Tuesdays at KJ’s—Open Mics, Open Minds
Chris Manson June 17, 2004 Issue

David Pretlow said the idea for Open Mic Tuesday at KJ’s came up “because I wanted to find a place I could play my songs.” On a good night, the Roshambo bass player and solo performer can work in one or two of his original tunes during a four-hour gig. “This is an opportunity for people to get comfortable playing their music.”

We were all hoping for a good turnout for the third Tuesday. “We didn’t really have the word out for the first one,” Pretlow said. The week before, there was very little open mic activity, although Kyle LaMonica delivered a solid set—sore throat and all—for the Midnight Music that followed. I was excited to see Amy Hart’s name on the sign-up sheet, but she left to get her guitar and did not return. Pretlow hoped to meet the talented singer-songwriter and invite her to perform at one of the midnight slots in July.

“She’s really good,” I told Pretlow as her CD played in the background. “Mickey Raphael, Willie Nelson’s harmonica player, played on one of the tracks.”

Pretlow first came to Destin “for five months 11 years ago.” He moved here from Atlanta on a steady migration south that began when he was a child in Cleveland. Pretlow put a band together at the Grand Isle Grill (now the Sky Bar) called Salty Dog. “The group is still going strong with Brad Vroon,” he said.

Around 10 p.m. Pretlow told the small crowd, “Anybody can play a song or two or three.” He reiterated that the songs had to be original, then he did three songs from his promising five-song EP, including the catchy Bother Me. He employed a looping machine that allowed his guitar to continue playing while he broke out his violin.

“The open mic is ‘open’,” Pretlow said. “It’s just a means for anybody of any level to express themselves. People who play all the time get nervous when they do their own songs. After you try something like this, you generally find that you had a good time. I did one in Mobile back in January, and I was nervous as hell.”

“I don’t know anyone who doesn’t get nervous to some degree,” Destin Don said. Don came to observe with pal Jackson “Smitty” Smith. Both are members of Destin Songwriters and have been playing and writing for years.

I figured I had better have a song of my own ready in case nobody else signed up. I spent the previous day working up a humorous ditty called Hot Summer Lovin’. I didn’t get the laughs I was anticipating, but at least nobody booed.

“I’ve done songs that were jokey and people just sat there like this,” musician and KJ’s proprietor Jim Couch said stonefaced. “They don’t want to laugh because they might offend the poor guitar player.”

Pretlow was kind enough to let me use his guitar. I wasn’t used to playing one that wasn’t beat up and out of tune, but I got through it. He complimented me on my lightning fast thumb strumming.

Destin Don took the stage next and performed four country-style ballads including Holiday and Loud Music and Two-Stepping. A group of young Romanian tourists—perhaps hoping to hear Brown Eyed Girl or something they knew—began to thin out before Pretlow returned to play an enthusiastic instrumental composition.

When Jeff Caldwell and his group arrived, Pretlow encouraged me to sing Hot Summer Lovin’ again. Two lovely young ladies from Leesville, La.—a small town outside Fort Polk where I actually spent a couple years in the early 1990s—wanted to hear it, too. Rhonda and Juanita then excused themselves and promised to return after they picked up their friends at AJ’s. I never saw them again.

Caldwell’s reaction to my song was more appreciative. “It was really cool,” he said. “I like fun stuff. My songs tend to be more serious.” Caldwell has been busy with solo and band gigs six nights a week. Tonight he planned to introduce some fresh material. What are the new songs about? I asked.

“I hate to say love and spirituality,” Caldwell answered.

“But you just did,” Couch said.

“Stream of consciousness” is how Caldwell described his style of music. “I’ve also been playing with the drummer from Sly and the Family Stone at Capo’s. I’ve never felt any energy like that on stage. Even if you’re not feeling inspired, when you play with him it’s like, ‘Whoa!’” Caldwell hopes to lay down some of his new tracks in the studio this summer.

Like most of the musicians in town, Caldwell is very excited about original music night at KJ’s. Pretlow has booked Kenny Rudd and Pat Boone for the rest of June and hopes to attract some more big names for July. Musicians interested in performing Midnight Music are encouraged to submit a CD or demo to KJ’s. Anyone interested in Open Mic Night just needs to show up around 9 p.m.

“I think this is great,” Couch said. “I don’t think anyone else is doing this. If they are, I haven’t heard about it.”

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