Much has been documented, and deservedly so, regarding the late Roger Sayre's standing, regard, and position on the fine art ladder of echelon. He was and will continue to be a success.

From a musical standpoint I would like to share how much his influence had on a generation of local guitarists.

Roger and I attended the College of the Dayton Art Institute for a couple of years in the mid-60's He was a mentor to me, but in a musical as opposed to a visual arts context. Nearly every Friday afternoon the Institute’s cafeteria turned into a jam room of sorts as Roger would bring his Orange Gretsch Chet Atkins, or his father "Red" Sayre's pre-war Martin D-18 and we would proceed to delve into early works of Bobby Bland, Kenny Burrell or Rogers favorite blues man John Lee Hooker. As I recall "Boogie Chillin" and "Dimples" were two Hooker numbers that Roger had a particular proclivity for.

 It was through his early interest in my own playing that I became familiar with Bland's guitarist the late great Wayne Bennett, and his work on Bobby's Duke Recordings, especially his solo on "Stormy Monday Blues".

It was beyond intriguing to meet another Caucasian that had such an abiding interest in black music. I'd found a "blues buddy" that was into BB, and Freddy, and Dayton's, at that point in time still unknown blues treasures, Robert Ward and his replacement in the Ohio Players, Sugar Bonner.

Fast forward two years and both of our bands had won the "Battle of the Bands Contest" at Carl Casper’s winter ‘65 Auto Show that had become an annual tradition at the old Wampler’s Ball Arena. Our "grand" prize? A recording slot on an album entitled The Dayton Scene. It was recorded at Floyd Whited's Prism Records facility, what really amounted to a quonset hut off of Brandt pike in January of ‘66 in glorious two track [if that!].

Supposedly the record is highly collectible in Europe.

We, "The Gillian Row", Tom Israel, Jose Higgins, Larry Knapp, and myself, Shakin' Dave, were the young upstarts. Perhaps the Gem Cities answer to the pre-punk English band, The Pretty Things. Roger's group, "The Excellents/Vacant Lot," Jerry Thomas, Moon Ditmer, Ray Bushbaum and Roger on guitar, were the veterans.

They were slick, well rehearsed, had matching suites, and club owner Bill Leasure handling their booking and business affairs. All of this and they had the house gig at the LT club a bit further up Old Troy Pike. By late1967 Sayre and Co. had penned and released and as well were enjoying a bit of regional success with their original but very Bo Diddley influenced "Go Little Willie" recording.

To this aspiring guitarist they were the "big time", all the way there!!!

It was during the "Summer Of love" that Sayre's band had secured what today would be considered a showcase gig. It's the gig to be up for and doesn't come without its own particular set of pressures. Usually held in a club known for high visibility and quality entertainment, it's the kind of engagement that enables a number of label or booking agent owners to collect en-masse to see with little inconvenience on their part what a band the quality of the Excellents/Vacant Lot had to offer.

The strings were pulled, and it is this writers contention that the guitarist for the local but internationally known, and long time Sayre fan ,The McCoys (Rick Zehringer) had more than a bit to do with the Excellents securing that gig.

Everything was in place for Sayre's band and "Go Little Willie" to perhaps attain national distribution and recognition. The club dejour was the Cheetah in New York. A sort of make it or break it opportunity for the band.

Apparently that gig was Roger's Waterloo and the overwhelming cultural presence that is the "Big Apple" created a rather negative situation for Roger's very sensitive and "less is more" style of Blues and soul music.

If it was possible to teach the aspect of taste, when to hit the note and when to lay back, and dynamics, why play three notes when one sustained note over the three note passage will do, than Roger held a doctorate in that BB/John Lee school of blues.

He was a man of style, perhaps too caught up in the sense of the current, for his own good. With the English invasion in full swing, the band took on a very British look and sound "Walk Slowly Away", and to a lesser degree "Little Brown House" were examples of this phase. When the commercial Black Chicago Sound of Major Lance and Curtis Mayfield in the mid ‘60's came along, Roger responded with the equally soulful black male trio, The Emotion's. Their performances were an integral and much anticipated part of every L.T. Club performance.

If there was a shortcoming evident in the preceding, it was Roger’s very personal stamp of identification in those musical performances and concepts. His obvious influence came right back in the ultra immediate reflection that in the case of the Cheetah gig, perhaps gave Roger the indication that the term "heavy metal" had more pertinence regarding the medium that was to comprise his successful involvement in the sculptural assemblages that were to form the basis of his visual art career.

From a personal standpoint he did his best, mentor-wise, to instill the oh so important aspect of restraint in my playing that I will forever be indebted to him introducing me to.

From ‘64 to ‘68 I was fortunate enough to actually having attended two schools, and for the year of 1968, I played with the Excellents … or was it the Vacant Lot? It was certainly the school of music with a level of style and propensity that was my late great musical brother Roger Sayre. It was my undergrad period...

He will be missed...

Shakin'Dave - Hall of Fame Show, WYSO Radio, Yellow Springs Ohio
David R. Hussong  Historian, Board of Directors, Dayton Blues Society