If you live near Indianapolis, chances are you’ve heard of Mandy Marie Luke. Or if you’ve been lucky enough to catch her across the country when she’s been on tour, you know that she’s a force to be reckoned with. Witnessing a Mandy Marie & the Cool Hand Lukes show is a life changing event. When she opens her mouth and starts singing, it’s like going back in time. A time when country music was real and not glorified pop music. Then she gets to the middle of the song and plays a guitar solo, yes, that’s right- she’s the lead guitarist too! It’s not common to see a girl play guitar like she does, in fact I’m willing to bet that she’s sent a lot of male guitarists home hanging their heads after witnessing her prowess on the Telecaster.
In the last year she's also been doing some solo acoustic shows with Brigitte London across the country, with more dates scheduled for August. I caught up with Mandy about a week ago and we talked about guitars, influences, beginnings, guitars, family, guitars- oh, did I mention guitars?
T-Bone's Prime Cuts: How old were you when you realized you wanted to be a musician?
Mandy Marie Luke: I was 13 years old when I realized I wanted to be a musician. And the main reason was hearing James Burton play that crazy chicken-picked solo on “Elvis Live At The International Hotel” with Mystery Train and they blended in Tiger Man, that 2nd solo just grabbed me by the collar and kicked my ass and made me realize- I have to learn how to play guitar. And really from that moment on, my dad was a musician so I was kinda always around it and always wanted to play- from that moment on I really didn’t have a choice. It was, “You have to learn how to do this or you’re going to die!” You have to. It’s cool to be able to kinda pinpoint it down to a moment and sincerely that moment really did… it grabbed me and shook me.
TBPC: Who are some of the guitarists that influenced you early on?
MML: I think early, James Burton was huge- obviously… Don Rich was another big one. My grandparents had a killer record collection and I remember putting needle to wax on Buck Owens & The Buckaroos “Live At Carnegie Hall” and it was another life changing moment- it totally just grabbed me. Don Rich was cool too because, Don Rich and Luther Perkins I could actually learn what they were doing. Where with James I didn’t know how to (do what he was doing.) I learned how to play solos before I learned how to play chords because I never had guitar lessons. So, I was just picking everything out by ear. When you’re a little kid and you’re playing guitar by ear it’s easy to go (Picks up Telecaster and plays a Luther-style riff similar to “Walk The Line.”) So, I think Luther, Don Rich and James were probably my big ones. Then right after that, Roy Nichols grabbed me… big time… and he has not let go. Still to this day, Roy Nichols and Don Rich are probably my two… but there’s so many! Steve Cropper, I love them all! Reggie Young, Gene Moles is another gigantic influence on me. I love so many guitar players. What’s funny too- Man, I ain’t changed that much. The ones I loved then are still the ones I love now.
TBPC: At what age did you play your first gig?
MML: I played my first gig not long after getting my first guitar. My dad played in a band and I was learning how to play a few things… and the next thing I knew, he just got me up on stage. If there was a curtain, I’d be hiding behind it. I started playing three nights a week in my dad’s band when I was 13 years old. Missouri honky tonks, Arkansas beer dives, that kinda things. I literally grew up with a Fender Twin aimed right at my right ear, and breathing in cigarette smoke. My dad, he’s probably the reason I actually play music, because he gave me that love. Watching my dad play and just seeing how much love he had for music really wore off on me. So, yeah- I was 13 and I didn’t stop until… well, I haven’t stopped!
TBPC: You grew up playing guitar behind other people. How difficult was it for you to make the transition to fronting a band and singing?
MML: That transition damn near killed me! (laughs) I’d been just playing lead guitar in bands forever and the singer from our old band quit, so I had about 11 days to fill the dates that band had booked. I started singing at practice, and we were still looking for a lead singer for this band- probably five months in. I didn’t think I could do it, I was nervous and scared to death that I’d puke right into the microphone. I had all this fear and angst and all these crazy emotions. It was hard for me, it was really hard. And it was really hard because I had never sang. Even as a kid I’d never sang. And there’s a big difference between just playing guitar and playing guitar AND singing at the same time. And that took me a little bit to get used to. Now I’m glad I did because now I really enjoy singing.
TBPC: You’re known for your rollicking band, Mandy Marie & the Cool Hand Lukes. Yet, you’ve recently released a great CD, “My Land Of Make Believe”- under just your name and did a little tour across the south, midwest and east coast with Brigitte London performing solo with just an acoustic guitar. I’ve heard through the grapevine that you were a bit nervous when you started doing these acoustic shows... how do you feel about them now?
MML: Playing solo versus playing with a band is like night and day. Just nothing similar about it at all. I got used to singing and fronting a band and then when I started doing these shows, thanks to Brigitte, just solo acoustic… where all you’ve got are your guitar, your voice and the songs you’ve written- that’s it. It’s tough, it takes a lot of guts to stand up there and try to entertain people when it’s just you. I’m still getting used to it. One thing about it that’s kinda cool is you go from where nothing in the world is better than playing with a band. You’re having a good time, you look back and you're smiling at your drummer and everything in life is perfect for that moment. And that’s what was missing when I first started playing solo. I didn’t have an upright bass player or a drummer or anyone to look at and grin if the audience hated my guts… you didn’t have that. So, finally after this tour with Brigitte, I started getting in the groove. Even if you don’t have your buddies with you, you get that connection with the audience. And the audience gets to be that band member that you have fun with and you get silly with. After a while you start feeling at home and comfortable. That’s where I’m at now, I sincerely enjoy the hell out of doing these solo acoustic things. It’s totally different, but it’s fun! You can write a song on the way to the gig, and then play it! You don’t have to teach it to anybody or say, “this chord change is weird” or “the timing is weird.” You just do it! The freedom of that is cool. So, now I really enjoy it. It took me a bit, but I really enjoy it now.
TBPC: After listening to the disc and seeing one of your acoustic shows, I’m struck by just how great you are at storytelling. Is this something you’ve developed on your own? Or was there someone in your family who was also a great storyteller?
MML: Everyone in my family is an amazing storyteller! I come from a family of characters, to say the least. They’re all a bunch of maniacs, so yeah- sitting around the table with my family hearing stories definitely gives you a little sense of who it is you’re sitting with. And that’s what I try to do on stage. Just tell a story about why I wrote the song and go from there. And I’m weird too, with writing- because you just write whatever comes natural to you. Most of the time for me it’s always a weird, sad or funny or just goofy story. I’m lucky that people don’t throw ashtrays or beer bottles at me! (laughs) People have been pretty nice to me. There’s times where my song will be three minutes and the story will be fifteen leading up to that three minute song. It’s cool!
TBPC: I happen to know that your husband, Danny Thompson is a MONSTER guitarist in his own right, do you guys ever get to do any shows together?
MML: You know, we actually don’t play together very often. Every now and then our bands will double bill. A couple of times I’ve been able to get up and play acoustic guitar with his band, which is always a blast. We both stay so busy in our separate bands that we don’t often get the chance. One thing I hate about Danny, I mean I love him, but whew! He’s one of the best guitar players I’ve ever seen in my life. The guy plays guitar like Jerry Lee Lewis plays piano. Just full of attitude and super, super cool. He doesn’t pick up his guitar between gigs – ever, ever. I think he put in his wood-sheddin’ time and he’s done. It blows my mind. I play guitar constantly. If I’m home 19 hours out of 24 hours, I’m sitting here playing guitar. And Danny? He’s hanging, watching “The Wolfman” or “Frankenstein” he never, ever, ever plays guitar. Then I’ll see him live, and he just smokes! I think it just comes natural to that son of a bitch! (laughs) I wish it would rub off on me man! I gotta practice, I’ll forget it.
TBPC: I hate to bring this up, but usually when you go to see a band- the guitarist is a man. Have you ever caught flack or noticed an attitude from some of the male musicians in the crowd when you get up on stage with your Tele... only to see their jaws hit the floor once you start playing?
MML: I used to take it really hard when someone would walk up to me at the end of the night and say, “You’re really good… for a girl.” (laughs) And you feel that coming. You feel that second part. Anytime there’s a transition word, I know I’m going to catch some hell. Now, I take it as a compliment. I realize they’re not trying to mean to you, they sincerely mean it. They’re just so used to seeing a dude, that they don’t think about a girl playin’. So, it used to really bother me, but now I’m cool with it. I still get it all the time, but in this band it’s a little different- because I sing as well. I think, to be honest, that a lot of times people forget that I’m the one playing guitar. In my other band it was a bigger deal because our singer played acoustic and sang and the only electric guitar was me. We played in Nashville, at the 5 Spot one time and the soundman kept saying over and over, “I need a soundcheck from you, I need a soundcheck from you.” And every time I’d pick up the electric and start playing he’d say, “No, I need him to do his soundcheck.” And I kept thinking, “Dude, I’m the one that’s going to be playing!” And then it dawned on him, oh, she’s the lead guitar player. And I get that kind of stuff a lot, but luckily I’ve been doing it long enough that people kinda know what they’re getting. It’s cool being a girl guitar player though. You can play a James Burton lick and it’s no big deal. I do it, and it’s like the seas parted! Now I take whatever compliments I get. Even if they’re backhanded, I still take them.
TBPC: I know you were able to befriend one of your idols, Eugene Moles. How did that come about?
MML: We did these shows with Brigitte London in Nashville at this place called, Douglas Corner. And she had told me who all of the band was. I knew it was the majority of the Waylon Jennings band. So, I knew Richie Albright who I’m a fan of. I knew Fred Newell, who I’m a fan of. I knew Jerry Bridges, but she didn’t tell me who was playing guitar. So, I walked in that night and Eugene Moles was there. I had to sit down because I was all choked up and excited, I was almost bawling my eyes out. My bandmates were like, “what’s your problem? What’s wrong with you?” I was like, “That’s Eugene Moles! His dad is Gene Moles. That’s the only guy who’s ever been a Buckaroo AND a Stranger! He’s awesome! He’s one of my heroes!” Finally I got to get up on stage and play guitar with him and it was the first time I got to say hi or anything. Totally one of the coolest moment of my whole life. Turns out he’s like the coolest guy in the world. We’ve been pals ever since. In fact that’s his amp over there (points to Fender amp across the room.) We’ve been friends since that night. Like soulmate friends. Just a great guy and sincerely one of my favorite telecaster players on the planet.
I have Brigitte London to thank for all of this. Without her I would have never met those guys. Through her I’ve met some of the people who are now my best friends. That “Spirit Of The Outlaws” thing was cool. It changed the lives of a lot of people, myself included. I’m really thankful I had the chance to do that. And that she believed in my goofy ass enough to let me hang with people that were way better than me. I was just a goofy kid.
TBPC: On your Facebook page, you list your occupation as, “Standing behind a telecaster and grinning like an idiot.” Has there ever been anything else you’ve wanted to do?
MML: No! I’m not good at anything else in the world besides music. And I’m not even all that good at that. So, no… my mom cut her finger off in a shoe factory, so that’s not in my blood. Really music is the kind of the only job I’ve ever had. I think if I hadn’t played music I would’ve maybe been a teacher or something like that. I still do a bunch of stuff now, I paint and draw make claymation stuff. I’m not good at it, but it’s other things I’m passionate about and enjoy. But as far as a normal job, no- I’d probably work in a record store. There’s never been anything else in the world that I’ve really wanted to besides this. I love it! I’m so thankful that I get to do this! Man, I love it… sincerely.
TBPC: What was it about Telecasters that made you decide that "this is the guitar for me?"
MML: Man, there’s so many things about the Telecaster that I love and just grab me. I think to be honest, it’s probably seeing James Burton with one, Don Rich with one, Roy Nichols with one. And eventually, Eugene Moles with one. My first guitar was a Strat, and I kept turning myself down. I’d play a chord and turn myself down. Finally, I begged and pleaded and got a Tele and I haven’t had anything else since. Well, I’ve had Gretsches and I’ve had other cool guitars. I’m a big guitar geek, so I’ve had tons of vintage guitars. I never gig ‘em though. They just kind of hang out in my house. My husband has this rule, that if you don’t play it- you don’t need it. So, all these cool guitars I’ve had I’ve ended up selling because I don’t gig ‘em. I always go back to a tele. Can’t beat ‘em they’re like boat oars! Best guitars on the planet.
TBPC: If you were going to teach a young guitar player some licks, what milestone albums or guitar masters would you tell him or her to listen to or study?
MML: Well, I think if they were cool, I’d try to get them to listen to the Hellecasters. I’m a big Hellecasters geek. Really, I think all the classic stuff- the Buck Owens stuff, early Haggard, Gene Moles or James Burton. Those are the big ones… but I think it’s also cool- not that Luther wasn’t a great guitar player, he was. But I think it’s cool to listen to someone that’s amazing, but what he’s doing you can learn. I think that’s a big deal, so I’d probably try to get someone into Cash. It depends on what they’re into. All the Telecaster Gods- Reggie, Albert Lee- listen to that stuff, I love it.
TBPC: What can we expect from Mandy Marie in the next year or so?
MML: Well, a lot of stuff really. I’m going to be doing more traveling with Brigitte, getting into Texas and going West. So, a whole bunch of traveling. The band, The Cool Hand Lukes are going to be working on another album, which I’m excited about. I’m probably going to be doing another solo album too. But not so much, just me but with a full band. Not so much rockabilly, but a little bit of everything. You know how it is, you write whatever comes to naturally to you. And what comes naturally to me isn’t always an upright bass, it’s whatever’s in your heart at any given moment. So, I’m excited to record a bunch of the stuff I’ve written that isn’t that fits with the band. That’s definitely something I want to get on.
TBPC: Any parting words you’d like to leave us with?
MML: I think if I could say anything it’s really that life is too short to listen to whatever music is spoon-fed to you. Get out there and dig deeper and try to find music that touches you. There’s so many bands that need people like you guys to listen to them, buy it, go see live shows, buy a t-shirt and give ‘em gas money to get back home. Playing music for a living is hard. It’s really, really hard. And this day and age it’s even harder than it’s ever been in my opinion. And we need you guys to find us. Find music that you like. I’m not saying my band, you may hate my band… but find a band that love and support them, follow them around. They need that. If you just keep listening to all the shit that mainstream radio feeds you, you’re never going to find what means something to you… that’s it.
More on Mandy:
Mandy Marie and The Cool Hand Lukes on MySpace
Mandy Marie and The Cool Hand Lukes on Facebook
Pictures by T. Mathley
