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Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See
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Subject: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: katlaughing Date: 17 Apr 99 - 05:43 PM I was just reading some history on Altan and realised how fortunate I was to've seen them perform, when they were just starting out, at least in touring the US, when i worked at the Center for the Arts in westerly, RI, must've been about 1988/89. Frankie Kennedy was still alive and they'd just come out with their second cassette. I bought both. The concert hall was an old Catholic church the had converted, still with high ceilings, lovely light fixtures and an old choir loft. It was small enough for an intimate setting and close to St. Patrick's day. We almost raised the roof off that night. It was wonderful and have almost worn out the tapes I bought that night. Another early great I saw that same year was a program called "Masters of the Steel String Guitar", which featured some really fantastic players, including Jerry Douglas and his first cassette. I fell in love with his dobro playing right then and there. There was also a guy from Hawaii who was great, can't remember his name, but now have found a great cd of Hawaiian slack-key guitar, Dancing Cat Records, "Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters" Instrumental Collection, 1995. The whole show was fabulous! Another I saw, who was pretty good that evening, but whose more commercial stuff now I cannot stand, was "little" Alison Kraus, this was before she went so mainstream and started whining through her nose! Anyway, along those lines, what have been some of your more memorable performances, esp. those which might have been a once in a lifetime chance? I'd love to hear them. Katlaughing/katlaf |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Frank of Toledo Date: 17 Apr 99 - 06:00 PM Letting my age show....Early in 1963 I was living in Dorchester, Massachusetts, working in a South Boston Irish bar singing my heart out on the old Hank Snow, Hank Williams, Kitty Wells, Lefty Frizzell and Webb Pierce. I was a member of the original Club 47 Folk Club in Cambridge, and saw Ed McCurdy and I'll never forget that booming voice on Simple Gifts accapella. Whatever happened to Ed????? |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: John Hindsill Date: 17 Apr 99 - 06:55 PM Frank, if you think yours dates you, mine must date me. On a Saturday night in 1961/2 some friends and I were driving down Sunset Blvd. On a sandwhich board in front of a motel was noted that the Travelers 3 were appearing that very evening. We had only a few weeks seen them at Santa Monica City College. The show was in a meeting room at the motel converted into sort of a coffee house. The show was very loose and informal as compared to the SMCC concert. We spoke with them after the show; they were between major gigs but wanted to work new material. Forward 9 or 10 years, my wife and I and another couple driving home from dinner saw that Louis Jordan and his Timpani Five were appearing at a little club. In we went. During intermission a good looking guy wearing a bulky sweater came in; my wife whispered "isn't that...?" When the band came back they introduced...and we were treated to a set by Johnny Mathis. About Ed McCurdy, I agree he was one great performer (alas never saw him). If alive he would now be about 80. The last I did hear, about 10 years ago, he was in poor health. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Barbara Shaw Date: 17 Apr 99 - 08:54 PM I saw Bill Monroe at the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival (Pennsylvania) a couple of years before he died. For the afternoon performance, people started filing into their seats in the hot sun, on the side lawns, in the shaded tent at the back, everywhere. When his showtime came, they delivered him to the backstage area in a golf cart. The entire audience stood to watch the cart rolling along, with people cheering, clapping, crying. When he walked out onto the stage, the field erupted again with the most amazing cheers and tears. It was like watching the pope arrive, almost a spiritual experience. Not just because of this man, this icon who named the music we all love and who played it and defined it so well, but for the whole lifestyle. Every one of us there realized that because of this man, we were immersed in a sub-culture that brought us so much joy, so many new friends and so much music. The tears were thank-you's to him for giving us bluegrass. The man was in his 80's, but he put on an incredible performance. During one number, he started hunching over and slowly drooping closer to the floor with each verse. We all craned our necks to watch him, afraid that something was wrong. Finally one of the band members asked another what was going on, speaking into the vocal mic. The other answered, "Bill's just GETTIN' DOWN!"
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: catspaw49 Date: 17 Apr 99 - 10:03 PM circa '69----in DC at a rally, hanging out pickin' and singin' at duPont Circle and Rock Creek Park. Someone said we oughta' go to some club or another and "catch this chick with a GREAT voice"...we did...loved her...a few years later so did everyone else---Roberta Flack. Told this one before...early 70's, Hindmann Settlement School, Hindmann, KY. We were part of the weekend program which featured Jean Ritchie. Sitting backstage listening to her sing "Dear Companion" for the umpteenth hundred time, I realized that it was like hearing it for the first. Outdoor stage, mountains all 'round, just a few miles from her family home in Viper......just simply magic. Much greatness in her common touch...the classiest of artists. I lived in Nashville for about 4 years and the best thing was that in the main, the "stars" were just nice, plain folks. Another couple and myself had bought a home on Old Hickory (nothing "hinky or kinky" here-just the best of friends pooling their resources). You turned at Twitty City, drove past Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash homes about half a mile to ours. Tour buses turned in our driveway. Always had the feeling the guy on the bus was saying, "We're turning around here at the home of a complete nobody and total asshole." Anyway, stars played softball in Hendersonville's league, shopped at Kroger, as I said...folks. One evening I'm at the mall in J.C.Penney and the guy shopping for shirts next to me starts asking whether I think these are still decent pullovers. I didn't look over at first and we talked shirts for a minute or so before I turned to see it was Ricky Skaggs, starting toward the top about then. We each bought a couple and he said to come down and see him, skip the cover, he'd leave our name. When we did a week or so later I was surprised that he actually remembered who I was...asked from the stage if I was happy with the shirts, said he was (both of us were wearing one). Nice evening...he is of course a great picker! That's been about 15 years ago and every time I see him on the tube, I wonder if he still goes to JCP. catspaw |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Art Thieme Date: 17 Apr 99 - 10:05 PM Early 60's. A bunch of us had taken an apartment in Chicago as a party pad. Was on Sedgwick Street about 4 doors North of Lincoln above a club/bar known as Old Town North. I came downstairs to that bar one evening on my way to a gig and Furry Lewis was there. Around 80 years old at the time, he wasn't what he had once been, but it sure was a thrill to see and hear him & his banjo. "Stealin'" & "Walk Right In" never sounded so good. Art |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: amy Date: 17 Apr 99 - 10:07 PM i dont know if any of you are familiar with ed hamell, aka hamell on trial. he's a really unique and incredibly energetic performer from upstate new york who made a name for himself in austin. moved to new york city a couple of years ago and for some odd reason did a show at this little unknown place in the middle of nowhere, three hours from the city. how many people in the audience? myself and one other person. ed took it all in stride and did a full 2 hour show for us, complete with converstaion in between songs. i felt bad for him, travelling all that way, but wow. what a performance, and private too!! |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: gargoyle Date: 18 Apr 99 - 01:58 AM The WhoBilly Grahm's "Winter Garden" S.F. 1971
Keith Moon was so stoned they had to stop the concert twice.
Finally a member of the audience - filled in on the drums - and completed the set. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: gargoyle Date: 18 Apr 99 - 02:05 AM Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
H.S.C.1970
...completed their gig....11:00 p.m.
dispersed into five different areas of the community and continued drinking, smoking and jamming with the locals until 4:00 a.m. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: jofield Date: 18 Apr 99 - 04:55 AM c. 1960 -- (from the 'coke' [Coca-Cola] section, being under 21) Duke Ellington and his Orchestra at Storyville, Boston. I asked him where his guitar player was. He looked a little surprised and said he hadn't carried one in several years -- I had momentarily confused his personnel with Basie and was looking for Freddie Green. I'd felt like an idiot, but I'm glad I can say I spoke with him once. c. 1963 -- Clarence and Roland White playing with the Kentucky Colonels in Los Angeles. (The era of the Clarence vs. Doc arguments.) c. 1964 -- Bill Monroe and George Jones jamming backstage at Madison Square Garden. George was feeling no pain and belted out bluegrass songs while simultaneously mocking the bluegrass guitar style -- only he could get away with that in Monroe's presence. many times, '60s -- Doc Watson with Tom 'Clarence' Ashley and Co. many times, '60s -- Butterfield Blues Band with Mike Bloomfield, Elvin Bishop, Jerome, and Sam Lay. 1968 -- The Count Basie Orchestra in a relatively intimate setting (my dad's 25th college reunion). I asked him if they still did various old tunes. After 2 or 3 'no's, I mentioned "Moten Swing", one of the oldest, which they promptly played. many times, '80s -- The Neville Brothers. Well, this has been fun -- for me. Not sure how it enlightens anyone else. James.
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: bbelle Date: 18 Apr 99 - 11:27 AM Early 70's ... Original Doobie Brothers concert at Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. ... Billy Joel opened and played all of his Piano Man album, which had not been released. He was arrogant and played to hisses and boos. I still think Piano Man was his best. Mid 70's ... Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie concert at Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C., ... 3,000 people of all ages singing Guantanamera in 4-part harmony. Mid 70's ... Gordon Lightfoot at Constitution Hall ... grizzled looking, he muttered one of my all-time favorite lines "I feel like a bear turd rolled in fish hooks." moonchild |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: The Shambles Date: 18 Apr 99 - 12:28 PM Tom Paxton playing to hundreds of thousands of mostly rock fans, at The Isle Of Wight Festival. It was magic, he just could't do a thing wrong and held them ALL. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Rick Fielding Date: 18 Apr 99 - 12:44 PM The Rev. Gary Davis at the Mariposa Festival in the sixties. He had been "under the weather" the night before 'cause some well-meaning but stupid young finger pickers had been pushing a lot of bourbon on him. The artistic director was worried that Gary's performance the following night might also be bad and was offering to pay him off in order to save further embarrassment. Gary asked for another chance, and his performance that night was one of the defining moments of my life. He finished with "Death don't Have No Mercy" and 5000 people were absolutely stunned for several seconds before jumping to their feet and screaming for more. The next act, Leonard Cohen waited several minutes before taking the stage. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Barry Finn Date: 18 Apr 99 - 03:01 PM Went to see DeDannan back some time ago. The place was at an Irish bar in Downtown Boston (Black Rose) they had a sort of elevated stage area. After the first set was done they said they'd like to bring out some friends to do a bit of singing, out walks Lou Killen after a couple of songs out comes the Waterson crowd. A lot of the Irish musicians in the crowd weren't impressed but for some of us it was heaven. Later in the evening I went to a music party at a friends house turns out that friend was also close to most of DeDannan. They all got to playing & singing with some of the others that had been in the crowd, most sat out or sat by but likes of a few like Jerry O'Sullivan & Seamus Connelly & a couple others. God what an evening, it was like a lifetime of music squeezed into a moment. Barry |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: karen k Date: 18 Apr 99 - 03:18 PM Back from 65 to 69 I helped run a small coffeehouse in the basement of a church in New Britain, CT. It was there that I heard, on more than one occasion, the likes of Bukka White, Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Jesse Fuller, Son House, Doc Watson and once with his son Merle, Eric Anderson and many others. The place was small and the concerts were intimate and the conversation was wonderful. What was best about it was that I was the only one who had a spare bedroom and so they all stayed at my house and I got to know them. These are memories I will cherish forever. k |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: sparge Date: 18 Apr 99 - 03:36 PM Stan Rogers at Mc Cabe's. Just a few days before his death, Stan played Mc Cabes guitar shop in Southern California. He was and the band were everything one wanted them to be. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: katlaughing Date: 18 Apr 99 - 03:43 PM Okay, when I started this thread, I should have said this, but I didn't so am now, for those of us who were in the folkscene early, then lost track, or those of us who've always been on the fringe with our own thing, or those of us who are just plain new to the scene, it would be helpful if those of you who know who you are talking about would either put in a link to some examples of that person's work or tell us a little bit more about them. I was a little young during hippiedom, although I liked to think I was one and KNOW I am now, but because of that I am sorry to admit, I don't know who some of these people are and often don't have the time to go hunt them down. There...I've let my ignorance be known. Anyone else? Thanks! katlaughing/katlaf |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 18 Apr 99 - 03:48 PM I was happy to see John Gorka at one of the first Falconridge Folk Festivals. The best part of it was, he was pretty much unknown and was just blown away by being able to stand around and talk with giants (his words) like Tom Paxton, Priscilla Herdman, and yes folks, Sandy and Caroline Paton! Allison |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: LEJ Date: 18 Apr 99 - 04:19 PM The Doors, Halloween night 1967.First time I'd ever actually seen real Hippies, and in Halloween costumes too. I was on a first date with a very pretty young girl who was just as shy as I was at 17 yrs old.I remember Morrison speaking from the stage saying " Yeah, you know that pretty little girl next to you? Well, just slide your hand right over her thigh...Yeah! She likes it!" Also Telluride Blues Festival in 1977. I saw John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters and Lightnin Hopkins. It was hot and dusty and there were a lot of folks jumping in a creek full of ice-cold water going about 10 miles per hour. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Bob Schwarer Date: 18 Apr 99 - 05:03 PM Back in the '70s there was to be an outdoor doings in New Orleans featuring Willie Nelson. We lived only about 20 miles west so wife says "let's go". OK, but then a clod turned up in the churn. The New Orleans police went on strike. That's fine, who the hell needs them anyhow.(that's another story). Well, Willie says "I support the cops so I won't be coming". Well the sub was Jerry Lee Lewis. I says who the hell wants to see him? Wife says we are going.....(lots of periods). Turned out to be one of the best shows I ever went to. He was great. He anchored a bunch that included Asleep At the Wheel, Ricky Skaggs, Lacey J. Dalton(another great performer), & some others that slip my poor memory. But I'll never forget Jerry beating the hell out of that piano. Went plenty of times to see Willie before & since so I figure I didn't miss anything by his not showing. Oh, footnote. George Jones was supposed to be there too. He didn't show. Bob S. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Tiger Date: 18 Apr 99 - 05:31 PM My favorite memory - Mississippi John Hurt one afternoon at Carnegie Hall when I was supposed to be at school. ,,,,Tiger |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Tucker Date: 18 Apr 99 - 08:30 PM KarenK, Darlin' you wandered into every old folkies dream, must have been a show |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: mountain tyme Date: 18 Apr 99 - 09:45 PM Been in the right place at the right time a whole bunch. Picked a bunch with Roy Acuff in the 50's when he did a lone act with the original Chevy Chase all over Europe. Picked some back stage with Hank Williams, Audry Williams, Reno & Smiley, Hank Snow, Monroe, Lester Flatt, Stanley Bros. @ Sunset Park. Picked several times a week with Dylan in 61-62 in the Village along with Tom Paxton, Carolin Hester, Buffy, Janis Ian, Richy Havens, Greenbriar Boys, Dave VanRonk an a bunch a'others who i've forgotten or never made it. Was watching Monroe on stage at a festival when he introduced a man he hadn't sang with in "25 years" and out walked his brother Charlie. Birch was on the double-bass an Jimmy Martin fancy jacket and all was on the guitar. Picked a bunch in the parking lot with Kenny Baker, Doc Watson, Wayne Lewis, Sonny Miller, Ed Ferris, Wendy Miller an the JMB. Went to see a friends band open for a "big name act" place was packed standing room only, hard to get a ciggy out of my shirt pocket and when they were done out walked Jerry Lee Lewis. This was his first gig after his fatefull marrage to his young cousin. His young wife just leaned on the back of that piano thru the entire set, staring into each others eyes anyone could plainly see them two really liked each other a whole bunch. The way they looked at each other still haunts me today. Tomorrow's another day but yesterday wer'nt bad! |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: JVZ Date: 18 Apr 99 - 09:58 PM In 1968, my college was visited by The Mitchell Trio. I had a couple of their albums from when they were the Chad Mitchell Trio, but Chad had left and was replaced by a new guy. Two years later, I was in Vietnam with a kid that we called Dutch (His name was Deutchendorf) who was the younger brother of that new guy that I saw in concert with the Mitchell Trio. He had a big mouth and was always bragging about him and his brother. He would play tapes of his brother singing original songs and swore that he was going to be a star. I told him that, although I kind of liked the stuff, I was country music bred; and this type of music would never catch on. And that is the story of how I saw John Denver in concert in 1968 and was with his brother in Vietnam in 1970. John |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Margo Date: 18 Apr 99 - 10:20 PM This isn't folk, but.............. I was very lucky to see the famous passion play performed in Oberammergau, Germany. When the plague was ravaging Europe, the city elders of the high mountain village got together and prayed. They asked that the deaths from plague be abated, and in exchange they'd put on this passion play every ten years. The stage is outdoors. The audience sits under a roof, and the actors are in the open air. Natural lighting, and the occasional bird flying through gave the performance a wonderful authenticity. The singing is operatic and performed by a chorus who appears and leaves alternately. Photographing is not permitted. But that didn't stop me. I had just bought a new telephoto lens which enabled me to get some wonderful shots. But the lens was not compatible with my camera, and there was a light distortion in all the pictures. It wasn't bad, but it was very fitting for the last tableau: I'll bet that no one else has a photo from that performance of Jesus on the cross with a ring of light all around him. It was beautifully done, and I felt lucky to be there. Margie |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Mudjack Date: 19 Apr 99 - 12:49 AM Seeing Kate Wolf at the UCR Barn wrapping up her concert tour from Austin City Limits. She looked tired but gave a heart warming concert, I sat in the front row and became totally infactuated by her music and stage presence. I discovered that later she had a rebout with luekemia. Utah Phillips had to finish her concert dates and yes, We have Kate to Thank for bringing the Golden Voice back on to the center stage. My memory of Kate will always be a vivid memory of how she sang "Some Kind Of Love". As I think about all the concerts I've attended, her's stands out as the most memorable. Jack... |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: McMusic Date: 19 Apr 99 - 01:01 AM Pete Seeger at the Augusta Heritage Vocal Week in 1996. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: mobmmbr Date: 19 Apr 99 - 02:57 AM Harry Chapin @ the Ramstein Air Base NCO Club.....He had just done a Show at the O Club (they had to pay for admission) then he came to the NCO club and did a free show for us enlisted folks...I bought him a couple of beers and cried when he did "Mr. Tanner", is the name I think, Just Harry and his guitar. And taxi was haunting with him and four members of the audience for backup. I get chills as I type..........what a show. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Night Owl Date: 19 Apr 99 - 03:14 AM Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee---mid-sixties. Myself and four other students in college had worked hard to start a folk music club...along with a professor who played twelve string Blues guitar. We were all pleasantly surprised at the quality of the various performers who agreed to come for concerts. The five of us were responsible for doing the "grunt" work...making sure the performers' had places to stay, food and (ummm) water. I remember nothing about Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee's concert that night, but we had arranged for them to stay at the professor's house. After the performance, at the professor's house, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee started playing, relaxed...and clearly not wanting to retire for the night. We ended up "jamming" until dawn (I think I only knew three chords at the time). In my ignorance at the time, I had no idea who they were...nor the legends they would become.....but vividly remember how exciting the music was for me, how patient they were in feeding the baseline to me to play along...and how absolutely thrilled our professor was. #2 Newport Folk Festival 196?; sitting in the parking lot of the local laundramat, just playing around with our guitars--waiting for our clothes to dry. A woman walked up with her guitar slung behind her back and asked if we minded if she joined us......she played with us for a while and left. We realized later that night, during the stage show, that the woman was Joan Baez. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Roger the zimmer Date: 19 Apr 99 - 06:06 AM A single concert at the Hammersmith Odeon with Willie Dixon, Bukka White (on what must have been one of his last appearances), Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, Big Joe Turner and Terry/Mcghee. The last pair were the only ones I ever managed to see again, the only pity was that each artist could only do a couple of numbers. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Blue Shack Date: 19 Apr 99 - 01:20 PM Y'all put me to shame. But probably the best I ever heard was Jerry Jeff Walker, all acoustic, in a small wood paneled concert hall--sort of a caberet--in the late 80's. I also thought Jerry Lee Lewis was wonderful in concert; he had the voice and the theatrics for it. Merle Haggard, with his powerful sound, was good too. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: katlaughing Date: 19 Apr 99 - 01:28 PM Ah, Blue Shack, how could I forget Jerry Jeff? when I worked in sales at the local country western radio station, I sold a live concert remote to a company that did an outdoor, out on the prairie, in a hollow, concert with Jerry Jeff. Warm breeze, hot sunshine, everybody just a little crazy and me with carte blanche to wander around the whole venue. What a blast! It was fantastic! Also was the first time I ever heard anything by Mannheim Steamroller, the sound system guy tested it with their first LP, "Fresh Aire". At another radio station, my kids were thrilled to meet, up close and personal, "Night Ranger", with autographs and all. My son's name is Colin; he was thrilled to find one of them had just had a baby boy and named him Colin. This was all between 1980 & 1983 |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Vixen Date: 19 Apr 99 - 01:58 PM Got two favorite shows, both due to weather... In 1975/6 or so, summertime anyway, a hurricane was predicted for Southern New England. At the last minute, it was downgraded to a tropical storm, but there we were, at the Westerly Center for the Arts (pretty cool, eh Katlaughing?) all 10 or 12 of us, sitting on the stage with Pete Seeger and the crew from Clearwater singing along as the storm howled around the building. In 1985/6 or so, wintertime, a major blizzard was predicted for Southern New England. At the last minute, it was downgraded to a flurry--no more than an inch. But there we were, at Conn College's Palmer Auditorium with Jack Hardy and a crew of songwriters from Fast Folk. What a blast. There were maybe half a dozen in the audience. We all got a bit of a shock when we cleared out at midnight to find 10" of snow on the ground. V |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: katlaughing Date: 19 Apr 99 - 02:02 PM V; must have been a great drive home! Guess we just missed at the Center! kat |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Sandy Paton Date: 19 Apr 99 - 02:14 PM Great memories of many, of course. I've been working this side of the street for a long time. F'rintance: Horton Barker, blind, 74-year-old ballad singer from Chilhowie, Virginia, standing alone in the center of the stage at Newport (1963?) singing "I once was lost, but now I'm found; was blind but now I see," to that huge audience. Cisco Houston, in New York for those Vanguard sessions that proved to be his last (stomach cancer), helping to pay his way by gigging at the Village Gate (I think it was). Immense, empty barn of a place; about fifteen kids sitting around the stage to hear him, probably the ones I'd overheard at Izzy Young's Folklore Center asking, "Cisco Houston! My God, is he still alive?" Cisco joined me between sets (I'd gotten to know him in California) and, as we sat there, he shook his head and looked around the empty room. "Sandy," he said, "I don't know what I'm doing in a place like this. I'm just a bare-assed ballad singer. I don't belong here." That was the last time I saw him. Another man done gone. Sandy |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Liam's Brother Date: 19 Apr 99 - 02:18 PM Hedy West at The Newport Folk Festival about 1964. Robert Pete Williams and Rev Gary Davis at The Berkeley Folk Festival in 1966. Johnny Shines, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Dixon, Walter Horton et al in NYC and San Francisco in 1969. Liam O'Flynn and Paul Brady jamming in an apartment in Edinburgh about 1972. Ewan MacColl in London in the early '70s. Steve Goodman at The Main Point in Philadelphia the night his father died (about 1976); the only time I ever saw/heard him but what a performance! Peter Bellamy, Lou Killen, Joe Burke and Joe McKenna at The Eagle Taven in NYC in the '70s, separately and singularly brilliant.
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Peter T. Date: 19 Apr 99 - 02:39 PM I've told this story elsewhere here I think, but when I lived in Cambridge, England one year in the early 70's I there was an evening devoted to various kinds of regional folk artists, and I heard that they had arranged one night with Tim Hardin as the top of the bill. I had never seen him, but I had heard what a mess he was. He was touring England and Scotland on his last legs, just before he died so stupidly young. In actual hard fact, it was a scary, dreadful evening: the other acts were all clog dancers and god knows what (I thankfully forget). When Tim came on, he looked like death, and it was not clear that he was going to make it through the show, and also the management didn't seem to have a clear idea who he was. They seem to have assumed he was going to play about 20 minutes. It took him about that long to find his chair. At about 11:30, the manager of the theatre came in and said that we all had to go home, and no one moved. They eventually had to call the police. He played every song he ever wrote, and some he had probably forgotten. At one point someone shouted from the audience: "It's a long road, Tim!", and he just stopped and teared up and thanked everyone for sticking along. It was every cliche you have ever seen about the drugged out star and his devoted, long-suffering fans. And it was all wonderful. Yours, Peter T. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Rick Fielding Date: 20 Apr 99 - 12:31 PM Great (and sad) story Peter. Wish my one shot at seeing Tim Hardin had been better. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: The Shambles Date: 20 Apr 99 - 05:22 PM I was lucky to see The Beatles, when I was a mere lad of thirteen. I say see because I could not honestly say I heard them, as it was the jelly baby throwing and screaming period. I did see and hear. on the same bill Eric Clapton playing with the Yardbirds, which was good, oh and Freddie And The Dreamers? |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Bill D Date: 20 Apr 99 - 06:26 PM oh, lordy...so many!
1961..Pete Seeger in Wichita Kansas..little old ladies standing up singing along..(me too!) but the BEST moment ...for me, was just 5 or 6 years ago, when the Copper Family gave a concert in D.C...it was the first stop of their tour, and they had a number of copies of their book, which they had personally scrounged from used bookstores in England!! ..just to have something to to offer us!..being early, I got one..(8-9 copies gone in 10 minutes)...and then they sang, and were astounded that we KNEW their songs and sang along...and at the end,watching them...especially Bob Copper, almost in tears at at resounding standing ovation. They said they they had no idea that that many people here really knew their music..(and it was a WONDERFUL concert!!) ....there were others...but I gotta go think... |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: dwditty Date: 20 Apr 99 - 09:01 PM One dark and stormy night in 1975, I went to see Jimmy Buffet at the Shaboo in Connecticut. About 20 people showed up, so Jimmy broke out all acoustic and proceded to get the audience just as drunk as he was. Other great shows I have seen: Janis Joplin, Jerry Jeff Walker, Dave Van Ronk, Eric Andersen, The Who, Procol Harum, The Band, Dan Hicks, Tom Waits, Leon Redbone, Country Joe & the Fish, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Von Schmidt, Goeff Muldaur, Emmy Lou Harris, Doc Watson, Vassar Clements, Chris Smither, Dewey Burns (God rest his soul), Blues Project, Olatunji, Frank Zappa, Neil Young, Drink Small (If you ever saw him, you'd never forget him), Tracy Nelson, Ry Cooder, Randy Newman, Taj Mahal, Michelle Shocked, Greatful Dead, Allman Bros, John Hammond, Dr. John, Speckled Red, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, It's a Beautiful Day, Everly Bros, BB King, ... |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Charlie Baum Date: 21 Apr 99 - 12:23 AM Lots of times come to mind, like Jean Ritchie last Saturday night in Washington, DC (how often does one get to hear a national treasure with the consciousness that one is doing so at the time?), or Stan Rogers at the Sounding Board in West Hartford, Connecticut, about a year before he died, and where he explained how he came to write "The Mary Ellen Carter". Or one evening at Augusta Vocal Week in Elkins, WV as vocal week drew to a close in 1984, and I was at a small sing-around with Jean Ritchie and Helen Schneyer and Norman Kennedy and Ethel Raim and Craig Johnson, and maybe 15 other people. And I remember one evening in February, 1978. A great blizzard had shut down the city of Boston, Mass. But the late Marshall Dodge was scheduled to give a lecture/demonstration on region types of humor at one of the houses at Harvard University. He lived just a few blocks from Harvard at the time, so the event was on, and I walked the hour or so from my home in Brookline through the snowdrifted streets to hear him. It was worth the cold walk. He showed the compression of Maine humor and the expansion in Texas jokes. And I had a long walk home to mull over his stories and repeat them to myself until they worked themselves into my memory. --Charlie Baum |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Bill D Date: 21 Apr 99 - 12:59 PM ohhh!! almost forgot...In 1958 or 59, I heard Mahalia Jackson in a highschool auditorium!!...My friends, there is no way to exaggerate the power and wonder of that voice! This was before I knew really what folk and traditional music were, and I had barely heard of HER...but I remember that rare feeling of the hair on the back of my neck standing up.... |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: bill\sables Date: 21 Apr 99 - 08:48 PM When I was a kid the only folk type songs around were the likes of Froggy went a Courtin, and Big Rock Candy Mountain These were sung by an old man called Burl Ives who lived in that far off land America. When I grew up I went to work for a T.V. station and we did a programme called Stars on Sunday One day Burl Ives was guest on the programme and he hadn't got any older. We chatted for about an hour about his songs. I worked 16 years for that company and met many "big stars" but the one I will always remember was Burl Ives. Cheers Bill |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: katlaughing Date: 21 Apr 99 - 11:09 PM Bill/sables: that must have been wonderful! Burl Ives has always been one of my favourites from childhood. I still have a little beat-up old paperback crammed with his songs. katlaughing |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: GUEST Date: 16 Apr 02 - 02:52 PM |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Phil Cooper Date: 16 Apr 02 - 06:28 PM Richard & Linda Thompson when Pour Down Like Silver was released in 1975. I was a college student in London, they play at the Theatre Royal with John Kirkpatrick,Dave Mattacks, and Dave Pegg as the band. One of the few concerts I've ever been too where I was mesmerized through the whole thing. |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Amergin Date: 16 Apr 02 - 07:02 PM Last October i went and saw Andy M. Stewart at one of the local pubs...the performance was wonderful...but what really made it memorable was the fact I actually got to meet him...speak with him for a bit and got him to sign a freshly bought copy of his songbook....very nice man... I also got to see theGreatful Dead a couple of months before Jerry died...and the love of the crowd made that one of the best shows I have ever seen of anybody....made me realise that sometimes the audience can make the show.... |
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Amos Date: 16 Apr 02 - 07:15 PM Dylan singing "Mister Tambourine Man" at the Newport Folk Festival in '65, I believe -- or was it '66? There was something in the air that night....
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Subject: RE: Favourite Performances You Were Lucky to See From: Jerry Rasmussen Date: 16 Apr 02 - 07:38 PM A long list, starting with Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis and Jesse Fuller. It was a great honor to hear some of the older musicians who were "revived" briefly in the sixties. I could add Doc Watson, Almeida Riddle, the Fairfield Four (ten years ago when they had a wonderful lead singer) and in a couple of weeks, the Dixie Hummingbirds, who my quartet will be opening for. Jerry |
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