ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 1, 1996 TAG: 9603010004
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
Trumpet player Doc Severinsen was in the middle of talking about his practice habits when he suddenly stopped.
``Roanoke,'' he said. ``Does Roanoke still have that old hotel? I remember that place had the best spoon bread.''
Then Severinsen, the former band leader of the ``Tonight Show'' with Johnny Carson, launched into a story about staying at Hotel Roanoke years ago. He sat down in the dining room and ordered the hotel's famous spoon bread, but the waiter said the hotel didn't serve spoon bread on Sundays.
Severinsen pulled out a $20 bill and placed it on the tablecloth.
``Yes sir,'' the waiter then said. ``We'll have some out to you right away.''
Food seemed to be on Severinsen's mind during a recent telephone interview to talk about his ``Doc in Dixie'' tour with the old ``Tonight Show'' Band. It kicks off tonight at Radford University's Preston Auditorium.
The veteran muisician said he loves to eat when he's on the road. He particularly likes mom-and-pop places. He asked: ``You know of any good places for barbecue and collard greens around there?'' Then he told of the barbecue he discovered not long ago at a pool hall in Williamsburg, Kansas.
``I sent Johnny Carson 12 sides of ribs,'' he said.
Severinsen, 68, sees his former ``Tonight Show'' boss occasionally. Their wives are good friends. But he said he and Carson both stay too busy to cross paths often. ``I've never been this busy in my entire life,'' he said.
Since bowing off the ``Tonight Show'' in 1992, Severinsen has served as pops conductor of the Phoenix Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, and Milwaukee Symphony. He also continues to perform with his jazz fusion group, Facets, and tour with the former ``Tonight Show'' Band, now called Doc Severinsen and His Big Band.
He had expected to be busy in his post-Johnny life, Severinsen said, ``but this is unreasonable.''
It has left him pondering what happened. He offered an explanation - ``I got a new agent and he's a go-getter'' - but somehow sounded unpersuaded. Then he seemed to resign himself to a more convincing truth: ``And this is what I love to do.''
Most of Severinsen's longtime ``Tonight Show'' bandmates will be with him in Radford, including Ernie Watts on saxophone, Ed Shaughnessy on drums and Chuck and Bob Finley on trumpets. In all, about two-thirds of the original line-up. The others, Severinsen said, have retired.
He also will feature singer Linda Hopkins.
The band will open the show with its signature ``Tonight Show'' theme.
``To let them know who we are,'' Severinsen said coyly.
From there, it will be on to Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and so on. ``We just pick out some of the big-band classics and work them over.''
Severinsen promised this with the cool assurance that comes with fronting a group for more than 25 years. He took over as band leader on the ``Tonight Show'' in 1967, after spending 20 years working in big bands, on television and doing studio sessions.
He missed the ``Tonight Show'' at first, he said. ``Out of habit, I think.``
He even approached Carson in the final weeks of their ``Tonight Show'' run to question Johnny about whether they were making the right decision. Johnny told him that he always prided himself on his sense of timing. It was time to quit.
``He knew it better than anybody,'' Severinsen said.
Now, he doesn't miss the show at all. When not working, which isn't often, he spends time with his wife on their horse farm in Santa Barbara. He still practices his trumpet two hours a day.
He has to, he said, ``or I wouldn't play very good. What I've always said is that if I miss one day, I know it. If I miss two days, my family knows it. If I miss three days, everybody knows it.''
But who wants to talk about practicing? The interview ended, Severinsen returned a final time to the subject more at hand.
``You tell them to have that spoon bread ready,'' he said.
Doc Severinsen and his Big Band. Tonight at 8 in Radford University's Preston Auditorium. $15 for adults and $7.50 for children. Call 831-5420.
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Doc Severinsen. color.by CNB