Bill “Watermelon Slim” Homans will be a full-time musician longer than a trucker in 2022.
Homans reflected on his longevity in the music business as he prepared to play at Hambone Gallery Tuesday night with his “truck driver hippie” shirt on.
The shirt said “Homans Trucking.”
“That’s the joke part of it,” Homans said.
“The shirt is actually the original t-shirt design that I had back in 2004 when I was still a truck driver. But the black and tie dye thing is an ugly random effect that only happened with this shirt. I’ve had them in green. I’ve had them in black. I’ve had them in white, but this is the only one that bleach somehow got on this one and gave it a cool kind of hippie look to it.”
Homans was in the trucking business in Massachusetts and a couple of places in Oklahoma for 17 years. He switched to the music business on a full-time basis in 2004. It will be 18 years in 2022.
“I’m a retired truck driver,” Homans said. “Next year, I will have played music for a living continuously for more years than I did trucking.”
Homans had fond memories of the trucking business.
“Trucking’s honest labor,” he said. “You can’t criticize the truck drivers who are heroes today in the middle of the pandemic. I was always proud to be a truck driver and a laborer who could do absolutely anything that most men couldn’t do.”
Homans has lived in Clarksdale most of his time in the music business. He moved to Clarksdale in 2009 in the wake of real estate global issues.
“I kind of knew I was going to come here,” Homans said. “Even with my first bad experience, I came back and it was obvious that this place was going to accept me.”
Homans played at Bluesberry Café Monday night, Hambone Gallery Tuesday and is scheduled to play at the Red’s Old-Timers Blues Fest Saturday. It will be his second time playing at the festival.
He is going to Oklahoma and playing south of Muskogee Sunday.
In spite of all of Homans’ bookings, he does not feel the COVID pandemic is finished.
“I’ve got the best vaccine, the Moderna and I’m waiting for a booster if it happens,” Homans said. “I can’t be responsible for everybody else, but I’m doing the best I can with it.”
Homans’ tickets are paid to take a Spanish tour in November, he is playing at Hambone Gallery in September and is going to a 50th high school reunion in Lenox, Mass., in October.
Other than those few engagements, Homans does not have any bookings after this week.
He plans to play blues and honkytonk music going back to when he grew up in Asheville, N.C. this week. The honkytonk music includes Hank Williams songs “Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound” and "Your Cheatin' Heart.”
Even as Homans stays in Clarksdale, he finds variety in music venues.
“They’re similar at Bluesberry and here (Hambone Gallery),” Homans said. “It’s different at Red’s and I’ve been playing at Red’s (Blues Club) longer than any other place in town.”
Homans walked in and introduced himself to Red’s Blues Club owner Red Paden.
“I said, well, we play the blues,” Homans said. “And Red said, ‘OK, well, see if you play the blues. If you can, then I’m not going to throw you out.’”
Homans said in five seconds Paden knew he could play music. He still has goals going forward.
“My ambition in 2022 is to have enough work so that I will have to pay taxes,” Homans said.
Homans concluded by encouraging everyone to take the COVID vaccine.
“Everybody get your shot,” Homans said. “If you’re not severely immunocompromised, it is your duty. I would almost want to say it is your American duty to get your shot.”
