Cheap Trick bassist Tom Petersson recently teamed up remotely with Jody Stephens, founding drummer of the influential power-pop band Big Star, and other musicians for a rendition of the 1972 Big Star gem “The Ballad of El Goodo,” during a virtual benefit event hosted by Memphis’ famed Ardent Studios.
You can check out a video of the performance, which also featured ex-Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed and current Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit lead guitarist Sadler Vaden, at Vaden’s official YouTube channel.
The “Ballad of El Goodo” performance was part of an event that was streamed live from Ardent Studios on January 24 that raised money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Memphis-based healthcare organization Church Health.
Other performers during the event included Posies and Big Star members Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, Wilco‘s Pat Sansone, The Jayhawks‘ Gary Louris, and more. Stephens, the last surviving original member of Big Star, hosted the concert. Ardent was the facility where Big Star recorded all of its studio albums.
It’s worth noting that Cheap Trick recorded the theme song to the popular sitcom That ’70s Show, which is actually an abridged version of the Big Star tune “In the Street.” “The Ballad of El Goodo” and “In the Street” both appeared on Big Star’s debut album, 1972’s #1 Record.
As previously reported, Cheap Trick will release a new studio album titled In Another Land on April 9. You can pre-order the record now.
By Matt Friedlander
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