Legendary Rock Band Little Feat Brings “Can’t Be Satisfied” Tour to Webster

Legendary rock, country, blues, and funk band Little Feat released their latest studio album, “Sam’s Place,” in May, marking their first album in 12 years. This year also saw the re-release of their classic 1974 album, “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now,” celebrating its 50th anniversary.

There are a few constants between these two albums. Bonnie Raitt, who sang backing vocals along with Emmy Lou Harris and Fran Tate on “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now,” duets with band member Sam Clayton on the track “Long Distance Call” from “Sam’s Place.” Another constant is the excellent musicianship that has always been a hallmark of Little Feat.

Bill Payne, the band’s pianist, organist, keyboardist, and vocalist, is the only member from the original four-piece lineup still playing in the band.

Payne, 75, is looking forward to Little Feat’s first visit to Indian Ranch in Webster as part of their Can’t Be Satisfied Tour. The show is set for 1 p.m. on August 24, with the folk-rock band The Steel Wheels as the special guest.

“It’s fun to go to new places and catch what’s left of summer,” Payne said during a recent telephone interview, prefacing a number of tour dates in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, and New York state in August.

“When people come to hear us in Webster, what they’re hearing are people playing live music who are really, really good at it,” Payne said. “It’s contagious. I guarantee you that people who love music are going to love Little Feat.”

Payne acknowledged that there will be some people at Indian Ranch who “don’t know us.”

Little Feat may be perceived as a band that hasn’t received its full due of recognition. For example, they are not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

“I don’t feel we’re underrated,” Payne noted. However, he reflected that playing across many genres presents a reality where “we like things in a nice package.” On the positive side, “people can still figure out who you are.”

Even so, Payne believes Little Feat deserves a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, citing the number of bands in the hall who were influenced by Little Feat.

Payne does not come across as a complainer, however. “Being in a band has been one of the greatest things in my life,” he said.

Little Feat dates back to 1969 when guitarist and vocalist Lowell George, who had just been fired from Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, formed the band in California with Payne, drummer Richie Hayward, and bassist Roy Estrada.

The name “Little Feat” supposedly emerged when a member of the Mothers of Invention remarked on George’s “little feet.” Zappa helped the band secure a contract with Warner Bros. Records.

Estrada left in 1972, but guitarist and vocalist Paul Barrere, bassist and vocalist Kenny Gradney, and percussionist and vocalist Sam Clayton joined.

The band earned critical acclaim and released great early albums like “Sailin’ Shoes,” “Dixie Chicken,” and “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now.” Hits such as “Willin'” and “Oh Atlanta” cemented their place in rock history. A clip from the BBC show “Old Grey Whistle Test” in 1975 showcases the band’s early talent and power.

There was also turmoil. George went solo in 1979 and died suddenly that same year at 34. Little Feat disbanded but reformed in 1987, adding Fred Tackett on guitar and vocals.

Hayward (2010) and Barrere (2019) are both deceased, but Tackett, Gradney, and Clayton remain members of the band along with Payne. The newest members are Scott Sharrard (slide guitar, electric guitar, vocals) and Tony Leone (drums, percussion, vocals).

Payne has earned acclaim as a pianist, working with music legends ranging from James Taylor to the Doobie Brothers and Pink Floyd.

Payne is currently writing a memoir titled “Carnival of Ghosts,” focusing on both Little Feat and his eventful life.

He has already written 90,000 words on “Carnival of Ghosts” and has only covered events up to 1976. “My admonition to myself is to tell a story. Actually, I’m kind of stuck on 1975,” Payne said.

Little Feat’s music has been described with a variety of terms, including California rock, funk, folk, jazz, country, rockabilly, blues, and New Orleans swamp boogie.

“Sam’s Place” is Little Feat’s first all-blues album, highlighting Sam Clayton’s distinctive and gravelly blues voice. The record includes an original song, “Milkman,” and covers of classics by Muddy Waters, Bobby Charles, and Willie Dixon. “Got My Mojo Working” is the final cut and was recorded live.

Blues Rock Review praised Little Feat’s “rocking interpretation of blues classics” as cementing their position as “contemporary torchbearers of the blues tradition.”

“‘Sam’s Place’ is a love letter to the blues,” Payne said. “People ask ‘Did you know Sam could sing all these songs?’ … I know how to play the blues. I wanted to do this record and have Sam sing the blues.”

Little Feat is also working on another recording, Payne shared. “The band is alive and well, coming up with a lot of good stuff.”

At Indian Ranch, Little Feat is expected to play a mix of numbers from “Sam’s Place,” along with “a couple of songs people know well, and one or two surprises,” Payne said.

Payne still enjoys performing live.

“What do you do when you sing ‘Happy Birthday’? You sing it with your heart. You add something. You take something away. There’s a lot of ways to keep it fresh. The new kids, they influence us. A combination of things keeps it interesting,” Payne explained.

“You cannot fool an audience. If you don’t deliver, it’s pretty obvious. I don’t care if it’s 300 people or 30,000 or 40,000. It’s an opportunity to shine at what’s been a lifetime endeavor for me.”

When: 1 p.m. Aug. 24

Where: Indian Ranch, 200 Gore Road, Webster

How much: $39.50 to $259.50.

Source: Telegram & Gazette