The Phat Horn Doctors

It's pushing midnight on a Saturday night and Stan Shaver, a lanky 29-year-old wearing a rugby shirt, is searching for words to describe the music throbbing inside Fat City Blues.

"I dunno, something in the music gets you going, man. I'm a white boy, but when they play you can groove to it," Shaver says.

Just then, the band launches into Wild Cherry's "Play that Funky Music" and the dance floor pulses with a kinetic frenzy.

Non-stop booty shaking is the scene when Phat Daddy and the Phat Horn Doctors, Colorado Springs' hardestworking R&B band, commands a room. Their high-energy sets of tunes by Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Santana, Kool & the Gang, Joe Cocker and other R&B greats can be heard most weekends at Fat City Blues, Southside Johnny's, Frankie's Bar & Grill and other local clubs.

Phat Daddy has become the Springs house band, playing many of the biggest festivals and charity events.

Dianne Reid, director of special events for Easter Seals, says she fell in love with Phat Daddy and the Phat Horn Doctors a year ago.

"I'm their biggest groupie, not only because of their awesome music -- you can't stand still -- but because you can see their hearts through their faces," Reid says.

The faces in the band, which originated 10 years ago as Ret-To- Go, have changed over the years, but band founder Keith Stovall and his wife, Rachel Stovall, have been fronting the band for the past several years.
Their pairing on vocals proved to be a "good match," says Rachel, who admitted to starting off as a groupie.

"I met Keith six years ago. He was playing with the band at the Ritz," she says. Back then, the group was down a vocalist and, during a band break, Rachel made her pitch.

He didn't take me seriously. He wasn't sure if I could sing, and that was OK, because I wanted to go out with him. We courted for six months and we got married."

Keith deadpans, "She stalked me, man."

In the last 21/2 years, especially after the addition of the Phat Horn Doctors -- Kenny Johnston on sax and Curtis Lucky on trumpet -- the band has jelled into a solid eightpiece of groovin', power-set sound.

"I've been playing professionally for 23 years and I've never been in a band that entertains so hard as this band. This group works so hard," Johnston says.

But it no longer has to work hard for gigs. Phat Daddy get so many requests the band can't fit in all the gigs.

Rachel explains that "Phat" was the name the Stovalls' children gave the band. It stands for "pretty hot and tempting," she says.

But there's little chance Phat Daddy members will succumb to the temptations of the nightclub circuit.

"Everyone goes to church," Rachel says. "Nobody drinks too much, nobody does drugs, nobody's chasing the women, nobody's chasing the men -- I don't 'cause Keith would kill me. It makes for a stable group. And the people who come are like family."

During a break, Phat Daddy members stroll the packed club, chatting with folks who've been coming to their shows for years.

Keith and Rachel will perform again just a few hours from now at their church, where he's in the band and she sings in the choir. They perform in three Sunday morning services and a Wednesday service. Then there's Phat Daddy rehearsals on Tuesdays and church rehearsals on Thursdays. Weekends they're performing in the clubs.

"We're pretty much in music all around," Keith says.

When not performing, all the band members have day jobs. For instance, Keith, 45, is a senior manager for Oracle Corp. and Rachel, 37, is a mortgage broker.

Rachel, a Colorado Springs native and 1984 graduate of Harrison High School, said performing for community fundraisers is a regular part of what Phat Daddy does. Besides Easter Seals, the group has performed benefit gigs for the American Diabetes and American Heart associations. Phat Daddy headlined this year's Territory Days at Bancroft Park.

"People in this city have done so much for us in terms of the fan base, the love and support, we should give something back," Rachel says.

The fans getting into the groove surely appreciate that.

"What's cool about this is I don't have to join a health club, I just joined the band," says Johnston.

Chris Jekins, 47, has been a loyal Phat Daddy fan for years. Just back from a year-long stint in Iraq, he's celebrating his recent retirement from the Army doing what he enjoys -- attending a Phat Daddy gig.

"I like the horns, the drums -- I like everything about them, especially the vocals," Jekins says.

At Fat City, Phat Daddy is cranking out the fan-favorite "Celebration," and the band is barely visible behind the wall of dancers crowding the stage.

Perspiration beads up on the forehead of Shaver, who is reacquainting himself with the dance floor. "The rhythm, how they play, is just so on the rhythm."

Soon, Phat Daddy's rhythm will be captured on the band's first CD, which will feature alloriginal songs.

For Johnston, who used to front his own band in Denver, the secret of Phat Daddy's popularity is its infectious energy and relationship with its audience.


- Freedom Publishing - Soundboard Blog

Phat Daddy and the Phat Horn Doctors at Festival Fridays Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center, 210 N. Santa Fe Ave., Pueblo Friday, Jan. 6, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $4 in advance, $5 at the door; call 719/295-7222 for more info.

The term "phat" harkens back to a simpler, "Rump Shaker" era, when Sir Mix-a-Lot and N.W.A. blasted from boomboxes. Phat Daddy and the Phat Horn Doctors have reclaimed the word and restyled it for their own funky purposes.

The Colorado Springs-based group was started in 1994 by singer Keith "Phat Daddy" Stovall, who admits the moniker came from his children. The backing Phat Horn Doctors' eight-piece ensemble includes Clay Stultz, Tom Dennis, Curtis Lucky, Eddie Leon, Guy Dufort, Frankie G, Dennis Hoshijo and singer Rachel Stovall, whose three-octave vocal range makes grown men weep and ladies shake their groove thang.

According to Keith Stovall, it's not in how well you play a cover song, but how you can make it your own: "First we learn it the way it's written, and then we go further with it."

Phat Daddy and crew will be playing in the first installment of Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center's annual Festival Fridays. There you can see what 12 years of working together have made them: a local fixture whose performances of funk, soul and blues classics from the last 40 years have earned them the distinction of being a fantastic live act.

-- Kara Luger
- Colorado Springs Independent

Phat Daddy and the Phat Horn Doctors, Stargzers, 2/11/2011
Photos and Review by Butch Leitz
(click images to enlarge)

Ok, I won’t overuse the term “phat”, I promise. For those left scratching their heads, “Phat” means good, awesome, nice (similar to “Sick”, “Dope”, or “Chill”). Same thing.

Phat Daddy and the Phat Horn Doctors laid down the funk, the Motown, the 70's, the 80's and more last night at Stargazers Theatre.

Hitting up the packed house with Kool and the Gang’s “Jungle Boogie” as their starting number, Phat et al cranked it up and didn’t look back for the rest of the night. The dance floor remained pretty much packed with a phat looking crowd (sorry) of several singles groups, couples, and youngsters of all ages shakin’ their money makers to the greatest-hits montage of dance music from years past that phat Phat Daddy laid down.

I quit writing down everything I heard because frankly I got too caught up in the music a few times. I’d become conscious of the fact that two or three songs went by before realizing… “hey, two or three songs just went by, what was that again?” kind of thing. But… being the intrepid on-the-scene concert reporter that I am (you’re welcome) I know I was jammin’ out to Stevie Wonder, Donna Summers, Michael Jackson (Jackson 5) (with Doctor Phat hisseff wearing a sparkly glove ala MJ), Prince, Santana, Sade, Boz Scaggs, Morris Day & The Time (yahhh), Sly Stone (double yahhh), and George Clinton. Among many others. And much more.

Phat Daddy an the Phat Horn Doctors is Russell Roach – drums, Kenny Castro – bass, Ramon Williams – Guitar, Steve Routh – keys, Phil Rodriguez – sax, Mark Rafael – Trumpet, Keith Stoball (Phat Daddy) – vocals, Rachel Stoball (Mrs. Phat Daddy and general hotness) – vocals. And lets not forget their sound guy, Michael Elmore!

This was party central last night, as I mentioned, a very full house all came for some good times. And more: a lovely interlude had one couple come up onstage in the middle of the night for a wedding proposal… she accepted… we enjoyed! Happy Valentines weekend!

You can catch Phat Daddy and the Phat Horn Doctors tonight at the Broadmoor Hotel where the American Heart Association is holding their annual ball. At $250 a plate, I’d love to be a fly on that wall seeing the blue-bloods party it down (hey, boogyin’ can be a write off, too, can’t it?!?) For more info, click
http://events.gazette.com/colorado-springs-co/events/show/138798805-2011-heart-ball.

- Gazette - Colorado Springs, Colorado