Five Firsts: Big Sandy of Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys

NAME: Big Sandy
BAND AFFILIATION: Singer for Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys
INSTRUMENT: voice, acoustic guitar

1. THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT WAS … The first album I bought was in 1971 at the age of seven. It was Maybe Tomorrow, the Jackson 5’s fourth regular studio LP on Motown. I had been eyeballin’ it for weeks at K-Mart, but couldn’t afford it. I ended up talking my buddy Mike into selling me his used copy for a dollar.

2. THE FIRST CONCERT THAT I EVER SAW WAS … I was lucky enough to see Ray Charles perform outdoors at a local community center. I’m not sure what year that was… sometime in the ’70s.

3. THE FIRST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT I EVER OWNED OR PLAYED WAS … My first instrument was a cheapie nylon string guitar that I got for free when I signed up for lessons at an local music shop. It was the summer after I graduated from high school. One night after a party, it ended up getting swiped out of my ’56 Chevy by some punk who later tried to sell it back to me.

4. THE FIRST SONG THAT I EVER PERFORMED IN PUBLIC WAS … The first song I ever performed in public was Elvis’s version of “That’s Alright, Mama” at a house party. Later that night… (see above).

5. THE FIRST BAND I WAS EVER IN WAS … The first band I was in was a rockabilly band called the Moondawgs, a group made up of guys that I met at a house party… (see above). It all ties in together.

Big Sandy has recorded solo albums. And he’s collaborated with a number of other musicians from Candye Kane to Los Straitjackets. But he always returns to his band, the Fly-Rite Boys. Now Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys are on tour once again, celebrating their upcoming all-acoustic album, “What A Dream It’s Been,” as well as their 25th anniversary together. The tour is slated to land at the Ale House in Troy at 8pm on Tuesday (May 7). Tickets are $15. BUT WAIT! We’re giving away a pair of FREE TICKETS to the show. Just GO HERE to enter…