Sitting in the Conversations
chair this month is Stewart Varnado, pianist for the legendary Dixie Echoes.
At a ripe old 24 years of age, Stewart has already earned recognition as
being one of Southern Gospel Music's best piano players, as well as quite
a loyal following of fans and friends. Both a fan favorite on stage and at
the product table, here is a closer look at Franklinton, LA's favorite
son...
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Danny Jones (DJ): Most people
know that Stewart Varnado plays piano for the Dixie Echoes - but there's
not much else that's known about you. Let's talk about the general bio
information first.
Stewart Varnado (SV): I was born
on September 11, 1980, in Bogalusa, Louisiana. But my family actually lived
in Franklinton, about 20 miles from Bogalusa. So, I claim Franklinton as
my hometown. I am an only child.
My father, Mack Varnado, owned a dairy farm. In fact, all we ever
knew was farming - and I stayed as far away from it as possibly!
But, usually on the weekends and when I wasn't in school, I would
have to milk cows.
Franklinton is a small town and we actually lived about 10 miles out
of town. You could say we were away from any kind of civilization. And, since
we lived and worked on a farm, our family was together all of the time. Home.
Farm. Church - Canaan Baptist Church in Franklinton, to be exact.
My mother, Janice Varnado, had a full time job as head cook of the
Varnado household and she still lives in Franklinton. My dad passed away
in February of 1998, when I was 17 years old.
DJ: So, we've gone from milking
cows to being one of the top piano players in Southern Gospel Music?
SV: I guess you could say that,
although I don't think that I'm one of the best. And, to be honest, I'm not
sure how I got there. Most people would say that it was an accident. Here's
what I mean.
Canaan Baptist Church was way out in the country. Our hymnbook was
called Greatest Hymns. It was a collection of convention songs compiled
by Jimmie Davis.
So, I grew up with the classic songs, I just didn't know that Gospel
groups existed until I was fifteen years old! We had a singing school at
our church one summer, and the instructor heard me play. A few weeks later,
he called and asked if I would be interested in playing for a newly formed
local group in |
Picayune, MS. I said yes and he sent me a tape of songs to learn. I loved
the tape, but didn't have a clue who was doing the singing on it. I later
learned that it was the Cathedrals and Gold City.
While I was with that local group, I started going to Southern Gospel
concerts. The first three concerts I ever attended featured the Dixie Echoes,
Florida Boys, and Cathedrals. Between Roger Bennett and Derrell Stewart,
I was hooked!
DJ: You told me a few years ago
that the Cathedrals were your favorite group. Do you still feel that way?
SV: Sure. Don't get me wrong,
there are some great groups out there. But the Cathedrals greatly influenced
me. I have most of their old records and still play them often. The Cathedrals
had it all. They could stand flat-footed and just plain sing, and young and
old folks alike loved it! My favorite version was the Cathedrals of the mid-80s.
I love to hear Mark Trammell, Danny Funderburk, and Gerald Wolfe - which
is kinda ironic since Roger Bennett was not there at the time.
Roger has been such a great friend to me. I've always loved his playing,
and from the first time I met him, he sort of took me under his wing. He
produced one of my first recordings, and has always been there for advice
and encouragement. He is one of my biggest influences and he has set the
standard for being a quartet pianist.
DJ: There's a great story floating
around in Southern Gospel and some people have heard about the incident that
involved you, a piano book by Roger Bennett and one miffed piano instructor.
What to fill in the details?
SV: My piano playing is totally
by ear; however, I did try piano lessons. I hated every minute of them. They
just weren't for me. I had absolutely no interest in trying to learn Classical
music or whatever it is that most piano teachers teach.
Well, in order to meet me halfway, she told me to find some sheet
music for the style of playing that I wanted to learn and we'd work on that.
Roger Bennett had just released a songbook to accompany his Heavenly Highway
Hymns recording. It is one of my favorite recordings of his and I wanted
to play just like him.
I had already practiced with his CD and had learned every song note
for note. So I bought the matching songbook and took it to my next lesson.
I told her I had been practicing and thought I could read this music. She
picked a song and I started playing. She picked another song, and I played
it perfectly. She couldn't believe it. Finally, I was learning to read
music!
Wrong!
What I didn't know was that she had bought a songbook as well. And
this one was by Anthony Burger. At the time, I had never heard of him. She
said, "he's a Gospel pianist, too, so you should be able to learn it just
as quickly."
Well, with no CD to go by and not knowing his music, I couldn't play
a lick of it. She realized I was just memorizing what was on Roger's CD.
Soon after, I did buy that Anthony Burger CD and learned those songs note
for note. It didn't impress her at all that time!
DJ: Do you think that instructor
would be surprised to learn that you were nominated as one of the Top Ten
piano players in all of Southern Gospel Music?
SV: Surprised? No. Shocked? Yes.
DJ: Then, is it safe to assume
that she'd have a hard time accepting the fact that you've recorded several
instrumental albums and directed an album that included more than 30 of Southern
Gospel Music's best musicians?
SV: It would probably drive her
over the edge.
DJ: Speaking of the musicians'
album, let's touch on Southern Gospel Players. Tell us about that
album.
SV: I love to listen to instrumental
music, and I wanted to do something to help feature and shine a spotlight
on the great musicians that we have in Southern Gospel Music. The Dixie Echoes
have been in concert with just about every group out there and I have made
a lot of friends, especially with my fellow musicians. So, when I started
calling and asking if they would be a part of this album, the response was
amazing! I am very proud of the Southern Gospel Players recording.
The musicians gave it their all. I had 32 players involved on this album.
There are obviously more musicians out there, but I had a tough enough time
squeezing the ones I did onto one recording. There will be a volume two within
the next couple of years.
DJ: What would you like to be
doing 30 years from now?
SV: Lord willing and the creek
don't rise, I hope He'll allow me to still be involved in a Southern Gospel
quartet! I like all Southern Gospel Music, but there's something about good
quartet singing that you just can't beat!
DJ: What's the funniest thing
you've encountered since being in professional Southern Gospel Music?
SV: Tim Lovelace and Derrell Stewart.
I laugh every time I encounter them.
At this point, I won't say "Seriously though..." Anyway, the first
story that comes to mind happened back in 2002. The Dixie Echoes were in
concert with the Toney Brothers in Gilmer, TX. We were halfway through our
first stand when something went very wrong. Like many groups, we have a certain
routine that we do most every night we perform. Those few times when you
are taken by surprise and things don't go as planned are the ones that get
the biggest reaction. I was playing a grand piano that night and we were
in the middle of a song that I normally goof off in. Well, everything didn't
co-operate with the skit that night. Randy came over during a song to 'scare'
me as planned.
I jumped as planned.
I landed back on a piano bench that fell completely to pieces.
Not as planned.
All four legs came off of that stool; I fell over backwards, jumped
back up and finished the song, not missing a beat. But I couldn't keep my
composure. The crowd wouldn't stop laughing, and even if they would have,
the guys in my group surely wouldn't. They couldn't make it through the rest
of the song because of laughing at my incident. Luckily, there was no video
camera rolling that night. I played the rest of the program sitting in a
folding chair, until Terry Toney patched the bench, but I didn't trust his
handywork enough to move around on it anymore. Folks in Northeast Texas will
never let me live that one down.
DJ: Hobbies?
SV: I don't do much of anything
besides play piano and listen to Southern Gospel Music. I eat, sleep and
breathe it! I'm constantly trying to meet deadlines. Between writing for
the US Gospel News, putting together the Dixie Echoes' Singing
News page, and keeping my website (www.stewartvarnado.com) up to date,
I never seem to be caught up.
I turn to my record collection for lots of good music. I've got lots
of LPs, and I'm always looking to add to my collection - especially of the
Statesmen, Blackwood Brothers and groups of that era. I'm also only three
issues away from having a complete collection of Singing News magazines.
The three that I am missing are newspaper issues from March 1970, January
1970 and August 1969.
DJ: What's something people would
be surprised to learn about you?
SV: I saw Adam Borden's response
to that question in last month's issue, so I've been wondering what I'd say
if you asked me.
For starters, I won't eat most fast food. I just don't have a taste
for it. I am a picky eater, and I only eat at about six places when I am
at home. If it's not Cracker Barrel, Outback, Bar-B-Q, Mexican, pizza, or
a good buffet, I usually pass. I get the same exact thing at every one of
those restaurants every time I go. Try traveling 220 days a year with a group
that likes fast food and doesn't like Cracker Barrel! I just keep my fingers
crossed that we will stop somewhere that has several places to choose from.
Also, I'm an extremely organized person; I plan everything and I keep
everything in its place. Now before you say that I've got OCD (Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder), I'll have you know that I don't turn my locks seven
times, or wipe my hands after shaking someone's hand. But my favorite television
show is Monk (a show about an obsessive compulsive detective).
DJ: Where do you think Southern
Gospel is headed in your lifetime?
SV: I enjoy all of the different
styles that make up Southern Gospel. My favorite is obviously the old quartet
way of singing. I want to see Southern Gospel grow and reach new audiences
and while I like the older style, there is a lot of room for growth and multiple
styles. I have no fear of old style quartet singing going away just because
of the great songs. Try as they may, I haven't heard many songwriters in
any style of Gospel Music come up with songs that will stand the test of
time like songs by writers such as Mosie Lister and Dottie Rambo. I'm always
trying to think outside the box and find ways to appeal to new fans. I'm
an old man in a young body, I like Gospel Music the way it was, but I also
like to listen to the new styles that come along. Long Live Southern Gospel
Music! |