: No…no, no. It’s just - like I said about that club on Guadalupe that started in ’82, that’s one of the great people we got to meet, in those years, was Earl King, and we became very very great friends. He even dedicated a whole record to me, which was a great honor. And I love him – he’s a real artist in all ways. He also worked with the great Guitar Slim…who’s our hero, me and Doug and a lot of other people’s hero, and even when Guitar Slim would be sick sometimes they’d send Earl King out as Guitar Slim, so this is a Guitar Slim song, "Things I Used To Do," and he has one of the most authentic sounds. It’s just so great in life to get to know a person like Earl King. Like some of the other blues artists, they just make you so happy to be around them, they make everyone around them feel better. And that’s Earl King.