Interview with Jim Causey

Druid Auto Parts is a busy place and you realize that when you go there to conduct an interview. If you want to talk to Jim Causey that's where you got to go. We got it done in between phone calls. Tommy Woods also works there and is another talented musician that we will interview in the future. We've got to get through these old timers before we interview the next generation.

You know why I'm here, to tell folks about the early days of Rock and Roll here in Tuscaloosa. Are you familiar with our publication?
Yea, I read them all. I really enjoyed the interview you did with Chap McDaniels. He's a hoot. You know he has a wonderful friendly personality and he's always pleasant and I've never seen him any other way. I started out playing with Chap when I was thirteen. He and Tommy McJenkins, Johnny Sexton, Ken Lightsey, Floyd Dickey, played together for a year maybe a year and a half. We wore these funky uniforms, green and white vest with white pants. (laughter) I can't remember the name of that band.

You are at the ripe old age of fourteen or fifteen now, what was your next band?
After that I got involved with Brook Clement, Buddy Martin, Gene and Randy McKinley and a revolving bass player spot. On bass I do remember Jim Morris and that band was named The Inde and evolved into a band called Underwood. We practiced over at Brook's house in the Downs and it was right across the street from Chuck Leavell. Chuck would come across the street and teach me licks on the organ. We played Friday nights and Chuck and the Misfitz played Saturday nights at the YMCA. I was known to Chuck as the kid with the Vox Continental organ. Bruce Hopper that owned the Chukker played bass for a while with us.
I don't know of a better teacher!
On one occasion Chuck's Mama needed a operation on acute arthritis in her hands. He came back to Tuscaloosa for the operation. While he was here we all met over at the Chukker. He was the same old Chuck, jeans and cowboy boots, the big grin with the split in his teeth. He was the same then as he had always been.

What happened after Underwood?
It all evolved into a band called Stone Mountain. This was from the time I was eighteen until I was twenty. That band was Jeff Demand, Randy Livingston, who just moved back to town, Rick Reed. He was the brother of Randy Reed. Rick is now a big time drummer in the country music world. Larry Allen played bass.  My father bought this business in 1967. I got married then about 1972 my father said either you are going to work in the business or play in the band, you can't do both. It was hard getting in off the road at sunup and having to work here a couple of hours later.

So that ended your music career for a while?
It sure did from the time I was twenty until the time I was forty nine. Gene McKinley called me and said Touch of Gray needs a keyboard player. Our friend John Curry called me at about the time he had his illness and had shut his store down. He knew it had ripped my heart out when I had to quit music. He told me, "If you're ever going to do anything with your music, you better do it now. We are getting so old now, you either got to do something about it or forget about it." So I got back into it and it's a blast. I'm having the time of my life.

Who is in Touch of Gray?
Johnathan McAllister, Earl Ratliff, Craig and Cary Williams, Nancy Stewart, and Gene "Poochy" Pool, and myself. It's a big band and it's tough to get us all on some stages. Sometimes some of us hang off! Because I had been out of music for so long it was a real challenge to get back into it. A lot had changed. It was like learning everything all over again. I really had to do my homework to get back into it. I've been back into it for three years now.
Looking back if your father had not have given you the ultimatum, would you have pursued a music career?
(Pause) I doubt it. I mean how many people really make it big? It's got to be a real small percentage. I think I would have kept playing because once you've played it gets into your blood. To make music with other people is just a blessing. It's in you forever! My wife has been so supportive since I got the opportunity to get back into music. She knew what I went through back when we first got married. It's been so much fun because now I can afford what I would have never been able to afford back then.

But you know that Vox Continental would be worth a small fortune these days don't you?
Yes it would be. I sold that to Ricky Myers, which is the son of Jim Myers Drugs. He's some kind of super scientist out in California now. I talked with mutual friend of ours and he still stays in touch with Rick. He sold the Vox but recently bought one just like it. He loved it and regretted selling it.

Did you ever play a B3? (A Hammond organ)
Oh yea. I've got a B3 now.

You travel with it?
Lord No! I've got a cut down B3. I also have a XK2 portable Hammond, a Yamaha Motif 7, Kurswell KME61. I use all three of them. Of course I've got a couple of Leslies. Some of the guys in the band have kids that we pay to roadie for us. They hate me. (laughter) But back in the early days before I gave it up, I had bought a C3 and was actually hauling it around to gigs. One night we played the ATO house for one of their Viking parties in the basement and they have like two foot of hay on the floor. We were trying to carry that C3 across that floor and we fell with it and it landed on my wrist. I had to have cortisone shots for years. So I don't even think about hauling that big Hammond around any more. The sound is close but those guys that grew up hearing a B3, they can tell the difference.

Mack Brown had told me Jim was a nice guy, he was right. Jim talked about Chap having a great attitude, he does too. Always a smile and a smile in his voice. It was a pleasure to interview this very busy man.