need info:American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: Mark Ross
Date: 28 Oct 08 - 06:21 PM

Lyddiebits, where in Oregon are you?

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: GUEST,Lyddiebits (He's my Great-Granddaddy)
Date: 28 Oct 08 - 02:32 PM

Yep, I've heard of him...met him, fished with him. He's my Great-Granddaddy!

I'm not a member of this forum, but I was doing a family search for another Thomasson and ran across this forum with my Granddaddy's name, so I thought I'd post.

He was an amazing fiddler! All of Uncle Jerry's kids have lots of talent. (Josh Pinkham is Jerry's grandson).

Lyddiebits
Oregon

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: rogerontheoldtraps
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 11:57 PM

Most people that remember Benny Thomasson also remember his son, Jerry, who is awesome on the tenor guitar and backed up his father wherever he performed. (The is a Jerry Thomason signature tenor guitar on the market.) The fiddle player for Slim Chance & the Survivors is a fellow named Reggie Wrinkle, whose sister, Jennifer Wrinkle plays fiddle and sings harmony vocals for Reba McEntire. Reggie is a good friend of Mark O'Connor (Benny's star student) so he also is a big fan of Benny Thomasson. I had the pleasure of getting Reggie together with Jerry Thomason at a Texas music festival and the chemistry between them was incredible! They simply stole the show that day, although their performance was off-the-cuff as they had never before played together. Reggie was on top of the world, finally playing with the son of one of his biggest musical influences. I wish someone had recorded that performance.

rogerontheoldtraps
Abilene, Texas

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: johnross
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 10:27 PM

I didn't know Benny well, but I met him a few times after he moved to Washington state. He became a big part of the Northwest fiddle community. I remember him as a really nice guy, and he was very generous with guidance to younger musicians, including the young Mark O'Connor. You can still hear his influence in the styles of a lot of fiddlers in this part of the country.

There's also a lot of tape of Benny out there. His records for Voyager are still available on CD: http://www.voyagerrecords.com/cd_cass.htm#L345


And of course, he was a regular at the National Oldtime Fiddle Championships in Weiser, Idaho. In the early 70s, there was some serious competition for the Grand Championship among Benny, Dick Barrett and some of the other great Texas style fiddlers.

I recorded the Wesier contest for NPR one year. I think the winner was Herman Johnson, with Dick B. second and Benny No. 3. They were all smiling for the crowd and the camera, but on the tape you can tell that Dick was seriously pissed that he didn't take the top award. Benny was the popular favorite, and he was happy to take his prize.

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: rogerontheoldtraps
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 04:43 PM

Once again, I'm impressed by the knowledge of those on this forum. According to legend, it was Benny's father, Luke, who wrote "Midnight On the Water." Yes, Benny's great-grandson, Josh Pinkham, is making quite a name for himself on the mandolin. Benny's son and Josh's grandfather, tenor guitarist Jerry Thomason, is a good friend of mine. Benny was very good friends with my maternal grandfather and Master violin maker, the late J.E. Morrow of Fort Worth, Texas. Incidentally, Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez perform a lovely rendition of "Midnight On the Water" on their "Let's Leave This Town" CD.

This is a *cool* forum!

Cheers!
Roger-on-the-old-traps
Abilene, Texas

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: GLoux
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 04:12 PM

DNA is a scary thing...WOW!!!

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 04:01 PM

He's also the great-grandfather of teenage mandolin wizard Josh Pinkham.

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: GLoux
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 03:38 PM

Here's a link to a bio on Benny Thomasson.

-Greg

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: GLoux
Date: 16 Sep 05 - 09:47 AM

Didn't he write Midnight on the Water?

-Greg

Subject: RE: American fiddle legend, Benny Thomasson
From: masato sakurai
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 10:23 PM

I have his video: TEXAS FIDDLE LEGENDS (Benny Thomasson & Dick Barrett) (Yazoo 517). Entertaining.

Subject: American fiddling legend, Benny Thomasson
From: rogerontheoldtraps
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 09:48 PM

How many members of this forum have ever heard of the late American fiddling legend, Benny Thomasson?

Roger-on-the-old-traps
Abilene, Texas