The Blind Pig (1994)
Champaign, Illinois

For six summers and winters during my high school and college years, I worked in the maintenance department at the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD). 

I followed in the footsteps of my brothers, Todd and Keith, who both worked for the MTD. Around the dinner table growing up, I would hear about their odd jobs, stories, and nicknames they earned. That didn’t deter me. 

Like my brothers, I did just about anything at the MTD except fix a bus or drive a bus. Here’s the short list:

• Clean the interiors of 100+ buses in the garage to prep for the next route.

• Wash and wax a new Canadian Flyer bus driving in the city’s 4th of July parade.

• Wake up the hungover college help dozing in the last seat of a bus in the last row.

• Wash the windows at bus stop shelters across Champaign-Urbana.

• Buy Viceroy cigarettes for Herman at Collins Gas Station on my way back.

• Paint the interior and exterior of every maintenance building on the grounds.

• Remove, paint, and reinstall 96 seats from 7 GMC buses acquired in Louisville. 

• Take inventory of every bus part in sight from gaskets to monstrous radiators.

• Load the cattle truck with old parts to recycle at Marco Steel & Scrap Supply.

• Drive that truck to the burger joint to fetch, juggle, or spill 10 lunch orders.

Lunch in the break room was fair game to get razzed by the seasoned maintenance crew. These hard-working master mechanics, ironworkers, welders, and machinists doubled as outspoken hippies, been-there-done-that Vietnam War veterans, and relentless pranksters. 

One such character was John Elder.

John had a thick, long beard and wavy brown hair down to the small of his back. He kept his locks braided and tied tight with rubber bands to stay clear of his craft. 

Every day, John wore his standard issue uniform: navy blue work pants, a baby blue collared shirt with “John” sewn in red cursive on a white oval patch, and greasy scuffed-up boots.

John had a snail’s pace strolling the walkways between each bus stall throughout the maintenance facility. If you inadvertently trailed too close behind him - hoping to squeeze by to the next stall - he’d turn his head, shoot you a glance under his glasses, and heed the warning:

“You eyeballin’ me, man?!”

These bus stalls were separated by thick cinder block walls from floor to ceiling to keep the noise contained. It also meant John and the other mechanics could have their own radios - in each stall where they worked - tuned to the station they wanted to hear. No exceptions. 

I loved hearing it all.

Fred and Al listened to AM-radio soul and Motown in their stalls. Same with “Squeaky”, the morning-shift tire man in the stall across the maintenance park roadway. 

Mike and Gary’s stall was typically playing 50s and 60s oldies and the occasional country music. Same with Larry, the night-shift tire man. 

Ken, the night supervisor, had R&B hits playing softly from the small radio on his desk.

Gary and John switched between 60s and 70s classic rock, 90s alternative college radio (107.1 FM, WPGU), and public radio (90.1 FM, WEFT) with plenty of blues and jazz. 

Catch Gary or John in a playful mood and you’d hear them each trying to mimic whatever guitar solo was on the radio.

The catch? They would make their own music by moving their thumbs on and off an air compressor hose’s opening. You heard right: an air compressor hose. Rahsaan Roland Kirk would be proud. 

When Gary and John weren’t in the middle of a messy bus fix - or an air-hose solo - I would strike up conversations with them about whatever was on the radio at the time. This happened more often when I started playing harmonica and hearing live music at one of my favorite spots, The Blind Pig.

I was instantly inspired by the talent I saw perform at that venue: The Pocket Big Band, The Mighty Blue Kings, Sugar Blue, and Jimmy Rogers, among others. 

At one of the live shows, I noticed a flyer taped to the glass of the front window:

The Blind Pig Blues Jam

Every Monday Night; $5 Cover

Host Band Starts at 8:00 pm

Jam Starts at 9:00 pm

Bring Your Own Instrument

That next Monday - harmonica in pocket - I decided to go to the jam and see what it was all about. There was a sign-up sheet on the front table. Hesitantly, I put my name down. I was seventh or eighth on the list. 

After the host band played the first hour, I patiently sat and listened for 90 more minutes as each name on the list was called up to play.

By the time the host bandleader called out the fifth name on the list, a nervous and doubtful feeling overwhelmed me. I sprang from my seat, walked directly to the table housing the list, and crossed out my name. 

There was no way I was getting on the same stage I saw the legendary Jimmy Rogers Blues Band rock the house. No, not that night.

Later in the week at work, I told John what happened. After a bit of typical razzing and teasing, John volunteered to meet me at next Monday’s blues jam. 

You see, John was a drummer; not just an aspiring air-hose player with good taste in music. But his demanding work as a master mechanic and busy family life kept him from playing music regularly. 

So John agreed to bring his sticks and sign up alongside me at the next blues jam. When he walked in The Blind Pig, I barely recognized him in his street clothes. No baby-blue work shirt or name patch to be found. 

That night, I didn’t cross my name off the list. I made it to the stage and jammed.

What a feeling.

Thanks for eyeballin’ me, John.

The Blues Jam Series (Part I) Playlist:

Playlist Highlights:

• Jimmy Rogers Sings The Blues (1990) - Jimmy Rogers

  • “Act Like You Love Me”

  • “That’s All Right”

  • “You’re Sweet”

  • “Blues (Follow Me All Day Long)”

  • “Live at Ma Bee’s”

• Feelin’ Good - Jimmy Rogers

• Meet Me In Uptown (1995) - The Mighty Blue Kings

• Blue Blazes (1994) and In Your Eyes (1995) - Sugar Blue

• Catch Up With The Blues (1994) - Johnny Copeland

• Rare Chicago Blues, 1962-1968 - Various Artists (Rounder Records, 1993) 

• The Pocket Big Band - Live at The Blind Pig’s Friday Happy Hour

  • “When The Saints Go Marching In” and other traditional jazz

  • The band featured several members of Medicare 7, 8, or 9 such as Dan Perrino, Carl Johnson, Gregg Helgesen, and Jeff Helgesen