Tales of Bob Gibson

Subject: TALES OF BOB GIBSON
From: Deckman
Date: 05 Jul 22 - 10:40 PM

PLEASE EXCUSE MY "SHOUTING ... I CAN ONLY SEE "BIG LETTERS NOW"!

I FIRST MET THE LATE BOB GIBSON IN SEATTLE IN 1957. TO SAY THAT HE WAS A LARGE MUSICAL INFLUENCE ON ME WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. MY THEN SINGING PARTNER, DON FIRTH (WONDERFUL MAN) WENT TO THE BAY AREA IN 1959. WHILE THERE, WE KEPT BUMPING INTO BOB GIBSON, TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

I ALWAYS MARVELED AT HOW WELL HE COULD CAPTURE A ROWDY CROWD. HE TAUGHT ME A LOT.

I F YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR PERSONAL STORIES OF BOB GIBSON, I WILL BE VERY PLEASED.   BOB(DECKMAN)NELSON IN EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

Subject: RE: Tales of Bob Gibson
From: Deckman
Date: 06 Jul 22 - 12:47 AM

BOB GIBSON HAD A BROTHER WHO LIVED IN SEATTLE IN THE FIFTIES. THE STAORY, AS BEST I REMEMBER IT, WAS THAT BOB LEARNED HIS "CRAFT" IN THE TAVERNS ON THE WALLINGFORD DISTRICT, JUST WEST OF THE U.W. CAMPUS. AS I HEARD THE STORY, MANY TIMES, HIS BROTHER WOULD WALK INTO A TAVERN, UNPLUG THE JUKE BOX, AND THEN BOB WOULD COME IN AND START TO SING AND PAY HIS BANJO.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A LOT OF THE BEER DRINKING TAVERN CUSTOMERS BECAME A LITTLE UNHAPPY. BUT QUICKLY BOB GIBSON BECAME VERY SKILLFUL AT AVOIDING THE THROWN BEER BOTTLES AND RUDE COMMENTS. THAT'S HOW HE FIRST LEANED TO "CAPTURE" AND AUDIIANCE.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD SOME OF YOUR PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT BOB GIBSON, I WILL ALSO SHARE SOME MORE OF MINE.

CHEERS ... BOB(DECKMAN)NELSON

Subject: RE: Tales of Bob Gibson
From: GerryM
Date: 06 Jul 22 - 03:24 AM

I never met the man, so I don't have any stories to share, but I'll enjoy reading yours.

Subject: RE: Tales of Bob Gibson
From: Deckman
Date: 06 Jul 22 - 03:35 AM

START BY GOOGLEING HIS VIDEOS AND GET AQUAINTEND WITH HIS MUSIC. HE HAD A "BABY FACE" AN COULD CHARM EVERY AUDIENCE. BOB(DECKMAN)NELSON

Subject: RE: Tales of Bob Gibson
From: Deckman
Date: 06 Jul 22 - 01:00 PM

BACK IN 1959 (WAAAY BACK) DON FIRTH, PATTI DiLUDOVICO AND I WERE LIVING IN SAUSILITO, JUST ACROSS THE GOLDON GATE BRIDGE FROM SAN FRANSISCO. WE WERE SINGING IN ALL THE CLUBS AND DIVES IN THE BAY AREA. WE WERE LOOKING FOR FAME AND FORTUBE. WE NEVER FOUND MUCH FORTUNE BUT SOME OF THE PARTIES AND GIGS WERE FAMOUS.

THERE WAS AN INCREDIBLE CLUB, RIGHT ON "THE BRIDGEWAY" ON SAUSILOTO NAMED "THE ANCHOR STEAM HOUSE." (I THINK THAT WAS THE SAME ?) BOB GIBSON WAS A FREQUANT PERFORMER AT THAT CLUB. I SAW HIM DO THE MOST AMAZING THINGS ON STAGE.

ONE TIME HE WAS BEING HASSELED BY A DRUNK IN THE CROWD. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET HIM TO QUIET DOWN, HE INVITED THE DRUNK UP ON STAGE AND HANDED HIM THE MIC. THEN BOB ANNOUNCED TO EVERYONE THAT THIS DRUNK HAS SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO SAY AND HE WANTED EVERYONE TO PAY ATTENTION TO HIM.

THEN BOB TOOK HIS BANJO, AND ASKED THE DRUNK WHAT KEY HE WANTED TO SIN IN. THE DRUNK COMPLETLY FELL APART. THEN THE BARTENDER THREW HIM OUT WHILE THE CROWD APPLAUDED.

BOB GIBSON WAS A MASTER PERFORMER/ BOB(DECKMAN)NELSON

Subject: RE: Tales of Bob Gibson
From: cnd
Date: 06 Jul 22 - 07:56 PM

The only song of his I know from the top of my head is his rendition of "This Little Light Of Mine" from a folk sampler compilation album. It's a good song, so I'll take this time to look into more of his stuff.

Good stories, Bob, thanks for sharing