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Article: Bluesman's taxi tales are fare game for his music.
- Article from:
- The Boston Herald
- Article date:
- February 14, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Boston Herald. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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New Orleans bluesman Mem Shannon doesn't mind that he won't be home for Mardi Gras this year. During his 15 years as a taxicab driver in the Crescent City, he saw more than his share of the annual celebrations.
"Believe me, I will love being away," says the singer-guitarist, who plays Johnny D's on Fat Tuesday. "I've seen every Mardi Gras since I was born, and I've always wished I was somewhere else.
"When I was a kid I'd always get an earache every year about this time, then the parades would be happening with the bass drums going, and the pounding was psychological to me. And the traffic was always the worst when I was driving on Mardi Gras. When ...