Mother's Finest in Winston-Salem

Mother's Finest in Winston-Salem
Pic by Stiens Photography

  Mother’s Finest rolled into town this past Friday night along with some much needed rain. Amidst the threatening skies and aired filled with the aroma of smoked ribs and barbecue at the Texas Pete Twin City Rib Fest in Winston Salem, crew members and promoters for Mother’s Finest scurried around trying to protect the stage and band equipment from the elements. The opening band was unable to play due to the weather but everyone remained in anticipation of Mother’s Finest taking the stage.
  While waiting on the concert to start I had a chance to talk to several people in the crowd. There were people in attendance from three years old to over seventy. Many people that I talked to have been following Mother’s Finest since the 1970’s when they first burst onto the rock-n-roll scene with their self-titled debut album. I did spot a few fans clutching their old vinyl’s hoping to have them autographed by the band following the show.

Joyce "BabyJean" Kennedy
Pic by Stiens Photography

  Prior to their performance I was disappointed when promoters announced that fans should not go past a certain area in the grass in attempts to get close to the stage. Thankfully, I had arrived early and had my chair as close as you could get to the stage. I had a perfect vantage point for taking pictures. When the lights went down and band members started filtering onto the stage the crowd went wild.  I immediately knew that this nonsense about getting close to the stage was going to be ignored by all. When vocalist Doc Murdock walked to the front of the stage he motioned for the crowd to come forward. I abandoned my chair and umbrella and hurdled over the low lying hedge to get my spot up front as did everyone else.

  Guitarist John Hayes, a native of Winston Salem, was greeted with fans yelling welcome home.  Joyce Kennedy walked out onto the stage looking as vibrant and fit as she did in the 1970’s and the crowd screamed in approval.  When the performance started it really seemed as if you were listening to their album. They sound just as good in person and they sound just as good as they did thirty five years ago. Their trademark funky style of rock-n-roll had the crowd dancing and singing from the time they played the first note until the concert ended.
  Original guitarist, “Moses Mo” was a real crowd pleaser with his wild antics, and as always was a true showman with his guitar.  Leaning over the edge of the stage and almost falling into the crowd several times throughout the show, he took the time to pose for pictures while he was playing. He also performed his signature move by playing his guitar with his teeth.
  I think the crowd got the loudest when the band started to play the intro to their big hit, Mickey’s Monkey. At times during that song you couldn’t even hear the band members singing because the fans were singing louder than the band. Throughout the show Joyce Kennedy and Doc Murdock commanded the stage and provided outstanding vocals when performing their many hits, like Baby Love and The Truth Will Set You Free. For me one of the highlights was when they sang The Beatles classic hit, Strawberry Fields Forever.  It was the first time I heard them perform it and it was amazing.

Jerry "Wyzard" Seay
Pic by Stiens Photography

  Wyzard- Jerry Saey, also an original member of the band mesmerized the crowd with an incredible bass guitar solo at the end of the concert. Guitarist John Hayes and drummer, Deion Derrik, are not original band members but seemed to fit in perfectly with this outstanding funky rock band.
  After the concert was over the band members came out into the crowd and posed for pictures and signed autographs. Since Friday night I have become face book friends with people that I met at the concert and with most of the band members. I have emailed photographs to people all over the United States and Europe that I took while at this amazing show. I find the fans of Mother’s Finest to be as amazing as the band and I look forward to seeing Mother’s Finest and my new friends next month in Winston Salem at Ziggy’s.
Until next time……B.J. Stiens