A guitar player since his teenage years, he hung out at the Blues Box, a music club and cultural center in Baton Rouge run by guitarist Tabby Thomas. Playing guitar alongside Thomas, Raful Neal, Henry Gray and other high-profile regulars at the club, Benoit learned the blues first-hand from a faculty of living blues legends. He formed a trio in 1987 and began playing clubs in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. He began touring other parts of the south two years later and started touring more of the United States in 1991- and he continues to this day.
Benoit landed a recording contract with the Texas-based Justice Records and released a series of well-received recordings, beginning in 1992 with Nice and Warm, an album that prompted comparisons to blues guitar heavyweights like Albert King, Albert Collins and even Jimi Hendrix. Despite the hype, Benoit has done his best over the years to maintain a commitment to his Cajun roots— a goal that often eluded him when past producers and promoters tried to turn him and his recordings in a rock direction, often against his better instincts. These Blues Are All Mine, released on Vanguard in 1999 after Justice folded, marked a return to the rootsy sound that he’d been steered away from for several years.
That same year, he appeared on Homesick for the Road, a collaborative album on the Telarc label with fellow guitarists Kenny Neal and Debbie Davies. Homesick not only served as a showcase for three relatively young but clearly rising stars, but also launched Benoit’s relationship with Telarc that came to fruition in 2002 with the release of Wetlands —arguably the most authentically Cajun installment in his entire ten-year discography.
On Wetlands, Benoit mixes original material like the autobiographical “When a Cajun Man Gets the Blues” and the driving “Fast and Free” with little-known classics like Li’l Bob & the Lollipops’ “I Got Loaded,” Professor Longhair’s “Her Mind Is Gone” and Otis Redding’s timeless “These Arms of Mine” (Tab’s vocal style has long been influenced by Redding).
Later in 2002, Benoit released Whiskey Store, a collaborative recording with fellow guitarist and Telarc labelmate Jimmy Thackery as well as harpist Charlie Musselwhite and Double Trouble—the two-man rhythm section of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton that backed Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Benoit, in 2003, released Sea Saint Sessions, recorded at Big Easy Recording Studio (better known among musicians in the region as Sea Saint Studio) in New Orleans. In addition to Benoit and his regular crew—bassist Carl Dufrene and drummer Darryl White—Sea Saint Sessions includes numerous guest appearances by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Cyril Neville, Brian Stoltz and George Porter.
That same year, Benoit and Thackery took their dueling guitar show on the road and recorded a March 2003 performance at the Unity Centre for Performing Arts in Unity, Maine. The result was Whiskey Store Live, a high-energy guitar fest released in February 2004.
Benoit's 2005 release is Fever for the Bayou,which also includes guest appearances by Cyril Neville (vocals and percussion) and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux (vocals).
An interview with Tab Benoit:
http://www.thecelebritycafe.com/interviews/tab_benoit.html
Downtown
Tab Benoit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then I'm new in town, where should I go
Downtown is the place to speak
The music's gon' be playing till quarter to three
When you'll see people hanging around
You'll see who put the down in downtown
Ain't no need to worry
My friends all told me about this band they had seen
At this little old place down in New Orleans
You gotta go downtown by the riverside
The joy's gonna be jumping out to about quarter to five
Well, you'll see people hanging around
You'll see who put the down in downtown
There's no need to worry, baby, no, no, no
Play it down and dirty
When you'll see people hanging around
You'll see who put the down in downtown
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, no, no, no
They gon' make it jump this way
The lyrics to Tab Benoit's song Downtown describe someone who is new to town and looking for a place to go to listen to music. They decide that downtown is the place to be, where they will find people hanging around and music playing until late at night. The song also mentions a particular band that the singer's friends had recommended. They mention that the place is down by the riverside and that the joy will be jumping out until quarter to five in the morning. The lyrics also suggest that the music will be played down and dirty, which means it will have a gritty and raw quality to it.
The meaning of this song is straightforward - it's about finding a place to go to listen to music and have a good time. However, it’s also a celebration of the culture and spirit of New Orleans, particularly its downtown area. The song highlights the lively and upbeat atmosphere that the city is known for and encourages people to join in.
The song's simple yet upbeat tone and catchy melody make it a popular party song. It has been widely used in films, TV shows, and commercials, and is often played on classic rock stations. The song has also been covered by various artists, including Bob Seger and Rockin’ Dopsie Jr.
Line by Line Meaning
See I got me a cab by the side of the road
I hailed a taxi from the roadside
Then I'm new in town, where should I go
I am a stranger here, can you suggest a place to visit?
Downtown is the place to speak
The center of the city is where the action is
The music's gon' be playing till quarter to three
The music will go on until 2:45AM
When you'll see people hanging around
When you observe folks loitering
You'll see who put the down in downtown
You will see who added the vibrancy and vitality to this neighborhood
Ain't no need to worry
No need for anxiety
They gonna play it down and dirty
The music will be raw and gritty
My friends all told me about this band they had seen
My pals informed me of a band they had watched
At this little old place down in New Orleans
At a small and old venue in New Orleans
You gotta go downtown by the riverside
You should head to the urban center near the riverbank
The joy's gonna be jumping out to about quarter to five
Exhilaration will be palpable until about 4:45AM
There's no need to worry, baby, no, no, no
Do not worry, my dear
Play it down and dirty
Play the music in a raw and gritty manner
Don't you worry 'bout a thing, no, no, no
You need not worry about anything
They gon' make it jump this way
The musicians will make the crowd go wild
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Tony Hatch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind