As lead singer and writer of the rock group 'The Gants', Sid Herring carved his name into the rock and roll anals of history years ago when such hits as 'Road Runner', 'My Baby Don't Care' and 'I Wonder' were on every top radio station in the country, soon followed by 'Crackin' Up', 'Drifter's Sunrise', 'Spoonful Of Sugar' and the classic 'Greener Days', produced by the legendary David Gates. It all started in Greenwood, Mississippi. The obvious influences were Bo Diddley, as well as other blues influences from the unique part of the delta region of the United States and The Beatles from the rock n roll world. It was a great combination of English rock and R & B that gave the group it's identity and popularity, but Sid Herring's searing vocals and soulful style were what gave The Gants it's endurance. The four young men from the Mississippi Delta toured with The Animals, The Dave Clark Five, and The Yardbirds along with Sam The Sham and The Pharoahs, among others. After the run of The Gants, Sid moved on to record in Memphis, Tennessee with the legendary Steve Cropper at TMI studios, and the album 'Watchpocket' was the result of that collaboration. Sid moved to Nashville in the 80's and worked with Dan and Frankie Toler of The Allman Brothers Band. Sid focused his attention on writing, playing and singing original blues and rock music. Through the years that followed, he teamed up with some of the most talented local musicians, and the legendary Norbert Putnam, who produced Jimmy Buffet and Dan Fogelberg among others. Although the music was good, Sid decided to pursue a solo career. In the meantime, The Gants reunited on several occasions and played for charity events and special venues such as 'Cavestomp 2000: The Garage Rock Festacular' appearing with The Troggs, The Blues Magoo, and The Beau Brummels. Also, that same year, Sundazed Music in N.Y. and Cherry Records in England digitally mastered and re-released most of the songs The Gants had originally recorded in the mid 60's under Liberty Records. The digital CD's were titled 'Road Runner! The Best Of The Gants', 'Introducing The Gants' and 'I Wonder'. In 2006, The Gants toured with Little Steven Van Zandt's 'Underground Garage A GoGo' playing the Hard Rock Casinos in Florida. 'Music For Friends' has been a long time coming and is best described in Sid's own words. SID HERRING ('MUSIC FOR FRIENDS') Ultimately my original idea was to build a bigger catalog of music, but the magic of the music started to spill over and make me forget how old I am. I started thinking about the feeling I get from music. It never ages and it's one of the best feelings I get in this life. When you put a monetary value on music it seems to develop an age problem with major record Companies and some people. If and when you get that great feeling from good music, you don't say, "Well, I know this feels good, but the person making it is too old for me to be listening to even though it makes me feel good". So I decided to become an artist again, not that I ever stopped, just another chapter. You can not age that personal feeling that music gives you, but if you must try, then you are one of those people who will think I'm crazy and maybe I am, a little. Remember that feeling is way above all of that. I am not an engineer, although I have recorded hundreds of songs, I have never engineered and produced myself. I knew very little about engineering, and I must say I have a new found respect for all of the engineering gurus. This is not perfect music. Music is like life, it's never perfect. So please keep that in mind before you start dissecting these songs too much. Hopefully you will feel some of what I feel. That's the point. It's the music that gives me that tingling feeling I get from the magic of it all and that has not aged. I hope in some way it either makes you smile and have a moment of uninterrupted pleasure or possibly forget your self and your problems for a moment or two. Then my goal will be complete but hell, I'm just getting warmed up. Also, I put a couple of blues songs on this album for the blues fans out there. If you like blues,then stay tuned for 'Blues Jam Down' which is my next project and it's ok to be old and sing the blues. Ha! There will be a lot more music coming from the past present & future. I hope you enjoy 'Music For Friends'. Hopefully it will make some more good times and memories as so many of you have told me you've had from the past music. A little music goes a long way. Thanks, Sidney Allen Herring Hopefully a treasured gift. If not, the CD makes a great driveway reflector. *All SONGS BMI* All music written, arranged, engineered, performed and produced by Sid Herring. /Additional Engineers : Steve Mofield and Rory Rositas./ Mastered by Rory Rositas at Omni Sounds Studios Nashville ./All Lead and back ground Singing by Sid Herring. Halley Herring Lamberth sang back ground with Sid on # 2, 4 and 13. / Instruments on all songs and bass on 'South Of Somewhere' played by Sid Herring /All drums : Wayne Killius except for 'South Of Some Where' drums played by Harvey Wallbanger Jr./Bass :Jim Hyatt./'Johnson's Blues' was recorded at Retro Studio. Design concept by Sid and graphic production by Al Falcon. /CD Photos by Barbara Gragson, Gary Shield, family and friends/ All art work by Sid Herring. A special thanks to my wife Sandee for putting up with me and helping me to accomplish this CD, also going through much repetition of songs. A BIG THANKS to STEVE MOFIELD for technical and moral support. Without him I COULD NOT have done this in the time I did. He's in that guru group I talked about in engineering. Thanks to Chad Clark, and Bruce Browning my blood brothers and friends, for assisting me in management and for their belief in me and my music. Thanks to Al Falcon for all his help and patience. Thanks to my daughter, Halley Lamberth, for helping me sing back ground on 3 songs and helping me manage my Internet activities, helping in general, and loving her Daddy so much. Thanks to my son in-law, Landen Lamberth, for helping me program my recording system, liking all of my songs and being such a nice guy. Thanks to my son, Sid Herring Jr., for building my console recording cabinet and believing in his Dad. Thanks to Bobby Spence for recording 'Johnson's Blues' and inspiring me to do this CD. To all who enjoy, thanks and to those who don't, thanks for at least listening. Let me ask you a question. Naw, just joking. The band has an inside joke that I can't tell you cause if I did I might contaminate your mind with the nasty words of an old dog musician. Ha!