Wild T Houston? Wild T and the Spirit set to play the blues in Lethbridge

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Wild T and the Spirit play the Slice, Aug. 2.
It is always interesting to talk to Tony Springer, aka Wild T, blues guitarist extraordinaire of Wild T and The Spirit, who plays the Slice, Aug. 2. 
 “Blues stuff is easier to write, it’s the other stuff that’s kind of hard,” said Springer, who is also known as an expert Jimi Hendrix impersonator, though a few years ago he was trying to move away from that to focus on both Wild T and solo material.
 “We are still getting the odd gig for that. They’ll pay us a bunch of money and we’ll do it. I’d be Whitney Houston if they wanted me to be,” he laughed.
“I’ve got to set my soul free,” he enthused.The power trio, who had some hits in the ’90s including “Midnight Blues,” “Freedom Train, “Loveland,” and “I’ve Got the Rhythm,” has released six CDs including their latest, “Fender Bender,” but Springer is also exploring his softer side for solo material. He has toured as part of David Bowie’s band, opened for Bon Jovi and was cited as one of Jeff Healey’s major influences.
The Trinidad born Springer has been chilling (literally) in a colder than usual summer in Toronto, hitting the occasional jam session and playing the odd gig but has mainly been putting in long hours in his home studio writing new material for a new solo CD which will be along the lines of “Loveland” as well as a new Wild T project. He is also considering releasing a live Wild T and the Spirit CD.
“That’s the whole idea,” he said, adding he picked up a new Roland GR 20 guitar synthesizer which is adding a whole passel of new sounds to his guitar playing palette.
“It’s got organ, strings, horns …. It’s really enhanced my writing,“ he enthused.
“I have a Roland keyboard, but guitar has really been my forte for many years. But with this, I’m getting five or six different instruments through just one guitar. It’s mind-boggling,” he said adding he isn’t ready to bring it on the road.
 “It’s all about entertainment. It’s about doing what puts a smile on their faces,” he said.
 Tickets for Wild T and the Spirit cost $10. The show begins at 9 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Slice.
—By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 July 2009 16:20 )