Ray Barrickman - The Waters

Peace and love, flower power, and new music became a good way to tune into the 1960s. The year was 1967, and guitarist, John Burgard, and drummer, John Mackey, had just returned from playing in San Francisco. They joined with bassist, Ray Barrickman, to form The Waters, one of Louisville's first psychedelic Blues bands. Burgard had opened for The Rolling Stones in Louisville during their first American tour. Barrickman had recorded Always Something There to Remind Me with The Oxfords. And Mackey, now deceased, provided the house where The Waters wrote and rehearsed before hitting and transforming Louisville's music scene. Butch Puckett joined the band in 1969, playing rhythm guitar and performing vocals.

The band went on to open for major recording acts in Louisville, including: Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, The Doors, and Frank Zappa. The Waters recorded and released material on the Soul Blvd and Delcrest record labels. Barrickman and Burgard moved to Memphis, where they performed with various artists. Barrickman played bass with Hank Williams Jr's Bama Band from 1983 through 2005. Burgard returned to Louisville and has become one of the area's top Blues guitar players. After attracting international interest and thousands of YouTube views, two of The Waters' early hits are being re-released. Day In and Out is coming out on Gear Fab Records and Mother Samwell on Riding Easy Records. The Waters remain a psychedelic Blues group, continuing to write, record and the first record at Ardent in Memphis.

-Stuart Paine

When and where were you born? Are you originally from Louisville, Kentucky? What was growing up like for you? When did you first become interested in music and what instrument(s) did you learn to play?

Louisville, KY. I started playing piano at 5 years old.

Stax promo pic shot at Hogen's Fountain.

What was your local music scene like? Where would you go to see bands perform and who were among some of the first groups you saw live? When did it dawn on you that music was something you wanted to pursue? Did you participate in any groups prior to The Waters?

The scene was explosive! St Mathews Night-crawless. Beatles, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, all Motown & Rolling stones and all Everly Brothers. And yes, Scorpions in the 7th grade. Yes, I played in the Oxfords, Ruby's, Carnations & Trendells.

How did you initially meet your bandmates John Mackey and John Burgard? What were your first impressions of them and how did the meeting of minds all come about? What led to the decision to start a band in the first place and what inspired the name? When did the band initially form and how old were you at the time?

During the ‘Summer Of Love’ through mutual friends. The band formed in ‘68 and we rehearsed for a year. I was 20 years old.

Circa: 1968.

John Burgard

Can you tell me about those early jams and where you guys would rehearse? What commonalities did you share with the other guys outside of music? What carved out the band’s particular tone and approach to that said music? What was the over goal and vision for the band at the time?

In John Mackey’s basement, he was the drummer. We were one of the first psych bands to come out of Louisville, KY.

The Waters at the entrance to Gardencourt aka "acid gardens". Delcrest Records.

When and where was the first show you guys played and what was that experience like for you? Did you guys already have original material under your belt at this point, or were you doing covers and things of that nature? What was the band’s process in terms of writing/approaching music?

I don’t recall the very first gig. We did many covers and a few originals.

You recorded your first single in ‘68 on Soul Blvd. Can you tell me about that as well as writing and recording those tunes, ‘Lady In The Field/’American Cheese’? What was the writing and recording process for that single like? How long was that particular process? How did the deal with Soul Blvd come about?

Stu Paine was the band’s business partner during the recording projects, as well as a dear friend of mine. All the recordings were managed by him.

That following year you guys recorded you second single, but this time on HIP. Can you tell me about that? What was the band’s approach to the song ‘Day In and Out’? Had you guys toured, or made your way out of KY at this time, or were you guys sticking more to the local scenes?

The band eventually lost John as the drummer and was replaced by Howerton. We originally opened for concerts at ‘Changes’ including Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Blue Cheer, Love, Iron Butterfly, Freedom Hall, Steppenwolf, The Doors, etc.

*The Waters opened for The Doors at Freedom Hall, Halloween night circa 1968. Also on the bill was Tom Dooley and the Lovelights. John broke a string and Ray had to do a bass solo during the changes.

Ray played with Hank Williams Jr. for 25 years circa1983-2006.

https://www.stuartpaine.com/waters.html

Dakota Brown