The Truth, on the Record

It would be an understatement to call local funkmeisters The Truth an all-star band. Most of its members have worked with Prince, some are marquee names themselves, and all are in high demand nationally. Since last January, though, The Truth has been raising pure hell on a weekly basis at the Fine Line Music Café, and a live-show CD is scheduled for release in September—so the word is starting to get out.

That’s saying something, because The Truth is a band few insiders thought would ever form, much less get off the ground. “They said it couldn’t be done,” says manager Jeff Taube. “People told me I was crazy, that I’d never get these guys together in one place long enough.”  Taube isn’t just any manager, though. He owns MidAmerica Talent and has more juice than an orange grove with promoters, clubs, and artists. Squeezing as hard as he could, Taube coaxed the separate members of The Truth to give this crazy band idea a try, and they’ve been blowing the roof off the Fine Line almost every Thursday night since.

The Truth is ace frontman St. Paul Peterson (vocals/keyboards), Mint Condition guitarist O’Dell, legendary drummer Kirk Johnson, guitar maestro Jellybean Johnson, and Greazy Meal icon Julius Collins (vocals), along with  Chance Howard (keys, vocals), Jerry Hubbard (bass), and Eric Leeds (sax).  

Taube fielded plenty of label interest on the strength of these names alone, but the band decided to stay independent for their first release. The live album was recorded on May 31 at the Fine Line, where a packed house helped The Truth work funk tunes like “High Fashion” to the bone. If half the energy of that night ends up on the album, it’s going to be a great party CD. Look for it in stores in September.

Contact Dwight Hobbes at dhobbes@msn.com.