In a tidy, little restaurant tucked away off Scottsville Rd., smooth and funky sounds fill the air every Saturday night.

Inside the restaurant, amidst the smell of warm bread and the low murmur of talking and laughing people, Waldo Weathers and the rest of his four-piece band quietly set up their gear. They’re getting ready to provide “Saxual Fulfillment” to those who want to get out of their seats and groove.

“The whole thrill of playing music is making people dance,”

Waldo said during a set break while playing at the Cumberland Grill in Bowling Green. “It’s in my blood like a drug, and I’ve got to keep the habit going.”

And people do love to dance.

A group of Western students, regulars at the restaurant, make the weekly journey to the Cumberland Grill and transform the normally quiet bar and grill into a dance party. Waldo gives a wave as a few of these kids filter in from the chilly night air.

Waldo began playing piano in his first band when he was twelve years old in his hometown of Louisville. In 1982, he began working in the country music industry, playing with stars like Willie Nelson and Charlie Pride. For the past 12 years, he has been touring with James Brown, playing about 125 shows a year.

“It’s hard to play with him and then turn around and play with someone else because he’s so good,” Waldo said about the Godfather.

Waldo does it all for the love of music.

“The music is in me, and I’ve got to get it out,” he said. “When I’m on my deathbed, I don’t want to be saying ‘I wonder what would have happened if…'”

Brian Leddy is a senior photojournalism major from Niles, Mich. Reach him at [email protected].