Artis, known professionally as Artis the Spoonman (born October 3, 1948), is an American
street performer and musician from
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, Washington, who uses
spoons as a musical instrument.
He frequents the
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is a public market in Seattle, Washington, United States. It opened on August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers' markets in the United States. Overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront on Pu ...
accompanying singer/songwriter and guitarist
Jim Page with his collection of spoons of different shapes and sizes and materials spread out on a blanket.
In addition to spoons, he plays the flute and recorder. To the larger public, he is probably best known for his collaborations with
Soundgarden
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamo ...
and
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...
. He has also performed internationally (Australia, Canada, Japan, USA) with multi-instrumentalist and tap dancing sax player Shoehorn, also known as MC Shoehorn, starting at Expo 88 in Australia.
Career, performances
1970s and 1980s
Artis had been active since 1972 as a street artist when he had his first collaboration with a major artist, appearing on stage with Frank Zappa in
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.
As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...
, and at New York's Palladium, in 1981.
1990s and later—collaboration with Soundgarden
In 1992 Artis made a guest appearance, (as local talent), at
Bumbershoot,
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
, which that year featured a lineup of acts including
Soundgarden
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamo ...
, who were to become instrumental in bringing Artis to the attention of a wider audience.
In 1993 he published a compilation of his poems and short stories called ''Artis-Aspirations to Manifestations from the Womb to the Void''. In 1994, an
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
's ''
Morning Edition
''Morning Edition'' is an American radio news program produced and distributed by NPR. It airs weekday mornings (Monday through Friday) and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 5:00 to 9:00 AM ...
'' focused on him and his rejection of material values. His song "Wake Up Call" opened the 1995 compilation ''Northwest Post-Grunge.''
In the same year, he recorded "
Spoonman
"Spoonman" is a song by the American band Soundgarden. Written by the band's frontman, Chris Cornell, "Spoonman" was released on February 14, 1994, as the first single from the band's fourth studio album '' Superunknown'' (1994). "Spoonman" is c ...
" with Soundgarden, a song written by
Chris Cornell
Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. H ...
, and named for and featuring Artis for an upcoming album ''
Superunknown''. He played the spoons in the song and appeared in the music video. On their 1994 tour, he opened up for the band in New York City, and Shepherd's Bush in London. The single charted at number three on the US
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in Ma ...
chart and at number nine on the US
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...
chart. The song also became a top twenty hit on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. In 1995, the song won the
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for
Best Metal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works (songs or albums) containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre. The Grammy Awards is an annual ceremony, where ...
.
Chris Cornell commented:
It's more about the paradox of who rtisis and what people perceive him as. He's a street musician, but when he's playing on the street, he is given a value and judged completely wrong by someone else. They think he's a street person, or he's doing this because he can't hold down a regular job. They put him a few pegs down on the social ladder because of how they perceive someone who dresses differently. The lyrics express the sentiment that I much more easily identify with someone like Artis than I would watch him play.
![NW Folklife 2009 - Artis the Spoonman & Jim Page](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/NW_Folklife_2009_-_Artis_the_Spoonman_%26_Jim_Page.jpg)
On November 10, 1995, he released an album titled ''Entertain the Entertainers''.
The album was rated four and a half stars out of five by
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
.com who called his release "an exceptional album showing off a very good range for an artist that would otherwise be known more for the gimmick of his chosen instruments, regardless of his abilities on them."
Artis has performed at many festivals, mostly in Canada and the United States. Other bands he has played with include
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...
and
Phish
Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon ...
, and he has been a featured performer at Seattle's
Bumbershoot Festival (2003 and 2004) and the
Oregon Country Fair
The Oregon Country Fair (OCF) is a nonprofit organization and an annual three-day art and music fair held outside the city limits of Veneta, Oregon, United States. Located in the Willamette Valley, the site is about west of Eugene along the ...
. He was a featured performer at the 2013 Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle.
Artis has made television appearances on Night Music with David Sanborn,
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
'', among others. He plays an old man in the 1995 film ''Toast with the Gods''.
in the early 1970s.
Artis suffered a heart attack in 2002, and a benefit was organized for him in Seattle. He was reported as receiving state
benefits with alcoholism-related mental disability as of 2011.
Since 2009, he has lived in
.
*"World Beat Ragtime" by Shoehorn (Kutsubera Music, 1994)
*"Northwest Post-Grunge" various artists compilation (Elemental Records, 1994)
* ''...Entertain the Entertainers'' (Sapphire Records, 1995)
*"Not for Sale" DVD 2001 video compilation spanning 1979-2000
*"A Livin' Spoonful" by Artis (2003)
*"The Blue Monk" by Shoehorn (Kutsubera Music, 2008)
*" Finally" by Artis 2018
He also recorded a session for Frank Zappa.
*
*
* Provides a (partial) bibliography and discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spoonman, Artis the