Who are you related to? Any Musicians?

Subject: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 01:52 PM

Yes, you're right. Since I've started about five threads in the last two weeks (just out of general springtime curiosity), I threw in the "Any Musicians?" bit to keep myself on the straight and narrow.

I have to admit the thread about "ego surfing" has really got me thinking. Has anyone discovered relatives, famous ancestors, INfamous ancestors, or just interesting family things strictly through the internet. You know, on those long long nights when you can't sleep, you've exhausted Mudcat, you're "all porned out", and you're sick of being asked "are you Yahooed?"

I've discovered a family connection with Henry Fielding and (because of it) a slight connection to Charles Dickens. I found that my great great Grandfather was a pretty high ranking Mason, and that on my Mother's side if you go back a bit you'll find a couple of Irish politicians. Gawd! I've dragged the family name down quite a few notches!

Also that my father-in-law was an inventor, footballer, and seemingly VERY modest about his accomplishments.

Any personal discoveries?

Rick

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 02:16 PM

My uncle is Joe Soprani, the accordion player. He won the U.S. accordion championship, and came in second in the World accordion championship (should have won first!). He's played with everyone from Jon Bon Jovi (he said Jon's a great guy) to Pavarotti (he said Pav's a "pompous ass").

A personal discovery I made was that the tiny town of Castelvetere Sul Calore, in the mountains near Naples, was where my great grandparents came from before immigrating to the U.S., and that the village was settled in 1000 A.D. by Longobard tribes. It was also the scene of many medieval feudal conflicts.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 02:41 PM

My great-grandfather was a well known Swedish composer who came to the US where he headed up the Northwestern University Music Department. My father's uncle was president of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association early on, did the brain surgery that saved the life of Cook County (Chicago) Sheriff Richard Elrod, and was a pal of Mayor Daley's (the elder). My father's cousin is a well known french horn player who had been (and maybe still is) in the CSO and has recorded solo. All these I already knew.

What I did not know was that a one-page article I wrote as a sort of infomercial when I was an in-house technical and copy writer for a local company is listed under my name as a publication. I had no idea I had a credit out there as a "published" writer until Amos suggested I look myself up!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 02:49 PM

Rick, maybe you know already, but Henry Fielding, the novelist, ("Tom Jones") was also the "Lord Fielding" referred to in the Irish song "The Newry Highwayman".

Murray

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 03:22 PM

Oh yes, I should have said that my Uncle Joe's sister Phylis's daughter is married to Jon Bon Jovi's manager. Not directly related, but so much a friend of the family, he feels like a relative.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: kendall
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 03:55 PM

Samuel F.B.Morse and I have a common ancestor...Homo Erectus. Matt, how and why did an accordion player meet Pavarotti?

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,#1
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 04:05 PM

Uncle Roy was in an army divisional band in WWI, and later marched with his trombone under John Phillip Sousa. Later yet he concentrated on cello (and his hours and hours of practicing just about drove us nuts). To a lesser extent he played on some other instruments. I never saw him play the violin his father (my grandfather) made for him. I have the one grandfather made for my mother, and Uncle Roy's accordion.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Bert
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 04:24 PM

Are you sure that was Homo "Erectus", Kendall?

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Ickle Dorritt
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 04:33 PM

Father's side - Thomas Arne (who wrote Rule Brittania ) and Thomas Fairfax who was Lord Chancellor in Cromwell's time. Also very distantly through marraige an actress called Hazel Court who was in a lot of Hammer Horror stuff. Mother's side -the guy who invented the Windsor chair. As I think I've said before- where did all the money go????

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,frug
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 04:44 PM

My sister used to go out with Tony Blairs Father in law. Does this count as Tony Blair once played in a band?

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 04:46 PM

I did NOT, Murray. Thank you. Sheesh, being related to a folksong IS good.

However, I've found out something else... My great grandmother was a Coleman...connected to the Mustard people. So as Ickle says "where's the money"?

Rick

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Paul Mitchell
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 04:48 PM

My father was Geoff Crawte and played in a band called "The Moggies". Not very famous, but well impressive to me.

Paul, doesn't know how to reset a cookie, Mitchell (Crawte)

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Don Firth
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 05:01 PM

My nephew (my older sister's son), Robby Baker, is the lead guitarist with the Tragically Hip. For non-Canadians, the Tragically Hip is a blues influenced rock group formed in Kingston, Ontario in 1983. They subsequently became hugely popular in Canada, and have won about eleventy-fourteen Juno awards. They have a batch of CDs out, including such things as "Road Apples" and "Trouble at the Henhouse." So far, the U. S. charts have pretty much ignored them, despite their very large following in the States. Rob is the tall bloke with the long hair.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 05:05 PM

John Gates (his real last name was Regenstreif) was my grandfather's cousin. He was a veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade who later became the editor of the Daily Worker and ultimately led the walkout from the American Communist Party in 1957 following the revelation of Stalin's history of attrocities.

I never met John Gates but have heard about him from Pete Seeger and Irwin Silber, who both know him. I also came across a reference to him in one of Woody Guthrie's writings.

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Bert
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 05:40 PM

Nope, all my family come from the working class East End of London where fame and fortune rarely strike.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Matt_R
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 05:41 PM

Kendall, Pavarotti was doing a concert of Neapolitan songs...which also happen to be the songs of my family. My Uncle Joe was playing the accordion accompaniament to them.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Peter T.
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 05:59 PM

My first cousin is the great countertenor singer, James Bowman. He belonged many years ago to David Munrow's Early Music Consort, which is how I got introduced to really, really, early folk music 30 years ago.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 06:05 PM

Fine Bert. But how many were "transported" for stealing loaves of bread? Maybe there's an Ozzie sheep Millionaire in your background.

Rick

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: kendall
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 06:09 PM

It's hard for me to picture Pavarotti in the same room with an accordion!

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 06:17 PM

Paul, read the FAQ on resetting cookie.

~S~

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: harpgirl
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 06:59 PM

...my brother's wife is a distant relative of Edgar Allen Poe. We are for sure about it because she inherited two thousand dollars from his estate! Does that count? hg

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Justa Picker
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 07:09 PM

I'm firmly convinced that my parents have lied to me all these years, and that either Bill Monroe or David Crosby was my biological father.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Hawker
Date: 03 Apr 01 - 07:30 PM

My Father's Mother's Father (my great Grandfather) was a Burns, my father's cousin has traced the family tree back and Lo! I am descended from the great Robert Burns Himself! My maternal grandfather was a pretty good banjo (tenor) and fiddle player too
Lucy

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Callie at work
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 12:10 AM

I have an unusual surname and through the internet found someone with the same surname in Italy who is a jockey. He just got suspended for a year for doing something or other.

And the musical connection? He plays the horses, of course!

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 12:55 AM

My great-granddad engineered the railroad bed in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado. My great-grandma did laundry for and fed the infamous Cottrell or was it Butch and Sundance, will have to ask dad, as she lived in the country they used to haunt in NW Colorado.

My dad was one of the ones who designed and built the first skilift on Copper Mtn, Colorado, during WWII.

My great-uncle was some bigwig engineering professor at Ann Arbor.

I am working on proving the connection dad and other relatives claim to Robert the Bruce and Rob Roy.

On my mom's side, some ancient was a bigwig in the Bahamas before being named the first governor of the Carolinas under King George what number was it?

My mom's brother wrote some famous jazz tune in the 1930's which he sold for $100 and drank.

My granddad was an original partner with J.C. Penney, but sold out early, darn it!

And, I've never been able to find a connection with Rog's family and the American LaFrance fire engines, or I WOULD go find the money!

They have all been musicians, just never famous, much to my brother, the composer's dismay.**BG**

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: MARINER
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 12:59 AM

My Mother's brother was All Ireland accordian champion in 1957, he recorded 4 singles as a soloist and also some as a member of a band.His musicianship is now becoming appreciatd by a wider audience, years after his death. My cousin was leader of the band "Cry Before Dawn" and later became half of the duo "The Wild Swans", then "The Swans" who had one of the biggest selling Irish produced singles of all time called "Dancing at the Crossroads". They are now known as "Bell and Wade".

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From:
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 02:36 AM

I am supposedly related to Bat Masterson...at least my father was quite convinced we were. mg

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 02:58 AM

Nobody interesting except Ulysses Simson (S.) Grant. No, there is no "p" in the name. He was my grandmother's first cousin........but I went to Abilene, KS for Dwight D. Eishenowers' funeral........does that count? I got to see Omar Bradley, Montgomery, and others.....I was little, but I remember it well.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 02:59 AM

My kid is a punk rocker.

Actually, I AM quite impressed. My son Nic is well-known as a musician in Sacramento. He and his band moved to Brooklyn a couple of months ago, and they're trying to make a go of it as professional musicians. They even have a contract.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: DougR
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 03:04 AM

No famous musicians in our family history, as far as I know, Rick, but in researching the Richards family I did find an oral history written by a relative in 1935. Phillip Wade Hampton Richards wrote, "Some have said that a Richards generation that did not have a Jim, John or Charles in it, and could not trot out a Fiddler, were not our kin."

DougR

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 03:22 AM

I suspect if you ever run across an "Evert" spelled that way rather than "Ebert" or "Everette" he will be related to me. "Evert" is English, and the family name is Green, which I suspect was Glas/Ghlais/Glass. Espically if there is a William or Wayne attached.

Apparently, there was some big family blow up when two brothers left Ireland ( I suspect Co. Kerry as Ghlas is a Kerry name) during the Famine....and they never spoke to each other again, or allowed their families any contact.

We did accidentally discover another family of Green who had given names of William, Wayne and Evert in a town only 30 miles from our home in Kansas, and they were adamant that they were not related to us, or anyone else, anywhere.......

(All I could find about "me" was that apparently I run a "Mens Silk Clothing" business..........boring.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Tone d' F
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 03:41 AM

My grandfather on my mothers side invented the trailer tent and did'nt patent it (no money there)

He also sued Lord Harewood over the ownership of a house in County Cork 25 bedrooms the 700 acres etc but he lost (no money there)

My great grandfather on my fathers side designed resavoirs in Yorkshire & Lancashire

unfortuanately my grandfather was a renowned pick pocket and was disowned (no money there)

And somewhere in all fo this I am distantly related to Tony Bennett, (so distant no money there)

but I'm comming on niccely with the comb & paper a much misunderstood instrument

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Amergin
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 03:54 AM

Well, let's see....no famous musicians that I am aware of....but other folks have been fairly well known....we are said to be descended from Chief Tecumseh.....(though that may be just a family legend)......V.P. Daniel D. Tompkins is kin somehows.....Cordell Hull was my great grandfather James Tompkins' cousin.....one of my cousins is exCIA Bill Lair.....he was a very prominent figure in Southeast Asia...(mostly Loas and Thailand) and has been in several books and has been interviewed many times....check out Shooting At The Moon....that's all I can think of at the moment....oh and then there's Nathan Tompkins....but he's only a legend in his own mind....

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Rachel D
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 04:43 AM

Mick Hoy, fiddler from Ulster, was my dad's uncle.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 05:24 AM

The only musical surname links my surfing turned up was someone who co-wrote some novelty jazz tunes pre-war in the US. Also Van Morrison crops up as he mentions the Irish village that shares my surname in one of his songs.
There is also a well-known UK artist (contemporary)who draws rather strange things.
I've mentioned the Dissenting tracts, another wrote on the gold standard and helped to found Aslib (the association for special libraries)so there might be e genetic link there! Others wrote obscure tomes to do with the silk industry, unsurprising as the eponymous village in Cheshire is where my direct ancestors (great grandfather) moved to Birmingham from.
Those 'Catters who don't know my surname have a lot of clues there!
RtS

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 05:39 AM

Well, apparantly my grandfather used to have harmonica lessons from Larry Hagler...

My great grandmother came over from Sligo, not speaking a word of English or reading English just gaelic, and on the other side of my family, my dads great grandmother did the same, but under an air of shush and quiet as none of us know quite where she came from, it's been kept quiet for some reason...

So... apart from both my grandfathers (never met either of them) being harmonica players, there has never ever been as far a anyone can remember musicians in the family until I turned up... Everyone thinks I was swapped at birth...lol

Ella

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Sabine
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 05:45 AM

What I like to know is how did you all find those informations? I mean I know the names of my grand-grand-parents and thats all. Nobody remembers and the papers were all lost in war. I'm the only musician (no professional *sigh*) in my family and for that they are gazing like me at a sheep with 8 legs *g*.

Sabine

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Amergin
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 06:18 AM

Hey, Ella, could it be that everyone is just hoping you were swapped at birth?

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Matt_R
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 08:18 AM

LOl Doug!! I know how that is...us Richards HAVE to have a James in every generation. Thank goodness I didn't have to be one! But my uncle, cousin, grandfather, greatgrandfather, all have or had the name...

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 08:24 AM

Nathan.... Don't start... I'm NOT in a good mood to throw any back at you today... My uncle died this morning...

Sorry, can't play sarcasm tennis with you today, don't feel up to it.

Ella

(PS that wasn't nice!)

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Amergin
Date: 04 Apr 01 - 01:49 PM

Oh god, I'm so sorry to hear that, dear.....here's a hug for you:

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Ella))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Just want you to know that you're in my thoughts this morning....

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: DougR
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 01:11 AM

Matt: an additional quote from the same source that I intended to include in my post re Richards ..."one prominent characteristic of the Richards family was nearly every one of them (except me) would take a drink of whiskey, and if you made him mad he will kill you if you don't get out of his way, but I never knew one of them tried for stealing." Old PWH Richards must have been a pretty pious old fellow!

So, harkening back to an earlier thread, you can be doubly glad you are not in my Richards line! LOL. DougR

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Bugsy
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 01:24 AM

Rick! What a coincidence! My Uncle was a coalman! I recently found out that he was also my fathers brother!

It seems I'm also related to my mothers brother, sisters and parents.

I'll have to do this net surfing more often.

Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 01:44 AM

Ella, sorry to hear about your uncle. Please know that you are in my thoughts and may your memories of him help you through this time of grief.

kat

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Bugsy
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 01:56 AM

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Bugsy
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 03:15 AM

I just found out that my father used to play on the Linoleum when he was a small child.

Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 04:20 AM

Bugsy! I thought I was the only one licenced to tell that old joke!
RtS (or am I your dad?)

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,bill\sables
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 04:36 AM

I had a great uncle who was a miner in the USA and whilst in a saloon brawl in Leadville, Colorado he shot the fiddler.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Amergin
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 04:38 AM

Well, that's one good reason not to displease the audience I guess....

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 04:57 AM

Thanks Kat and Nathan... Ella

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: menzze
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 06:35 AM

Ella, take my sympathy. A good friend of mine left us two weeks ago, totally unexpected, at the age of 49. These losses are hard, I know, but it has to be this way. On the other hand, is death really a loss or a step forward into something new?

The most important musical person in my life was my mom coz she taught me to sing, she brought me into music. Though she never played an instrument at all nor new how to read notes she had a wonderful voice and never missed a single note.

We had no money to afford any musical education for my and my two sisters then , but we had our mother who taught us more than any school can.

Today I play guitar, mandoline, bodhran and I sing without beeing able to read notes. I do it all by hearing, that's the way my mother taught me to do and it works out fine.

menzze

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: artbrooks
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 09:16 AM

The music in my family apparently arrived with my marriage. Jenn's uncle was supposed to be in the Titanic's orchestra, but traded with another violinist at the last minute. Does that count?

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Louisa
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 09:32 AM

My dad, who died last year, was Len Davies, the bones player. He was well known on the English festival scene for playing the bones in sessions and teaching bones workshops. He played with lots of well-known musicians like Dave Swarbrick and Ron Kavana. He used to be good friends with Alan Sillitoe (the author) when he lived Majorca after the war.

Also my grandmother's cousin was an actress called Avis Bunnage. She had a leading role in the first production of the musical 'Oh What a Lovely War'. Her last role was in the film about The Krays - she played their grandmother.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: black walnut
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 10:15 AM

Rick...

Charles Dickens camped out at my grandmother's house on a stormy night.

~b.w.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Kim C
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 11:09 AM

One of my multiple-great grandfathers was Jacob Van Meter, F&I War/RevWar veteran who was one of the first people to settle Hardin Co, KY. There is a DAR chapter named after him in Elizabethtown, KY.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 11:34 AM

Ickle Dorritt - if you're related to 'Black Tom' third Baron Fairfax, you may be interested in his dad, who was Governor of Hull after we kicked Sir John Hotham out for sneaking out with a spare set of keys for King Charles. His first name was Ferdinando - could be a name for the V 'Dubya'?

Les

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 05 Apr 01 - 01:00 PM

Walnut, did she have any stories about "Uncle Charle"?

Buggsy. I just heard a rumour that I may be related to Helmut Kohl. Now checking to see if I may also be a "Kohlman"

Rick

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 03:40 AM

Twice, this week, because of Mudcat threads, I have found out very interesting info on ancients in my family! The one I mentioned earlier, who was in the Bahamas, then the Carolinas? I just found a website featuring a mansion he briefly claimed, after chasing a married woman, killing her husband in a duel, marrying her and taking over St. Nicholas Abbey on Barbados!

This is so kewl! Thanks, Rick!

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Willie-O
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 09:49 AM

Weyelll...For some reason a number of my cousins from both sides of the family turned out to be musicians...maybe its the times we were born in. Another cousin is stepmother to Dave Bidini, of the Toronto band the Rheostatics, who wrote a book a year or two ago about the Canadian music scene, war stories as it were. Haven't read it and I've never met him, actually. Don't see much of my cousins.

In the mid-nineteenth century a Cameron ancestor of mine was an up-and-coming academic in Edinburgh, but did something scandalous which derailed his career and caused him to have to be exiled to Skye where he was a highly regarded and I suppose overqualified country schoolteacher. He was known locally as "The Scholar" and apparently "they" bought him a house in some little place there (possibly Applecross). I am very curious about the provenance of the Scottish fiddle tune "The Scholar".

Also, my Scottish grandmother, a McCorquodale, was listening to CBC radio one day and became very excited at hearing some Gaelic song, she started shouting, "That's the one about me father's sheep dog, Pilot!!!" (Might have been from Tiree.)

I have no idea, I just pass on rumours and hearsay...

Willie-O

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 10:34 AM

Sorry to hear about your dad, Len Davies, Louisa. I went to Len's bones workshops at Fylde a few times and still (occasionaly) play a pair of Len Davies bones - best bones I have ever heard. Are they still available anywhere? A sad loss to the world indeed and a gap not easy to fill. My condolences and hoping that your memories of him help to fill the void.

Back to the relations theme. I am related to my Dad, who plays the guitar and, funnily enough, also related to my son, who also plays guitar. Mind you, neither of them are very famous! I must have a resesive (sp?) gene or something coz I play anglo concertina. Well, sort of...

My uncle by marriage (mums sisters husband) is also a Fielding, Rick. Ronald Rushton Fielding. The Rushton bit is a family name and he is a cousin (second I think) of Willie Rushton - who may not be musical but looks like he should be and was certainly one of the funniest men on the planet.

My ex-sister in law (brothers ex wife) is Roy Harpers cousin. I went to her house in Kendal once and it proved to me that the whole family were crackers....!

Cheers, relatively speaking

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 10:38 AM

Sorry - that should have read Roy Harpers mums house in Kendal - my fingers are too quick (not like the brain)

Oh - and just remembered - my mums dads family, the Stanleys, are related to John Lennons mums family, but I dunno how distantly.

DtG

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Noreen
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 11:31 AM

Kendall: It's hard for me to picture Pavarotti in the same room with an accordion! ? Thought you might like to see this (no picture, unfortunately).

Swedish Accordionist to Perform with Pavarotti in USA

We had a recording of Pavarotti's Neapolitan songs, with accordion- wonderful. You might like it, Kendall!

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: bet
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 03:03 PM

kat, I can't believe you left out our musicial member of the family or maybe you didn't know, on the Youmans side. Vincent Youmans, Tea For Two and a bunch of other Broadway songs is some distent relative. bet

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 11:30 PM

My Mom was a tremendous pianist, concert quality and never pursued it at all. When I first moved, I gave several volumes of manuscript that she played regularly to a friend that graduated from Oberlin as a piano major, truly excellent. she looked through it and her first comment was, "You've got to be kidding!" ITs some of her favorite stuff now. But my Mom was famous only to me and a few others (like my grandparents whom she disappointed no end). In any case, no, I have zilch for famous relatives, musical or otherwise.

Now she hasn't posted here, but Barbara Blessings, a long time 'Catter and the creator of Cleigh O'Possum is married to the grandson of George Leigh Mallory, the extremely famous and legendary climber who went missing on a summit attempt on Everest on June 8, 1924. His body was recently found ('99) and I know Barb had a tough time handling all the publicity at the time, but THAT is a famous relative!!!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 11:53 PM

Sheesh, bet! I'd never heard of that connection. Now, look at what I found out about him; he wrote a lot more than just Tea For Two! Wow! CLICK HERE

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: roopoo
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 02:47 AM

Louisa - I met your dad on a few occasions and he was my partner for the night at a Whitby Spa ceilidh some years ago. Remember Eleanor from PGL, when you were about 15 or 16? I'm her mum. I was sad to hear of his death last year, because he was such a delightful man.

On the related to musicians bit: well, my 4th cousin was a principal singer in the English National Opera Company (John Brecknock - lyrical tenor). I saw him do the lead in "La Belle Helene" at the Coliseum in London once, and he used to be on radio from time to time. (Friday Night is Music Night on Radio 2). I also have a video of him singing the lead in "La Traviata", which went out on TV in the late 1970s. He lives in Spain now and does charity concerts, I believe. His great-grandma and my great grandma were sisters! Of course, anybody who has heard me sing knows that I get my voice from the OTHER side of the family!

Andrea

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Dan Keding
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 10:25 AM

Neighbors, I'm not really related to anyone but my wife comes from a large family in Kentucky and her father was a first cousin to the late Logan English. His mother, Corilla English, gave me his beautiful Bacon & Day Silver Bell banjo as a gift when Tandy and I were married. Now on m y side of the family there might have been a horse thief and maybe a .....

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Metchosin
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 12:32 PM

Don't think it counts, but my husband's aunt took voice lessons, along with Paul Robeson and Marion Anderson, from the last student of Jenny Lind.

Most of my ancestors, apart from procreating, were too busy scratching an existance in salt and coal mines, it seems, to do anything of historical merit. Although, my grandfather's musical ability on fiddle, banjo and concertina left him indelibley marked on the hearts and souls of his offspring.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Bedubya
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 01:20 PM

Like several others who have contributed to this thread, I am not related to anyone of import, but the wife is. Seems she's fourth or fifth cousin to Hoagy Carmichael. All the older folks in her family tell stories of all-night jam sessions they remember from their childhoods. Seems that Hoagy didn't have a monopoly on musical talent in the family. There were enough musical uncles and cousins and such that any family gathering was apt to turn into a jam session with Hoagy as just one of the gang.

Unfortunately, the wife inherited just barely enough of the family trait to be a fairly competent bodhrani. Been trying to teach her a F chord for ten years to no avail.

Cheers,

bwl

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: hesperis
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 03:08 PM

Wow, a lot of good stories here.

My mum's dad was a soloist in the Welsh Choirs. One of the famous Choirs, but that's all I know.

My mum isn't bad herself. (Quite good, actually.)

My dad could play any instrument he picked up, but he didn't have much "soul" with it. Too technically perfect, and not enough emotion. But at least that's where I got that skill from.

As for the ancestors, I haven't a clue, though someone told me that people related to faeries often have musical talents. (By "faeries", I mean the previous inhabitants of Ireland, before the Milesians. It seems they intermarried quite a bit.)

~*sirepseh*~

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Amergin
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 04:09 PM

Well, I recently found that I am related to the great American poet Nathan Tompkins.....

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 04:49 PM

And, I knew him before he was famous!! Damn good then, too! Wonder if he'll remember me?

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Amergin
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 05:51 PM

Well, I asked him and he goes, "Kat who?"

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 06:26 PM

Yikes, I forgot!

My Mum (Dorothy Fielding) was a music star in Toronto during the thirties. Had her own radio show (on CKEY, I think) and formed Canada's first "All Girls Big Band". T'was called "Dottie and the DEBS". Don't know if they ever recorded, but I've got tons of old posters. One that all my students see when they walk into my music room says "With her million dollar smile and her thousand dollar accordion"!!! A bit of a tacky way to advertise...but it WAS the thirties. I think her favourite band was Guy Lombardo...no wonder she hated my Woody Guthrie records!

Rick

By the way. Thanks folks for all these good stories. I wasn't sure if I should start this thread. Glad I did.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,#1
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 06:37 PM

Yes, but they wish to remain anonymous because they were the one that lost the lost chord, and that's pretty hard to live down.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Philibuster
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 06:46 PM

My grandfather was a trumpet player for Lawrence Welke, in his pre-nursing home orchestra days, at the Corn Palace. Supposedly somewher way back on my mothers side Daniel Boone, but I'm not sure.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,#1
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 06:55 PM

Welk took his orchestra all over the midwest. My parents danced to his music in Omaha before 1930 (dad was from SD). Was Mitchell his home base? What's the corn picture this year at the Corn Palace?

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Philibuster
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 08:23 PM

Not sure. My mother and father, both midwest farm children, migrated to Texas a while back (they were here when they had me, making me the only Texan in the family). My grandfather only played for him at Mitchell. My grandfather died in the 70's, so I can't exactly use him as an accurate source. My grandmother is in her mid-nineties now, and doesn't even remember my name. My father was borne after my grandfathers musician years.

I do have the trumpet though, it's about 101 years old, made in France at the turn of the century. I don't think it's been cleaned in that amount of time either...

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: hesperis
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 08:44 PM

You can get it professionally cleaned by a good instrument repair technician. Brass instrument should actually be professionally cleaned twice per year, and cleaned at home every week, with a more stringent monthly cleaning.

Oh, and Rick? Glad you started this thread.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: hesperis
Date: 07 Apr 01 - 11:31 PM

(That's if they're actually being played. If they're not, then an occasional professional cleaning is all that's necessary.)

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Hutzul
Date: 08 Apr 01 - 03:46 AM

On my mother's side, Aunt Angie used to stay with the long-ailing wife of Jethro, when Homer and Jethro went "on the road".

A more serious note:

On my father's side, his uncles (6) and their cousins (2) formed a band in Ukraine in 1938. They played weddings and other shindigs and began inching their way west across Eastern Europe finally escaping to England. Two sisters were then sent to Siberia as family punishment for the escape of their brothers.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 08 Apr 01 - 07:24 AM

Although there's not a lot of musical heritage traceable in my family, I ought to point out that my paternal grandmother's maiden name was Windsor!

Les

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Bugsy
Date: 08 Apr 01 - 10:36 PM

Les, was her first name Barbara????

CHeers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 08 Apr 01 - 11:50 PM

I'd like to think that I might be related to "Hawker," who noted a relationship to Robbie Burns somewhere back on this thread. Burns' first illegitimate child was born to Elizabeth Paton. Burns supported the child all her life. Decent of him, wouldn't you agree? My Paton family came from Galston in Ayrshire, not far from Burns' home territory. My father was too straight-laced to pursue the possibility when he did a little genealogical exploration.

Whaddya think, cousin Hawker? Could we be kin?

Sandy

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Louisa
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 11:42 AM

Thanks to mouldy and dave the gnome for the messages about my dad, Len Davies.

Unfortunately the learner bones that my dad used to make in his garden shed are no longer available anywhere. Dad used to sell them through Dave Mallinson but they used to go quite quickly. I've got a couple of pairs (child's size) that I still play regularly. I'm not as good as my Dad was but I do my best.

Glad to hear you enjoyed the workshops - he really loved teaching so I hope you go on playing.

Yes I do remember Eleanor from PGL - I would have been 15 - and I remember my Dad dancing with you at Whitby festival in 1993!

Anyway thanks again

Louisa

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Robo
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 07:30 PM

My grandfather was the great Miner Cole. More recently, I am brother to Clifton53, musical rapscalion and renowned member of the WOGs, biggest stars to hit South Amboy since the Profit$, the legends behind the film Eddie and the Cruisers, of which I was a founding member. The lost tapes are still out there . . . .

Rob-o

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Clifton53
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 08:07 PM

" Rob-O killed the thread, Rob-O killed the thread"!

Ah yes, Miner Cole, finest swingin',,, well, finest gent to come down from Canada in the last hunnerd years, put his 'foot agin yer ass' as soon as look at 'ya.

And indeed, "The Lost Profit$ Tapes" are still lurking about in someone's steamer trunk, Oh to hear the youthful Rob-O's soulful renditions once more. But then, the current versions are better still.

"We are the WOGs, We were your children"

Clifton53

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,ChaosCat
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 08:33 PM

Hmmm. Almost all of my relatives are or were musicians, though none really famous. But I'm a cousin to Michael McKean, who played the lead singer of Spinal Tap... Does that count?

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 08:38 PM

According to my uncle, Bill Cremin of Brosna, Co. Kerry, who had a discussion with "The Weaver" himself about it, we are related in some way to Denis Murphy and Julia Murphy Clifford, the Sliabh Luachra fiddlers.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,fe
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 05:36 AM

Brigham Young

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 08:36 AM

About famous ancestors:
Due to intermarriage between different family lines in earlier times a lot of families share common ancestors; the more you go back the more famous ancestors you find.
E.g. Nearly every German is related to our first Emperor Charlemagne.
So I also am related to the famous poet Goethe. But what about? Nothing to be proud of.
My grandmother was a well trained soprano, and my daughter is doing well in the same discipline.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 09:22 AM

John Lennons sisters uncles brothers wife is married to the nephew of the brother who lived next door to my cousins sister.......... but they don't see a lot of each other.

doc.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 10:05 AM

My Dad's stepmum was married to John Barry's brother (the guy who writes music for the James Bond movies!!) I have a very complicated family but I have blood related cousins and aunts and uncles who are directly related to him. Sadly Im not related to any folk musicians.

cat x

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Joe in the'pool
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 10:59 AM

I've been nosing along a couple of threads then came to this one..I talked to my wife (we're both at work right now) and she said her Great-grandfather was a poet of some sort.. Well, I just checked the web and guess what, he is, his name is William Brighty Rands 1823-1882 and he appears to have been quite an active writer during his lifetime.

If anyone has any info. I would be greatful.

I piece of tittle-tattle I can mention is that he 'got off' with Charles Royce's (he of Rolls Royce) daughter, Mr Royce was a bit pissed-off and disinherited her from his will. But true love won and she gave birth to my wifes grandad (Mr Rands). Unfortunately! none of the Rands side benefitted from those 'Musical engines' (see! there was a link to this thread)financial windfalls.

ahh well such is life.. Joe

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: GUEST,Foe
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 11:28 AM

The Society of Mayflower descendants estimates that the original 28 males on that boat have 35,000,000 (yes million!)descendants, so a better question would be, who is not descended from the Mayflower. There's a lot of info on the web. The LDS web page at www.familysearch.org allows you to find people and their ancestors (may not all be completely accurate considering all the hanky-panky that went on among the Royals in the past) but I've traced a few lines back to Old King Cole (a jolly sort) and Fonjontor, King of Kvenland (AD 30). Other sites say that 80% of europeans are related to each other. I believe I'm a third cousin, seven times removed from John Adams - not close enough to get a discount on his biography at the bookstore. The vocal jazz group, New York Voices, was started by my nephew.

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Nemesis
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 12:30 PM

We are all completely unmusical in our family - but My great -grandfather worked at the Woolwich Arsenal in London and started a works football team which has subsequently become famous........

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: InOBU
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 04:23 PM

I am related to the great song writer and tallented Uilleann piper Larry Otway
Cheers Larry Otway

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 06:23 PM

Don't know if this counts but my great-great-uncle Ludwig was First Violinist to the last Russian Czar for several years. I'd have loved to be there, too!

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: The Walrus
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 06:53 PM

I don't know if this counts. My Aunt (Mother's Sister) is married to Wally Whyton's Brother.
I only ever met him once, when I was a sprog, I was most surprised that he didn't have Ollie Beak or Pussy Cat Willum [1] with him (Hey- I was only 5 or so)

Walrus

[1] A couple of names (along with Fred Barker)from the past for UK catters of a certain vintage

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Ebbie
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 08:23 PM

All Bontragers are related to each other, so I must be some kind of relation to the Bontrager Bike people. To bring in a wider element, no doubt they used to clip cards to the spokes, just for the music of it.

:)

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 08:28 PM

Famous? Old European royalty. St.Olaf, Charlamagne, other dead assholes. Elliot Ness, too, supposedly. But no one really famous and musical. Lots of non-famous musicians in my family, though. :)

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 08:45 PM

My brother, Richard, and I have no relatives at all except those we have created through our marriages---and none of those were/are musicians.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Who are you related to? Any Musicians?
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 05 Apr 02 - 06:56 PM

Yup! I'm related to CarolC!