Bevis M. Griffin, the "Black Rock Maverick of Texas," is regarded as a pioneer of black rock music for his contributions to the scenes in Austin, New York City, and beyond.

In this episode, we discuss Vernon Reid asking Bevis to manage Living Colour, a role that came with both excitement and shock. He shares how he attacked that role, ultimately connecting with Bill Ham, longtime manager of ZZ Top, who agreed to work with the band. As they pushed forward with the album Shade, Bill’s sudden passing became yet another turning point. 

The conversation continues with the story of how Bevis, his sister, and Dr. Thomas Stanley developed an educational curriculum on the contributions of Black musicians to American pop culture for the School of Rock franchise; a project now being prepared for publication beyond the School of Rock umbrella. After a halted TV project with Mercury Charlie during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, his focus shifted toward advocacy and service.

As this multi-part journey comes to a close, Bevis reflects on a chance encounter at the South Austin Gym that eventually led him to finding a passion in mental health advocacy. We discuss his community involvement as an Advisory Board member of the SIMS Foundation, and his current role as a Peer Support Specialist at Integral Care, where he supports individuals with mental health and substance use challenges who are found incompetent to stand trial.

After decades of navigating the chaos, triumphs, and hard lessons of a life in music, Bevis’ story ends in a place of purpose - using his experience to help others find their way forward.

Sampled Songs: "Format" - Banzai Kik, "Words (just get in the way)" - One Fell Swoop