what musical legends have you known

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Muskratpete
Date: 05 May 04 - 10:41 PM

One of the benefits of spending 18 years as a radio announcer was that I got to meet or interview several folks, among them: Hank Williams Jr., Eddie Rabbitt, Donna Fargo, Mel Tillis (can you tell I was at a Country station back then?), The Coasters, Jon Bauman (better known as Bowzer from Sha Na Na), Tommy Roe and Bobby Vee (can you tell I was at an Oldies station for awhile?). Also rubbed shoulders backstage with Flo and Eddie (aka The Turtles), America and The Rascals. It was fun but I'm still glad to be out of commercial radio.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,Lindswidder
Date: 05 May 04 - 06:09 PM

in th 70s I moved with my (then) husband to a Northamptonshire village house and Police Station - in the village unbeknown to me were living Sandy Denny and Trevor Lucas. Trevor was a bugger when it came to parking his car (I think it was a Volkswagen Beetle) and collected a number of parking fines which he never paid, until a summons was issued which was said husband's duty to serve...on one occasion he came home, very excitedly, with an autographed Fairport "Live" Album, (the one with them pictured on the steps of the Sydney Opera House)and said "Guess What" - well I was hooked...I went to the first ever Fairport reunion concert which must have been around 1975, about 100 people were present, and it spawned the Cropredy Festival. Subsequently I met the rest of the band... when I had a bike shop in Banbury Dave Pegg came in and bought a Kawasaki and we gave him a load of promotional gear to wear on his forthcoming tour with Jethro Tull... later on I was "heard" playing my accordion by Chris Leslie, and later still by the Yetties' Pete Shutler...great times...oh, and when Cliff Richard came to my Church in 1965 I played my guitar and he sang...........

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST
Date: 05 May 04 - 05:10 PM

Surely the whole point about folk music is the lack of a "them and us" split between performers and audience. You can end up in the canteen queue with Norma Waterson or in a session with just about anybody.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: weerover
Date: 05 May 04 - 05:01 PM

Have shared a drink and a conversation with many respected musicians and singers, including Billy Connolly, Hamish Imlach, the MacCalmans, Danny Kyle, Bill Barclay, Phil Cunningham, but then the folk scene over here's like that.

My brother-in-law has the claim to fame that he shared a lift (elevator) in New York with Debbie Harry.

wr.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Leadfingers
Date: 05 May 04 - 12:01 PM

We Musical Legends are meeting other Musical Legends ALL the time.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,gigix
Date: 05 May 04 - 10:21 AM

Ruud Gullit patted my mother's dog once. When the old pet was gone, mom forbid me to keep the skin.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,earthling
Date: 04 May 04 - 04:26 PM

Hammersmith Odeon late seventies/early eighties.....in the mosh pit very sweaty........Ted Nugent doing his thang on stage.....as the opening chords of Cat Scratch Fever belted out....he crawled feline like across the stage towards me....and in a Courtney Cox moment I was swept up by the axeman himself and mightily kissed. That's kind of knowing, in a loosely biblical sense.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Cool Beans
Date: 04 May 04 - 04:10 PM

In March of this year I stepped forth from the audience and played backup guitar for Roger Sprung at a club in Coral Gables, Florida, and I wasn't half bad. A peak experience! At least my wife was impressed.

When I was in high school in New York 40 years ago, a classmate was taking guitar lessons from Rev. Gary Davis. I missed school one day because I was sick, it happened to be the day of my friend's weekly lesson. He called me from Rev. Davis's and Davis played a 15-minute concert for me over the phone, including things he never played in public, like "Raise a Ruckus Tonight." Another peak experience.

Between peak experiences it's been pretty quiet

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,amergin
Date: 04 May 04 - 03:21 PM

I had a couple of convos with andy m. stewart...and I have had one with eric bogle....I also got to meet jez lowe and tom paxton...

andy m. stewart signed my copy of his songbook...which apparently was really HIS songbook as it was his personal copy....he signed it saying this was MY copy.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,Melani
Date: 04 May 04 - 02:13 PM

I recently got to be radriano's roadie!

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,stumd3
Date: 04 May 04 - 01:12 PM

I sat in John Hammond Jr.'s car with his wife and my friend for about 15minutes talking about music. He gave me a lot of advice and I'll never forget how generous he was after such a long gig.

I met and shook hands with Doc watson, Steve Forbert, Chris Smither, Willie, Tom Rush.

Took a piss and had a nice conversation with Ramblin' Jack.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Amos
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 10:37 PM

I got to shake hands with Segovia when I was a young sprat -- his fingers were short and square, which impressed me all the more. And man, did he have a grip! I also grew up a speaking acquaintance with Bill Crofut, may he RIP.

A

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,Blues Killer
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 10:33 PM

There's a guy named Al Brousard who plays at 711 Bourbon in New Orleans. He's 95ish and still rocks out 5 nights a week. He knew the guys who killed Kennedy, foiled Castro's invasion of into the Delta and drinks his whiskey straight. Al should be famous!

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 11:25 AM

Never met David or Orpheus, so that just leaves ME.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Spud Murphy
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 10:58 AM

Deckman: The DigiTrad has the original under the title Abdul Abulbul Amir and a rather raunchy parody titled Abdul El Bulbul, Emir. And I DO mean raunchy. But I didn't find the one of McClintocks.

Spud

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Deckman
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 07:39 AM

SPUD ... Ivan Skavinski Skivar is one of the two names that "Haywire Mac" called his heros in his paraody of Abdull the Bullbull Ameer. The other name was Alonzo Fitzpatrick MGuire! CHEERS, Bob (deckman) Nelson

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: DougR
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 10:52 PM

The question was musical legends, so I guess it's not confined to folk music. Musicians I know or knew pretty well: Eddy Arnold, Billy Edd Wheeler, John Gary, Henry Mancini, Andre Segovia, Richard Tucker, Jack Benny (ok perhaps he wasn't best known as a musician), Roger Wagner, Alfred Wallenstein, Van Cliburn, Morton Gould, Eileen Farrell, Isaac Stern, Jose Iturbi, Rise` Stevens.

DougR

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Spud Murphy
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 08:45 PM

Yeah, Amos, maybe the dog just a little bit, too. With a name like Abdul, you expect perfection?

Some years later,in Alaska, I had a lead dog I named Ivan Skavinski Skivar. Now he was REALLY dumb!! Another legend.

Spud

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Amos
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 08:17 PM

Now that coon.... he was a legend!

A

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Deckman
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 08:06 PM

Hey Barbara. Merritt Herring is one the most enjoyable singers I've ever known. Beyond his incredibly sweet voice and gentle style, he is a very decent human being ... and 'decency' is very high on my list of attributes. I last saw him when he performed at Northwest Folklife in Seattle a few years ago. Next time you see him, tell him "Hi" for me, and ask him to sing the last verse of "Who Will Sing For Me," that he wrote. CHEERS, Bob (deckman) Nelson

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Spud Murphy
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 07:35 PM

Deckman: I don't recall the parody, but Abdul Abulbul Amir was a favorite of my Dad's, in fact he liked it so much he named my dog Abdul when he got it for me in about 1932 when I was seven. Every other kid I knew had a dog named Shep, or Pard, or Jack, or Skip and I had this dog named Abdul. I never would call him by name if any body was around but he was pretty good about comin when I whistled, and he knew the difference between my whistle and somebody elses. He was pretty smart at times.

One time he treed a coon (four-legged) out in a big meadow with only one tree in it. I told him to sit and stay under the coon-tree and ran home for my .22 and when I got back about twenty minutes later he'd never moved an inch. There he was all panting with excitement when he saw me comin with the gun in my hand, his tail waggin a mile a minute. uhcourse, the coon had snuck down the other side of the tree from where the dog was and lit for other parts. I could hardly get the dog to leave that tree, he kept runnin around and lookin up into the branches and I practically had ta drag him home.

After that he never could pass that tree without runnin up and puttin his paws up on the trunk and peerin up into the leaves and branches.

George MacClanahan (Who are Spud)

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 04:24 AM

Hey, isn't name-dropping fun? I got to listen when Ed Trickett was talking to Big Mick...

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: texastoolman
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 03:31 AM

great thread,i was hoping to hear about more blues people

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 02:35 PM

Hey seashells etc. you are right, Sandy and I are close friends, but, dont let that stand between us!

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Barbara
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 02:27 AM

Gosh, Don, I've been singing all weekend with Merritt, and I had no idea he was a legend. He is a sweetie, that I know. Heck,I even slept with him -- tho he was on the top bunk above my husband and I was on the other bottom bunk across from them.
Three of us ladies sang him awake on Saturday, did I mention he's a charmer? It took one of his songs -- Free and Easy, to get him croaking, and then moving.
I once met Joan Baez at her dad's place when we were having a Quaker meeting there. Her dad was an active member of Berkeley Friends meeting, but the girls were often elsewhere. As I recall she was reserved, and I was awestruck.
Malvina Reynolds once came by to look at a guitar I was selling, and even tho it was obvious in two minutes that it was not what she wanted, she stayed a couple hours and created an impromptu singing circle in my room. She had just written the song about Brown Lung and how it affects the cotton towel mill workers, and she sang it for us.
Another time I was invited into her home by Faith Petric -- I shared a graphics studio in what was commonly called the Anarchist's block of Parker -- and happened to be passing just as Faith came by for a visit. Mal's home was all very dark wood paneling and she served us pomogranite juice -- something I'd never heard of. Then she went into the living room and played us a very bluesy arrangement of "If You Love Me" on the piano. She could have quite a bite -- I'd heard anyway, but I never experienced it. I think it was mostly she didn't suffer fools gladly.
Oh, and once when I was sitting with friends at a Pete Seeger concert,we were singing songs to pass the time. We'd come early to get seats in the front row, and when Trish started singing "Union Maid", Pete whipped out from stage left, and hopped down in front of her, pencil and paper in hand. She had a verse he wanted, and he transcribed it on the spot, and then stayed to sing a few more with us.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: JeZeBeL
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 02:59 PM

Hmmm, well I've sta n drank n stuff with the Levellers, and I know half of 422!! OH, and a bit of Bedlam.....do they count?

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From:
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 02:54 PM

I don't know if you'd call him a "legend", but I was beaten in an amateur contest by country music artist Jim Ed Brown in 1952. He was about 18, and came on stage wearing a "Lash LaRue" suit (any one remember Lash LaRue?). Jim was known as J. E. back then. He had looks, talent, stage presence; and beat the bejabbers out of all of the competion - including my singing buddy and me.

Oh, I once carried Ramona Jones fiddle. She talked to me just like I was a real person. She's a very nice lady.

I was on a plane with the Steve Miller band; but I didn't know who Steve Miller was. My sons brought me up to date.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,She Who Sells Seashells by the Seashore
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 02:54 PM

I bought some cds from directly from Sandy Paton at a folk festival and I gather that Sandy knows Kendall personally. So, I'm just one degree of separation from meeting the legend that is Kendall.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Bernard
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 02:33 PM

Okay - I've done George Melly, The Dakotas (still touring with the original 60's line-up), Spike Milligan, Norman Wisdom (oops... slipping again!!)

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Bernard
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 02:30 PM

I've been sound man for Tom Paxton, Martin Carthy, Des O'Connor, Val Doonican (er... do I have to do this?!)

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 02:08 PM

I'm envious..wish I had known "Haywire Mac"

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 10:36 AM

Tequilaron - I spent many a night at the Beaux Arts Coffehouse during the late 60's and early 70's. Nice to hear from someone else that spent time there. We hope to hear from you again.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: tar_heel
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 10:27 AM

country music singer,GEORGE HAMILTON IV,was a high school buddy of mine...we grew up pickin and singing together....i taught him his first chords on the guitar,when i was 13 years old.... but lots of other legends in my life, too... one right now is a, MR.JOHNNY VIPPERMAN....johnny is way up in years now,still active and....he is the OLDEST LIVING MEMBER of the SONS OF THE PIONEERS!he was not one of the originals,but came along later...johnny lives in the mt.ary,n.c.area and i'm honored to call him,my friend! also in 1958,i was living and working in jacksonville,florida,and spent a few months picking and singing with a new kid on the block then...JOHNNY TILLOTSON... in recent years my musical intrest turned to the old-time traditional songs and legends...it was my honor to become friends with JOE and JANETTE CARTER,the son and daughter of the SARA AND AP CARTER!!and,since then i have met and become friends with so many legendary folks of old-time music,there is not enough room in here to list them all....

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,Mudcat upstairs (caution - long brag alert)
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 09:47 AM

On the flatpick list, we get to converse on a regular basis with some people who are musical legends to us, although most people, even most folkies, may not recognize them.

About a month ago, Jack Lawrence, Doc Watson's touring partner/sideman/guide/roadie for the last 10-15 years, since Merle's death, and one of the most incredible pickers you're likely to hear, in his own right, posted to the list as follows:

I kinda hate to do this, but it's for the best. I have for sale the Collings D-2H I've used since 1/93. Many of you have heard this guitar on Doc's cds as well as my own. It was my road guitar until I got the Merrill. It is Indian/Sitka. The top is one of the nicest I've ever seen. I hand picked this one from a half dozen hanging in the store. It has served me well and I hate to see it go, but I also hate to see it sitting around not being played. I have the Merrill and a Henderson Braz/Ad D and the Collings does not get the playing time it deserves. I'd like to see it go to someone who will love and use it. The price is $2100 shipped in the lower 48. It has a Mc Intyre PU and has a few "prestige marks" where Doc ran me into things when I lead him around. Over all it is in excellent condition. I'm beginning to break out in hives and the cold sweats, but I can't justify keeping such a fine guitar that doesn't get played. BTW, it is in an almost pristine original tweed case,as I used a Calton on the road....

Well, guess who had some gig money saved up, and where that instrument ended up! I still have to take it out and look at it every so often to make sure it's real.

Collings have been described as "Martins on steroids." That about says it all, as to the sound.

As I said on the list: I Am Not Worthy, and I Don't Care!

Peter.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Deckman
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 12:05 AM

Spud ... I HAVE to mention something else, following an earlier posting from you. In 1956, I rode in an elevator, in the Olympic hotel in Seattle, with Bing Crosby and Phil Harris. And, I also have shared urinals with some very famous people ... mostly men! CHEERS, Bob (deckman) Nelson

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Deckman
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 10:45 PM

To Spud: Thanks for your posting. Bill Higley nurtured me on "Haywire Mac" songs. Do you remember: "My Druthers, Ye Olde Ballad of Something or Other (parody of Abdull the Bullbull Ameer)? I think a lot about those old days of radio. That was real, it was live, it was NOT slick, nothing was canned, what you heard was exactly what happened, bloopers and all. Today's commercial radio is awful. So again, thanks for jumping in here. I suspect that we are of the same vintage. If you promise to take care of yourself, and post often, I'll do the same. CHEERS, Bob (deckman) Nelson.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Spud Murphy
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 09:10 PM

Deckman: I got to Alaska in 1950, so I guess I missed Bill Higley in passing. I did, however know Harry McClintock, or rather, I saw him from time to time at KFRC studio in San Francisco and KFBK in Sacramento. My dad, known as Yankee Mac, was a sometimes competitor of 'Haywire Mac' McClintock in the 1929-32 years and I would sometimes get to go to the studio with him. McClintock 'belonged' to KFRC and my dad was the 'property' of KFBK, so to speak, but they were good friends in reality and occasionally filled for each other. That was just before studio policy changed so that the entertainers had to find their own sponsors. Before that, entertainers like McClintock and my Dad were paid directly by the studios.

So here's one for Bill, and Happy Memories!!

Spud

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Deckman
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 07:45 PM

I'd like to contribute another name as a musical legand, and also man who had tremendous impact on me. His real name was Bill Higley. His public (radio) name was "Willy Waw Willy," and he moved down to Seattle from Anchorage, Alaska about 1949. I'll be amazed if anyone out there has heard of him, but if you have, please contact me. A "Willy Waw" is an Alaskan term for a strong blast of wind that comes out of nowhere ... kinda like a California "Santy Anna." Bill was a radio man, and he adopted that term "Willy Waw, to match his radio style.He started in radio back in the days of crystal sets and the Red and Blue networks ... these preceeded ABC and NBC. His early radio partner was Harry K. McKlintock, aka "Haywire Mac." He came into my life when I was 12, after marrying a family friend. He was an incredible performer. He played an old Sears Silvertone plywood guitar, new 4 chords and 34 songs. But he could entertain you for a half an hour with just one song, telling the story behind, beside and instead of, that one song.I used to get up early on Saturday mornings and help him open the radio station,KJR, In Seattle. He was full of cornball humor, and occasionally let me read weather forcasts and teletype news items on the air. I'm sure it wasn't quite leagal, but BOY, did I love it! Later on in my college years, I majored in radio broadcast and even had my own live folk music show when I was 19! (thanks to Bill for coaching me so well). For most of the Summers of my teeage years, I lived with Bill and his wonderful wife Verna. By now he was charter boat captain in Westport, Washington, and I worked with him as his bait boy. This was a Finnish community, and a baitboy was called a 'pooker.' During those Summers, he taught me guitar, ballads, singing, elecution, diction, style, presentation. Verna was a school librarian, so when I wasn't practising performance skills with Bill, Verna had me at the library researching folk songs ... what a wonderful time those Summers were. He was a 'killer' on diction. I well remember singing 32 verses of Mattie Groves, only to stumble on a word in the 33rd verse. He would stop me, by shouting, make me sing it again, from verse one! To this day, diction is a must with me ... remember children, spit out those final consonants and don't mumble. So, here's a tribute to a wonderful man, Bill Higley. He died in Westport Washington about 1962.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 06:57 PM

I cant believe I left out, Art Thieme, Tommy Makem Wilf Carter and Lenny Breau.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Little Hawk
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 05:58 PM

Yes, Tish is absolutely wonderful.

- LH

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: wdyat12
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 04:40 PM

Aaaa, Tish Hinojosa, So fine Indy lass. Wish I could meet her.

wdyat12

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: John Hardly
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 05:29 PM

Hey Indy lass,
get thee over to Fountain Square tonight and meet up with another legend--Bryan Bowers!

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,Indy lass
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 04:52 PM

I met Tish Hinojosa at a school meeting in Austin, TX. My two kids played with her two kids during the meeting in the auditorium lobby and we briefly spoke. Of course I told her I loved her music. In 1977 or 78 I took mandolin lessons from Joel Mabus in an East Lansing music store (I think it was Elderly Instruments first place.) A few years ago I took a Celtic College class in traditional music from Eileen McGann in Goderich, Ont.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Spud Murphy
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 04:18 PM

I was going through Carmel during the Pro-Am Invitational some years back and swung around Seventeen Mile Drive for no particular reason except to gawk at the celebrities. About the time we were passing the clubhouse at Spy Glass I decided I had to use the facilities. While so involved I happened to take a sidelong glance at the gent standing next to me and realized I was pissing just one urinal away from the one then being put to similar use by Bing Crosby. I got so startled by the experience that I might have splashed on him a little. I probably did.

Oh, well. Into each life some rain must fall. He finished and left while I was still puttin mine away.

Spud

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,chris
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 01:14 PM

i gigged with Wayne Kramer in 1979 at Paychecks in Hamtramck,

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 09:11 AM

I'm not sure I know what a legend is but I have never known anyone famous although I have spoken to a few well known folk performers - you do when youre involved with the running of a folk club - even small ones like Llanudno had the likes of Swarbrick, Carthy, etc in my time but that doesn't count.

The encounters with known performers I have enjoyed the most are a mostly a little selfish but I had a great time sitting up with Damien Barber playing and singing till 6am and drinking his home made wine, I was flattered by Denny Bartley asking me to kick some life into an outdoor seession for him and Chris Sherbourne, I'll never forget Sully congratulating me on my playing (OK I was buying an instruement off him but..), I played a spontanious duet (Trumpet and Sailors hornpipes) in a pub in Conwy - turned out I was playing with Richard Durrant who at the time was also playing for Sky... Small things but as a run of the mill type folky, they have been big things for me.

The person who helped me the most musically is not a known name even though she did win the All Ireland Championship on whistle. It was at a time when my confidence was very low and another musician was doing his best to destroy what remained of it. She and her partner saw what was going on and invited me back for a drink after the session. They talked aboout it, encouraged me to play with them... I owe them a lot.

Jon

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: John Hardly
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 09:04 AM

second half of above post was addressed to Bartholemew.

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: John Hardly
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 09:02 AM

I've taken guitar lessons with Joel Mabus.

If you're still around..the topper to your above mentioned T-shirt: "God partied with ME"


JH (who is leaving to avoid incoming lightning bolt)

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 09:02 AM

Thanks, Don. Those wonderful folks we met in our travels will always be alive as long as we sing their songs and tell their stories. Immortal musings...

Subject: RE: what musical legends have you known
From: alison
Date: 24 Mar 01 - 08:53 AM

does being chatted up by Andy Irvine count?

slainte

alison