Growing up, 67-year-old Shuri Pass sang into her hairbrush to Alice Cooper songs and participated in her church’s youth choir. While her current musical career isn’t what she imagined, she’s happy with making fans dance by covering familiar classic rock hits on stage.
After she decided no one was going to invite her to be in a rock ‘n’ roll band, Pass formed Gainesville-based Crooked Counsel 31 years ago. Lead singer Pass, guitarist Rick Hutton, drummer Donny Henley, keyboardist John Middleton and bassist Kenny Weber have played together for the past eight years.
Over the last three decades, Crooked Counsel saw dozens of musicians join and leave the band. But this particular lineup stuck since their impromptu performance in 2017.
Three of Crooked Counsel’s former members cancelled at the last minute before a gig. Pass called Hutton, Henley and Weber, who were all in separate bands at the time, and asked if they could step in on the spot. Despite never playing together before, the night was “magic” and “the best they’ve ever played,” Pass said.
They all quit their other bands shortly after to join Middleton and Pass in Crooked Counsel.
Classic rock has been Crooked Counsel’s genre of choice since 1994. Pass was raised on its feeling of nostalgic memories and good times and takes inspiration from artists like Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
“We don’t have that kind of music anymore,” Pass said. “It doesn’t have the soul and the depth.”
Crooked Counsel wrote original songs before, but Pass said the audience responds to what it knows. A fan favorite cover is “Cry Baby” by Janis Joplin. Pass said she’s received countless crowd comments claiming she “channels Joplin” — an “ultimate compliment” that gives Pass chills every time she hears it.
Hutton said guitar players are “primadonnas,” but he thinks their hearts are filled with a genuine love for music. When he was 5 years old, he only listened to old folk music. Hutton’s older brother came home one day with Led Zeppelin’s 1969 album, “Led Zeppelin II.” As soon as “Whole Lotta Love” ripped open the album with Jimmy Page’s aggressive power chords and Robert Plant’s raw vocals, Hutton said he knew he was addicted to rock ‘n’ roll.
He brought out the same rock star persona on stage May 25 as he performed at the Great Outdoors Restaurant with Crooked Counsel, alternating between four guitars based on the song. From “Surrender” by Cheap Trick to “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash, he transformed from engineer to music legend as his guitar tone matched each song perfectly.
Repeatedly kicking up a song’s tempo prompted Hutton to leap from the stage, sending a dynamic wave of dancing into the crowd. He joined in on the energy and danced along.
“We don’t do recordings or any of that,” Hutton said. “To us, it’s this great interaction that we have with the audience. The fact that they’re familiar with [the music] means they can participate with it more.”
Before Hutton joined the band, Pass’ close friend brought her son, Cohen Bennett, to most of Crooked Counsel’s shows. Even though he was only 5 years old at the time, Bennett remembers growing up around the band’s analog warmth.
He’s not an outgoing person, but he said the music brings him closer to other people because it’s something everyone can understand.
At one point, Crooked Counsel invited Bennett onto the stage to perform with them at a show. Carrying his little red ukulele, the band lowered a microphone for him without turning it on.
“I just did my own thing,” Bennett said. “[It was] more about being up there than actually playing music.”
These days, 17-year-old Bennett listens to new age classic rock bands like Weezer, echoing the music he first fell in love with.
Content with their accomplishments, Crooked Counsel doesn’t need full-fledged stardom to be successful. They’re happy doing what they do, Pass said.
Crooked Counsel will perform at the Free Fridays Concert series at Bo Diddley Plaza May 30.
Contact Autumn Johnstone at ajohnstone@alligator.org. Follow them on X @AutumnJ922.
Autumn Johnstone is a freshman journalism/art student and a music reporter for The Avenue. When they're not writing, you can find them enjoying a nice cup of coffee at a nearby café or thrifting for vinyls.
