A salsa version of “If I Only had a Brain,” is typical of the Lightnin’ Bugs covers. “We do a swamp style ‘Your cheatin’ heart,’ said bassist Bruce Gay. “We do a reggae version of Randy Newman’s ‘Louisiana,’ too, but nothing we do is really a cover. And 70% of what we play we wrote ourselves.”
Sort of unbeknownst to them, the Lightnin’ Bugs, to play a sold-out House Concert Series show on Sunday, Dec. 28, 7 p.m., are a bunch of damn hippies.
But they’re too deeply possessed of the countercultural vibe to be referred to as hippies. They have been around for years, playing taverns and restaurants in Shreveport, Ruston, and Monroe. Their goal is not to impress audiences with their travels or their coolness. The Bugs’ goal to get the feet tappin, the hips shakin, and heads and hands moving, too.
Tim Brogan, fiddle player with infectious smile, is the front man. Bruce Gay is the equanimous bassist. On the trap set is raggedy Randy Guynes. Joining the trio on keyboard will be Michael Raspberry. There will certainly be additional musicians sitting in at random moments.
There will be a hat on a mic stand, stage right, indicating the loss of long-time trombone player Dunny Gilyard. He passed away this past year. “He was a soulful, deep-hearted player who knew exactly what to play and where to put the horn in a tune,” said Gay. “Dunny was self-effacing and low key but he brought depth, heart, and richness to the ‘Bugs. We miss him.”