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In 1981 I bought an LP at Peaches called "Restless Spirit" by Blue Riddim Band, mainly because of its liner notes (which emphasized that reggae and its various rhythms were in fact soul music), that it was recorded at Curtis Mayfields Curtom Studios (given that the Impressions were a major influence on Bob Marley & The Wailers, a neat connection that underscored the premise of the liner notes) and the picture of an all-white band (what kind of reggae could THESE guys make, I wondered).

The album turned out to be awesome, not just for the covers like a reggaefied Come See About Me, a great ska version of Twisting The Night Away and a gorgeous rendition of Ernie Smiths Shoo Be Do, but also for five great original songs written by the lead singer (also credited on guitar, bass and drums): Bob Zohn.

I found his voice to be beautiful, one of a kind. True, it was affected to a degree like other white men singing Jamaican style, such as Sting or Ali Campbell of UB40, but far more soulful and earnest than either of those guys could ever be. All in all, I considered the album a tour-de-force and Bob Zohn, whoever he was, a personal hero. Both would influence my own music making for years to come.

Shortly after that album purchase, the media was awash with reports of an unknown white band from Kansas City (!) being the first American act to ever play at the Sun Splash festival in Jamaica and wowing the locals with their deep knowledge of roots music. It was the Blue Riddim Band, and what they essentially did was play some reggae oldies, a radical move in the context of the other more modern sounding acts on the bill, but they kicked ass. An amazing cross-cultural achievement!

They played Sun Splash again, and recorded it for their second and final album. Among the tunes was a Zohn original that became quite popular around the world: Nancy Raygun (My name is Nancy Raygun, my husbands name is Ron, him rule the nashun!). The album won a Grammy! When parts of that festival were televised on some cable channel, I got to see Bob Zohn for the first time.

Fast forward several years. I am playing with my own band, Groove Thangs, at Musicians Exchange on Sunrise Blvd. in Ft. Lauderdale. After the show, I find out that Bob Zohn was in the audience when he asks to be introduced to the band! Turns out hes friends with Jaco and Randy Bernsen and other people I knew. Turns out hes not from Missouri; hes a Fort Lauderdale local! I was blown away! He dug what we were doing (how could he not I was directly influenced by him!), and sat in with us a few times. It was such a treat to have him lead us through a skanking reggae version of Midnight Hour and listen to him sing. I talked about music some with him (never asked him what happened with the Blue Riddim Band or how he ended up in Kansas City in the first place, but now I wonder). When I told him that Ernie Smith, whose song he had covered on that first album, was playing poolside at the Yankee Clipper, Bob told me a story about the former reggae star shaking him down for royalties on the street in Kingston. Yes, I felt very cool just sitting next to such a cool guy and I was very excited that he had arrived back in Florida.

Soon Bob put a band together and did some shows at the Exchange as Bob Zohn & The Riddims (don't remember who was in the band). Of course, most people had never heard of him or the Blue Riddim Band (let alone his early garage band years as Bob Herzog, which I just learned about in this forum), but Im sure he could have had a whole new career if he wanted. Even though it didnt seem very well rehearsed, Bob was just so natural and his singing was fantastic. He would even give me and my band a shout-out from the stage! Great music, great man, great memories.

Don Cohen (owner of Musicians Exchange) booked Bob to headline the clubs 11th Anniversary celebration on June 19, 1987, with my band opening. Bob told me we would all jam together. Man, we were hyped for that gig! Then, just a few days before the show, Bob died. What a tragedy! It also forced my band to become the headliner. Talk about anguish. Last thing we felt like doing was rocking the house. But the show had to go on. So we opened the show with a slow reggae version of Dylans Knocking On Heavens Door and dedicated the whole night to Bob, sure he would have wanted us to play our asses off, which we did.

So I cant say I really knew the guy, but what I did know of him I loved, and still do.

Final note: shortly after his death, my wife brought home some old clothes from a yard sale. Later she told me it was Bobs widow who had had the sale, and that I was wearing a pair of Bobs pants! Being poor, I wear a lot of used clothes, no doubt from other dead men, but this was the first time I wore anything belonging to one of my musical heroes. I was creeped out at first, but they fit great. I wore them onstage a lot, which I thought was appropriate.