Topper Price
Terry O'Neil "Topper" Price (born August 16, 1952 in Plateau, Mobile County; died May 16, 2007 in Birmingham) was a blues, rock, and jazz vocalist and harmonica player.
Price grew up in Prichard, attending Vigor High School. He was a member of "The Blues Band" in Mobile along with Harold Floyd, Rat Connell and Wick Larson.
He was a frequent performer at local nightclubs as well as at City Stages. He most often performed as the frontman for Topper Price and the Upsetters. Other bands which have featured Price included Cowboy and The Convertibles. He did guest work with Dickie Betts, Eric Essix, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Albert Collins, The Band, the Subdudes, the Radiators, Cleveland Eaton and Brother Cane. His opening harmonica riff on Brother Cane's #2 Billboard hit Got No Shame is probably his best-known recording.
Price won the "best male vocalist" award at the 2007 Birmingham Area Music Awards and took the stage at the awards show on March 8, telling the crowd that "he couldn't express what their recognition meant to him after so many years on the local music circuit."1.
Price was an honorary member and big supporter of the Magic City Blues Society. He was profiled on the Alabama Public Television program 4th & 23rd.
At the time of his death, Price was engaged to Kelly Casey. He died in his Southside apartment of unknown causes.
A Topper Price memorial concert was given at WorkPlay in Birmingham on July 1, 2007. Musicians who performed in honor of Topper include Cleveland Eaton, Ray Reach, Ed Berry, Foxxy Fatts, Rick Carter, The Decoys with Donnie Fritts, David Hood, Scott Boyer, Rick Kurtz, Mike Dillon, Kelvin Holly, N.C. Thurman, Bill Stewart (musician), The Upsetters, Tim Boykin, Don Tinsley, Jesse Suttle, Jeff Adkins and Rick Carter's Frankie Velvet Band.
Discography
- Cowboy (1977) Cowboy. Capricorn Records
- The Convertibles (1985) The Convertibles (EP)
- Price, Topper (1997) "Long Way from Home". Vent Records
- Price, Topper () "Nature (Part 1)"
as guest
- Betts, Dickey (1977) Dickey Betts & Great Southern
- Betts, Dickey (1978) Atlanta's Burning Down
- Brother Cane (1993) Brother Cane
- Essix, Eric (2000) Southbound
- Caddle (2006) Raise 'Em High
Notes
# Jordan-2007
References
- Reynolds, Ed (May 31, 2007) "Top This: Local musician, libertine, and hard-living nightlife veteran Topper Price shuffles off with a legacy of unbeatable stories." Black & White.
- Jordan, Phillip (May 24, 2007) "To the top: Lasting memories of Topper Price." Birmingham Weekly.
- Colurso, Mary (May 18, 2007) "Local musician Topper Price dies." Birmingham News.
- Haden, Courtney (May 24, 2007) "Just being Topper: The too-short life of a good man with the blues." Birmingham Weekly.
- Colurso, Mary (May 25, 2007) "The music plays on for dearly departed Price." Birmingham News
- Colurso, Mary (November 4, 2011) "Year of Alabama Music: Topper Price (1952-2007)." Birmingham News
External links
- Video of Topper Price & the Upsetters performing at the Magic City Blues Festival at Sloss Furnaces
- Pictures from the Topper Price Memorial at Myspace.com