Roadwork (album)

Untitled

Roadwork is a live album by vocalist/keyboardist/saxophonist Edgar Winter and his band White Trash, a powerful revue famous for their fusion of funk, gospel, R&B, and rock 'n' roll. It was released as a double LP in 1972. Roadwork was the second of only three albums the band recorded together.

Highlights include Winter's virtuoso keyboard and vocal work, and the guitar stylings of Rick Derringer. The longest track on the album was the band's own version of the John D. Loudermilk song, "Tobacco Road", which lasted over 17 minutes, taking up an entire side of the album. Derringer contributed lead vocals to "Still Alive and Well" and "Back in the USA", and Johnny Winter made a special appearance singing lead on "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo". Louisiana native Jerry LaCroix, who shared lead vocals with Winter in White Trash, is also prominently featured.

The album was recorded before live audiences at the Apollo Theater in New York City and in Los Angeles at the legendary Whisky a Go Go night club.

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Track listing

1. "Save the Planet" (Jerry LaCroix, Edgar Winter) – 7:39
2. "Jive, Jive, Jive" (La Croix, Winter) – 3:12
3. "I Can't Turn You Loose" (Otis Redding) – 3:55
4. "Still Alive and Well" (Rick Derringer) – 4:03
5. "Back in the U.S.A." (Chuck Berry) – 5:48
6. "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo" (Derringer) – 5:42
7. "Tobacco Road" (John D. Loudermilk) – 17:11
8. "Cool Fool" (Winter) – 6:05
9. "Do Yourself a Favor" (Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright) – 4:47
10. "Turn on Your Love Light" (Deadric Malone, Joe Scott) – 7:52

Personnel

• Edgar Winter: Lead and backing vocals, Keyboards, Saxophone
• Jerry LaCroix: Lead and backing vocals, saxophone
• Jon Smith: Backing vocals, saxophone
• Rick Derringer: Lead vocals, guitars
• Randy Jo Hobbs: Bass
• Bobby Ramirez: Drums
• Marshall Cyr: Trumpet
• Mike McClellan: Trumpet
• Tilly Lawrence: Trumpet
• Johnny Winter: Lead vocals, guitar on "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo"
• Robert Honablue - engineering

Production notes

At the start of their appearance at the Apollo Theater, the unidentified host who introduced them chided their evident late arrival saying (slightly off mic):

"Y'know, every time we used to go outta town for them jive jobs they give us, they always say 'black folks: late, can't be on time,' now look at the White Trash!" (chuckle)

The comment was met with laughter from the audience. After the introduction, the audience again broke out into sporadic laughter, and a loud gasp after seeing Edgar's albino complexion, possibly not expecting much from the band as it consisted of all white musicians, but their doubts were quickly dispelled when the band launched into "Cool Fool", a funky R&B song.

This snippet appears on the original vinyl release at the beginning of Side 4.