They may be the most famous cowbells in history.
Corky Laing’s clanging introduction to “Mississippi Queen” — Mountain’s biggest hit — still resonates, 56 years later.
The band — which included legendary musicians Leslie West and Felix Pappalardi — broke up in 1972. They reunited periodically over the years, for projects and tours.
Corky Laing (2nd from left), and the band.
Laing continued to play percussion. He’s recorded with Ian Hunter (Mott the Hoople), Eric Schenkman (Spin Doctors), Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience), even Bo Diddley. (In fact, he got his start as a pre-teen, when the famed Ink Spots needed a drummer during a musicians’ strike.)
But he has never forgotten his Mountain days. This Saturday (April 11, 7 p.m.), “Mississippi Queen” — and other hits, including “Long Red” and “Nantucket Sleighride” — will ring out at the VFW.
Gary Shure’s 10$GrandBand offers a tribute to the band.
And Corky Laing himself will sit in, as a guest drummer.
Corky Laing (Photo copyright Joachim Jüttner)
It is far from his first time in Westport.
He lived here for a decade, from 1982 to ’92.
While here he invited Levon Helm, Felix Cavaliere, the Chambers Brothers and fellow Westporter Meat Loaf to play with him at the Levitt Pavilion. He jammed with bands at local clubs and bars.
He hung out often at the Compo Beach home of music executive Terry Coen, and his music-loving wife Gail.
Laing also befriended Harvey Skolnick, owner of the Liquor Locker. During the busy holidays Laing delivered wine for him, to customers like Paul Newman and Diana Ross.
The Liquor Locker. Corky Laing was a famous “employee.”
The other day, Laing recalled his years here with joy. He first came during a snowstorm, when the town was a “winter wonderland.”
He needed a check cashed. Skolnick did it, no questions asked. Laing thought this must be quite a town.
Not long after, he moved to Crescent Road.
This is nothing like Canada, where Laing grew up thinking he’d be a teacher. But playing with the Ink Spots — watching people looking up at “this little Jewish kid behind 4 beautiful Black guys, and smiling” — hooked him on performing.
He began playing loud — including timbales, which are now back in vogue, thanks to Bad Bunny — because he wanted to have a good time.
As for the cowbells to “Mississippi Queen”: that was just the way Laing counted the band in, when Mountain recorded it.
As engineers mixed the music, they decided to leave it — “for now.”
Meanwhile, Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsies were recording next door. Laing had met him through the Montreal music scene, so he invited him to hear the tape.
Hendrix sat behind the board. At the end he just said, “Cool. Love the cowbell.”
The rest is history.
Corky Laing today, Mountain, Jimi Hendrix and an image of the era.
And the history continues Saturday.
The gig came about through Matt Zako, the local music promoter who has a mutual friend of Laing’s.
When Zako explained the venue, Laing was all in.
“Veterans are great guys,” he says. Back in his Mountain days, they worked in a VFW hall on Nantucket.
One of Westport’s best concert venues.
He’s excited to play with Shure, and the 10$Grand Band. “They sound great, and the set list is really good,” Laing says.
He no longer lives in Westport. But life continues to be good.
“Every day, I wake up. And every day, I play the drums,” Laing says.
On Saturday, he’ll do it again, back in his former town.
And with the most famous cowbells in music history.
Tickets are just $20. Click here to purchase.
FUN FACT: In 1969 — shortly after Mountain played at Woodstock — drummer N.D. Smart was replaced by Corky Laing. Three years earlier, Smart had replaced Chip Damiani as drummer for the Remains — the band with Westporters Barry Tashian and Bill Briggs — on their US tour with the Beatles.
(“06880” often covers Westport’s entertainment scene. And the town’s history — plus much, much more. If you like stories like this, please click here to support our work. Rock on!)
From time to time I would market the commission at my school by making an announcement. In reality though, I really wasn’t very involved.
