John Lucic, Paul Lawson, Greg “Hollywood Slim” Lucic and Mark Ryan of the Hollywood Slim Band.
The Cleveland Blues Society Hall of Fame inducted three new members on Sunday October 30: Greg “Hollywood Slim” Lucic, Raymond DeForest, Mike Miller and Montana Taylor.
Greg Lucic was inseparable from his identity as the lead singer of the Hollywood Slim Band, which he fronted for 45 years until his passing in 2019. The band went through some different phases over the years, but the past 17 years of its existence included his brother John on guitar, Paul Lawson on bass and Mark Ryan on drums. All four of them sang and could harmonize beautifully. Back in the day the band included brass players as well. Their music was based on cool jazz and blues, generally emanating from the golden era of the 1940s and 1950s. They could be a festival band and appear on stage, or they could also be a lounge band and provide atmosphere for an upscale restaurant or lounge, or they could perform at a wedding or private gathering. Their style was very transportable in that sense.
That is one cool thing about cool blues. It is one of the most complex and intricate musical art forms out there, but at the same time the listener does not necessarily have to be totally involved with it to enjoy it. You could bring a hot date to a swank restaurant, enjoy great conversation and have the Hollywood Slim Band be in the background or elevate them to the centerpiece of the evening as you prefer. Cool blues is like that. It is a companion, part of your life at that moment, but does not necessarily scream at you.
Hollywood’s voice was very soulful, with an edge to it, and almost gravelly at times. That made him very unique and instantly recognizable. You would not mistake him for an opera singer, put it that way. Indeed, that helped the band to define its own unique “sound” that set it apart from others.
Many of their songs can be found on YouTube, including “The Lady’s in Love with You,” by Glenn Miller, “Jack You’re Dead,” by Joe Jackson, “Route 66,” written by Bobby Troup and performed by Nat King Cole and many others.
So, what does it take to become a Hall of Fame musician, or at least a success in a highly competitive field? Greg’s brother John offered thoughts on this for aspiring musicians who might still be high school or even younger. “While talent is important, what is even more important is the basic ability to work well with others. If for example, you promise to be able to meet on Thursday night at 7:00 PM to practice, you have to be able to show up on time and be prepared. Those basic skills will take you farther than your actual talent level with a musical instrument or singing ability.”
Raymond DeForest has been a prolific bass player in the Cleveland blues scene, playing with several groups in the area. These days, DeForest is playing with the Spyder Stompers, Sugar Pie and others. He has studied classical bass at Cuyahoga Community College and also studied under Harry Barnoff, principal Bassist of the Cleveland Orchestra. He is comfortable with a wide range of styles, to say the least, with different shades of blues being foremost among them.
The Ray DeForest All Stars acted as the host band for the Induction Ceremony on Sunday and basically showed why the boss is in the Hall of Fame.
Mike Miller was recognized for his sponsorship of Wilbert’s, the Cleveland blues Mecca located in the Caxton Building across from Progressive Field. Wilbert’s resulted in some of the greatest blue artists in the world coming to Cleveland. The Blues is many things. Like it or not, it is also a business. It takes a business to bring the top talent in the world to Cleveland and Wilbert’s performed that role for the Cleveland blues community. Well done, Mr. Miller.
In selecting Montana Taylor for the Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Blues Society reached way back into its past. As you might guess, Taylor was born in Montana and lived in Cleveland as an adult. His greatest works were created in the 1940s, though his style predates even that. His unique piano style ranges from turn-of-the-previous-century ragtime blues to jazz. Samples are available on YouTube and include tunes such as Indiana Avenue Stomp, Detroit Rocks, and Pine Tops Boogie Woogie. They are truly timeless and command relevancy even in this century. It is worth a listen, for sure!