Culture
Jacob Tolliver recalls Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis & Bobby Bare before Southern Ohio Museum show
By: Ian Saint
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PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WOUB) — Portsmouth pianist Jacob Tolliver tells WOUB he didn’t know Bobby Bare was born in neighboring Ironton and raised in Pedro until the two shared a stage in 2018 — a concert with Ricky Skaggs that raised money for Portsmouth’s flood wall mural.
Eight years later, Tolliver is back for another community-centered performance in Portsmouth, this time with a new single covering Bobby Bare’s song “Tequila Sheila.”
On Friday, Tolliver will perform as a part of the Southern Ohio Museum’s (825 Gallia St.) inaugural concert on the IPA Source Plaza, a new outdoor stage dedicated to performing arts. The event is free and open to the public, though the museum itself remains closed for expansion and potential accreditation with plans to reopen next month.
Tolliver spoke with WOUB’s Ian Saint. A transcript of their conversation, edited for length and clarity, follows.
Jacob Tolliver: Portsmouth is an incredible music epicenter, historically. Roy Rogers, Earl Thomas Conley, Kathleen Battle are from here. Bobby Bare, just up the river. The Judds and Billy Ray Cyrus, right across the river (Ashland and Flatwoods). Cowboy Copas was huge in the Grand Ole Opry; he (perished) with Patsy Cline. Even songwriters — I write lots with Rick Farrell, he co-wrote Tim McGraw’s biggest hit, “Something Like That.”
It’s wild, this Rust Belt Midwest town that’s suffered greatly over (decades) and finally on an upswing. Lots of great things are happening — $34 million renovation on the riverfront, new parks being developed. We have the Roy Rogers Esplanade in the town center. When I was 11, I wrote a letter to the (Portsmouth Daily Times) editor — I envisioned this bronze statue of Roy Rogers on (his horse) Trigger. I’ve assembled a fundraising group for the statue. Randy Travis is going to [help] in some way because he and Roy were really close.
Saint: How did your cover of Randy’s “Honky Tonk Side of Town” — with Randy’s longtime producer, Kyle Lehning — manifest?
Tolliver: I’d been asked to perform a song on Randy Travis’ More Life Tour. I was freaking out, because I don’t have that low voice. I went through every track, first to last album, and kept going back to “Honky Tonk Side of Town.” I did that one time, and it went over so well that they invited me (to more shows). I go, “man, we’ve got to cut this — and you might as well go to Randy’s producer.” We had a ball. The sole purpose was cutting “Honky Tonk Side of Town” — (but) you’re booking session players for, minimum, three hours. Nashville players are so good, they knock stuff out in two seconds, so we ended up cutting five songs that day. “Tequila Sheila” is one.
Saint: Juxtaposing your “Tequila Sheila” arrangement with Bobby’s is interesting. Quicker tempo, adding brass… Am I hearing castanets?
Tolliver: Yeah, all the fun Mexican instruments are there. When I played it at Bobby’s 90th birthday party in Nashville — a big to-do with lots of cool people, like Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, and Rodney Crowell — that wasn’t in there; it was just guitar, bass, drums, and me on piano. When I arranged it, I just turned it a little more rock, and that’s how we cut it with Kyle. It sounded great, but needed something to take it next level. Kyle asked, “What about mariachi trumpets?” I thought that was the worst idea. He goes, “Let’s just try. If you don’t like it, (the session) is on me.” He called his trumpet guy, and they overdubbed trumpets in a day. I loved it — sounded like Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass. Then (I thought to) add the marimbas and percussion. Kyle’s harebrained experiment worked, so we leaned into it. Bobby loves this version; he’s all about it.
Saint: You opened for Jerry Lee Lewis for three years. What would you like people to know about him?
Tolliver: The real Jerry Lee was pretty normal, super sweet, and — above all things — hilarious. I got to know three cousins: Jerry Lee, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley. Mickey was very even-keeled, not necessarily stealing a room; Jimmy and Jerry Lee would take over a room in two seconds. Jerry Lee knew the role of Jerry Lee — he knew when it was appropriate to lean into what made him. We’d be backstage just chilling, having a conversation; somebody would knock and say, “Jerry, the venue owner wants to meet you.” He’d comb his hair, get all situated; they’d come to the door, “Hey, Killer!” and he’d turned into this caricature. He knew the role.
Saint: Did you ever meet Little Richard?
Tolliver: Yeah, through Jerry Lee’s world. Little Richard lived in the Downtown Nashville Hilton penthouse. They said, “Call Richard when you get here.” We call in the lobby — Kenny Lovelace, Jerry Lee’s musical director of fifty-some years, and some other people that’d known him back in the day — and there’s a symphonic ringback tone. “Hello, it’s Little Richard. I’m sorry, boys; I’m just not feeling good today. Can you come back tomorrow?” I said, “I’m still in town for another couple days. Don’t know if you want to meet just me; everybody else has to go.” He said, “That’s fine, young man. I’d love to meet you. Call when you’re coming in.” I call, driving, the next day. He had to cancel again; but he goes, “Don’t forget: Little Richard loves you, baby.” That’s all I needed right there; I didn’t need to meet him. But I met him the next day. He was in his wheelchair, peeling an orange, and we talked around 15 minutes. He loved talking about the Lord, and gave me a study Bible. It’s on my piano.
Saint: Did your Portsmouth piano teacher really fire you?
Tolliver: I got fired at eight years old. I took piano lessons from this very prim and proper piano teacher — proper posture, proper fingering positions — and I’d argue with her. I’d take “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and jazz it up — completely botching the piece, but it sure sounded cooler. After about nine months, she told my parents “He’s got a talent that I can’t teach, and I think it’s best we part ways.” But she became one of my biggest supporters, and came to all my live shows. She passed away a few years ago — funny enough, this is actually her piano (I’m sitting at). The people that bought her house wanted me to have it.
Saint: When you’re away, what about Portsmouth do you miss most?
Tolliver: The people and overall vibe. It’s special and quirky, for good and bad. I love the landscape — tucked in the tail end of the Appalachian mountain range and Ohio River, it’s beautiful country. You’re secluded enough, two hours from any major city; but Portsmouth is big enough that pretty much anything you need is there. And the community, overall — everybody’s so tightly-knit, and beautiful people.
Jacob Tolliver performs Friday as a part of the Southern Ohio Museum’s Plaza Party Kickoff event, starting at 4 p.m. You can find more information about the event at this link.