Through the Viewfinder: Natchez band members enjoy making good music together
Published 12:08 am Tuesday, November 25, 2014
![From left, Cross Street band members drummer Edward Bourdin, vocalist Johnny Havard, guitarist Gill Morris, vocalist Tyler Brown, bassist Jimmy Fuqua and keyboardist Ron Hux practice in Hux’s spare room Wednesday. (Sam Gause / The Natchez Democrat)](https:https://www.natchezdemocrat.com//wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2014/11/112514_Viewfinder1MAIN_web_SG.jpg)
From left, Cross Street band members drummer Edward Bourdin, vocalist Johnny Havard, guitarist Gill Morris, vocalist Tyler Brown, bassist Jimmy Fuqua and keyboardist Ron Hux practice in Hux’s spare room Wednesday. (Sam Gause / The Natchez Democrat)
NATCHEZ — Classic rock erupts from a little spare room in a house on Cross Street in Natchez.
On a shelf in that room is a framed picture with words on it that reads, “Musician: someone who puts $5,000 of gear into a $500 car to drive 100 miles to a $50 gig.”
For the Cross Street band, this musician’s joke is a bit of a mantra.
![Havard sings “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” by the Swinging Medallions during band practice. (Sam Gause / The Natchez Democrat)](https:https://www.natchezdemocrat.com//wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2014/11/112514_Viewfinder2_web_SG-300x201.jpg)
Havard sings “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” by the Swinging Medallions during band practice. (Sam Gause / The Natchez Democrat)
They don’t play for bright lights, fame or fortune. They play because they love music, and they have fun together.
“It is about the joy of making good music together,” said band keyboard and guitar player Ron Hux.
The band started in April 2013, bringing together men that had known each other for a long time.
“Gill and I played in a band together back in the 60s,” Hux said, referring to band guitarist Gill Morris. “And we were playing some of the same song songs back then.”
In their short time together, the band has had a few different people come and go and is now comprised of six people.
Drummer Edward Bourdin, bassist Jimmy Fuqua, vocalist Johnny Havard, fellow vocalist Tyler Brown, along with Morris and Hux all bring something special to the band outside of just playing music.
“Jimmy and Ed find most of the gigs, and the singer and Gill come up with the songs,” Hux said.
“I prepare the music for everyone and head the practices.”
Hux said he thinks this group of guys that the band has together now is a winning combo.
“A lot of bands break up because people don’t work well together,” he said. “But we all get along, we all bring something to the table, and we have a lot of fun.”