Slim Bawb & the Fabulous StumpGrinders

Bob Cheevers- Award winning singer-songwriter

Bob Pearce, otherwise known as Slim Bawb, draws from many resources in his songs and his
playing style. But it seems that the place he has designated (in his musical mind anyway) to be
is that backwoods part of America where Spanish Moss and Kudzu and crawfish boils are
common place and the people speak in a language that is as different as English is from
French.
How a tall guy like Bob/Bawb (at least 6’5”) ever figured out how to play SO many musical
instruments at the same time is beyond me. And the hardest thing to comprehend is how well
he plays everything he picks up whether it be a mandolin, banjo, pedal steel, guitars not to
mention chain saws, stump grinders and back hose...or is that hoes or even hoze?
If not to prove or at least support my points, take for instance the first song on Bawb’s record
which also happens to be the album title...”Got Big Ears For That”. I grew up in the South, so
that sayin’ isn’t foreign to me but Bawb is a west coast guy who somehow got sucked into the
very powerful offbeat rhythm of the deep south’s euphemisms that run constant thru this and
all of his amazing, culturally defining creations.
All kidding aside, this record has such beautifully entrenched musical heritage stuff on it that
shows up in the first few seconds of the first song and then dives straight for the bottom of the
muddy Mississippi into the depth of that hard core Cajun thang. The pumpin’ mandolin and
tough backbeat drum made me wanna get right up from this computer and dance with my
wife. But I didn’t.
Song two, “Soon As I Could”, confirms my rumor that Bawb hails from the left coast and he
holds no judgement against what he calls “...passing’ time” where he quickly gets to the root
of the matter saying in so many words “I’m not from Texas but got here as soon as I could”.
Keepin’ that backwoods rhythm-and-riffin’ thang going strong in song three, statements are
made extolling the virtues of taking a stand against the devil himself with Slim confidently
saying “Not Today Satin”. Just for the books, it’s possible that Mr. Bawb has very infrequently
been in the presence of situations where Lucifer himself was in the room. But that’s strictly a
rumor with no basis in fact other than I too was in that room.
To digress for a moment, the playing and singing on this record are as good as it’s ever gotten
on any Slim Bawb recording. Done in his studio where his recording expertise over the years
has grown consistently, the sounds of each instrument are pristine which is a lot to say for a

recording featuring such integral rhythms and chord changes not to mention Bawb’s very
unique voice that can sing a harmony to itself without the help of external outboard gear.
I think it’s an early childhood thing that must have happened to a rare number of the children
born on the west coast back in the other century. It’s a mystery still, and shall always remain
one of Bawb’s most inexplicable gifts of nature of which there are many.
“Receipts” brings us once again to Bawb’s songs as he mentions one of the places where he
has spent much time in his life and where he learned many of the tools of his trade both as a
musican and as a person...in bars. His Sacramento band The Beer Dawgs were the
quintessential bar band with the criteria that made some bar bands stand out above the fray;
they were all expert players/singers, the songs were danceable, the beer was always cold and
the girls were always hot. Uh...I think that’s all true. This is the place where I have to mention
the great couple of cats surrounding the tall man...”Lil’ Howard” Howard Yeargan Jr. on harp.,
keys, accordion and vocals and Gabe Wilson behind the kit with that solid gold cowbell which
detractors claim is just gold plated. How three humans can make so much music using only six
hand and six feets beats me.
“Baby Daddy” brings the blues into full focus with yet another tall tale of boys and girls and
what kind of twisted affairs are possible in a lifetime.
Back down to the bayou with that unmistakable tongue-twisting, knee-jerkin’ rhythm that
makes a parson’s daughter wanna git up and show off her legs that go all the way to the floor
when the drum beat draws her in and make her father’s teaching go out the window. Yeah
come on now and push that whodatcrawfish “Fat Tuesday” slinky sideways musical treat into
the light of day.
Uh oh I hear a train comin’ down the line with that “Damn Blue Collar Tweakers” Preach Bawb
proclaims is sidewinder’s whitewash of something the Bible may have put into the soul of the
carpetbaggers who came down south to find the gospel Preacher Bawb sings about when he
plays that banjer and sings that low harmony to the hopeful sinners who are waiting for his
musical salvation.
Keith Richards got nothing on Slim Bawb on signature licks. Catch up with what I mean on
“Triflin’ where the funk meets the junk in the trunk of those boys in the band who will tell ya
what ya need to know. Ew yeah yeah yeah!!!!
Some people might wonder why anyone would make a song called “Last Song” the last song
on their album. Well I am here to answer that age old question, and the answer is Slim Bawb

Pearce. He tells about things in his life in ways the other songs on this record don’t, and this
song sounds different from the other songs not only cause it’s
the last song but also cause the statements Bawb makes in this song wrap up the rhythms and
rhymes, the words, the good and bad times heard in all the songs ever written by Slim Bawb.
I’ve known Bob/Bawb since he was 17 in Sacramento California. Back then in the eagerly
’70’s, I was told there was another guy named Bob who wrote great songs and was a strong up
and coming artist in the town where at that time I was riding high in my position of big fish in a
small pond. Sometimes the truth hurts but in this case back then, I was thrilled to meet that
young man who has been a solid friend of mine for well over half a century. For me, this is the
best record Bob Pearce aka Slim Bawb has recorded. He tells his story in every song. These are
stories of his life which he has lived with his music being at the top of his reasons for living
along with other reasons being his family and friends.
My world is filled with wonderful people who live their art and who do their best to give the
world a good look into who they are as people and as artists. Slim Bawb had raised his own bar
with this wonderful record. Thank you for keeping on track Mr. Bob/Bawb. And thank you for
being my old friend. w/love