Lyman Woodard
“Listen – Dennis Coffey and the Lyman Woodard Trio – It’s Your Thing – MP3″
Greetings all.
This will be a quick one since I just got home after being away for the weekend and I still haven’t gotten my head screwed back on completely.
Over the weekend I heard that organist Lyman Woodard had passed away at the age of 66.
Woodard, who is best known to the crate digger set as the man whose trio backed Detroit guitar god Dennis Coffey (the group that recorded today’s selection), and for his Strata LP “Saturday Night Special”.
Those of you that stop by here on the reg know that I love me some Hammond, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that my first exposure to Woodard’s playing was via his work with Dennis Coffey. The ‘Hair and Thangs’ LP on Maverick is tuff stuff (I’ve only ever had the reissue), but to really get to the heart of the matter you have to hear their cover of the Isleys’ ‘It’s Your Thing’. Woodard’s muscular, driving Hammond style provided the perfect counterpoint to Coffey’s overdriven fuzz guitar.
It is an odd bit of coincidence that I pulled this 45 out of the crates just last week for inclusion in an upcoming mix. Sadly Mr Woodard’s passing demands that it be brought to the forefront, and another track take its place.
Woodard’s classic early work was being reissued, and he had some archival live work and new recordings coming out as well.
He will be missed.
Peace
Larry
Remember, Funky16Corners and DJ Prestige will be hitting the road at the end of the week, appearing in Washington DC Friday 3/6 at Moneytown (at Dahlak) and in Richmond, VA on Saturday 3/7 at Mercy (at Cous Cous)> If you’re in the area and feel like getting your groove on fall by and say hello!
PS Don’t forget to head over to Iron Leg for a new edition of the Iron Leg Digital Trip Podcast…
PSS Check out Paperback Rider which has finally been updated.
Funky16Corners 
March 1, 2009 at 10:19 pm
some seriously hard hittin’ fuzzz. love it. r.i.p
March 2, 2009 at 2:23 pm
SNS is on Strata, not Strata East. RIP Lyman.
March 2, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Thanks. I made the correction.
March 8, 2009 at 11:37 am
LARRY,GREAT TO MEET YOU LAST NIGHT SIR! THANKS FOR THE MUSIC!
March 17, 2009 at 11:52 am
Wax poetics is reissuing “Saturday Night Special” by the Lyman Woodard Organization. Pre-orders available now…. http://www.waxpoetics.com/storefront/product_info.php?cPath=30_92&products_id=982&waxsessid=7d8b2cc2f48651c4e1612e34b3b9e43c
May 9, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Thanks for posting about Lyman Woodward and Dennis Coffey.
I grew up in Dearborn Heights during the 60’s and early 70’s, and I remember It’s Your Thing/River Rouge being played on WKNR. I had a copy of the single, which I played to death.
I’ve had some recent correspondence with Dennis. I have asked him for an mp3 of River Rouge, which he says he doesn’t think he has a copy of anymore.
If you or anyone else has an mp3 of River Rouge, it would be great to send one to Dennis (and me). I think he would likely post it on his website for download.
Michael