[music] >> male announcer: From beautiful downtown Solana Beach, this is San Diego's musical showcase, "Live at The Belly Up."

♪ They're gonna see me comin' ♪ ♪ before the sun dries ♪ ♪ the mornin' dew.

♪♪ >> announcer: In tonight's episode, the delta blues of Tab Benoit.

With blues and Cajun musical influences as rich as the delta soil, Tab's guitar mastery is one of a kind.

>> Tab Benoit: Every night I play the same songs that are, you know, on my records but they're never played the same way so it always keeps it fun, it keeps it exciting, keeps it new.

It's always fresh.

>> male: We are live at The Belly Up.

Welcome to the stage Tab Benoit.

[music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ They take your love ♪ ♪ and your money.

♪ ♪ They take your sugar ♪ ♪ and your honey.

♪ ♪ They take your skin and fat.

♪ ♪ Why are people like that?

♪ ♪ They take your tile ♪ ♪ and your home.

♪ ♪ They take your flesh ♪ ♪ and your bone.

♪ ♪ They take your shirt ♪ ♪ off your back.

♪ ♪ Why are people like that?

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ They take your dog ♪ ♪ and your car.

♪ ♪ They try to push you ♪ ♪ too far.

♪ ♪ Break you hard, ♪ ♪ keep you flat.

♪ ♪ Why are people like that?

♪ ♪ They make you sleep ♪ ♪ in the street.

♪ ♪ They give you ♪ ♪ nothing to eat.

♪ ♪ They lie to you, ♪ ♪ that's a fact.

♪ ♪ Well, why are people ♪ ♪ like that?

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ They take your phone ♪ ♪ and your car.

♪ ♪ They take everything ♪ ♪ you've got.

♪ ♪ And behind your back.

♪ ♪ Why are people like that?

♪ ♪ Why are people like that?

♪ ♪ Why are people like that?

♪ ♪ I don't know why ♪ ♪ they act like that.

♪ ♪ Well, why are people ♪ ♪ like that?

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ Why are people like that?

♪ ♪ Why are people like that?

♪ ♪ I don't know why ♪ ♪ they act like that.

♪ ♪ Well, why are people ♪ ♪ like that?

♪ ♪ Why are people like-- ♪ ♪ Oh, why are people ♪ ♪ like that?

♪ ♪ I don't know why ♪ ♪ they act like that.

♪ ♪ Why are people like that?

♪♪ [music] [music] >> Tab: People kept asking me to play more music, you know?

I had a job as a pilot, you know, flying airplanes and I'd play music on the weekends and do stand-up comedy and things like that and, you know, to fulfill my entertainment bug, you know, and make extra money and it got to the point where they would offer me more shows to play music and offer me more money to do so until my night job started making more money than my day job and I was kind of like, "Well, I guess I should try this for a while."

[music] [music] [music] ♪ What's the matter ♪ ♪ with the place we live in?

♪ ♪ Did Mother Nature ♪ ♪ get it wrong?

♪ ♪ A rusted delta ♪ ♪ in the name of changing ♪ ♪ and dig it 'til ♪ ♪ it's dead and gone.

♪ ♪ Now, what you gonna tell ♪ ♪ the children?

♪ ♪ What you gonna tell ♪ ♪ the trees?

♪ ♪ What you gonna tell ♪ ♪ the spirit, ♪ ♪ when the heart ♪ ♪ of the bayou bleeds?

♪ ♪ There's a whole lot of ♪ ♪ something around here.

♪ ♪ There's a whole lot ♪ ♪ of giving up around here.

♪ ♪ We've seen a whole lot ♪ ♪ of hurting around here, ♪ ♪ but there's a whole lot ♪ ♪ of soul right around here.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ Maybe we should move ♪ ♪ the mountains.

♪ ♪ Or maybe we should ♪ ♪ drain the sea ♪ ♪ and wash away the desert.

♪ ♪ Well, it makes ♪ ♪ no sense to me.

♪ ♪ But looking at it ♪ ♪ from the outside, ♪ ♪ it sure don't look ♪ ♪ that hard.

♪ ♪ Now tell me ♪ ♪ how you gonna feel ♪ ♪ when they come ♪ ♪ digging up your backyard?

♪ ♪ There's a whole lot ♪ ♪ of something around here.

♪ ♪ There's a whole lot ♪ ♪ of giving up around here.

♪ ♪ I've seen a whole lot ♪ ♪ of hurting around here, ♪ ♪ but there's a whole lot ♪ ♪ of soul right around here.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ There's a whole lot ♪ ♪ of something around here.

♪ ♪ There's a whole lot ♪ ♪ of giving up around here.

♪ ♪ I've seen a whole lot ♪ ♪ of hurting around here, ♪ ♪ but there's a whole lot ♪ ♪ of soul right around here.

♪♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Tab: My biggest influences musically, you--it's hard to believe it, is like Evel Knievel, you know?

Like, even though he wasn't a musician he was a dude that was out there.

"Hey, set the ramps up.

I never tried this before, but I'm gonna go for it for your entertainment," you know?

And that--those kinds of things, you know, worked on me as a entertainer.

I was, like, "Wow, if he can do that and he's gonna risk his life for my entertainment, then I can do this."

I mean, dying up there playing guitar is not like dying coming over the Snake River Canyon wall, you know?

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

[music] ♪ I moved your picture ♪ ♪ from my wall ♪ ♪ and I replaced them, baby, ♪ ♪ both large and small.

♪ ♪ And each new day, ♪ ♪ oh, finds me so blue ♪ ♪ because nothing, oh, nothing ♪ ♪ takes the place of you.

♪ ♪ I read your letters, ♪ ♪ baby, one by one, ♪ ♪ and I still love ya, ♪ ♪ oh, ya know I do, ♪ ♪ when it's all said and done.

♪ ♪ And oh my darlin', ♪ ♪ baby, I'm so blue, ♪ ♪ Lord, because nothing, ♪ ♪ oh, nothing ♪ ♪ takes the place of you.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ And as, as I write, ♪ ♪ baby, this letter, ♪ ♪ Lord, it's raining.

♪ ♪ It's raining ♪ ♪ on my windowpane.

♪ ♪ And as, as I feel, ♪ ♪ baby, in need of you, ♪ ♪ 'cause without you, ♪ ♪ without you, baby, ♪ ♪ nothing seems the same.

♪ ♪ And so I'll wait, oh baby, ♪ ♪ 'til you're home.

♪ ♪ Oh and I'll love again, ♪ ♪ oh, you know I will ♪ ♪ but right now ♪ ♪ I'm so all alone.

♪ ♪ And oh my darling, ♪ ♪ oh baby, I'm so blue, ♪ ♪ Lord, because nothing, ♪ ♪ oh nothing, baby, ♪ ♪ takes the place of you.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ And as, as I write, ♪ ♪ baby, this letter, ♪ ♪ Lord, it's raining.

♪ ♪ It's raining ♪ ♪ on my windowpane.

♪ ♪ And as, as I feel, ♪ ♪ baby, in need of you, ♪ ♪ 'cause without you, ♪ ♪ oh, without you, baby, ♪ ♪ nothing seems the same.

♪ ♪ And so I'll wait, oh baby, ♪ ♪ 'til you're home.

♪ ♪ And Lord, you know, ♪ ♪ I'm gonna love again, ♪ ♪ oh, you know I will ♪ ♪ but right now ♪ ♪ I'm so all alone.

♪ ♪ And oh my darling, ♪ ♪ oh baby, baby, baby, ♪ ♪ I'm so blue, ♪ ♪ oh, because nothing, ♪ ♪ oh nothing takes ♪ ♪ the place of you.

♪ ♪ Oh, nothing, no, nothing ♪ ♪ takes the place of you.

♪♪ [music] >> Tab: I mean, I'm learning how to improvise better and how to take things from here and put it into here and put it into here.

You know, how to get what you feel into your instrument is the hardest part of playing music.

It's how do I make the audience understand what I'm feeling through this medium, whatever that medium is.

[music] [music] ♪ My baby got the fire, ♪ ♪ I got the roux.

♪ ♪ My baby got the fire, ♪ ♪ I said I got the roux.

♪ ♪ We make a good gumbo, ♪ ♪ yes, we do.

♪ ♪ We make a good gumbo ♪ ♪ on the old bayou.

♪ ♪ If we take our time, ♪ ♪ gonna do it right.

♪ ♪ If we take our time, ♪ ♪ gonna do it right.

♪ ♪ She don't mind, ♪ ♪ if it takes all night.

♪ ♪ No, she don't mind ♪ ♪ if it takes all night.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ She stir me up, ♪ ♪ throw her down.

♪ ♪ She stir me up, ♪ ♪ and I throw her down.

♪ ♪ She knock me out, ♪ ♪ way down to the ground.

♪ ♪ And she pick me up ♪ ♪ and turn me around.

♪ ♪ Where I come from, ♪ ♪ it ain't no rush.

♪ ♪ Where we come from, ♪ ♪ there ain't no rush.

♪ ♪ We make a good gumbo ♪ ♪ with a loving touch.

♪ ♪ From New Orleans, ♪ ♪ went down to the Gulf.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ We like to move slow ♪ ♪ like the bayou wind.

♪ ♪ We like to move slow ♪ ♪ like the bayou wind.

♪ ♪ When the mood comes up glad ♪ ♪ it's running again.

♪ ♪ When the night is done, ♪ ♪ the--always wins.

♪ ♪ My baby got the fire, ♪ ♪ I got the roux.

♪ ♪ My baby got the fire, ♪ ♪ I got the roux.

♪ ♪ We make a good gumbo, ♪ ♪ yes, we do.

♪ ♪ We make a good gumbo ♪ ♪ on the old bayou.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ My baby got the fire, ♪ ♪ I got the roux.

♪ ♪ My baby got the fire, ♪ ♪ I got the roux.

♪ ♪ We make a good gumbo, ♪ ♪ yes, we do.

♪ ♪ We make a good gumbo ♪ ♪ on the old bayou.

♪♪ [music] [music] [music] >> Tab: A lot of times I play with my eyes closed so I can't even see what I did if I--if I played something that was, like, "Wow, that was cool," I didn't even see it.

So I couldn't really go back and re-do it and that's fine.

It doesn't have to be re-done.

It shouldn't be re-done.

It should be a new idea tomorrow that gets in there.

And I think what I'm learning about playing is learning how to improvise better.

[music] ♪ There's too many ♪ ♪ dirty dishes, ♪ ♪ baby, in the sink ♪ ♪ for just us two.

♪ [music] [music] ♪ There's too many ♪ ♪ dirty dishes, baby, ♪ ♪ Lord, in the sink ♪ ♪ for just us two.

♪ [music] [music] ♪ Well, you got me wonderin', ♪ ♪ baby, I'm wond'rin' ♪ ♪ who's makin' dirty dishes ♪ ♪ with you.

♪ [music] [music] ♪ I go to work every mornin', ♪ ♪ I come right home ♪ ♪ every night.

♪ ♪ When I leave ♪ ♪ the sink is empty, y'all, ♪ ♪ and when I come back home, ♪ ♪ Lord, she got 'em ♪ ♪ stacked up out of sight.

♪ [music] ♪ There's too many ♪ ♪ dirty dishes, ♪ ♪ baby, in the sink ♪ ♪ for just us two.

♪ [music] ♪ Well, you got me wonderin', ♪ ♪ baby, I'm wond'rin' ♪ ♪ who's making dirty dishes ♪ ♪ with you.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ Oh, you got me ♪ ♪ wond'rin', baby, ♪ ♪ who's making ♪ ♪ dirty dishes with you.

♪♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Chris Goldsmith: Tab Benoit was born in Louisiana and he honed his swampy blues sound at a club called "The Blues Box" in Baton Rouge.

As a teenager, he got to play alongside some real Louisiana legends and since then he's gone on to win many blues awards including the B.B.

King Entertainer of the Year and he's already been inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Fame.

[music] ♪ There's somethin' ♪ ♪ in the water ♪ ♪ that's callin' my name.

♪ ♪ If I work another hour ♪ ♪ I'mma go insane.

♪ ♪ Driftin' to the places ♪ ♪ I would rather be, ♪ ♪ in my boat ♪ ♪ under a cypress tree.

♪ ♪ Hey, they're gonna see me ♪ ♪ comin' before the sun ♪ ♪ dries the mornin' dew.

♪ ♪ Hey, you know I can't wait ♪ ♪ to be Sac-au-lait fishin' ♪ ♪ down on Whiskey Bayou.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ There's some good ♪ ♪ Cajun music on the radio.

♪ ♪ Every Sunday mornin' ♪ ♪ it's a Fais do-do.

♪ ♪ The birds in the trees ♪ ♪ seem to know this song.

♪ ♪ I popped a cork to the beat ♪ ♪ while they're singin' along.

♪ ♪ Hey, they're gonna see me ♪ ♪ comin' before the sun ♪ ♪ dries the mornin' dew.

♪ ♪ Hey, you know I can't wait ♪ ♪ to be Sac-au-lait fishin' ♪ ♪ down on Whiskey Bayou.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ There's one more cast ♪ ♪ before the sun goes down.

♪ ♪ Just about the time ♪ ♪ the alligator come around.

♪ ♪ My baby, she's awaitin' ♪ ♪ and she's all alone.

♪ ♪ But if I keep ♪ ♪ gettin' nibbles, ♪ ♪ I may never go home.

♪ ♪ Hey, they're gonna see me ♪ ♪ comin' before the sun ♪ ♪ dries the mornin' dew.

♪ ♪ Hey, you know I can't wait ♪ ♪ to be Sac-au-lait fishin' ♪ ♪ down on Whiskey Bayou.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ Hey, they're gonna see me ♪ ♪ comin' before the sun ♪ ♪ dries the mornin' dew.

♪ ♪ Hey, you know I can't wait ♪ ♪ to be Sac-au-lait fishin' ♪ ♪ down on Whiskey Bayou.

♪♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Tab: I mean, I'd played cover bands, you know, as a teenager and trying to perform the same songs the same way as they were on somebody else's record was not comfortable and not easy, you know?

And every night you walk away going, "Well, we messed that one up and we messed that one up."

But when you don't have it all rehearsed out, and it's all free and open to the moment, there's no real messing up.

It's, "This is how I feel now.

This is what I play now."

[music] [music] [music] ♪ I'm losing my mind, babe, ♪ ♪ the worst thing to happen, ♪ ♪ I fear.

♪ ♪ I'm begging for mercy.

♪ ♪ There ain't no connection ♪ ♪ out here.

♪ ♪ I'm sick of these things ♪ ♪ that's going on, ♪ ♪ my fever's high, ♪ ♪ my nights are long.

♪ ♪ One more shot to do me in.

♪ ♪ Bring me my medicine.

♪ [music] ♪ Bring me my medicine, baby.

♪ ♪ Hard times are holding me ♪ ♪ against my will.

♪ ♪ I'm so tired that ♪ ♪ I can't find my thrill.

♪ ♪ Stuck in the middle of right ♪ ♪ and wrong, ♪ ♪ I don't know what ♪ ♪ keeps me hanging on.

♪ ♪ Baby, can't you see ♪ ♪ what a shape I'm in?

♪ ♪ Bring me my medicine.

♪ ♪ Bring me my medicine.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ So good when your medicine ♪ ♪ hit my vein.

♪ ♪ Just one time and I ain't ♪ ♪ never been the same.

♪ ♪ People tryin' to find out ♪ ♪ what's the deal.

♪ ♪ All I know is how you ♪ ♪ make me feel.

♪ ♪ Maybe that's just ♪ ♪ pushing it, boys, you know.

♪ ♪ Bring me my medicine.

♪ ♪ Bring me my medicine, baby.

♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] ♪ I'm losing my mind, babe, ♪ ♪ the worst thing to happen, ♪ ♪ I fear.

♪ ♪ I'm begging for mercy.

♪ ♪ There ain't no connection ♪ ♪ out here.

♪ ♪ I'm sick of these things ♪ ♪ that's going on, ♪ ♪ my fever's high, ♪ ♪ my nights are long.

♪ ♪ One more shot ♪ ♪ could do me in, baby.

♪ ♪ Bring me my medicine.

♪ ♪ Bring me my medicine, ♪ ♪ babe, yeah.

♪ ♪ Oh babe, oh babe, oh babe.

♪♪ [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [audience cheering] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> female announcer: "Live at The Belly Up" is brought to you by Pacific Coast Grill, with an oceanfront venue featuring Pacific Coast cuisine including an oyster bar, sushi rolls, and a variety of seafood.

Since 1995 PCG has used fresh local free-range ingredients to inspire singular menu creations, hosting seaside special events for groups of 12 to 220.

For reservations and event information, visit Pacificcoastgrill.com.

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With over 3000 rugs in stock, they have a wide selection of designs and styles from machine-made to handmade.

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>> announcer: Support for this program comes from the KPBS Explore Local Content Fund, supporting new ideas and programs for San Diego.