Ever since JT left the band it's never been the same, the best bar band bar none. They opened for BB King at Va tech back in '80 and I remember JT walked out in the audience playing "Nine below Zero" and blew the crowd away. Little sister and nine below were their signature tunes. If you never caught them live, you missed a piece of blues history. Saw them every time I had the chance, really miss these guys.
I have been a fan of the Night Hawks since 1978. The open all night is my favorite album. I have seen them in person 3 times and was impressed all 3 times. It has been since 1982 since i have seen them. I like the video it's really good. I will see them in concert before the summer is over, afterall it's been 30 years since i last saw them. Mark has always been my favorite.
Live in studio (Atlanta) maybe 1980. The boys were in town playing at the Agora Ballroom, with Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band opening. I never missed an opportunity to check them out between 1980-85 at the Moonshadow, or Rumors (near Emory). Found our way backstage a couple of times, along with a few of the ATL regulars. Great times hanging with the Nighthawks. Saw the open for Thorogood (Fox Theater), and some of their club dates included opening acts like Blue Sparks from Hell, Dr. Dixon and the Operators, Rich Hippies (featuring a young Warren Haynes), the Stone Mountain Band (with Wayne “Bear” Sauls, from the legendary Eric Quincy Tate) AND a young unknown singer/guitarist named Robert Cray. Great music, terrific memories.
I saw these dudes play with Greg Allman and Johnny Shine down in jville Alabama at My Brothers bar and blew the roof off, what a jam that night in 1977
Thanks for sharing this. I saw them in 1983 or 84. Great memories. I was only playing guitar for about a year. I just remeber the band was great. We where all into Metal but the guy on guitar was great. Wearing a hat and a flying V doing all the Hendrix tricks. They played at Woody's Roadhouse in the town of Washington Ma.
@@ganymeade5151 did the gator on a pool table at the Tacoma Tap Room during one show and unfortunately a pitcher of beer got spilled on the table. Went home smelling like a brewery and who knows what became of the pool table. Yes, wasted. Best way to see Root Boy….
I saw them numerous times at the Attic in Greenville, NC in the mid-late '70's. I was there for their first show at the Attic-a Sunday night-there may have been 50 people there including staff but the band played like it was standing room only!
Saw these guys several times mid seventies. They always brought it and Jimmy was a monster. The most notable occasion was January '77 at a little place in Charlottesville Virginia called the Mineshaft. The Charlottesville Blues Allstars and the Hawks opened for Muddy Waters. Maybe the best night of Blues I ever witnessed.
Yep, and at The Elbow Room in Harrisonburg just across the mountain in the Shenandoah Valley. Saw them with JT. Saw them a few years later with Jimmy Nall who passed recently.
@@52hombre I worked part-time @ the Bo Room '75 and '76. Awesome Club great music. Saw Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan, Hammond Eggs, Johnny Sportcoat Hell of a small wild venue.
Still love this after all these years, saw lots of great shows at the Bayou, Warner theater, back of the rack and a few dive bars in Southern Maryland.
A blast from the past! The Nighthawks with Mark, Jan, Jimmy and Pete playing Little Sister from their first LP! Some fond memories come racing back indeed.
I met Mark Wenner at a Nighthawks gig at the kingshead inn in norfolk Va. about 20 years ago,,, super harp player,,, he was the guy who told me about using a hushbox to help control feedback on my amp rig for playing harp,,,, Man he was right !!!,,, it helped alot,,, been using one ever since,,, Thanks for the info Mr Wenner,,, great advice!!
Toofew1: I too saw these guys at the attic in the '70's. the drummer wound up sitting next to me before the show got started. He was bummed out: just got of the road and couldn't buy a buy a beer 'cause of the NC blue laws. I bought a six of heineken for the guy. They rocked the joint. I went on to buy all their albums, but they were the rare beast whose live act dwarfed the studio work. Wonder if I know you: I ran a place in Greenville called Sweet Caroline's. Peace
I've seen Jimmy and the Drivers many times at "Johnny D's in Davis Square, Somerville. I saw the Nighthawks once at the House of Blues- when it was in Harvard Square. A friend of a friend got me backstage, and I met the band- and had a slice of Mark Wenner's birthday cake. Very laid back guys, very appreciative of fans. Thackery is the same- humble and salt of the earth. I sure wish he still had Mark Stutso playing drums and singing in his band!
I wish Mark Stutso was still playing the drums as well, seen Jimmy and the drivers many, many times as well, Mark has an excellent voice and is a good drummer as well, at Sully's in Dearborn MI. (now closed) and Callahan's in Auburn Hill's MI. Great band.
I so miss wonderful Mark Stutso, who would speak to fans. However, Mark is a Genius and the nicest Nighthawk. Why do we always lose the best ones? Prince has a tearful song about that called the Beautiful Ones are the ones you always seem to lose.
Wow, thanks for posting this. I watched it & was able to record the audio to both this and "Back to the City" but haven't seen it since! I still have the audio but would love to see any more videos of them during this period. I lived in VA then & saw this lineup at least 30 times & they were always great.
Mark Wenner on harmonica and vocals, Pete Rugusa on drums, Jimmy Thackery on guitar and Jan Zukowski on bass. I have seen the Nighthawks several times but after the Jimmy Thackery days. This was 1988 onward. First saw the Nighthawks in Orlando, Florida in March 1988. The guitarists were Steve Dixon and Elvin Bishop that evening. Later the guitarist was Pete Kanaras which I saw a half dozen times between Fla. and Washington D.C.
Back in '78 I went to the "Hoi-Palloi" in Williamsburg with our band's guitar-player, "Landon Spradlin". Landon wanted me to sit in with the Nighthawks. I was about 22 at the time. I asked Mark Wenner and he said, "in the last set". I stood there in front of the stage until he called me up. "Slow blues in D" I got through it. The important thing is this; Mark, thank you for the opportunity! I'm still playing harp; Eddie Shaw's "Still Ridin' High" album for example. Last time I saw you was at Va. Beach. My band, "the Blues Empacts" played the 17th street stage along with you, Magic Dick, Mark Hummel etc.You were cordial as usual. Again, thanks for your patience with "up & comers" like me 30 years ago.
This was from a show on TBS called "Tush," hosted by Bill Tush. I remember recording it on my first VCR in 1982. They did "Little Sister" first and came back later in the show to do "Back to the City." How the heck did ya get THIS???? And is there any way you can post the other tune they did that program??? What a treat to see this again! Might have to take a drive down to Va. this week to see them AND Bill Kirchen at Jammin' Java after this!
Kozmo, we practically lived at Sweet Caroline's once I got married and moved to Greenville in '84. I'm from Williamston so that is how I saw the 'Hawks at the Attic so many times. Back to Sweet Caroline's. I'm still looking for someone to have a beef bordelaise as good as there. As a matter of fact, that is all I ever ordered once I had it the first time. Good food, great people. If you were running it in the mid '80's, we likely talked several times as we had gotten to be regulars.
saw them at least 5 times from 1978-1983 used to stand right in front of JT for hours on end and watch his guitar mastery Little bars in western new york and pittsburg.
Yea, I remember the Psychideli in Bethesday. Saw them there July 3rd 1976. They played the National Anthem...Hendrix style. I remember that flying V guitar when he was sticking in front of everyones faces. I tried to bite the strings....
Back in the late '70s- early '80s we caught the Hawks in Boone, NC, many times, in a wood domed venue. Forgot the name, but loved the shows! Wonder what J.T is doing now?
I saw them many times. And I agree, they were much better with each other. I don't know what the problem was with those guys but whatever it was, they should have stayed put. They had people dancing on tables, we were dancing our asses off, they put on an amazing show.
@HTSkull Me too! I caught them at a place called "The Boardwalk" on E Davie St. Mark is pretty cool. I was into harp. He wanted my original fender champ amp. Hey I still have it!!
in their heyday, they were best live band I ever saw. each song kicked more ass than the last one, saw them about 12 times, new band band with paul bell is awesome, too !!!!! mark is the man on harp. jimmy thackery used to use about 200 ft of cord and walk thru the audience playing, great show !!!
I built my Last Guitar after Jimmy's JBE Strat and even got to correspond through email with him prior to build for details, The Guitar I built is called SWAMP THING
@thegolfnut52 Remember it well....best goddam jukebox in DC as well....Saw Gatton there, Bill Holland, Rootboy Slim and as well as the cream of the DC bands, from 75-79....
cool...i lived in richmond va and all the great bands from the d.c. area used to play here alot...like you said danny gatton-root boy slim-roy buchanan-tom principato-catfish hodge all in the early eighties and later on bobby radcliff-evan johns and the h-bombs and big joe and the dynaflows
I agree, they were definitely legends in D.C. and B-Town. I was lucky enough to see them a couple times at the Psche DELLY in B-Town. The last time with the Great Carl Perkins!!
I hope you made it. they are all over the place and rarely together anymore. all working as hired guns and all doing well. I miss my Wash DC pals in the blues out her in CA it is so much different. I worked in a Stevie Ray tribute and we got to know the Nighthawks very well. Mark and Jan are great friends since the late nineties. Catch them when you can. Peace
Jimmy Thackery rocks for sure but has the typical "wow I'm a guitar player" attitude But everyone else is just simply cool. Partied with Mark backstage in Greensboro N.C. in early 80's, I would love to see them again!!!
The only band I'd rather see perform live in a bar would be the Rolling Stones! Only the ticket taker at the Bayou (Childe Harold, Redding Jail, Desporado's, etc) knows how many times I've seen them perform. Well.... I'd like to see Rory Gallagher too.
I have LOVED JIMMY FOR ALL OF MY LIFE Get a chance ask Pete Ragusa ..He'll tell ya I was the one who followed them all and all around the East coast..........
Damn good rock and blues band. Partied hard in the 70s to these guys. Open All Night.... great album.
Ever since JT left the band it's never been the same, the best bar band bar none. They opened for BB King at Va tech back in '80 and I remember JT walked out in the audience playing "Nine below Zero" and blew the crowd away. Little sister and nine below were their signature tunes. If you never caught them live, you missed a piece of blues history. Saw them every time I had the chance, really miss these guys.
I was there at the concert too. He was awesome. I liked them a little more than BB King and I am a big BB King fan.
dude mark took the reigns i mean jimmy hall? Danny Morrisey and the other guitarist's were and are all fantastic players
I have been a fan of the Night Hawks since 1978. The open all night is my favorite album. I have seen them in person 3 times and was impressed all 3 times. It has been since 1982 since i have seen them. I like the video it's really good. I will see them in concert before the summer is over, afterall it's been 30 years since i last saw them. Mark has always been my favorite.
Great to see this old footage of my favorite guitarist in the whole world! JT ROCKS !!!
Used to see them at the Psychi Deli in Bethesda, Maryland. Anyone remember that place? Actually walked through a Deli to get to the band and bar area.
Those were the Days !
Miss this band so many like them from 70s & 80s
Thanks for the post !
Live in studio (Atlanta) maybe 1980. The boys were in town playing at the Agora Ballroom, with Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band opening. I never missed an opportunity to check them out between 1980-85 at the Moonshadow, or Rumors (near Emory). Found our way backstage a couple of times, along with a few of the ATL regulars. Great times hanging with the Nighthawks. Saw the open for Thorogood (Fox Theater), and some of their club dates included opening acts like Blue Sparks from Hell, Dr. Dixon and the Operators, Rich Hippies (featuring a young Warren Haynes), the Stone Mountain Band (with Wayne “Bear” Sauls, from the legendary Eric Quincy Tate) AND a young unknown singer/guitarist named Robert Cray. Great music, terrific memories.
I saw these dudes play with Greg Allman and Johnny Shine down in jville Alabama at My Brothers bar and blew the roof off, what a jam that night in 1977
Thanks for sharing this. I saw them in 1983 or 84. Great memories. I was only playing guitar for about a year. I just remeber the band was great. We where all into Metal but the guy on guitar was great. Wearing a hat and a flying V doing all the Hendrix tricks. They played at Woody's Roadhouse in the town of Washington Ma.
That was great! I can't even guess how many times I saw Jimmy and his Drivers. He is still one of my all time favorite guitarists.
Probably the best band in DC in the 70s.
Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band were great also. If you did the Gator, you knew you were Wasted. So miss Root Boy.
@@ganymeade5151 did the gator on a pool table at the Tacoma Tap Room during one show and unfortunately a pitcher of beer got spilled on the table. Went home smelling like a brewery and who knows what became of the pool table. Yes, wasted. Best way to see Root Boy….
Awesome! Love thes guys! Saw them first time in 1977. Still awesome.
I saw them numerous times at the Attic in Greenville, NC in the mid-late '70's. I was there for their first show at the Attic-a Sunday night-there may have been 50 people there including staff but the band played like it was standing room only!
Saw these guys several times mid seventies. They always brought it and Jimmy was a monster.
The most notable occasion was January '77 at a little place in Charlottesville Virginia called the Mineshaft. The Charlottesville Blues Allstars and the Hawks opened for Muddy Waters.
Maybe the best night of Blues I ever witnessed.
Yep, and at The Elbow Room in Harrisonburg just across the mountain in the Shenandoah Valley. Saw them with JT. Saw them a few years later with Jimmy Nall who passed recently.
@@52hombre I worked part-time @ the Bo Room '75 and '76. Awesome Club great music.
Saw Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan, Hammond Eggs, Johnny Sportcoat
Hell of a small wild venue.
Still love this after all these years, saw lots of great shows at the Bayou, Warner theater, back of the rack and a few dive bars in Southern Maryland.
A blast from the past! The Nighthawks with Mark, Jan, Jimmy and Pete playing Little Sister from their first LP! Some fond memories come racing back indeed.
I met Mark Wenner at a Nighthawks gig at the kingshead inn in norfolk Va. about 20 years ago,,, super harp player,,, he was the guy who told me about using a hushbox to help control feedback on my amp rig for playing harp,,,, Man he was right !!!,,, it helped alot,,, been using one ever since,,, Thanks for the info Mr Wenner,,, great advice!!
Mark is a very bright person who graduated from Columbia University, NYC, no doubt with Honors.
Toofew1: I too saw these guys at the attic in the '70's. the drummer wound up sitting next to me before the show got started. He was bummed out: just got of the road and couldn't buy a buy a beer 'cause of the NC blue laws. I bought a six of heineken for the guy. They rocked the joint. I went on to buy all their albums, but they were the rare beast whose live act dwarfed the studio work. Wonder if I know you: I ran a place in Greenville called Sweet Caroline's. Peace
Worked at the bayou during that time .... they were the best live band IMHO.
I was at one of those shows. They made time stand still.
Don't forget the Cellar Door too!!! They jammed that place all the time as well as Psychedelly/
oh yeah!
Saw them there and a bunch of times in Atlanta
love to see the original Hawks play again we only live once please put egos aside nothing against the current Hawks they are fantastic
I've seen Jimmy and the Drivers many times at "Johnny D's in Davis Square, Somerville. I saw the Nighthawks once at the House of Blues- when it was in Harvard Square. A friend of a friend got me backstage, and I met the band- and had a slice of Mark Wenner's birthday cake. Very laid back guys, very appreciative of fans. Thackery is the same- humble and salt of the earth. I sure wish he still had Mark Stutso playing drums and singing in his band!
I wish Mark Stutso was still playing the drums as well, seen Jimmy and the drivers many, many times as well, Mark has an excellent voice and is a good drummer as well, at Sully's in Dearborn MI. (now closed) and Callahan's in Auburn Hill's MI. Great band.
I so miss wonderful Mark Stutso, who would speak to fans. However, Mark is a Genius and the nicest Nighthawk. Why do we always lose the best ones? Prince has a tearful song about that called the Beautiful Ones are the ones you always seem to lose.
Saw them at Lupo's in Providence. Two beefing motorcyle clubs in the audience...late 70's? it was completely nuts. Hawks roared.
They played at P B Scotts in Blowing Rock NC regularly, they were fantastic!
Wow, thanks for posting this. I watched it & was able to record the audio to both this and "Back to the City" but haven't seen it since! I still have the audio but would love to see any more videos of them during this period. I lived in VA then & saw this lineup at least 30 times & they were always great.
Mark Wenner on harmonica and vocals, Pete Rugusa on drums,
Jimmy Thackery on guitar and Jan Zukowski on bass.
I have seen the Nighthawks several times but after the Jimmy Thackery days. This was 1988 onward.
First saw the Nighthawks in Orlando, Florida in March 1988. The guitarists were Steve Dixon and Elvin Bishop that evening. Later the guitarist was Pete Kanaras which I saw a half dozen times between Fla. and Washington D.C.
Back in '78 I went to the "Hoi-Palloi" in Williamsburg with our band's guitar-player, "Landon Spradlin". Landon wanted me to sit in with the Nighthawks. I was about 22 at the time. I asked Mark Wenner and he said, "in the last set". I stood there in front of the stage until he called me up. "Slow blues in D" I got through it. The important thing is this; Mark, thank you for the opportunity! I'm still playing harp; Eddie Shaw's "Still Ridin' High" album for example. Last time I saw you was at Va. Beach. My band, "the Blues Empacts" played the 17th street stage along with you, Magic Dick, Mark Hummel etc.You were cordial as usual. Again, thanks for your patience with "up & comers" like me 30 years ago.
Thackery rules. Saw them in a strip mall in Warrenton in ‘79, and Peabody’s, Va Beach in ‘81.
this band is so much fun, the blue note in columbia in the 80's. little sister was my favorite!!
Glorious, the best. I grew up with the Hawks. Sweet guys, too.
Absolutely Incredible !!!
The greatest version !!!!! Wonderful blues band !!!!!
T.C. we hit Georgetown many times brother !!!
Jimmy really nails it. Little Sister!!!!!
This was from a show on TBS called "Tush," hosted by Bill Tush. I remember recording it on my first VCR in 1982. They did "Little Sister" first and came back later in the show to do "Back to the City." How the heck did ya get THIS???? And is there any way you can post the other tune they did that program??? What a treat to see this again! Might have to take a drive down to Va. this week to see them AND Bill Kirchen at Jammin' Java after this!
Kozmo, we practically lived at Sweet Caroline's once I got married and moved to Greenville in '84. I'm from Williamston so that is how I saw the 'Hawks at the Attic so many times. Back to Sweet Caroline's. I'm still looking for someone to have a beef bordelaise as good as there. As a matter of fact, that is all I ever ordered once I had it the first time. Good food, great people. If you were running it in the mid '80's, we likely talked several times as we had gotten to be regulars.
A blast from the past! The Nighthawks!
That was a crazy good station WTBS, i remember one dude walking out in front of a camera show with a joint.
saw them at least 5 times from 1978-1983 used to stand right in front of JT for hours on end and watch his guitar mastery Little bars in western new york and pittsburg.
Yea, I remember the Psychideli in Bethesday. Saw them there July 3rd 1976. They played the National Anthem...Hendrix style. I remember that flying V guitar when he was sticking in front of everyones faces. I tried to bite the strings....
best Thackery clip on here
Back in the late '70s- early '80s we caught the Hawks in Boone, NC, many times, in a wood domed venue. Forgot the name, but loved the shows! Wonder what J.T is doing now?
Best cover of this classic!
This line 🆙 Best bar band in the land!
There was a show on WTBS called Tush.... and I think that's where this video was from. They appeared on that show several times.
Superb solo.
Thackery plays better guitar with his teeth than most people do with 2 hands. Phenomenal!
This is much more than a "nice" version of Little Sister. It is THE version! Oh my...Jimmy!!
Can't beat that....period.
A "nice version" of Little Sister? It's THE killer version, period!!
These guys get it done!
I always thought the Nighthawks were a much better band with Jimmy Thackery, and he was much better with the Nighthawks.
So true
I saw them many times. And I agree, they were much better with each other. I don't know what the problem was with those guys but whatever it was, they should have stayed put. They had people dancing on tables, we were dancing our asses off, they put on an amazing show.
Agreed !!
@HTSkull Me too! I caught them at a place called "The Boardwalk" on E Davie St. Mark is pretty cool. I was into harp. He wanted my original fender champ amp. Hey I still have it!!
Yes, that sounds right. Thanks. You know what they say: "Memory is the second thing to go!"
man that some kick ass guitar playing there love that sound any one no what amp or effects he used
Just a bit of distortion, Tremolo and some kick ass.
in their heyday, they were best live band I ever saw. each song kicked more ass than the last one, saw them about 12 times, new band band with paul bell is awesome, too !!!!! mark is the man on harp. jimmy thackery used to use about 200 ft of cord and walk thru the audience playing, great show !!!
jimmy never used a cord he was wireless all the time!!!
I built my Last Guitar after Jimmy's JBE Strat and even got to correspond through email with him prior to build for details, The Guitar I built is called SWAMP THING
Original Nighthawks !
P.B. Scott's, Mike? I have a friend who had something to do PB's back then when it was operating.
reminds me of the good night s at the Delly amazing rf
I also saw them at Joey Noah's The Boardwalk. Great Rock and Roll and Blues band.
Thackery was a major bad ass. What was the difference between the Nighthawks and the Assassins?
No Mark in the Assasins.
Great cover!
Blast from the past
Yup….. just don’t get any better than this!
@thegolfnut52 Remember it well....best goddam jukebox in DC as well....Saw Gatton there, Bill Holland, Rootboy Slim and as well as the cream of the DC bands, from 75-79....
cool...i lived in richmond va and all the great bands from the d.c. area used to play here alot...like you said danny gatton-root boy slim-roy buchanan-tom principato-catfish hodge all in the early eighties and later on bobby radcliff-evan johns and the h-bombs and big joe and the dynaflows
Vintage Thackery...
A+
PBS should do a Documentary on this Bethesda/WDC gone Global Legacy band!
I agree, they were definitely legends in D.C. and B-Town. I was lucky enough to see them a couple times at the Psche DELLY in B-Town. The last time with the Great Carl Perkins!!
they will be playing at the airport restaurant and gin mill in deland fl tonight at 7pm
I hope you made it. they are all over the place and rarely together anymore. all working as hired guns and all doing well. I miss my Wash DC pals in the blues out her in CA it is so much different. I worked in a Stevie Ray tribute and we got to know the Nighthawks very well. Mark and Jan are great friends since the late nineties. Catch them when you can. Peace
Jimmy Thackery rocks for sure but has the typical "wow I'm a guitar player" attitude But everyone else is just simply cool. Partied with Mark backstage in Greensboro N.C. in early 80's, I would love to see them again!!!
How about the year and place of this recording in the description ??? It would kind of help for historical purposes, don't think ??
The real Rory Gallagher? Amazing... You're quite the tallent as well. What are you doing these days?
wtf are there 10 year olds on a Nighthawks comment section?
The only band I'd rather see perform live in a bar would be the Rolling Stones! Only the ticket taker at the Bayou (Childe Harold, Redding Jail, Desporado's, etc) knows how many times I've seen them perform. Well.... I'd like to see Rory Gallagher too.
I have LOVED JIMMY FOR ALL OF MY LIFE Get a chance ask Pete Ragusa ..He'll tell ya I was the one who followed them all and all around the East coast..........
Jimmy Thackery
'HFS
BCC HS '73
W.J. HS '80.good days in B-Town.
Showboat! Showboat!
Never did like Thackery and the Drivers. Wish he had stayed put.