Stones' Pianist Gets Local Tips

Ann Arbor Town

Stones pianist gets local tips

The Rolling Stones made no local appearance during their two-day gig in Pontiac’s Silverdome, but one member of their entourage took advantage of the opportunity to pick up some musical advice from famed blues singer Sippie Wallace of Detroit and U-M music professor Jim Dapogny Tuesday.

Dapogny, an expert on blues and jazz, has been playing piano for Sippie in many of her appearances lately.

Pianist Ian Stewart, touring with the Stones, called Sippie’s manager and asked to meet the pair and hear some of their recent work. The meeting turned into a three-hour jam session, Dapogny said.

“He listened to some of our tapes, and Sippie played and sang for him,” said Dapogny. “Then he asked me to show him some piano licks he’d heard on the tapes, and we traded ideas back and forth.”