By: Interview by James Kennedy, Written by Katrina Salokar & Bobby Capps
After 38 Special’s unforgettable performance on March 16th at the Caloosa Sound Amphitheater in Fort Myers, we were reminded of the lasting impact classic touring bands have on generations of fans. Music’s power to evoke emotions and memories makes each show a unique experience.
For Fort Myers, the connection runs even deeper, thanks to local Southern rock legend Bobby Capps. As the band’s keyboardist and backing vocalist, Bobby has shaped their signature sound and kept their legacy alive for fans old and new.
To thank him for bringing this iconic music to his hometown, we sat down with Bobby at the World Famous Buckingham Blues Bar, where he often takes the stage to jam. Here’s what we learned from this rock legend.
Q: James Kennedy: You started touring with 38 Special around 1987 right? What was it like joining the band?
A: Bobby Capps: Yeah, ‘87, I started working with the guys then, my first tour with 38 Special was in 1988. I’ve been with the band for 37 years now. When I first joined, I was in awe of their talent—it was intimidating. It took me about 10 to15 years before I truly felt like I was a member of the band and not just the new guy. It was like getting recruited by a championship team that had already won a couple of World Series.
Q: What was that first tour like?
A: We had “Second Chance” out, which was one of 38 Special’s biggest and highest charting hits. Max Carl wrote and sang on that one originally—he did two records with the band. I was with them during that time. Then Max left, and founding member Don [Barnes] came back after doing his solo record. So while Don was gone, the band did two records on their own, and I was part of that.
Q: You were already pretty established in the Southern rock scene by then, weren’t you?
A: Well, I was playing in cover bands all over, mostly in the Southeast region, but really in about 15 states. We’d travel around playing clubs, managed first by American Band Management in Houston, then Ted Skorman’s agency out of Orlando. I was bouncing around the country—Florida to California—playing with different bands. Then I ended up in Jacksonville, Florida, and met the 38 Special guys.
Q: Do you remember your first show?
A: Oh, yeah. It was in Greenville, South Carolina, at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium—now torn down. It was also the last place Lynyrd Skynyrd played before the plane crash. Pretty wild.
Q: That must’ve been surreal, being part of that history. What got you into performing? Did you ever think it would take you this far?
A: I always figured I’d make it—dreamer mentality, you know? But a lot of people don’t. I almost went a different route. I had a track scholarship in college, majored in aviation, but my grades were awful. Lost my scholarship, and my parents told me to come home. So I crashed on couches in Little Rock for a while.
Q: Did you grow up in a musical family?
A: Yes, my parents were musicians. They played in small venues, more for fun than anything. There was always a piano in the house, so I naturally started playing early on.
Q: So how did you end up in a band?
A: I was always in a band from a young age but after college, a buddy got tired of me mooching off his couch and told me to get a job. He took me to Boyd Music Company in North Little Rock, where bands posted job listings. Before I could even put my name up, we saw a band looking for a keyboard player. I auditioned, got the gig, and they were already working with American Band Management, playing all over—Texas, Kentucky, St. Louis, Louisiana, etc. I was 19 or 20, not even old enough to drink, and just hit the road.
Q: So that led you to 38 Special?
A: Eventually, yeah. After a few years of bouncing around, I was playing a club in Little Rock, and a Florida band came in on their night off. They liked my playing and offered me a spot. At first, I turned them down—I loved my current band. But a few weeks later, my band imploded, so I called the Florida guys back. They flew me to Jacksonville, and next thing I knew, I was playing Southeast regional circuits with them.
Q: How did you officially get into 38 Special?
A: We were playing a Jacksonville club one night, and the 38 Special guys came in. We jammed, became friends, played poker, hung out for that week. Their singer at the time, Max Carl, was also their keyboard player, and he liked my setup. He asked me to help him upgrade his rig, so I did. A few months later, I half-jokingly asked how much they paid their keyboard tech. Max laughed and told me, “That’s a roadie job—you’re a player.” Then about a month later, he called me up, said his keyboard tech wasn’t working out. He made me an offer: come on tour, work behind the curtain playing keyboards and vocals, and within a year, I’d be on stage as a second keyboard player. That was enough for me.
Q: So you jumped on board?
A: Yep. Next thing I knew, a big rig showed up to haul my gear, and I was off to Greenville, South Carolina, to start the tour. Worked 24-48 hours straight, setting everything up. Greg Giuffria and his band Giuffria was opening for us. And that’s how it started. Right place, right time—but also right friendships.
Q: You were mentioning 38 Special and Lynyrd Skynyrd guys coming into small clubs when you were playing. One Monday, we noticed you were really paying attention to Kelly Baker’s set at the High Horse.
A: She’s a great singer, and her guitar player, Noe Socha, is phenomenal. He’s blind, which makes what he does even more amazing. I’d love to follow his career and see where he goes.
Q: Do you feel like you’re in that elder statesman role now, looking at younger performers?
A: Yeah, I’ve been around the block. I’ve been in a world-class band, and I had a recording studio in Nashville for 15 years with Chris Henderson from Three Doors Down called Rivergate Studios. We were known for rock and outlaws, not country, which made it hard to break into the Nashville scene, but we had our own thing just outside of town.
Q: Can you tell us more about some of the acts that rolled through your studio?
A: We had members of bands like Shinedown, Nickelback, and David Z, who recorded Prince’s Purple Rain. We had Kevin McCreery with Uncle Kracker, Tantric, Kenny Olson from Kid Rock, Saving Abel, Johnny K, Trey Hill from Big and Rich, we also had interns who later became big, like Chet Roberts, who now plays guitar for Three Doors Down, there were so many.
Q: Is developing music your main passion?
A: It goes in phases. Sometimes I love being in the studio, sometimes I won’t go near it for years and just focus on playing live. I love sitting in with the band at Buckingham when I’m not on the road. We do about 100 cities a year, but when I play here, most of the time I don’t know the key or the song—we kind of just make it up as we go. That’s my passion.
Q: You mentioned 38 Special is working on a new record. How’s that going?
A: We just got early mixes in, and it sounds really good. It’s our 50th Anniversary, and we’re touring with Kansas—20 to 30 shows together. The record’s almost done, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.
Q: What is it like recording with 38 Special?
A: Some of the songs we hadn’t heard before we went into the studio this time. It makes for a very exciting and spontaneous recording process. It worked out really cool.
Q: Have you had the chance to collaborate with any of your musical heroes?
A: Yes, I’ve played with a lot of artists I grew up admiring (see the large list below). I even got to perform with Loretta Lynn at the Grand Ole Opry. If I could pick one dream collaboration, it would be with Eric Clapton. There are so many I could pick from.
Q: A while back, we heard a new song recording of yours played in the bar (Buckingham Blues Bar). What was that?
A: Probably Fear to Faith. I wrote it during COVID with a buddy Mitch Covington. He also wrote a song that I sang for a movie called Blink Of An Eye. He called me when I was leaving Atlanta driving to Nashville and asked me to help me write it, but by the time I got to Chattanooga he had already written it. So when I got to Nashville, I sang a guide vocal, and he ended up keeping my take for the final version.
Q: What happens to these songs you write over the years?
A: You never know. I once wrote a song called Slightly Controversial 30 years ago with my band Downtime. Don Barnes from 38 Special always liked it, and now it’s finally making it onto the new record. Even cooler, the guy from Train (Patrick Monahan) sings on it. So something I wrote decades ago is now getting a new life.
Q: As a keyboardist, how do you add layers to 38 Special’s sound while keeping their Southern rock energy?
A: (Laughs) Fifths and no left hand! And what I mean by that is the original bass player, Larry Junstrom, used to give me the business for using my left hand because that’s where the bass notes are. He’d be like, “I’m the bass player, don’t use your left hand,” and then the other players are like, “This is a guitar band, play fifths,” because that is like a major chord, they wanted a guitar rock sound. So yeah, it does not take a genius to do my job, thank God. I tell people I have the coolest job because it’s mostly a guitar band. I mean, sometimes in the studio, I overplay, I’ll give more than is needed on a record or whatever, and they are like, no, no, no, it’s a wrap, we’re good, (laughs).
Q: How did you get started with our local Beef O’Brady’s at the Verhanda plaza in Fort Myers?
A: I was in Key West for about ten years on and off, playing at a little club called Rick’s Bar. Robert Kelin, who was the manager there and from Key West, reconnected with me and asked if I wanted to buy into Beef O’Brady’s. I figured, why not?
Q: How did you get introduced to the Buckingham Blues Bar?
A: When I bought into Beef O’Brady’s, I found a place nearby. The principal partner, Sid Pittman, would always come in, and one night, he asked if I wanted to see some blues. At first, I was hesitant—I’d passed by the place ten times and thought, “I’m not going in there.” But I finally went, and before I knew it, I was up on stage playing a couple of songs. That’s when Tom—my—called me up and asked, “Hey, boy. Where you from?” I told him Nashville, and he said, “Well, you’re pretty good.” I joked, “I’ve been practicing,” and he said, “Well, you keep that practice up—it’s working for you.”
Q: How did you and Tommy become close?
A: A few weeks after that night, Tommy showed up at Beef’s while I was working. I walked through, and he called me an “asshole” in the best way possible. We’ve been best buddies ever since.
Q: Do you still enjoy playing music outside of 38 Special?
A: Absolutely. I like playing casually at home, and sometimes I jump in with other bands for fun. I also love improvising—just sitting down and playing something on the spot without knowing the song beforehand. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.
Q: How do you decide when to play at The Buck?
A: I don’t tell people when I’m coming because if I do, it starts feeling like a job. I want to keep it fun—if I feel like playing, I show up. If I don’t, I won’t. I already get to do this for a living, so playing here is just for fun.
Q: What’s a typical day like on tour with 38 Special?
A: If I told you, I’d have to kill you! But really, I don’t get paid for the 90-minute show—I do that for free. I get paid for the airports, hotels, buses, interviews, and lack of sleep. We’re on a bus until 3AM, get off at a hotel, grab a few hours of sleep, and then repeat. The worst part? No restaurants within walking distance for lunch—that pisses me off.
Q: What’s been your favorite place to perform?
A: Fort Myers, because it’s close to home—no buses or planes needed. But beyond that, Red Rocks is special, and playing in Hawaii is always incredible, there’s so many, it’s hard to just pick a few. My favorite place to play is always the next one. We’ve also done musical cruises, and getting off the boat to see new places is always awesome.
Q: How did you end up playing on the USS Nebraska (Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine)?
A: A friend of ours, John Breaux, was a petty officer on the sub. He somehow convinced the captain to let us come on board and perform at 380 feet below the surface on nuclear power. We were out there for three days, and I slept between 24 nuclear missiles—that was my bunk!
Q: Are there any well-known songs or albums where you played a behind-the-scenes role that fans might not know about?
A: Yes, quite a few. Most of what I’ve worked on is listed below, but some highlights include contributing to a Bret Michaels album Jammin’ with Friends, with several Poison songs on it. I played keyboards on a remake of Every Rose Has It’s Thorn, a duet with Bret and Loretta Lynn, probably one of the most incredible recording experiences of my career. I was also involved in a Van Zandt live record called Red, White & Blue, recorded in Valdosta, Georgia. That band featured Johnny and Donnie Van Zandt, and I toured with them for all four of their albums—two rock records and two country records on Sony, before officially joining 38 Special. We also did a couple of MTV videos, including Party in a Parking Lot and another one I can’t recall, and Johnny had a hit called Brickyard Road. One particularly cool but unreleased project was playing with Gregg Allman on New Year’s Eve 1999, when it was about to be the year 2,000, at the Tabernacle in Atlanta, alongside Don Barnes, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, and Allen Woody from Gov’t Mule. 38 Special also toured with Gregg Allman, and we once celebrated our birthdays together in a hotel, playing pool all night and having a few drinks.
Q: How has the industry changed over the years?
A: Back in the day, the primary way you were really heard was on the radio, so it was easier for bands to get heard. Now, someone can have millions of streams online and still not make a living.
Q: Do you still have a desire to release new music?
A: Personally? No. With 38 Special, sure—especially with the 50th Anniversary coming up. But financially, streaming pays next to nothing, and it’s just not worth it anymore.
Q: Is that why we’re not seeing as much great new music these days?
A: Yeah. There’s no money in it really. Artists don’t get paid much for recordings these days, and if fans can listen to every song ever made for $10 a month, one at a time, so why would they buy a full album?
Q: So if selling records isn’t profitable, how do artists survive?
A: Touring. You have to sell tickets and pack venues because that’s one of the main ways to make money. That and merchandise.
Q: Is there a way to fix the economy of music?
A: More legislation needs to be created to compensate artists and make records profitable again. Other industries—movies, art—still have value in a tangible product. Music, though, is just given away for free.
Q: How do live venues play into this?
A: Successful venues don’t constantly switch up genres. You have to build a consistent crowd. If people come expecting reggae on Thursday and you suddenly throw in a country act, they won’t come back. The key is stability—grow each night with a dedicated audience.
Q: So if this place (Buckingham Blues Bar) goes country, are you out?
A: Oh yeah. That’d be my night off. (Everyone laughs.)
Q: Any final thoughts?
A: It’s been a wild ride, and I’ve got a ton of stories—some I can’t even tell! But I love what I do, and as long as it stays fun, I’ll keep doing it.
Q: Anything else before we wrap up?
A: Let me read it before you print it! (Laughs) Turn it off.
STAGE PERFORMANCES
• Allman Brother/Marshall Tucker
• Styx
• REO Speedwagon
• Charlie Daniels Band
• Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Government Mule
• Derek Trucks
• Bad Company
• Grand Funk Railroad
• Kansas
• Tommy Tutone
• Trick Pony
• Night Ranger
• 3 Doors Down
• Survivor
• Big and Rich
• Brooks and Dunn
• Montgomery Gentry
• Atlanta Rhythm Section
TOURED OR SHARED STAGE
- 3 Doors Down
- Allman Brothers
- Styx
- REO Speedwagon
- Def Leppard
- Outlaws
- Marshall Tucker
- Great White
- Molly Hatchet
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Doobie Brothers
- Brooks and Dunn
- Zak Brown
- Journey
- Winona Judd
- The Cars
- Foreigner
- Heart
- Huey Lewis and The News
- Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
- Leta Ford
- Eagles
- Men at Work
- Toby Keith
- Trace Adkins
- Blake Shelton
- Taylor Swift
- Travis Tritt
- Foghat
- Nazareth
- Steppewolf
- Peter Frampton
- Randy Bachman
- Pat Travers Band
- Bachman Turner Overdrive
- Uriah Heep
- Artimus Pile Band
- Alice Cooper
- Bad Company
- Paul Rodgers
- War
- Blue Oyster Cult
- Edger Winter Band
- The J. Geils Band
- Loverboy
- Georgia Satellites
- Steve Miller Band
- ZZ Top
- Blackstone Cherry
- Blackberry Smoke
- Kentucky Headhunters
- Kenny Rogers
- George Strait
- Mothers Finest
- Temptations
- Cool and The Gang
- Beach Boys
- Foo Fighters
- Stone Temple Pilots
- Black Crows
- Vanilla Ice
- Puddle Of Mudd
- Collective Soul
- Gretchen Wilson
- Head East
- Ratt
- Cinderella
- Kiss
- The Clash
- Jethro Tull
- Boston
- Credence Clearwater Revival
- Thin Lizzy
- The Guess Who
- Grand Funk Railroad
- Atlanta Rhythm Section
- Cheap Trick
- UFO
- Poco
- Sammy Hagar
ALBUM CREDITS
• 2024 Tommy Lee’s Jonesin: Piano
• 2014 Cody Joe Tillman and The Wicked Truth: Vocals (background)
• 2013 Shine Through Strange Daze: Producer/Engineer/Editing/Keyboards/Vocals (background)
• 2013 I Want it All 7th Key: Vocals (background)
• 2013 Jammin With Friends Brett Michaels: Keyboards
• 2011 Live From Texas 38 Special: Engineer/Group Member/Keyboards/Vocals
• 2010 1000 Miles Away Willie Stardlin: Produce/Engineer/Editing/Keyboards/Vocals (background)
• 2010 Lost Souls Like Us Benjy Davis Project: Producer/Engineer/Editing/Hammond B3/Vocals (background)
• 2009 Beautifully Strange Halfdown Thomas: Producer/Engineer/Editing/Keyboards/Vocals (background)
• 2008 20th Century Masters Christmas Collection: 38 Special Audio Engineer/Engineer/Editing/Group Member/Keyboards/Vocals (background)
• 2007 My Kind Of Country Van Zant: Keyboards
• 2007 Rock n Roll Machine Big Engine: Keyboards
• 2007 Dust The Benjy Davis Project Co: Producer/Engineer/Editing/Keyboards/Vocals (background)
• 2005 Last Time: Composer/Lead Vocals/Background Vocals/Group Member/Keyboards/Rap/Engineer/Editing
• 2004 Drivetrain 38 Special: Keyboards/Group Member/Engineer/Editing/Vocals (background)
• 2001 A Wild Eyed Christmas Night38 Special: Keyboards/Group Member/Engineer/Editing/Vocals (background) 2001 Anthology 38 Special: Vocals/Piano/Keyboards/Background Vocals
• 1999 Live From Sturgis 38 Special: Keyboards/Group Member/Engineer/Editing/Vocals (background)
PRODUCERS
• Kevin Elson
• Kurt Kelsey
• David Z
• Joe Hardy
• Rodney Mills
• Johnny K
COMPANIES
• BMI
• Pavement Records
• William Morris Agency
• Sony Music
• Creative Artist Agency
• Rockridge Music
• ASCAP
• Vector Management
TV APPEARANCES
• Emerald Lagassi
• Regis and Kelly
• Imus in The Morning
• Good Morning Dallas
• ESPN Pre-NASCAR race show
• Home Shopping Network
• CMT Crossroads with 38 Special and Trace Adkins
• Fox and Friends
FILM
• 2019 “Blink Of An Eye” Title Track/Vocals, with Chris Henderson, Chet Roberts, and Greg Upchurch from 3 Doors Down. Documentary film that depicts the career of NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip and his friendship with Dale Earnhardt. https://youtu.be/_g4jGU9GkT
• 2001 Movie: “Super Troopers” Title Track – Trooper With An Attitude with 38 Special. Produced by Broken Lizard Musician/Engineer – Recorded music and effects to specific scenes under guidance of film director and producer.
Listen Online to Bobby Capps Music at www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-capps-mn0000634384
