About Wayne Sharp's Mushroom Brotherhood
WAYNE SHARP presents THE MUSHROOM BROTHERHOOD. a stunning recreation of THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND taking the stage with the visual and musical energy synonymous with the iconic band. ...
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WAYNE SHARP presents THE MUSHROOM BROTHERHOOD is the ultimate Allman Brothers Band experience!
Witness the stunning recreation of The Allman Brothers Band taking the stage, March 1971. From the look, the lights, vintage equipment, and veteran musicians...this show is phenomenal!
WAYNE SHARP, Hammond B3 organ/piano, blues musician, was raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast playing music with “JAIMOE”/Jai Johnny Johnson and Lamar Williams of The Allman Brothers Band. In the 60’s, after playing at a local beach nightclub, Wayne would head to a popular backwoods club and play till dawn alongside these close friends and countless other musicians. At this time, Jaimoe, wanting to play jazz, decided to head to New York until legendary musician/songwriter, Jackie Avery, talked him into meeting with Duane Allman instead. Jaimoe and Duane hit it off and the rest is history… The Allman Brothers Band was born.
Later, Wayne landed in Macon, GA, living next door to the Allman Brothers. Hanging out, playing music and creating a lifelong brotherhood, became their lifestyle. Lamar would join the Allman Brothers Band after the tragic death of Berry Oakley. When the ABB disbanded in 1980, Wayne contacted Jaimoe and Lamar and told them of his new music venture in CA, The SharpShooter Band, showcasing his original music. Jaimoe and Lamar joined Wayne’s band, and the musical creation grew for The SharpShooter Band until Lamar passed away in 1983.
As history goes, The Allman Brothers Band reunited, with JAIMOE, a founding member. Wayne went on to play with ELVIN BISHOP and would eventually form an Allman Brothers tribute band, The Allmost Brothers. The idea was given to him by GREGG ALLMAN himself while recording and producing Gregg in Los Angeles. This band made a special appearance and performed with rave reviews at GABBA Fest.
Wayne then got a call to join legendary blues artist, MICHAEL BURKS with Alligator Records. He spent 12+ years with Burks, released four albums and won two Blues Music Awards. With the untimely passing of Burks along with the passing of Butch Trucks and Gregg Allman, Wayne decided that now is the time to resurrect the idea that was given to him by Gregg. The Mushroom Brotherhood was born.
---When Wayne asked "JAIMOE" what he thought about the idea of his show, he said…
” The only thing upset me is…..if you don’t do it! "Heck “Jones”, you the only "cat" qualified!”
---"JAIMOE".
Today, Jaimoe feels honored that Wayne is keeping the music alive, continuing to deliver the joy of the brotherhood created by the Allman Brothers Band. “Wayne is closer to the band’s music than most.”
If ever there was a tribute show with an air of legitimacy, this is it! The Mushroom Brotherhood recaptures the visual, musical, and aromatic energy of the musical brotherhood, synonymous with the Allman Brothers Band, the “Kings of Southern Rock”.
In honor of the Allman Brothers Band for what they gave to the world, this band revives the joy and innovation of their music. The road goes on forever, and…the “mushroom brotherhood” continues...
Members
- Wayne Sharp - Hammond B3 Organ , Piano, Vocals
Press
When the third annual Anchor Fest comes to a close Sunday in Jones Park, it will be a full-on family affair rooted in the music of two brothers from Macon, Georgia.
Gulfport musician Wayne Sharp and the SharpShooter Band will hit the stage at 5:30 p.m., and they will be joined by Sharp’s immediate family, some of the extended Allman Brothers Band family and musicians who have played with the likes of Elvin Bishop and Neil Young.
“It’s going to be all about family,” Sharp said. “My sons Sean Sharp, (Gulfport Ward 5 Councilman) Myles Sharp and Grayson Sharp will be joining us.” The band also will feature some very special guest stars who are near and dear to Sharp’s heart. “My granddaughters, Ella and Mia Sharp, are great singers and they will be joining us, as well,” he said.
Lamar Williams Jr., whose father, Gulfport native, Lamar Williams, played bass with the Allmans, will sing with the band. The younger Williams is now the lead singer in Les Brers, which features his late father’s friends and band mates, Buch Trucks and Jaimoe.
Wayne Sharp said he is looking forward to singing with Williams. “Lamar’s dad was one of my best friends,” he said. “This is the first time that we will share the stage together.”
Sunday will also mark Williams’ debut in his dad’s hometown. “Man, I’m really excited about this,” he said. “I have so much family and friends here – when I visited here earlier this year, I couldn’t wait to get back here and perform.”
Sharp and company will perform some of the music from the Allmans’ catalog. “Having Lamar Williams Jr. come back home to his roots playing with Wayne Sharp and The SharpShooters will be a jam session that will not be forgotten,” said Gulfport spokesman, Chris Vignes. “And for those who are in attendance, there are plenty of other special guests who will join them.”
The band also features drummer, Karl Himmel, who has played with JJ Cale and Neil Young and International Harvesters, guitarist Peter Quigley and Willie McCord.
“Willie used to play with Lil’ Willie and the Kings of Soul, who were a popular soul band from Biloxi, and Gulfport’s Jackie Avery will also be joining us,” Sharp said.
Sunday is the final day of the two-day Anchor Fest, which also features a wooden boat show starting at 11 a.m.
“Anchor Fest is a family friendly event and is free and open to all,” Vignes said. “More than 40 artists, local food vendors, historic wooden boats on display and a children’s village are just a few of the highlights of this year’s festival.” –Jeff Clark, Sun Herald
More Press
Press
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT - MONDAY BLUES MONTHLY
Article on our August 31, 2019 performance in St. Petersburg, Florida at THE PALLADIUM. If you do not see the article, please look under "DOCUMENTS".
TESTIMONIALS
THE MUSHROOM BROTHERHOOD (Testimonials)
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“Y’all got it! It’s the perfection of the Allman Brothers sound. It’s the best I’ve heard and I’ve been listening to the Brothers all my life. People erupted when they played Statesboro Blues, it was as good as good can be. Hypnotizing!”
JACKIE AVERY, Legendary Singer/Songwriter/Musician, introduced JAIMOE to DUANE ALLMAN.
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“There’s a reason my big brother Wayne Sharp is a legend amongst we Coast musicians. Those who missed his Allman Brothers tribute show tonight missed great musicians playing with soul and passion and perfection. Great show, Wayne…the packed house was knocked out.”
Billy Miller, Biloxi, MS, Musician
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“Here in Georgia, I’ve been involved and witnessed many bands playing ALLMAN BROTHERS, but nothing compares to this band.”
JIM HAWKINS, Engineer/Producer/Owner-STUDIO 1093, Engineer-CAPRICORN RECORDS, engineer with Tom Dowd that recorded Live at the Fillmore.
FAMILY-STYLE TRIBUTE TO ALLMAN BROTHERS WILL CAP ANCHOR FEST
When the third annual Anchor Fest comes to a close Sunday in Jones Park, it will be a full-on family affair rooted in the music of two brothers from Macon, Georgia.
Gulfport musician Wayne Sharp and the SharpShooter Band will hit the stage at 5:30 p.m., and they will be joined by Sharp’s immediate family, some of the extended Allman Brothers Band family and musicians who have played with the likes of Elvin Bishop and Neil Young.
“It’s going to be all about family,” Sharp said. “My sons Sean Sharp, (Gulfport Ward 5 Councilman) Myles Sharp and Grayson Sharp will be joining us.” The band also will feature some very special guest stars who are near and dear to Sharp’s heart. “My granddaughters, Ella and Mia Sharp, are great singers and they will be joining us, as well,” he said.
Lamar Williams Jr., whose father, Gulfport native, Lamar Williams, played bass with the Allmans, will sing with the band. The younger Williams is now the lead singer in Les Brers, which features his late father’s friends and band mates, Buch Trucks and Jaimoe.
Wayne Sharp said he is looking forward to singing with Williams. “Lamar’s dad was one of my best friends,” he said. “This is the first time that we will share the stage together.”
Sunday will also mark Williams’ debut in his dad’s hometown. “Man, I’m really excited about this,” he said. “I have so much family and friends here – when I visited here earlier this year, I couldn’t wait to get back here and perform.”
Sharp and company will perform some of the music from the Allmans’ catalog. “Having Lamar Williams Jr. come back home to his roots playing with Wayne Sharp and The SharpShooters will be a jam session that will not be forgotten,” said Gulfport spokesman, Chris Vignes. “And for those who are in attendance, there are plenty of other special guests who will join them.”
The band also features drummer, Karl Himmel, who has played with JJ Cale and Neil Young and International Harvesters, guitarist Peter Quigley and Willie McCord.
“Willie used to play with Lil’ Willie and the Kings of Soul, who were a popular soul band from Biloxi, and Gulfport’s Jackie Avery will also be joining us,” Sharp said.
Sunday is the final day of the two-day Anchor Fest, which also features a wooden boat show starting at 11 a.m.
“Anchor Fest is a family friendly event and is free and open to all,” Vignes said. “More than 40 artists, local food vendors, historic wooden boats on display and a children’s village are just a few of the highlights of this year’s festival.” –Jeff Clark, Sun Herald
GABBAfest '98
“The Georgia Allman Brothers Band Association (GABBA) held the seventh annual GABBfest – a reunion and revival for the ABB faithful on September 25-27, 1998. Of course, we met in Macon (back where it all began…sort of).
Folks started arriving on Friday. GABBA registration was at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where there was a time to chat with all the other ABB and related band friends. For $40, we got a ticket for a free meal (including beverage and dessert…peach cobbler, anyone??) at the H&H, admission to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the opportunity to see/trade/buy ABB related merchandise and tour the historic halls of the Phoenix Sound Recording studios (Capricorn) (where if you asked, you’d find some of us, selling tee shirts), and an auction of some very nice musical items.
Saturday night at the same venue was worth the entire $40 alone. First up was Chris Hicks and his band. I thought they were good fun and I enjoyed his voice – he has that raspy tone – sort of like a couple of other guy singers we all know. Then the Barry Richmand band played. Barry is quite a guitar virtuoso. He played feverishly sometimes and wowed the crowd with his abilities.
THEN THE REAL SHOW STARTED... There was a bit of a wait for the next act, but the stage setup looked interesting…2 drum kits, enough amps for 2 guitars and a bass, and a big Hammond B-3 at the far end of stage right. Sure enough, six guys showed up to play – the guy at the Hammond had long blond hair and the two guitar players…well, they both resembled Dickey Betts, and one had a Warehouse New Orleans shirt on.
Johnny Mo stepped up to the mic and said “It’s Macon, it’s GABBA, and we’re the Allmost Brothers Band.” Then they started playing Don’t Want You No More and went into Not My Cross to Bear. Now, you KNOW this audience has heard ABB cover bands and tribute bands before. They’re skeptical, cynical, and have a ‘prove it to me’ attitude – after all, they’re ABB fans who actually traveled to Macon and paid for this privilege.
Partway through NMCTB, I noticed a few folks looking at each other, raising their eyebrows and lowering the corners of their mouths, as if to say ‘not bad’. Sometime into You Don’t Love Me, the eyebrows were still going up, but the mouths were turned up, as in “that was a nice lick, he got that one right”. During Trouble No More, they were jabbing elbows into each other’s ribs, saying “Did you HEAR that?’, and flat out smiling. By the end of Dreams, people were shouting song suggestions.
One of the best parts was during the between song lull, when folks were shouting suggestions, one guy yelled “Play all night!”, and EVERYBODY smiled. Wayne Sharp (the Hammond player and singer) answered “Keeping the Tradition Alive”.
At the set break, the audience showed their appreciation. There were requests for photos, autographs and folks who just wanted to say thanks. Several longtime ABB fans said “They’ve got it down cold”, “that fellow doing Duane has it exactly right”, “I’m impressed by the guy playing Dickey’s part – he’s nailing those solos”, and “Man, this is the way the ABB used to do these songs”.
The second set started out in a beautiful, wistful way. Pete Quigley, who plays Duane’s part, sat alone on a chair on stage and played “Little Martha”. It was sweet and sad at the same time. I had tears in my eyes. People were shushing each other, saying “Be quiet, it’s Little Martha”. Then the rest of the band joined Pete and they played in Memory of Elizabeth Reed, Stormy Monday, Statesboro Blues, One Way Out, Please Call Home and for the encore, Whipping Post.
They started playing at 11:10p.m. and ended at 1:50a.m. It was over 2 hours of pleasure and amazement. The guys in this band are Wayne Sharp from Gulfport, MS on keyboard and vocals; Pete Quigley from West Palm Beach, Florida on guitar (Duane’s part); Mark Whittington from Jackson, MS on guitar (Dickey’s part); George Mills from Mobile, AL on bass; and Wayne’s sons Sean and Myles on drums. There’s talk of making the Allmost Brothers Band an annual GABBA event. If you missed them this year, make plans to be there next year.
Kudos to the band and to those who helped bring them to GABBA. Thanks to Kirk Anderson, President of GABBA and to all the folks who worked to make the event a success. They were selling tee shirts, stamping hands, and generally, being ABB fans who were welcoming us all to their city.
And to add to our musical pleasure, on Sunday we got to see and hear the Mule, as they played at Luther Williams field as part of an all-day musical event (non GABBA related, but fortuitously timed for the GABBA attendees).
All in all, it was a great event. If you were there and can add to this story, please do. If you missed it, start saving now and making plans for next year’s GABBAfest.” -
WAYNE SHARP'S SHARPSHOOTERS by JAMES RIORDAN
The "brotherhood" that made bands like the Allman Brothers, Charley Daniels, Marshall Tucker and Lynyrd Skynyrd such legendary figures is behind Wayne Sharp's Sharpshooter Band, which grew out of a spirit of kinship between Wayne and the other members, including "Jaimoe" and Lamar Williams, from the Allmans....
--James Riordan