|
14 Oct 04 - 01:06 AM (#1296648) Subject: In Praise of Sidemen From: Cluin I was listening to some old Buck Owens today and noting how much Don Rich contributed to the distinctive instantly recognizable sound of the Buckaroos... his distintive harmonies plus his guitar and fiddle work. I don't know if I'd want to hear much of him singing the lead, but he certained shone as a sideman. Having done a bit of sideman work myself (as most of us do from time to time) I can appreciate talent like that. A few other great sidemen: Willie P. Bennett with Fred Eaglesmith (the best thing about Fred's band was Willie's contribution IMO, except that I also like Willie P.'s solo work too--even moreso). Saw Willie P. play simultaneous DIFFERENT leads on harmonica and mandolin, then come flawlessly out of it into a high harmony behind Fred who I'm not sure knew how good he had it. Red Shea and Dick Haynes (guitar and bass, respectively) with Gord Lightfoot in his best days in the late 60s & early 70s... the classic trio always works. Ditto for Mike Taylor and Dick Kniss with John Denver. And Dwight Yoakam owes a lot to lead guitarist/producer Pete Anderson for his success too. Colin Linden (played with lots of greats) is my hero. If I see his name on a recording as producer, I know I'll love it. Then, of course, there's Curly Boy Stubbs... So, what sidemen do you like? Put together your dream band. |
|
14 Oct 04 - 01:12 AM (#1296650) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Peace Bill Garrett--guitar Paul Mills (CB Stubbs)--guitar Barry Keene--drummer Rick Whitelaw--electric guitar Pepe Francis--electric guitar Randy Kempf (Rockin' Randy)--electric bass There's yer basic group that can handle ANYTHING. |
|
14 Oct 04 - 06:31 AM (#1296778) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Paco Rabanne Spyboy. End of thread. You can't top them, so there! |
|
14 Oct 04 - 09:17 AM (#1296856) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Roger the Skiffler On the UK blues scene Sam Kelly plays drums with everyone and Pete Stroud on bass (with Peter Green & Papa George etc.) are two I'd want in my band (if I had a band!). RtS |
|
14 Oct 04 - 09:39 AM (#1296870) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: GUEST,DrWordSansBiscuit Russ Savakus [?sp] & Bruce Langhorn backing Odetta sings Dylan It don't get any better! cheers Dennis |
|
14 Oct 04 - 10:43 AM (#1296913) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: GUEST,MurkeyChris Danny Thompson double bass player with Pentangle, Richard Thompson, Linda Thompson, Julie Murphy, John Martyn, Nick Drake, Peter Gabriel, Donavan, The Blind Boys of Alabama and so many more. You can always recognise his distictive fluid sound and it always gives me goosebumps! |
|
14 Oct 04 - 10:47 AM (#1296915) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Midchuck Andrew Hardin - Tom Russell's permanent guitarist. If I could have anyone in the world just to back me (on guitar, anyway) while I'm singing, he'd be it. Grady Martin - particularly his "Mexican flavored" stuff on the old Marty Robbins cowboy recordings - "El Paso," etc. Jack Lawrence - has been Doc Watson's "sideman" for lo these many years. If he weren't in Doc's shadow, and there were any justice, he'd be considered one of the greats in flatpick guitar in his own right. Kristina Cady, a/k/a Mizchuck - can follow anything I can sing on fiddle, or sing harmony to it, as needed. A more trad. fiddler asked her once how she improvised fiddle parts and fills so easily. She just said, "I just play the part I'd sing if my voice range went that high." Other fiddler said "Oh," and wandered away muttering to himself. Peter. |
|
14 Oct 04 - 01:10 PM (#1297012) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Wesley S How about David Rawlings with Gillain Welch ? That cheap little epiphone archtop guitar he plays MAKES the sound of that duo come alive. And Norman Blake with anybody. |
|
14 Oct 04 - 07:19 PM (#1297291) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Peace While I didn't really care for Baez's rendition of "Walkin' Down the Line", Langhorn's guitar work on that was exceptional. Wow. |
|
14 Oct 04 - 07:41 PM (#1297310) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: pdq More of a "dream team" than a list of sidemen, but... Dobro - Mike Auldridge Twin Fiddles: Vasser Clements and Buddy Spicher Lead Guitar - David Grier or Tony Rice or David Bromberg Rythm Guitar - Joe Stuart or Norman Blake Mondolin - Red Rector or John Duffey or David Grisman Bass - Tom Grey or Roy Huskey, Jr. Banjo - Bill Emerson or Bill Keith or Eddie Adcock ...hopefully all backing a great singer like Bill Clifton. |
|
18 Oct 04 - 03:02 PM (#1299965) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Cluin Yep, seen lots of these names all over some of my favourite recordings. I'll throw a couple more out there: Flaco Jimenez (Tex-Mex accordion) Rebecca Campbell (vocals) David Woodhead (bassman extraordinaire) Wendell Ferguson (lead guitar) Ian LeFeuvre (great lead and fill guitar-work with Lynn Miles) |
|
18 Oct 04 - 04:31 PM (#1299983) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: RichM Cluin, you must hear the same sounds in your soul that I do! Your first list included people that have affected my taste, and style of music-- Willie P. Bennett with Fred Eaglesmith Red Shea and Dick Haynes (guitar and bass, respectively) with Gord Lightfoot Colin Linden (played with lots of greats) Rebecca Campbell (vocals) a favorite of mine since I first heard and saw her in the mid 80's David Woodhead (bassman extraordinaire) David is da bomb on da bass! And the reason I stepped up to the plate and bought a fretless bass. Ian LeFeuvre (great lead and fill guitar-work with Lynn Miles) Ian exemplifies the zenith of accompanists; He tailors his breaks and backup to enhance and support the melody---doesn't merely string a buncha tasty licks together...to carry the tailor metaphor further, his breaks are custom made rather than off the rack suits. Rich McCarthy |
|
19 Oct 04 - 12:00 AM (#1300321) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Cluin Sounds like we're twin sons of different mothers, Rich. |
|
13 Dec 04 - 04:42 PM (#1355928) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Cluin Just listening to Rebecca Campbell's fine back-up work on a Lynn Miles CD and it brought back memory of this thread. I remember her work with Fat Man Waving and Three Sheet to the Wind too. I was also listening to some old Gram Parsons recordings the other day and remarked at how much Emmylou Harris had added with her backup vocals to his sound. A lot of his earlier stuff tended to sound almost like demo quality, I always thought (which is not necessarily a bad thing all the time). He also influenced her quite a bit too, it seems. She perhaps "oversang" in the beginning, maybe trying for a Joan Baez thing, when he first started with her, but I think she learned a few things about stripping songs down to their bones and pumping more feeling into them. By the time she went solo (after GP passed on), she really could knock your socks off. And she still does a lot of great back-up work today. |
|
14 Dec 04 - 04:10 PM (#1356927) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Once Famous I can't believe one of the greatest sidemen has not been mentioned. Don Helms steel guitar in The Drifting Cowboys literally defines the Hank Williams sound. It almost defines the whole genre of country music. |
|
07 Mar 06 - 10:13 PM (#1687930) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: Cluin Jerry Douglas on dobro with EVERYBODY. |
|
07 Mar 06 - 11:48 PM (#1687966) Subject: RE: In Praise of Sidemen From: iancarterb Peace said this, but not enough. Bruce Langhorne with the Farinas was a worthy exemplar for a number of old (now- young then!)geezers on less unacceptable uses of ee-lectick gittars forty-plus years ago. Not many did it then. Few did it better than he. |