Obit: Howard Armstrong (1909-2003)

Subject: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Cool Beans
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 04:22 PM

Howard Armstrong, perhaps the last of the African American string band musicians (of Martin, Bogan and Armstrong fame), has died. Subject of the documentary movie "Louie Bluie" and another one that aired on PBS last year. Armstrong was in his 90s.

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New York Times Obituary

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 04:26 PM

ohh....wow! I saw Bogen, Martin & Armstrong at the Smithsonian Festival in about 1972..Howard was wearing these bright ORANGE sunglasses and playing the mandolin behind his head and totally captivating the crowd!

I wish I'd seen more of him!

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 05:29 PM

Sure the mandolin wasn't Carl Martin?

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: M.Ted
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 05:40 PM

I ran into them when I worked on Amtrak--they were taking the train to Ann Arbor--about 1975--I spent quite a while talking with Howard before I even realized he was a musician--I went to the show, was seriously impressed, and wished I'd talked more about music with him-

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Hollowfox
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 05:49 PM

He was a great musician and a real charmer. For many years he was a fixture at the Kent (Ohio) State folk festival. He gave fine workshops, and it was always a joy to see him sucker somebody (not me) into a friendly card game of Tonk. *g*

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 06:25 PM

Carl Martin also played the mandolin...but Armstrong was the 'younger' man then and putting on a show with the mandolin...Carl Martin was playing mostly fiddle. Somewhere I have slides of them.

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 06:53 PM

One last question: who plays the guitar on "That Old Gang of Mine"? The guitar work is "chord style", usually associated with swing rather than Old-time music.

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Padre
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 08:39 PM

I remember MB&A from the National Folk Festival @ Wolftrap in the 1970s -- Incredible musicianship and energy. A loss for us all.

Padre

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 08:54 PM

Ted Bogen played a rhythm (bass?) guitar when I saw the group.

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Mark Ross
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 10:01 PM

What a shame, the passing of a great gentleman. I got to hang out with them in the '70's. A great musician!

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Art Thieme
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 10:04 PM

Bill D

Hey, guy,

I respect your views usually, but I beg to differ. Your photos must be mislabeled. Howard Armstrong played the fiddle just about all the time. Carl Martin played mandolin and Ted Bogan played guitar.

I opened for them several times. Once in Rockford, Illinois at the club called Charlotte's Web-------and also at Juicy John Pink's in Dekalb, Illinois. In Rockford we all stayed in the same old farmhouse for the week long gig--- The club maintained that house just to bed down us performers. It Was great to watch their marathon card games and listen to their "good natured" almost constant ragging of one another. I drove Howard and Ted back to Chicago from Dekalb after that job and came away feeling we were friends.

I'll miss them all.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 11:08 PM

awww..Art...tsk!...I'll see if'n I can find them photos...*grin*...I did see Howard play fiddle a bit and Carl play mandolin a bit, but that day, he played fiddle a lot! I have (somewhere) some great shots of Carl leaning into the melody with the fiddle bow up past his ear. Who knows...maybe the day before he played mostly mandolin!?

I sure don't doubt you as to their usual set-up!

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: JennyO
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 09:47 AM

I don't know them at all, but it seems you could all be right. After all fiddle and mandolin have the same tuning. It wouldn't be hard to swap from one to the other.

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Art Thieme
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 06:19 PM

Bill,

I'm sure they switched off once in a while---just to keep up their chops and to keep things interesting all the years that they played together.-------------Clay Eals book (biography) of STEVE GOODMAN should be out in a year (or two) and it will most definitely have many pages devoted to these great musicians---Martin, Bogan and Armstrong.
Howard Armstrong made all kind of foilkart. Little dolls and depictions of animals and old-time gods etc. I never knew if these had any real religious value or significance as Voudoun (Voodoo) icons might. But he always had several adorning his person---part of necklaces and arm bracelets etc. Some can be seen in the film Louie Bluie.

Art

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: GUEST,Mary Katherine
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 10:43 AM

More detailed obituary here:

www.bostonglobe.com

scroll down to lower left side links, click on obituaries, then scroll down, he's fifth or sixth on the page.

Note, I think that it will only be up for today, since it's in today's paper.

Mary Katherine

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: GUEST,Cheryl
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 01:47 PM

Thanks for the obit link, MK. Sent it along to all of my far-flug buddies who were with me at the Wheatland Festival when Martin, Bogan and Armstrong brought the crowd to its feet. Ever since, any gathering among us has included a thorough workout of our combined MBA CDs, tapes and, yes, even vinyl. Sad for the passing, but the memories sure brought a smile to an otherwise corporately frustrating day.

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 03:12 PM

yes, thanks for the timely link...I have printed it, and slipped it into my autographed (by all 3 band members) copy of "Barnyard Dance" which I purchased at the Smithsonian Festival in 1974 or so...it had just been released and they didn't even have the artwork printed yet, so they were letting it out in plain white covers, with a mailing list you could sign to get the final cover art...I signed up, but it never arrived...now, I think I prefer having just the 3 signatures on plain white..*smile*...

Howard Armstrong's signature is large & flamboyant, while quiet old Ted Bogan's is small, neat & plain..but they sure made great music together.

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: saulgoldie
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 10:35 AM

All I knew about Howard Armstrong before I read this thread is in Steve Goodman's song, "Better Get It While You Can." Really ingtrigued by his mention of the Martin, Bogan and Armstrong trio, and wanted to find some of their music. Anybody know where there might be some? TIA.

Subject: RE: Obit: Howard Armstrong
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 11:06 AM

When I first saw the title, I thought it was the guy who stepped on the moon (blue moon)...

Then I realized it was the great fiddler, a true blue hero!