Alex Bevan - Cleveland's Real Poet Laureate

On Thursday my wife (Mrs. Bear) and I went to the re-opening of the Clearview Tavern in Richfield which is owned by Freddie Salem. (Yes folks, that Freddie Salem. the famed guitarist for The Outlaws has reopened his great restaurant and it’s always a kick to go in, shake hands, talk to Freddie and eat some great food) to hear one of our favorites Alex Bevan who was playing the opening night.

I was sitting there listening to Alex play when it hit me how much Alex really is Cleveland. Alex is a songwriter that really feels the songs. He writes about life, his life, our life. You can believe the characters are alive and living all the parts, the sadness, the happiness, and the dreams in the songs. Isn’t this how a song, a poem or a great book should make you feel? He calls himself “the Low Tech Troubadour” usually just him and his guitar. He has played with Bo Diddley, The Clash, Michael Stanley, Pure Prairie League and many other national acts but around here in true road warrior fashion he has probably played in more bars than anyone ever has.

Like I said he is a true road warrior. Playing in loud bars with sometimes obnoxious drunks around is not exactly what an artist strives for but that hasn’t changed him over the years. He is one of those artists that enjoys playing his music and the distractions don’t take away from that enjoyment. It’s funny, I was sitting in my booth really enjoying the show with everyone at the tables around me talking, eating, making noise when Alex said into the microphone to me “Bear those guys at the bar will never hear this one” as he launched into his new song “Love Lifts” and he was right, it seemed they never heard this beautiful song being played 5 feet from them. It didn’t bother Alex, he sang the song as he did all night, with a smile on his face and from the heart. That’s what Alex has always been about. I love to tell the story of back around 1986, Alex was playing in a bar I use to own, the Café Rock, when one of the worst snowstorms of the season hit right after he arrived to set up. We had maybe 8 people braved the snow and show up, but what a concert those 8 people got. He played to those 8 people like he was playing to a sold out concert hall. It was one of the best shows I ever saw.

The first time I saw Alex was right before Springboard was released in 1976 at a WMMS Coffee Break concert at the old Agora. It was a great way to spend a Wednesday afternoon back then. I had heard Alex on WMMS as it was one of the only stations that showcased local talent then and I liked the music. I don’t know what initially attracted me to Alex Bevan’s music and created a lifelong fan. At the time I was listening to Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, etc. Not exactly what you put into the “Low Tech Troubadour “ stylings but then as now when I listen to Alex’s lyrics, I relate. I can’t write like him, but I can relate!

He lives our area thru his lyrics and even when he is riffing on our town, he is giving voice to what concerns us. Back in 1979 he recorded “Have Another Laugh On Cleveland Blues” where he brought up the issues of our time that concerned Clevelanders and in his “I’m really laughing at myself” style he was able to make us laugh at the problems of our time. He could take that song now with a little tweaking and make it relevant to 2009 and Cleveland. When I listening to “Rodeo Rider” I can feel someone chasing the dream, “Grand River Lullaby” you feel the heartache of a coming breakup, “Carey Come Smiling” is a song I’d kill to be able to write about someone I loved. Seriously if I had written that for Mrs. Bear, I could do no wrong forever and trust me I sometimes need that IOU.

When he plays live, it’s a fun time and you get the feeling even in the dreaded Cleveland winters like you’re sitting on a deck of a bar at Put-N-Bay relaxing with a good friends. Before you know it, he is taking one of his songs like “Pass It On” and singing about everything that is going on in front of him in the bar, if you’re a drunk at the bar, you might become a lyric in his song that night. Songs like “Jazzbo” and “Brand New Arkansas Traveler” play and before you know it your heads bobbing and your hands tapping the table and then of course there is Cleveland’s anthem “Skinny”. How many of you, I’m talking to the guys now, remember the song when it came out and thought man that’s me. Every time you walked into those old bars back then like the Longhorn, Déjà vu, Mothers, Pirates Cove, etc you thought he was talking about you! That’s why even now, 30 years later when he plays it live, everyone in the bar stops what they are doing, sings the lyrics, raises their beers and salutes Cleveland’s poet laureate. You know why, because he’s one of us, the hard working, road warriors that call Cleveland home.


Recommended listening: “Springboard”, “Grand River Lullaby”, “Fall And Angels”, and “Dancing With The Muse Live At The Kent Stage” and of course go see him live!