DESCRIPTION:
12 year old Joe Bonamassa with Midnite Mike and the Big Notes - Live at Legends in Syracuse, NY:

Hello Folks, Hope all is well I'm Midnite Mike Grimaldi and I am going to tell you a little story that happened about 26 years ago in Syracuse, NY at a place called Legends. Well a few months before this video I received a call from Joeys father Lenny Bonamassa asking if I would listen to his son play. At first I was hesitant because the kid was 11 and I didn’t want to waste the bands time, but after listening to the way Lenny talk about his son I could not refuse so I told Lenny to bring the kid to my rehearsal hall above the Chinese restaurant.

They showed up with their manager Rob Bishton. The kid was a little blond haired boy with a cowboy hat on sporting an old Fender amp and guitar, his father Lenny plugged him in and said Joe play Scuttle-butting by SRV and man did he ever, note for note like lightning! After my band and I got over the shock, I told him "Boy you can play on my stage anytime and my band and I will showcase you".

From that point on for 9 months the kid and his father came to every gig, and I kept my word and showcased him. This video is about four months into our wonderful journey together with then 11-12 year old Joe Bonamassa. I knew the first time I heard him he would be a great guitar player, and so it was. Some folks call me Joeys mentor but it was I who became a better guitar player keeping up with him.

My band in this video was comprised of Steve Thomas on Keys and sax, Floyd McLendon on bass, Bob Mishalany on drums.

The years pass by and time marched on, I would keep playing bars, shows, parties and Gigs all over NY until 23 years later I received a phone from Joeys father Lenny again it was like dejavu only Lenny said "Mike the kid wants to play with you again but this time invite you to play on his stage to a sold out, packed house at the Landmark Theater in Syracuse, NY. Well I told Lenny that I was old but I would do the best I could, Lenny told me where and when to meet for a little practice a few hours before the big show. Well I showed up at the Landmark Theater in the afternoon hadn't seen the kid in many years, we seen each other the kid came over and greeted me with a hug, the same kind of hug he gave me when we parted ways 23 years back when he was a kid,

We then plugged our guitars in and jammed with his great band, trading riffs and smiling like we use to. We would later go on that night and play to a standing ovation like warrior poets on guitar. I was proud of him that night he was a grown up Blues man, well dressed and masterful, reminded me of myself a long time ago only so much larger. Most of all I was proud that he never forgot me or where he came from. Long may you run Joe...

Folks, Thanks for reading my story, Hope you enjoy the video.

JOE AND MIKE REUNITED ON STAGE SEVERAL TIMES:
in 1996 LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eCWSkq4zoY
and in 2012: LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IanJ1ionrtE

Cheers!
-Midnite Mike Grimalid-