RESOURCES:
Celebrating Dick Siegel & His Music
TRANSCRIPTION:
David Fair: This is 89.1 WEMU, your community NPR station, and I'm David Fair. Oh, that should sound familiar to you. That's a song written and performed by a national touring artist and local legend, and it's about breakfast at the legendary Ann Arbor restaurant Angelo's. I am, of course, referring to Dick Siegel, a mainstay on area stages for over 40 years. Angelo's served its last breakfast in 2023, and now, Dick Siegel is no longer taking to the performance stage. These days, Dick is bravely taking on challenges presented by progressive memory loss. But I assure you. He is well aware of how his musical brethren are rallying to honor him his music and his artistic legacy. There is a long list of stellar artists who will gather at The Ark on Sunday March 22nd to play the songs of Dick Siegel. And per Dick's wishes, all of the money generated is going to go to The Ark, where he started his career on open mic nights all those decades ago. Now, I'm honored to say that two of the featured performance are with me today. George Bedard, one of my personal guitar gods is here, as is another of my musical heroes, Mark Braun, whom you know better as Mr. B. Thank you both so much for coming in today! I'm so grateful!
Mr. B: You're welcome, David.
David Fair: Mark, when you hear the name Dick Siegel, what does that bring to mind?
Mr. B: So many things! But we all knew each other when we were quite young and kind of getting started. And I just remember the impact that Dick had on so many people on just a regular basis. He was always really kind of a unique light in our firmament of musicians here in Ann Arbor. And I just remembered the surprise and appreciation that people showed when they listened to him, because he had and has a unique voice that was instantly received and with warmth by people here in the town.
David Fair: And, George, you played along alongside Dick in the band Tracy Lee and the Lanterns. Now we know his music, we know your music. What was the experience in creating and kind of sharing music together on the same stage?
George Bedard: It was just a lot of fun! I mean, Dick is so infectious in his sense of humor, his wit and his enthusiasm about music and about trying different things. It was a great experience for me to kind of open up my performing chops a little bit and get goofy. And we had a great vocalist in Tracy Lee. We did all kinds of different music, including Dick's--a lot of Dick's--originals, some of my originals. Some of which are pretty out there, and we just had a lot fun. I mean, this might be too soon to mention this, but Mark and I are both actually doing different versions of the same song on the benefit. And what I keep thinking about is yet Dick could carry you away.
Mr. B: That's well said, George! And it's really so true!
David Fair: Well, when we listen to all of you as artists, as you pointed out, George, the styles are distinctive, unique to each of you, but you can hear the links. You can hear where it connects. And the two of you collaborated on any number of occasions through the years. One of my favorite moments was just sitting, watching and listening to the two of your rip apart the fabric of my understanding of the universe on the corner of the Ann Arbor Art Fair. It made me smell and taste the new colors being woven into the most joyful parts of my being, and I'm most grateful for that!
George Bedard: Wow!
David Fair: What happens for the two of you and with people like Dick Siegel to allow your artistic visions to collide and cohabitate? What's the reward for you, Mark?
Mr. B: Wow! What a terrific question! And I'm not sure an easy answer comes to mind for me. I think George just kind of got to it a little bit is that I think we're all fortunate enough to be around people that want to collaborate with one another, that are willing to and curious about the possibilities. And so, if you're any kind of person at all, it makes you open to those possibilities. And it's a mystery, and who doesn't love surprises? So, it's it's a mystery as to what might happen. I'm thinking back, and we won't talk about this long, but I remember for a while we had the...what did we call that band with Dick and Shannon? Gaga and the Crenwoods?
George Bedard: Right. We did one gig.
Mr. B: One gig. We had a kind of tongue-in-cheek--
David Fair: Went that well, huh?
Mr. B: Punk band, yeah. It actually did go pretty well. But it reminds me that there was kind of an attitude that permeated us when we were young, and Dick was really often at the forefront of it.
George Bedard: Yeah, he was.
Mr. B: You know, with just getting us to just....one of the great things about Dick is there are plenty of people, who don't have to go unnamed, and we admire them that are in our area that are experts at kind of identifiable genres of music. And Dick's never been about that. From the earliest time we knew him, he had his own distinctive voice. Of course, you could hear the influences.
David Fair: Sure.
Mr. B: But he was eager to express himself, and it takes a certain amount of courage and vulnerability to do that. Sometimes, it takes life to develop that, within yourself, the possibility of it, and that came really natural to him. He had that kind of natural courage of conviction just to be himself.
David Fair: Very much about creating community intentionally and unintentionally.
Mr. B: Yep. Yep.
David Fair: This is 89.1 WEMU, and we're talking about the upcoming Dick Siegel tribute and benefit for The Ark on March 22nd. And our guests are Mr. B and George Bedard. And listen to that! I love that voice! That's just beautiful! It is a long list of musicians and artists who have joined with Dick's family to honor him and the songs he's given all of us. How did it come about that you would participate, George?
George Bedard: They asked me.
David Fair: How quick was the answer?
George Bedard: I knew right away that I wanted to do it, and I knew what song I wanted to do because I've always thought it was a very moving song. Very evocative, like B. was saying. Dick, you would maybe classify him as a folk artist. But like on his first album, he has, and his first band, excellent local jazz musicians, and he used them in a really creative way. I always admired that.
David Fair: It's interesting. You mentioned that you knew right away what song you wanted to do, and you earlier mentioned that you're both going to be doing different versions of the same song. Had you had a conversation about that, or did you independently decide this is the one we want?
Mr. B: No, we didn't have any kind of conversation about that. And in fact, when I first mentioned to Judy Banker, who asked me if I wanted to be part of it, I said, really, I only know and are familiar enough to represent only one of Dick's pieces, and I just love it so much. And she said, "Oh, that's great! But George has already got that covered." You know, we were almost ready just to give up then and there. And I just said, "Well." And she mentioned that George was starting the whole evening off, which I think is an amazing choice by her to have George open up the evening. And she said, "Well, what if I put you on very last, and we'll kind of bookend the event with the same piece?" And that really spoke to me. So, I just decided, "Yeah, let's do that!" So, that's how it's going to work. And what's sandwiched in between, I'm sure we're going to get to, Dave, but we haven't yet. And thanks for your attention to our relationship, George and I, had with it. But they're going to be 22 pieces of Dick's represented by, I think, over 30 artists.
David Fair: And that is spectacular! That is spectacular!
Mr. B: Yeah, that is really something!
David Fair: For as long as I've been around, the greater Ann Arbor area has been home to a rich and vibrant local music scene, one in which there's not only collaboration, but, to my eye and ear, that real sense of community among those who are entertaining the rest of us. How important is that sense of community among fellow musicians and artists to you, George?
George Bedard: I'd say it's very important. When I think about it, I can't really think of anybody I've met who's part of the Ann Arbor music scene who hasn't been community-oriented in that sense. And everybody seems to be very supportive of each other.
David Fair: And I know that, through the years in just watching you, Mark, you not only are a participant and a part of that community, but you try and create it yourself.
Mr. B: Yeah, I guess that's right.
David Fair: When you do, we on the other side are the beneficiaries, and I don't know how much that resonates with you, but we get it
Mr. B: You know, musicians always say, "Hey, if you weren't here, we wouldn't be here!" Well, hey, of course that's the case in this town. The listening audience and the people that come out regularly over and over again that don't just stay at home and people that want to come out and absorb what it is that musicians have to offer in this area, it's been strong for ever since I ever started coming down here when I was 17 years old. There has always been people who flock to events.
George Bedard: And this station has been a huge part of that, and we all appreciate that!
Mr. B: Yes, in spades, man! I double down on that!
David Fair: We're talking with national recording artists and local music legends, George Bedard and Mr. B on 89.1 WEMU as they prepare to join a long list of others in a sense of community and paying tribute to Dick Siegel and his music this Sunday night at 7:30 at The Ark. And if you want to be there, you better get your tickets now. They're going rather quickly. Now, other artists will include Dick Siegel's collaborator in Dick Siegel and the Brandos, Dave Roof. Tracy Jaffe, who was mentioned earlier, will be there, from the previously discussed Tracy Lee and the Leonards, and the amazing Shari Kane & Dave Steele, Peter Madcat Ruth, Whit & Al Hill, many, many more! It's going to be quite a night. And it was very important to Dick that this event be held at The Ark. He began at open mic nights there four decades ago, and through its changes, it remained a home for him through the years. Mark, when we talk about musical community, do the venues themselves, like The Ark, have to be a part of our hometown conversation?
Mr. B: Oh, without any doubt! I mean, we're so fortunate to have the places that we have still to this day. We have unique opportunities in this area. The Ark, first and foremost amongst them, this is not to count all the major concert auditoriums that are also part of this city and with events through UMS and things of that nature, but just that the smaller venues that feature touring artists, The Ark is first amongst all of them. But we've got the Kerrytown Concert House and now the Blue LLama Jazz Club and a lot of other opportunities that those that are listening go out to regularly. It's a long list. We could mention many more, but, yeah, we're just so fortunate to have them. It seems so obvious, but without those kinds of foundational venues that give us a chance to get out and play professionally, a lot of us would not be here.
David Fair: You know, music nourishes the soul, and when it is live music, there is an even more intimate experience to be had there between artist and between audience. And, George, as we begin to run down our time together, I'm interested in understanding what that sense of performance means in difference to a recording experience when you're presenting, because there are over 20 artists that are coming together to put forth something special for Dick Siegel that would be great on record but is going to be entirely different on stage.
George Bedard: Well, that's true. It's a very different experience. I tend to get very maybe overly focused when I'm trying to record. The great thing about playing live, particularly at The Ark, as B mentioned, it's like doing your own personal Olympic event. You get one shot and there you are and you put it out there. And I've been very fortunate to be able to do my annual shows at The Ark. They basically let me do whatever I want. And I tried to present a variety of styles, a variety with a lot of different guest artists. B has been on probably more of those shows than anyone else, any other single artist, and I'm grateful for that. But, yeah, as far as a live performance, there's nowhere I'd rather play than The Ark.
David Fair: Well, Mr. B and George Bedard will be live on stage Sunday night at The Ark with a long list of others to celebrate the artistry, songs and legacy of one of our best, Mr. Dick Siegel. And, gentlemen, over the past week, I've had the opportunity to communicate with some close friends of Dick's, and he shared this with me and I quote, "I am honored about this show. It's really wonderful. I'm amazed to see the list of artists involved, some longtime friends, some newer. I feel lucky to have had so many great talents willing to play my songs. It'll be interesting to see what everyone does with them." Anything you two would like to say to Dick?
George Bedard: Yeah, Dick, I appreciate you, and I'm glad to be part of this. I've had some of the most fun musical times in my life were with you!
Mr. B: Oh, that's beautiful, George! I echo the same sentiments. It's hard to top what George just said. I'm not going to try. And I think what Dick pointed out, himself and his words, for him to be able to, while he's with us here, to be to appreciate the extent of the impact he's had on all of us is going to be a rare opportunity indeed to witness as a live performance. So, thank you, Dick!
David Fair: I think there's going to be a lot of joy, a lot of laughter, maybe a few tears shed along the way, but it's always going to a good night! Gentlemen, thank you both for the time and the conversation today! Thanks for all of the music and entertainment you've provided through the decades, and we'll do so again on Sunday!
Mr. B: Thank you, David!
George Bedard: You're very welcome, David. Thanks for the chance!
David Fair: Well, that is George Bedard and Mark Braun, Mr. B. And both will be performing the song, "Carry Me Away," on Sunday night at The Ark, to honor fellow musician Dick Siegel at a concert in benefit of and at The Ark March 22nd. Now, there are a few tickets left for the show at 7.30 this Sunday night, but if you want to go, you'd better get them fast at theark.org. For more information on the "Celebrating Dick Siegel and his Music" event, stop by our website at WEMU.org. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station 89.1 WEMU Ypsilanti.
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