Legendary Bass Funkateer

Legendary

Bass

Funkateer

Written By Freda (Free) Kelley

Editing By Freda Free Kelley

and Kit M. Blackburn

Free Hansolor

AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: 1-800-839-8640

© 2012 by Free Hansolor. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/14/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4150-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4148-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4149-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012912713

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Contents

Introduction

Chapter One (Road Trip)

Chapter Two (Show Time)

Chapter Three (Going to the Club)

Chapter Four (Talking about music)

Chapter Five (Headed to Dayton, Ohio)

Chapter Six (Going out for Breakfast)

Chapter Seven (Upcoming Show)

Chapter Eight (Going back in time)

Chapter Nine (Show Time)

Chapter Ten (New Year’s Day)

Chapter Eleven (Just Chilling)

Chapter Twelve (Father’s Day)

Chapter Thirteen (Getting ready for a show)

Chapter Fourteen (First time at the fall)

Chapter Fifteen (Reminiscing)

Chapter Sixteen (Labor Day)

Chapter Seventeen (Thanksgiving)

Chapter Eighteen (Another Show)

Chapter Nineteen (Back In Columbus)

Chapter Twenty (Just talking)

Chapter Twenty One (It’s My Birthday Again)

Chapter Twenty Two (My Father)

Chapter Twenty Three (Hospital)

Chapter Twenty Four (Mark back in Dayton)

Chapter Twenty Five (Getting Back To Being Me)

Chapter Twenty Six (The Shock of My Life)

Chapter Twenty Seven (Studio Equipment)

Chapter Twenty Eight (Business)

Acknowledgements

Introduction

With Gracious Gratitude, I am so excited that God had a plan for me at this point in my life, to have met an outstanding entertainer to write about. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be writing a book. I realize I can step out on faith with the courage to talk about my life. Along with the choices that I’ve made, which have made me very strong through most of my journey? It has taught me some of lifespans greatest lessons. You can do anything, if you put your mind to it. This is an exciting and unbelievable transition.

This is a biographical novel consisting of episodes and recollections from my life as I lived it with Mark Adams, bass player and songwriter from the Funk Band, Slave. This novel is based on a combination of personal experiences, specific people, places, and events. Mark Adams was a bass playing phenomenon that truly brought the Funk to the music of the70’s and 80’s. Mark was born in Dayton, Ohio, where he started playing music at a young age. He also composed and wrote a great amount of songs that were performed by the Funk Group, Slave. Such as Just a Touch of Love, Watching Ladies, Slide, and Baby wait for me, to name a few. His music is currently played today on radio stations around the world, and the United States. God truly blessed him with his talent. Mark was a legend in his own time, and a good hearted man.

Soon after Mark moved in with me, he told me he now sees that the best things in life are free. Most people want material things like money, cars, jewelry, etc. But it is what a person is like on the inside that matters most. Other than his music that he shares with the world, he feels that his main purpose is to change his way of living and improve his life condition. I told him that he is in the right place, and you have my full support. I know that I am not an angel, and I am far from being perfect. We all have our good points along with the bad. We are all on the journey back to our true selves in perfection of spirit in our souls.

We offer you our insight to show the way for you not to go, or to go. By knowing the expected consequences, make your choices in awareness, not in ignorance. Thus, we may shine a little light on your path to enjoyment and pleasure in peace and love.

This is The Story of Mark and Free:

Chapter One

(Road Trip)

It was Nov. 1, 2008 on a wet Saturday morning, at Croft Entertainment Center leaving for Youngstown, Ohio for a show with Stone City Band. Trina and I were trying to find a seat. Croft Entertainment had chartered a bus for the bands. I chose to sit in the back so I can see everything. I told Trina that I never met the Bar kays before, and they were on the show too. Someone heard me and said that they were not going to be on the show. (What?) Who is going to replace them? They replied Slave. The first thing that came to my mind was DRAC and Slide. I met Drac in 2004 during a concert at the Valley Dale in Columbus, Ohio, and again in 2006 when I opened up for Slave at the Juneteenth Celebration in Franklin Park, also in Columbus, Ohio, Is where I’m from? Drac asked me to sing background for him on his shows. He told me that he liked my voice, and needed a good singer.

It was nearly 7:00 in the morning. At that time I started to dance in my seat. Hey, what can I say but give me some skates’ baby, and let me Slide. Trina was like girl you are crazy with a smile. Almost immediately a van pulled up and there were 7 guys getting out. I was looking for Drac so we could talk, but I didn’t see him. Someone up front said Drac is not on this show. Huh? I wondered why? Guess I’ll see Steve Arrington. Again someone said not him either. Well at this time I was oblivious and said what Slave is this? I only know one Slave, Just a Touch and Watching You. (What the heck is going on?) Well, all I could do was look out the window trying to erase it from my mind, saying to myself (What the hell!!) again and again with confusion. Everybody get on the bus the road manager, Poppy said. As the guys from the van got on the bus Trina said who is that? I told her I guess that’s Slave, and I went to sleep.

My big brother Dean Simms sat in front of me. I noticed him when I opened my eyes. Dean Simms is a Trumpet player that played for the Ohio Players and is a native of Springfield, Ohio. I was so confused. I asked him with a whisper, who is this Slave crew on the show? He said Mark Adams. Mark Adams? Still confused, all I knew was Drac and Steve Arrington. Laying back in my seat it was so uncomfortable. I said to myself, (yeah right) someone said a big old uncomfortable charter bus (I laughed). I was so stiff and tired of trying to find comfort I just stayed awake.

I was so glad we stopped at McDonalds in Mansfield, Ohio, towards Cleveland, Ohio. I heard let’s go Free, from my girl. Hell I’m trying to get up I’m so stiff, I feel like an Old Ass lady with plywood stuck to my butt. It was so numb, and my legs too. Hell I just couldn’t get up (Ha, Ha, Ha) we laughed so hard. As I was getting off the bus I had to grab the ramp. (WOW) That was funny because I was holding on to both rails.

Well, I finally made it into McDonalds. At this time there were 2 guys standing in the back of the line. I didn’t recall seeing them on the tour bus (Big Bus, Smile), so I asked one of the guys what was his name, and he told me Bo. I asked the other guy what was his name? He said proudly, I’m Mark Adams. WOW, you said your whole name. Hey Now you go boy. We both smiled, and laughed.

I went on to sit down with some of my band members. Dean asked me what I wanted to eat. We are like brother and sister. We had everybody fooled, because they thought he was my Man (NOT), Big Brother. Well, anyway I went and sat down at the table and we were watching everybody order their food. So my big brother came and gave me my food and Mark and his friend was looking at us. Well, getting back on the (BIG BUS), I was finally able to get some sleep. Everybody on the bus was pretty much out from eating. You know how people get full and fall to sleep.

Well, we made it to Youngstown, Ohio where the party was hey now! I was getting off the bus with my girls. We were the background divas, for Stone City Band. I got my bags and was trying to find the room we had. I didn’t know there were 3 flights of stairs, this wasn’t my day. When I got off the bus, I was pulling myself up holding on the rails (said to myself) this here Shit is not working for me. But I made it happen. While putting my stuff up and finding my spot for my clothes so I could hurry back downstairs to check things out. Everybody else was in the basement of the theater.

Trina asked me where I had been. I told her upstairs putting my stuff up. I asked her what was up. She said she was tired and was going to lay down to try to get some sleep. She was also uncomfortable on the (Big Bus). I told her I’m going up to the auditorium with Dean to check things out and to let me know when the food gets here. Well, I made it to the auditorium. While waiting on sound check, the other background singer and I were going over our parts. Dean was playing his horn to our singing. It was exciting to be in Youngstown, Ohio. I knew a few people from there and I loved the warmth that I had been given from some of the other people I had also met that day.

After a little while I got up and was headed to the stage where the band was setting up for sound check. As I walked toward the stairs Mark Adams was coming my way and we both met at the bottom of the stairs. He said hi again. I said hey. Then he reached his hand out and directed me to go up the stairs. Later we started talking about music. I told him that I had a C.D. out, and that I wanted to write my own music. He asked me to take down his number. He said better yet, call my phone and leave your name and number. So I did. He told me that he writes music and that we could write together. I told him I will call him and we can hook up and do that, and we both walked away. I still didn’t know who he was and what he played. My thoughts of him, he’s personal about what he does, so I didn’t question him, I just let it go.

Well, it was time for sound check. I was standing on the stage platform. I grabbed my microphone and the sound guy said okay free sing something. I looked over to see where Mark was. He was standing there by the door, so I showed off and sang some Patty La belle scales. I put my mic down and the sound guy said damn, guess that’s all I needed, and Mark said WOW girl you got some pipes. I laughed so hard. After that Mark and his friend left. I don’t know where they went. So Dean and I started talking about sound check. He was excited to get it going. I was excited too, because I have a chance to show off. Dean said Free, I think Mark Adams likes you. I asked him why he thought that. Dean responded, Because when we do shows with him, he never deals with any women, and he was just looking at you. I told Dean we had talked about doing some music. Dean had this to say!! Just think Free he’s a man and you are beautiful, why wouldn’t he? He never came across any other way. Dean told me that Mark was a shy kind of guy and that he has never seen him come hard at a woman. After about an hour I decided to go and check on Trina in the basement.

The food arrived and I wanted to see if she was still asleep. My girl was lying on the couch, so I sat down on it and woke her up. The keyboard player from Slave was also in the basement. I knew him from a show I did in Cleveland, Ohio 3 months prior. He wanted to talk. After I had my talk with him, I sat on the other couch across the room. There was someone laying on it, but there was just enough room for me to sit down so I did. All of a sudden my girl Trina said Mark Adams wake up the food is here!! This person pulled their coat off their face, sat up, turned around, and looked straight at me!! I looked and said to myself Who is this!! And my girl said that’s Mark Adams." I looked at her and said that’s the guy from the bus and the auditorium what? He looks different. I admired his hair and asked him where did he get his hair? He told me his granddaddy and mom. Wish I had that hair.

I asked him if I was in his way because if so, I could move. He told me no, you’re fine. Everybody came down to get something to eat. We were eating, talking, laughing, and having a good time until show time. I then put some vitamin C 1000 powder in my water. I asked Mark if he wanted some. He looked at me and said are you willing to share that with me? Of course I said, why do you think I asked? He told me no one has ever asked him if he wanted something from them that was beneficial to his health. I told him you have to have something to keep you healthy on stage that way you can feel better afterwards. He looked at me and asked Are you a health (NUT)? I asked Mark what he meant by that. He said NO Offence, I just think it’s nice of you to think about me and you don’t even know me." I responded it’s just my nature and my caring side. I like to help people. After that I said to myself, I wonder why he also seems to be nice.

Well, the band gathered around the table to talk about the show. The road manager was telling us which band, Stone City or Slave was going on stage first. He also told us that there was not a big crowd out there, but that was okay, because we’ll have a good show anyway. Doesn’t matter if just one person was there, still put on a good show!! So everyone was thinking out loud and people were agreeing with him. We said a prayer and we all said AMEN. (Let’s Do This!!!) and have a good show.

Chapter Two

(Show Time)

It’s time to hit the stage; me and my girls went upstairs to get dressed. There was a knock at the door. Trina said who is it? The voice said Mark Adams. What? What does he want?