Famous Mudcatters

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Susan from California
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 11:05 PM

One of the Baldwin Brothers said the "F" word in front of me--I think it was Billy, but I'm not sure. I've met a fair amount of US stars and politicians because I used to be extremely active politically, but when the subject comes up, that's the story I tell most of the time...

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: reggie miles
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 11:16 AM

I've never strove for the illusive fame factor in any of my musical endeavors, only to play, what I play at, as well as I can and have fun doing it.

Does playing alot of music automatically make you famous? I don't know, I don't think so.

Presenting something unusual and entertaining enough to tickle and or inspire others has been a worthwhile goal.

That said, it would be nice to reap enough financial success to support myself in the style to which I'd like to become accustomed to. ;O)

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Mbo
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 11:33 AM

Fame doesn't equal money. That's why we say "Fame AND fortune." They can work separately of each other. James Scott Skinner is famous in my book, though most people don't even know who he is.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: LR Mole
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 02:09 PM

I think the "brushes with fame" stories deserve their own thread. I, myself, once peed next to Graham Nash, through in a different urinal. My comment was, as I recall," You guys are really good." Not trenchant, perhaps, but heart- felt at the time.He's still playing, and we both, as far as I know, are still peeing.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: kendall
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 03:20 PM

I played Pete Seegers banjo, Tommie Makems banjo, Wilf Carters guitar, and, Elton Britts guitar. Ramblin' Jack played and liked my Taylor.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Mbo
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 03:26 PM

I played Elvis Presley's piano! Nyah!

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 05:10 PM

I once had a shit right after Kendall in the same outhouse at Fox Hollow.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 06:47 PM

I've slept in the same bed as Les Barker and Sid Kipper and Martin Carthy and Jim Couza. I've also kissed Roy Bailey and finished off June Tabor's sandwiches.

LTS, who has a sad life really.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 08:21 PM

Mbo, how does your book define fame? I know what you mean but how can somebody be famous if "most people don't know who he is"? ;-)

Jon

(Who has heard of J Scott Skinner)

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Benjamin
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 08:45 PM

I've got a following building up! And I'm not even playing out much at all! Give me some time!

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Mbo
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 09:30 PM

That's cool, Ben! BTW if all works out, you'll be meeting the Queen of the World! Talk about famous!

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: GUEST,Rich(stupidbodhranplayerwhodoesn'tknowbetter
Date: 30 Aug 00 - 01:15 PM

I've had the occasion to try Cathy Jordan's and Frank Torpey's bodhrans when they played for our folk music society.

More inportantly, I've played with a good number of brilliant musicians who'll never be known outside of their own little circles but nonetheless play some mighty music. I agree with what's been said previously. Famous is for other types of music. It's nice to have some big heavies to aspire towards, but I'll take plain, regular people who play like they don't need the money. Musicians that don't look down your nose at you. Musicians that make you feel welcome, sometimes without saying a word.

All the best,
Rich

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Benjamin
Date: 31 Aug 00 - 03:29 AM

Ah yes! Meeting the Queen of the World! Thanks for reminding me Mbo.
I don't know that I will be playing classical guitar proffesionally though. The compition is brutal!

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Rapparee
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 09:22 AM

Found this thread while looking for something else.

I've had dinner with R. Buckminster Fuller. He was a lousy dinner conversationalist and a rather nasty personality.

On the plus side, I've met Seamus Kennedy. He's the opposite of Bucky Fuller, but just as smart. (Don't forget to send the money, Seamus.)

I have a copy of Christopher Moore's wonderful book "Lamb: the memoirs of Jesus's boyhood friend Biff." It's autographed to me. I also have autographed copies of Dana Stabenow's science fiction and autographed copies from other authors.

I used to have an autographed picture Pierre Mendes France too.

None of this means much. Christopher Moore was looking lost in a publisher's booth, giving the books away. Dana is a wonderful person and I consider her a friend. Pierre M.F. I never met; I was in cub scouts and thought he had a cool name.

Some folks think I'm famous. My neices and nephews, for instance. "Wow, I found your name on the Internet!"

I'd rather be famous for getting kids to read, or introducing them to music, or helping them reach adulthood without too many problems, than for designing cars or some new form of packaging. Fame with a lower-case "F" is fine with me (now fortune, with an upper-case "F," can come around anytime!).

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: kendall
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 12:58 PM

How about our own Jean Richie? AKA,Kytrad.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: GUEST,McGrath of Altcar
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 01:03 PM

I have played Ozzy Osbourne's Grand piano.

I recently used a microphone used on many Coldplay songs.

A telefunken. Very Good.

McGrath of Altcar

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Mary Humphreys
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 01:30 PM

Eliza Carthy is still famous - thank goodness! So are Harvey Andrews and John Spiers. And El Grecko.
Fame in the folkworld is very localised, and many of us have never heard of people who can fill concert-halls in other parts of the globe. That's why Folk is such a voyage of discovery in many cases - there is always something wonderful out there you have never heard before....

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: ard mhacha
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 01:31 PM

The people that contribute to this Site are all famous, ask a question about music or songs and you are never disappointed. Yes you are all famous. Ard Mhacha.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Kim C
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 01:33 PM

Mister and I were on the TV news yesterday as we had performed at a historic site for a special event.

I used to go to church with Joe Mauldin, who was one of Buddy Holly's Crickets. His daughter and I are the same age.

Jonathan McEuen, son of John McEuen, has played my guitar. (It didn't help me none, though.)

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 01:41 PM

Who can name the two English musicians who formed "The Price of Fame or the Fame of Price" (late 60s early 70s)? Get it right and I'll make you famous ...

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Dita
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 03:15 PM

TheBigPinkLad,

I presume your talking about Alan Price (Animals/Alan Price Set) and Georgie Fame (and the Blue Flames/and later Van Morrison sideman).

They made an album for CBS in 1971 as Fame & price/Price & fame/Together. Their big number was "Rosetta" by Mike Snow.

They also toured and did a number of TV spots around the same time.

You can make me famous if you want, but don't put a Price on my head.

Cheers, John.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 05:20 PM

funny that no one has mentioned Roy Harris as a semi-regular Mudcat poster (using an alias...*smile*)

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Deckman
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 06:13 PM

Kendall ... I enjoyed your past comment about needing to give a straight answer. I've had my close calls with fame: post office posters, bill collectors, process servers, wimmen, etc. But my lasting fame has to do with my red (Finnish coloring) face and snow white hair and beard. This one tale tells it all: a couple of years ago I was standing in a grocery checkout line, the day AFTER Christmas. The next people in line behind me were a Mother and a youngster girl type child, perhaps about three.

The girl eyes got real big when she spotted me and she wouldn't stop staring at me. After a short while, she came right up to me, took my hand, and said: "Hello Santa. Did you get some sleep last night?"

I've lived with this "Santa" image most of my life and I try hard to avoid it, usually by getting my hair and white beard cut VERY short going into December. But now I was stuck.

My instincts were to give some smart assed comment and walk away, but this little darling was about three and all eyes and holding my hand! What to do?

Everyone watched me, especially the very large Mother.

I thought for a split second, knelt down, gave her a hug, and said, "Yes I did and thank you so much for thinking about me."

Then I ran for my truck! CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 06:45 PM

Dita (John) Yep ... you're right. They were a good turn in a backstreet pub kinda way. Wonder what they're up to now.

p.s. when you wake up tomorrow morning you will feel famous.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Amos
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 07:14 PM

One of our famous -- if self effacing -- members is Margaret MacArthur, mistress of ballads and Thrice-Told Tales. She has a website here, and is renowned for her presentation of the oldest and finest of songs. A prizewinner, to boot!

A

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Peg
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 10:09 PM

well, depends which pond you frequent, don't it, how big the fish are...

I am glad to know all youse Mudcatters! And when, having spent some time jawing or playing, I later hear of some musical or other noteworthy item concerning one I have met in the flesh it is always a pleasure.

and now for some namedropping:
I have cooked dinner for the famous Kendall Morse, and he has cooked for me, and we have swatted mosquitoes and dealt with other camping nuisances side by side at Old Songs...and had some silly and serious debates to boot...so nyeah nyeah...
trouble is, so have a hundred other people here...

BTW, Kendall, I now have that wonderful song you gave me securely under my belt and hope to sing it for you soon...

peg

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Amos
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 10:20 PM

Bob:

I love that story,and well handled, too! Of course it just made perfect sense to her that you'd be checking ut at the grocery store in her town the day after Xmas!! Wunnerful!

A.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 18 Aug 03 - 11:34 PM

Well my mom has a picture of me when I was 3 years old in the arms of Claude Rains. It was at my cousin's Bar Mitzvah. And he went on to be the youngest law school dean in the country. My cousin, not Claude Rains. And I went to college with the former Queen Noor of Jordan and the current Senate majority leader. But that isn't my fault.

Arlo's been here as well (adg). And some clown named Patterson.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Deckman
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 12:32 AM

Patterson who? Bob

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 12:43 AM

Seamus Kennedy is even famous up here in Alaska. We love ya, man.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Micca
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 05:16 AM

Here, Mark, as a Patterson that has visited HI are you casting nasturtiums?? which clown Patterson were you referring? and would you like to step outside while I make a lei outa your Uke?

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 06:00 AM

Gee, Micca, maybe you're related! And I wouldn't dare cast nasturtiums. Plumerias, maybe. But only at CarolC.

Aloha,
Mark
(I gotta stop posting late at night...)

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Frankham
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 12:50 PM

Rick, Mbo and others, thank you for the honor.

But this reminds me of the story, in Atlanta there was a great jazz clarinetist, Herman Fortich who one evening in his cups said,
"You know, nobody knows how famous we are."

One serious omission, though. Nobody has mentioned one of my favorites,
Kytrad (Jean Ritchie)

Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Kim C
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 01:01 PM

Frank, I believe someone mentioned Jean very early on in the thread. ('course, the thread's 3 years old...)

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Amos
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 01:01 PM

"You know, nobody knows how famous we are."

Wow -- a classic, worthy of Yogi Berra or Casey Stengel!! Thanks, Frank!! LOL!


A

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 01:08 PM

You know, nobody knows how famous we are.

Frank's comment reminds me of the story told by Archie Fisher (I think it was) at Sidmouth. Apparantly he was told by Christy Moore that he'd never be famous because he was too well known.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 01:09 PM

"You know, nobody knows how famous we are."

those were probably the ones crowding that restaurant that Yogi said no one goes to...

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Mary Humphreys
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 01:18 PM

There you are Kevin - Still, all the RIGHT people know who you are.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Snuffy
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 07:26 PM

I used to be world-famous in Manchester

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Amos
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 07:41 PM

I was once infamous in a small town in New England, where I represented the kind of person the residents warned their sons against becoming. It was all just a granfaloon, of course.


A

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Midchuck
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 08:11 PM

The closest I've come to fame was out-limericking Kendall

(What you don't know about Kendall Morse:
He was caught making love to his horse!
His wife said: "You rapscallion!
That horse is a stallion!
This constitutes grounds for divorce!")

And Bernie Sanders (the only US Congressman who isn't a goddam Republican or a goddam Democrat) wrote me (and my partners) a check a couple of weeks ago; and will write us another on Sunday if he doesn't run out of money. For howling before his speechifying.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Deckman
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 10:14 PM

I've usually aquainted "fame" with adjulation. And now that I've grown up, I ask: "who needs it?" It's a big pain in the butt. I've met my share of famous people and I have also been pleased to make the personal friendship of lot's of my "heros." IF I choose a personal hero, it's because of a quality in them, or something they have done that I recognise, that I admire. Many of my person "heros" are musicians. Many are not. My interests range wide.

Early on I realized that all my "heros" put their pants on just as I do, one leg at a time. We all use toilet paper. We all have our foibles (that word will get you 41 points in any scrabble game).

CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: bbc
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 12:04 AM

I'll add George Ward & Judy Cook to the list. I'm always pleased to see them post.

bbc

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: GUEST,Me Again
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 12:04 AM

I think the nearest I got to fame was in about 1935 when Golden Spike Days was celebrated in Omaha, Nebr. This was in imitation of the Old West and early railroading (mostly the mythical Old West). I had been dressed as a cowboy (movies model, not a real cowboy, of course) and was watching the parade in downtown Omaha, and Barbara Stanwick, on one of the vehicles in the parade, waved at me. (That's what my mother said, anyhow, but she had a lot of stories, mostly embarassing to me, that I cannot recollect, and hardly lived up to).

I've subsequently gotten to know, or at least introduced to, about 8 Nobel prize winners, but they weren't as pretty as Barbara Stanwyck. One of these was 'Harry' {now, Sir Harold Kroto, see his website), a SteelEye Span addict, he once admitted to me.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 12:23 AM

Fantastic singer/songwriter from Alaska Mike Campbell goes by the name mooseman here. Great guy, great songs.

Seamus

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Bert
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 12:29 AM

Ya know, I tell my friends how I talk on Mudcat with the likes of Frankham and Kytrad and Art Theime and Kendal Morse.

But in my heart there is a deep love for some other very famous 'catters.

There's WYSIWIG and Alan C and Kim C (Are they brother & sister?) and katlaughing and Micca and Annamill and LEEJ and Spaw and, and, and, I can't mention them all because there are so many, so I'm sorry if I've missed Sharon A and Rick and Little Hawk and MMario and Burke and Dana and, and, and.

Dammit I shouldn't have started this 'cos I haven't mentioned Amos and Joe Offer and Pene Azul and Peter T and Crowhugger (Where the hell has she been lately, and Matt_R and MaryMac and Morty and Sam Pirt and Ian and Bill Sables and Bill D and Ferrara and Songbob and, and, and, ..... Oh I give up If I've missed you Suzan and Dick and... and anyone else, just drop by and say hi! and I'll apologize for leaving you out.

Oh my gawd I can't believe I missed out Jeri, is that a Freudian slip or what. And Harpi and Wyowoman and SINSULL. Uh Oh! don't tell Tree I'm thinking of all these beautiful women.

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Amos
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 09:03 AM

And let us not forget that Bert is perhaps the most famous Cat of them all, next to Max his own self, having had a Steamboat named after him, as well as co-hosting the once renowned Mudcat Radio!

A

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 09:41 AM

There is one small snag about being famous... everyone knows ya!

Sal

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Benjamin
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 04:58 PM

Bob, that isn't why I thought you were famous!
BMW

Subject: RE: Famous Mudcatters
From: Deckman
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 05:20 PM

Benjamin ... ??? Bob