Little Feat's evolutionary drive keeps classic rockers relevant

Guitarist Paul Barrere has spent more than 35 years working to keep Little Feat flexible and pointed in the right direction.

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Little Feat is a headliner for the Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival on Saturday.

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Little Feat is a headliner for the Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival on Saturday.

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He said the band's ability to adapt has helped Little Feat thrive and survive despite the death of founder and principal songwriter Lowell George in 1979.

"The thing about Little Feat that intrigued me when I joined was the music," Barrere said in a recent telephone interview promoting the band's headlining appearance on Saturday at the Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival in Thomson. "There's no rules. We just try to stay true to whatever genre we are trying to tackle."

For Little Feat, that might mean forays into blues or rock, jazz or country. Barrere said the band predates the Americana movement, but finds the label fitting. He said what separates Little Feat from other acts is the band's willingness to let even the most established of hits evolve.

"That's what has kept us together for so long," he said. "It's the music and the fact that we never play it the same way twice."

While core members have been with the band since the Dixie Chicken days, Barrere admitted there have been times when there were concerns for Feat's future -- most notably when George died.

"We thought we would never play again," Barrere said. "And we didn't for a while. But we found that there's nothing that feels like this, and more importantly, we could still be true to the legacy."

Barrere said Little Feat is often referred to as a first-generation jam band but shares little in common with acts that play extended songs for the sake of longevity alone.

"We call that the noodle fest," he said. "And our songs can never turn into that thing, into a noodle fest. We're a group that likes to keep things moving. Every song is a script with a beginning, middle and end."

The songs reflect the band for Barrere. They are organic, always evolving while staying true to original intent and structure..

"There are people out there who want to see a pop act doing the same show night after night," he said. "There's a big business in that. But it isn't what Little Feat is about. This is instinctual and very much organic."