"There was a time when I was a radio darling, then all of a sudden it was like a light went off they just kind of froze me out," he says.īut Stuart has continued to make solid records, including the critically acclaimed 1999 concept album "The Pilgrim," and has kept his hand in a number of projects. At the time, Stuart cut quite the figure with his rooster-haired coif and flashy vintage Nudie suits. With deep roots in traditional country combined with a rock 'n' roll flair, Stuart blew like a fresh musical wind onto the country charts in 1989 and the early 1990s, charting such country-rock hits as "Tempted" and "Burn Me Down" as well as hit duets with country singer Travis Tritt. Today, Stuart is married to country singer Connie Smith. The man in black became a father figure to Stuart, and for a short time an actual father-in-law during Stuart's brief marriage to Cash's daughter Cindy.
The following year he joined the band of bluegrass legend Lester Flatt, and later logged a stint playing with Cash. By age 12 he was on the road with gospel artists Jerry and Tammy Sullivan, touring Pentecostal churches in the South. Born in Philadelphia, Miss., he was a child prodigy on guitar and mandolin.
Stuart's musical and spiritual roots have always run deep. Stuart indeed sounds uplifted on "Souls' Chapel." The record teems with Southern soul, electric guitars that move between slinky and snarling, and an abiding lyrical faith in salvation. "It was like the Lord sent us over there to lift up our baby brother." "We all cried that night," recalls Mavis Staples. "Being handed Roebuck Staples' guitar was a mighty gesture. "When they gave me that guitar, the worthlessness went away," Stuart says. The two presented him with a gift: Pops Staples' oldest guitar. He sent a couple of angels."Īfter Stuart was released from jail, he played a gig at FitzGerald's in Berwyn, and Mavis and Yvonne Staples drove to the roots-music club to surprise him. But once again, God had a chance to do some work in my life. "At the same time, it was just a great reminder of how serious the problem is, how you can never take your eye off the problem. And I felt like a pure hypocrite that would stand up there and sing about Jesus, at the same time coming out of a jail cell. I just felt totally unqualified I felt totally powerless, totally worthless. Especially the second time it was like, how did this happen? We were in the middle of bringing to life. "Both of the arrests were very public," he says. Stuart, after all, says he had been clean and sober for two years, but after the 2003 death of his hero and mentor Johnny Cash, he briefly fell off the wagon.
And somewhere along the way, I did what I knew I shouldn't do." Well, I got arrested for it three years ago, went and got help, meant business about it. "It started out as fun, and somewhere along the way it became a problem. "I left home when I was 12 years old, and by the time I hit my early 40s, I had developed a fantastic appetite for a rock 'n' roll lifestyle," Stuart says. In June 2004, just as Stuart was beginning work on "Souls' Chapel," he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, his second such charge in about two years.
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