Today we’d like to introduce you to Al Lauro.
Hi Al , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Native South Louisiana drummer Al Lauro traveled to Big Pine Key, Florida in 1980 to play with Outlaw
Country legend, David Allan Coe, who quickly dubbed him Big Al, despite his vertically challenged stature. Al
and the band lived in Coe’s rehearsal warehouse between Ernest Hemmingway’s favorite bar, “Sloppy Joe’s” and
Shorty’s diner. Al became friends with the local shrimpers and their bevy of ladies, and because there were no
bathroom facilities, they would let he and the band shower on their boat.
After the IRS seized David’s home in Big Pine Key, Coe decided to move the band to Tennessee. Stopping at a
truck stop in Dickson, Tennessee, a waitress said her daddy had a cave for sale in a local park, so Coe checked it
and immediately fell in love with it and bought Ruskin Cave Park, making a concert venue with an outdoor stage
and the official David Allan Coe Museum.The band lived in a house on the property and David lived in the a
rock house, and they were featured in US Magazine for their cultish lifestyle. They ate together worked together
and prayed and played music together.
Because of their strong love for the blues, southern rock and country, Al and fellow band member Warren
Haynes (Allman Brothers Band, Govt Mule) and Rick Gergen (Sweethearts of the Rodeo) started a side project
called the Unknown Blues Band. W
While living in Big Pine Key, David produced a free street concert in Key West featuring Greg Allman, and Al
and the DAC band who backed Greg up on memorable versions of “Stormy Monday,” “Midnight Rider” and
“One Way Out.” When David was recording the album CASTLES IN THE SAND for CBS Records in Nashville,
David told the band that Dickie Betts was going to play on a track. Al and the bass player didn’t believe it, so they
didn’t hang around to find out, but Warren stayed because he was scheduled to play that day. As it turns out,
Betts and Gregg both showed up at the studio, and they were really impressed with Warren’s playing. Dickey
asked Warren to play on the solo album he was currently recording, and when Greg and Dickey decided to put ked Warren to play on the solo album he was currently recording, and when Greg and Dickey decided to put
the Allman Brothers Band back together, they asked Warren to join the band.
Al kept the Unknown Blues Band going for a while with 7′ of blues guitarist, Big Mike Griffith, but that
eventually fell apart, and Al took a gig with popular harmonica player Roguie Ray LaMontagne – (this was well
before Roguie’s son Ray Lamontagne became more famous than any of them.) Due to personal legal issues,
Roguie Ray did not want to name the band after himself, and he suggested the name “Big Al and the
Heavyweights.” The first Big Al and the Heavyweights record, THAT AIN’T NICE, was released in 1996 on
Rollin and Tumblin Records.
Big Al has been honing his songwriting chops since 1990. Sometimes working with producer Fred James of
Appaloosa Records, Al wrote songs for artists including Johnny Jones, Earl Gaines, and. Charles “Dynamite”
Walker. Al’s songs caught the ear of Alligator Records boss Bruce Iglauer, who licensed Al’s “Eat More Crawfish”
for C.J. Chenier first Alligator release and agreed to produce the Heavyweight’s next album, NOTHIN BUT
GOOD LOVIN.
Al and the Heavyweights have been on the road ever since, undaunted by the usual perils, like the time the bus
blew a turbo and they had to spend three days in a Lumberton, NC junkyard… Or the time they got accosted by
a crazed individual in Washington DC as they were sleeping on the bus across from the famed club “Madam’s
Organ.” This episode involved a smashed bus window
The Heavyweights has featured an amazing revolving cast of musicians, including — harmonica players:
Roguie Ray LaMontagne, Jason Ricci, George Heard (a/k/a Harmonica Red), Destin Thibodeaux, and
(currently) Dangerous Dale Robertson; guitar player/singers: Mike Holloway, Tim Wagner, Elvin Killer Bee,
James Bass, Lance Younger, Marcelles Farris, and (currently and for the past 5 years) Marcel Anton; (Luther
Dickinson who played on the title track of Love One and Warren Haynes who performed a searing slide solo
on the title track of Sunshine On Me. Anders Osbourne produced the recordingand played on several tracks);
bass players: Dr. Dave, Kevin Wilson, David Robertson, Lenny Jornes, Dean Galatas, Mark Parsons, and
(currently) Dennis Cedeno; and keyboard players included the late great Moe Denham, the B3 master who
performed for many years with Gatemouth Brown and their one, irreplaceable keyboard player, Wayne Lohr,
who played with the band for 15 years until his untimely passing in 2023.
Over the ensuing years Big Al and the Heavyweights kept releasing records, all favoring roots music and cajun
blues rock with a distinct Louisiana flavor. They partnered with the VizzTone label group in 2022 for LOVE
ONE ANOTHER, and have followed that up with their ninth album, BLUES POWER.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
the death of our piano player vocalist and my musical brother Wayne Lohr really affected me and I truly didn’t know if I wanted to continue. He was a beautiful soul and so special in so many ways. More recently the death of the man who taught me so much and was such an inspiration to me the legendary, David Allan Coe was extremely difficult to deal with especially since I couldn’t attend the funeral because I as on tour.
The other things were like one failed marriage, numerous relationships gone bad and of course bus breakdowns leaving us stranded on the road in some far off place and sometimes not even too far from home. Lots of hardships and now the fuel costs are really hurting. Lastly, the death of cds is another crippling thing because that’s how bands made the majority of their money. Yes, people are buying vinyl but not in the numbers like they bought cds.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We specialize in Roots Music with a Louisiana flavor. Southern Roots, Bayou Soul is our motto. We play everything from blues to funk to southern rock and soul. We never get bored because we play many different styles of music. When we hit the stage , I remember all the great concerts I saw in the 70s and early 80s and when you leave one of our shows, I want you to have that same feeling. These guys put it all out there.
I’m most proud that I’ve sustained a working band for over 30 years and that I can still tour. We have gotten lots of airplay on Sirius XM with the new album, Blues Power( Vizztone Records) on BB King’s Bluesville and Outlaw Country. XM is a God send for musicians like us since the days of progressive FM radio are over.
What sets us apart is that we aren’t just a blues band. I’m a huge fan of the Grateful Dead, Little Feet, The Band, Allman Bros and our music and show reflect some of all that great music.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
To evolve and continue to be relevant in today’s musical world.
Why ? You always have to work on expanding and redefining your audience. Who are we musically now and where are we headed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bigal.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigalandtheheavyweights/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigalandheavyweights/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BigAlandTheHeavyweights
