by Ray Lassiter

Around the end of August or the beginning of September “03” Bubba Gilford, Bill Coon and Ray Lassiter began to put some songs together in Bubba’s garage.

We kicked around many songs and had some pretty tight, everything seemed good but we still couldn’t play out. Why? we had no Bass Player. Bubba and I were scratching our heads as to who we could get.

I remember one particular evening at practice Bill came in with this certain look on his face - he had found a Bass Player. Bill had gone to a show at the Canal Club to see a Beatles tribute group, and had run into this guy, Henry Gerber, whom he had known from back in the day.

Upon seeing Henry he asked what he was doing as far as music was concerned and Henry said nothing right now. That was it - two nights later we met Henry and that was the beginning of LOOSE GRAVEL.

I remember one thing Henry asked me the first night we had practice: He asked if I thought he sounded OK and if he could make it in the group? I couldn’t believe my ears. Henry was the cat’s meow and I really mean that.

Our first job came in Feb. “04” at the Checkered Flag. That lineup was good for a run for 8 months at many different venues.

Around Thanksgiving of that year, there was a change in the group. A long time friend of Bill’s, Buzzy "SHAKE SOME ACTION" Lawler joined the band and the rest is history, or should I say, the future!!