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February 2017




  

A True Rockabilly Icon:
Levi Dexter
Interview By: Shawn Stevenson


Levi Dexter is a true Rockabilly icon who has been performing for the last four decades. His shows are a tenacious mix of high octane energy that can be a shock to the central nervous system, but not the kind that is likely to knock you into the emergency room.

He's still married to his lovely wife, Bernie Dexter, who is a pin-up model, and in addition to that, is a fashion designer who owns and operates her own store in Portland, Oregon.

Punk Globe recently caught up with Levi to discuss his new record label, and some of his other current endeavors including a move back to England.




Punk Globe: You have recently started your own record label. What prompted you to do that?

Levi: Yes, Dextone Records USA is my label. Mainly, it gives me total control over my releases. As my projects are independently produced it just makes sense for me to release them on my own label. My standards are higher than most record labels who release rockabilly records would be willing to do. For instance, the Levi Dexter & the Gretsch Brothers - All Thru The Nite LP was mastered at Capitol Records at the Capitol Tower in Hollywood. It was pressed on 180 gram pink and black translucent vinyl and the high gloss cover was made at the same company that makes the Blue Note jazz label covers. Each copy is limited to 1000 copies and are individually numbered. I want my vinyl releases to be the highest standard possible.

Punk Globe: Are there any specific artists you are working with? Is anyone recording for you yet?

Levi: Maybe someday in the future I might considering releasing recordings but at the moment I’m only releasing my own recordings. My releases are collectors items and not distributed to record stores. You can only get them at www.BERNIEDEXTER.COM or at my shows.

Punk Globe:Do you have any releases coming up on the label that you'd like to let people know about?

Levi: I just released a 45 of Levi Dexter & the Gretsch Brothers “Oakie Boogie” and “7 Nights To Rock”.




Punk Globe: You have had an amazing career in music, very legendary and that coupled with being a member of The Rockabilly Hall of Fame, now you're doing a record label which is more of a behind the scenes project, is it something you've always wanted to do?

Levi: Not really. It’s a very time consuming and expensive proposition. I would have loved to work with a record label but doing every stage yourself is intense. I just want my touring to be the highest quality and stand the test of time. Years from now a teenager will drop the needle on my record and it will change their life. It is my legacy.

Punk Globe: What about touring? Do you find it harder to do that now in comparison to when you were just starting? It seems really expensive to do it these days and I hear all of these stories about bands and artists not being paid in full for playing, or not even being offered a square deal to begin with. Does that keep you off of the road more than it normally would?


Levi: It’s very different from when I started back in 1977. Back then the band was managed by Lee Black Childers who was a manager in the old school way. We traveled together, lived together, practiced and rehearsed all the time. Lee booked our shows and hotel rooms. He advised us on all aspects of the rock ’n’ roll business. He arranged our nights out and kept us in as much control as he could. There was no tour and return home. We went wherever the demand was. These days I don’t tour with a band. It’s just not cost effective to bring a band to Europe when I live in Oregon in the USA. Now I play mostly weekenders and festivals so I’m flown in and I play with a band from Europe. I’ve played with the Caravans, Restless, Jack Rabbit Slim, the Hayriders and Steve Hooker in the past few years.I negotiate my own gigs and keep it simple. If the promoters don’t have a good reputation I don’t take the gig. Sometimes I will insist on being paid on arrival to avoid problems after the show. If I’m playing a show the promoter should have the funds set aside before I arrive. I rarely have a problem but am aware others do. I often communicate with other bands and ask them to give their opinion on promoters I’m not familiar with. It’s a lot easier only playing weekenders. When it’s a tour in a van or bus and it’s nightly show in clubs you need a strong manager who deals with getting paid.

Punk Globe: You travel to England and Europe frequently. How does the Rockabilly scene over there compare to the one here in the States? Do you think America has opened up and embraced this kind of music now more so than in the past? And do you think there is still more support and demand for it in Europe rather than the U.S. ?

Levi: America is like an ocean and the cities are islands. Unless you are in a major city there’s not much going on as far as a scene. Of course there is the Viva Las Vegas weekender in Vegas, the Nashville Boogie weekender and the Shakedown weekender but they are exceptions. Europeans are much more committed to the lifestyle and not just enjoying a weekender and then putting it aside after they go home. The scene in Europe is great because there is always something going on. There are clubs and pubs putting on shows. Lots of DJ hops and of course there are plenty of weekenders to go to. This means there is something going on every week. People go out more and the scene is stronger for the clubs and weekenders and the people going to the shows. It always seemed to me that the USA doesn’t embrace it’s musical heritage to the level of Europeans. In America it's more about making money than supporting a scene so often other forms of music get all the support.

Punk Globe: Your wife, Bernie Dexter also has a high profile in the pin-up scene. But, like you, has other endeavors going on like her store in Portland. You also contribute to that handling the photography end of things. You both seem to work well together. How long has the store been open and what can people expect to find there?

Levi: The Bernie Dexter store has been open 16 months and is doing very well. We plan to move back to England once our house in Portland is sold. Once we do we plan to open a store in England too. Probably in Essex. Her store carries her dresses, skirts, tops, jackets, jeans, bags and men’s shirts and also my records. Bernie’s career as a pin-up model started once I started taking photos of her and sharing them on MySpace. Then she started getting modeling jobs with companies such as What Katie Did, Versatile Fashions, ARS Vivendi, Pin-up Girl Clothing and many others. We improved our camera, lighting and post production and built a studio so we could work whenever we want to.




Punk Globe: Is there a website for the store and your record label?

Levi: The web address for Bernie’s store is www.BERNIEDEXTER.COM There is no website for my record label but anyone interested can find my product at Bernie’s website or email me at DEXTONE@EARTHLINK.NET

Punk Globe: What's going on for you in 2017? Any new records or shows planned?

Levi: 2017 is my 40th year anniversary playing rockabilly so it’s going to be a busy year. I am in England until early February and then returning to Oregon. In January, Bernie and I will be going to Germany for the Rockin’ Bones Winter Dance Party where I’ll be playing a show with the Jungle Tigers. I’ll also be recording an album with them while I am there. A Levi Dexter & the Gretsch Brothers live album is almost completed. The US vinyl release will follow once it CD is released in Japan. I’ll be returning to England in July to play a weekender in Wales and again in November for another weekender that is on the actual 40th anniversary. I’ll be returning to the Nashville Boogie weekender in May. Last year I played there. This year I will be DJing and MCing. If people want to know what I’m up to they should look at my FaceBook pages (Levi Dexter, Levi Dexter Rockabilly Idol and Levi Dexter band page) as I post all the posters for my shows there.

Punk Globe would like to thank Shawn Stevenson and Levi Dexter for the fab interview,,,