Comments on: John Drendall, B.A. Thrower and Friends “Papa Never Let Me Sing The Blues”

By: Jane Ryan

Jane Ryan — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:46:57 +0000

It is wonderful to find this website and the reviews of “Papa Never Let Me Sing The Blues”. I was there before it’s conception, and I remember lovingly the bulldog mentioned above. I was one of a very few but privileged of the groupies who knew one member of the band or other and got to hang around as long as we embroidered their shirt tabs. I remember when this album was cut and hand-delivered to a privileged few record racks and I am a rare but blessed owner of one. As long as I had a turntable, this record was playing. I have managed to get my hands on their concurrent CDs following this era, and they just keep getting better and better. Their latest release, Steamy Night In Texas, contains a cut I will not believe isn’t going to be a #1 single, “In The Morning”. It’s a climax to epitomize all the hard honesty and emotional catharses of John, Dick and Sid over these long 30 years. The “Papa” album represents the best of an era we all knew and loved, grew and flourished from and of which we will hold in highest esteem near and dear to our hearts forever. Long live Damion!!

By: Jerry

Jerry — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:21:45 +0000

What a hoot to come upon this album… I knew these guys back in the day. They never, ever came off as typical ego-based musicians… just a group of pals doing what they did best. John plays his ass off on that guitar and sings his heart out. They did a lot of white-boy blues back then – but if you closed your eyes they could have been as black as the dudes from the Mississippi Delta… John is truly a first-rate musical talent. Dick Dunham was one of the best drummers around and a damn fine vocalist in his own right – yet he never seemed to get the credit that he had coming. I really didn’t know B.A. Thrower very well… he kept a pretty low profile -a behind-the-scenes guy… and he played everything – guitar, organ, bass… not a center stage superstar on anything, but a dependable Steady-Eddie kinda guy on everything he turned his hand to… I’m glad to see these guys are mostly still together after all this time… The Deacon Jones song is about John’s bulldog that was killed by a car right in front of John’s house in Michigan… no kiddin’! Rock on!!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:50:38 +0000

The “PAPA” album was the birth of DAMION { after the Herman Hesse book Demien ). Drendall, Seymour and Dunham have traveled the world playing their verious versions of original and cover tunes. Check them out at http://www.Damion.biz…... A national treasure.

By: DD Dunham

DD Dunham — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:27:06 +0000

Damion has just completed 6th CD Steamy Night in Texas and it is great!! Damion is John Drendall, Sid Seymour and DD Dunham. P.S. DD played all drums and percussion plus background vocals on the Papa album. Damion has been together over 30 years and the music has never been better!!

By: Maryooski

Maryooski — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:11:18 +0000

Actually, Lorna is wrong. John Drendall is not still doing music in Florida. He lives and works in HOUSTON. The last time he was in Florida is when he and another friend came and stayed at our house in Port Saint Lucie two years ago. John is an INCREDIBLE talent and, considering his level of expertise, he is the most unpretentious human performer you’ll ever meet!

By: lorna

lorna — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:49:40 +0000

john drendall is still doing music in florida -
here’s the website:

http://www.damion.biz

By: Louder than Milk

Louder than Milk — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:38:40 +0000

Just got the CD and was most impressed at first listen. Great post on such a rare and little talked about curio.

By: Hal Meissner

Hal Meissner — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:12:16 +0000

B.A. (Brad) Thrower is a retired GM data base analyst / media specialist who now operates a successful photography business out of Davison, Michigan. He is a true artist in photography as well as music. Check out his website at bradthrower.com. Brad Thrower’s Bluewater Photography shot my daughter’s wedding as well as several custom prints that never fail to wow visitors to our home.

Papa may have never let him sing the blues, but he sure did let him take pictures!

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:39:55 +0000

Wow! Excellant music.

By: Anne Baker

Anne Baker — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:23:02 +0000

This is astonishingly good. What a great find!!! You have such great taste.