Gumbo 2014 Mardi Gras Perade Schedule
February 4, 2015Southbound tag only lane of toll bridge to close Monday
February 6, 2015
Mike Willis is keeping good company these days, literally.
The band Good Company, fronted by Willis, is a revolving cast of some of Nashville’s finest songwriters, vocalists and musicians.
“We import great talent wherever we go,” Willis told Gumbo in a phone interview from Key West.
For the band’s Feb. 3 stop at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium, Good Company will include eight players, all experienced in a wide range of styles.
“Almost everybody in the band plays more than one thing,” Willis said. “And everybody sings lead.”
The members of Good Company have played with a who’s who of stars – Lyle Lovett, Marc Broussard, John Mayer, Vince Gill, Bella Fleck, Ronnie Milsap, Johnny Lang, Kenny Loggins, Sugar-land and Derek Trucks among them.
“We have a unique opportunity to take advantage of little situation when those artists change band members,” Willis said. When artists find themselves without another gig, they often fall into Good Company.
“We don’t ask them to come in and play predetermined parts,” he said. “We invite them to be themselves. We take talent that is flying under the radar and put them in the spotlight.”
That ensures every show has a different flavor. “Each one has our own personal stamp,” the founder said. “It keeps it new every night.”
Willis said he started Good Company with a simple belief: that music is the common bond that brings people together through grace, understanding and appreciation.
The special lineup heading to Morgan City includes drummer Philip Lowman, bassist Reggie Sullivan, guitarist Aaron Rhodes, singer Heidi Burson, keyboardist Nick Brewer, Mica Read and Joel White, a United Kingdom find who “plays everything.”
“It’s a great blend. Reggie loves the jazz greats; Heidi brings us a bit of Aretha Franklin and R&B soul and Nick is an absolute magic man on keyboards. He looks like Bob Marley but plays like Coltrane – if he played the keys.
“We joke of Aaron that we don’t know where he came from,” he added. “He just showed up with a guitar and one flip-flop. He plays like Stevie Ray Vaughn and adds a great sound to the band.”
Good Company’s exhaustive play list includes traditional, classic country, R&B, hits ranging from the 1920s through today, as well as thoughtful original compositions.
Good Company performs locally Feb. 3. Tickets are $45 for adults and $10 for students (K-12), and are available at the door.
For more information, call the Community Concert Association of Morgan City Inc. at 985-385-2307.
Good Company founder and frontman Mike Willis sees a good deal of band turnover, and he likes it. Good Company includes artists who have played with the best in all genres of music. When they find themselves between gigs, the musicians join Good Company. Playing everything from traditional, gospel, country and pop hits, as well as original material, Good Company arrives in Morgan City Feb. 3.
