Up Close & Personal with " Funk Master Phil Lassiter"

Known for crafting music that makes audience members dance like it’s second nature, Lassiter’s arrangements and organ gyrations are embodied with the soul and passion that comes from being a preacher’s son and letting the “spirit” take hold of a ready heart. Beyond his deep connection to gospel music, it’s easy to get a sense that his time living in St. Louis, Pensacola, and Dallas has also seeped into the soil of his sense of musicality.  

St. Louis gave Lassiter a stronger connection to a big band sound. Pensacola, (where he attended Southeastern University and graduated with a degree in music), inspired him to begin arranging and writing and introduced him to Salsa. 

It was Salsa that further sparked his creative process and changed his early formulaic view of music, as he began to realize that he didn’t need to know “...all this music stuff to make great music.” 

The Dallas scene in particular afforded Philthy the opportunity to connect with many artists and musicians who would have a steady hand in molding his sound today, as well as add the “chicken grease” that is such a hallmark of that culture