tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27232196245006454992024-03-05T04:24:09.653-06:00The BackbeatLarryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-30355233615500183592024-02-05T17:33:00.008-06:002024-02-18T20:49:50.900-06:00Finding Common Ground<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"></span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVW78ELP3zNjmevHv9GBvbZM4jvjdUWq1gMtewVLxJ4iUqNaM_coArB0GiBltrdoOy29iS4DQtD_DDgbikh4RC17LDW2mbayMV6DYIhA43JtMsM_FJXW1vxu-Rsf1HOLfXXgzxyYlGNMYBjExuarDPm_he_jqIiaG1zZrgvD81jQ-yA_5ac6xwFJA_M6g/s221/Scott.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="173" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVW78ELP3zNjmevHv9GBvbZM4jvjdUWq1gMtewVLxJ4iUqNaM_coArB0GiBltrdoOy29iS4DQtD_DDgbikh4RC17LDW2mbayMV6DYIhA43JtMsM_FJXW1vxu-Rsf1HOLfXXgzxyYlGNMYBjExuarDPm_he_jqIiaG1zZrgvD81jQ-yA_5ac6xwFJA_M6g/s1600/Scott.jpg" width="173" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother at 16.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">My brother Scott and I did not get along well as kids. We butted heads often, especially when I was in high school, and he was in middle school. He is four years younger than I am, and when he was 14 or so, he was almost in a different universe than I was. I guess I was the intolerant older brother, and we just clashed.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I was more interested in popular music, and I was getting into the singer/songwriter genre, where the songs had deeper meaning. Scott liked Black Sabbath, Mountain, and other heavier rock music. I guess I thought my music was better than his, and I probably told him so. </span><div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It's no surprise that we would clash over such things, with me telling him that his music was inconsequential, and mine had ‘meaning.’ I look back on that and it makes me shudder. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">One of the songs that sticks out from that time and reminds me of our differences was Lee Michaels’ <i>Do You Know What I Mean</i>. It was on Top 40 radio, and I guess to Scott, it was drivel, and I guess that pissed me off, because I thought it was superior to what he liked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I remember a conversation back then when we were probably arguing about song quality. I mentioned Michaels’ song as a good example of a song that was more rock than pop yet was played often on Top 40 radio. He scoffed, and said, “Who is Lee Michaels?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">A few weeks later, I was asked to pick him and a friend up and bring them home. As it happened, <i>Do You Know What I Mean</i> came on the car radio, and I said to Scott, “That’s Lee Michaels.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">He looked at his friend with a smirk, and said sarcastically, “Oookaay.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">He didn’t remember the earlier conversation, and I took that as a slam at me and my personal taste for music.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">He has lived in Rhode Island for decades, and I’ve spent the past nearly thirty years in Texas, so we’ve only seen each other maybe once in that time. We rarely talked, and only occasionally communicated by email or text in all those years.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Then, one day a few months ago, he emailed me, asking for advice on guitar playing. I’ve played guitar for 40+ years, and he only started a few years ago, and he decided it was time to ask older brother for help. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I answered his questions, and I recorded a short instructional video that I posted on my YouTube channel, specifically to show him how to play <i>Take It Easy</i>, per his request. So here we were, now in our 60s, finally finding some common ground to communicate – over a song we both liked. Imagine that. It could have happened all those years ago, but hard-headed people (mostly me, but probably him too) often don’t see these things when they’re in the middle of it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">It is nice to know that although back in our teenage years, he probably saw me as an ass, he now apparently feels that I might be able to help him with something.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">When I was looking for songs to add to my Spotify playlist, I came across Lee Michaels and <i>Do You Know What I Mean</i>. It made me think of those long-ago days when Scott and I couldn’t stand each other. At least now, I did my best to answer his questions and help him out – not trying to be superior, just helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Sometimes, you do learn over time. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: georgia;">I’m glad we finally found common ground about something, and a way to express respect for each other. It’s a shame that it took so many years, but it’s good that we got there.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Scott died on February 5, 2024, aged 65. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzR9sVtWNUGzqSnjFG_-6DSdyIqlfPcV7thloXZitwyJ5w4vaUiGMwn8LskGDpnNU-mE3N_vB48qJC28utisQvn41qfAadWoWFh2XGmEQ4JigK-5AVvXkhguZOZcGFzVO2RYwlaqmYxU5qQ5-yAZS_VVjmmjA1ZV3oQzL-2hNRxTkoDA1VcUwpzDKsi9o/s225/Scott%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="211" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzR9sVtWNUGzqSnjFG_-6DSdyIqlfPcV7thloXZitwyJ5w4vaUiGMwn8LskGDpnNU-mE3N_vB48qJC28utisQvn41qfAadWoWFh2XGmEQ4JigK-5AVvXkhguZOZcGFzVO2RYwlaqmYxU5qQ5-yAZS_VVjmmjA1ZV3oQzL-2hNRxTkoDA1VcUwpzDKsi9o/s1600/Scott%202.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p></div>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-56997172997500874902023-01-26T06:36:00.002-06:002023-01-26T06:53:07.362-06:00The ‘Top’ Man<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6c6Ht_hDxkJWhC0cO_dThM6FEzc1KwMZVZowwFs-AAlCaRtNroEZWFm5uuUO9i3QJWyQzlI102heuBB-I0mSUxzpdlIBGnCJq9jX_0Ae5168zP5W3TGNqvKvbbb-m0qONO7U0xyuU-M/s1600/Top.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6c6Ht_hDxkJWhC0cO_dThM6FEzc1KwMZVZowwFs-AAlCaRtNroEZWFm5uuUO9i3QJWyQzlI102heuBB-I0mSUxzpdlIBGnCJq9jX_0Ae5168zP5W3TGNqvKvbbb-m0qONO7U0xyuU-M/s200/Top.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">He was the <i>first</i>
lead guitar player in one of the great guitar bands of all time. As a founding
member, he helped to shape the early direction of the band, as they quickly
became one of the premier acts in the busy London blues scene of 1963. By 1964
though, he had left the band, to be replaced in succession by three of the most
popular lead guitarists in rock history. </span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">His name is Anthony 'Top' Topham (also known as 'Sanderson') and his band was the
Yardbirds, which included original members, singer Keith Relf, guitarist Chris
Dreja, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith, and drummer Jim McCarty. Their vision was to
play blues – not so different than what a lot of other British bands were doing
at the time, but the young Yardbirds, with Top on lead guitar were better than most of the competition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Within a few months, the Yardbirds were rising stars, first
as the backing band for singer/harmonica player Cyril Davies, and then on their
own. They were playing classic Chicago style blues, covering artists like Muddy
Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Bo Diddley, as well as Elmore James. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I asked Top via an e-mail interview about the original vision
of the Yardbirds band members. What was the agenda - get rich; get girls; be
faithful to the blues; make hit records?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>"These considerations
were on a different planet at that time and age,"</i> he told me<i>. "We were passionate about playing blues
music and wanted to get better; it all took off so quickly."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Take off they did, as the Yardbirds quickly gained a
reputation as a quality act amid dozens of other bands vying for stage time and
recognition. It was an exciting time for serious, aspiring musicians - the
chance to take what they had learned from the old masters and interpret it in a
way modern audiences would appreciate. I asked Top how it felt to be on
the 'frontlines' of the British blues scene.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>"We never thought of
it as a frontier</i>," he said.<i> "We just
loved playing blues."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Top's guitar influences were similar to those of many of his
contemporaries.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Topham: "<i>Big Bill
Broonzy, Blind Boy Fuller, Jimmy Reed, Jody Williams, Willie Johnson, Hubert
Sumlin, Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters. We had never heard BB King or of him at that
point!!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Like young musicians everywhere, money was tight and
equipment was hard to come by. Not many British guitarists owned Gibson or
Fender guitars in 1963. Hank Marvin of the Shadows had a Fender Stratocaster, one
of the few British musicians of the time to own such a guitar. Top's guitars
included:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>“Framus Black Rose, then
Harmony Sovereign, then Harmony Stratatone - could only afford one guitar.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Two months after the Yardbirds formed, Giorgio Gomelsky,
owner of the well-known Crawdaddy Club (and later the band's manager and first
record producer) invited them to take over as the house band. The Rolling Stones
had held the position, but they were moving on to bigger things, leaving a
golden opportunity for the Yardbirds. To realize that it was the Yardbirds that
were chosen to replace the Stones at the Crawdaddy when the Stones moved on
speaks volumes about the talent level in the band.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately for Topham, this move led to his departure
from the group. He was only 15 years old at the time, and although he was
earning good money (<i>"double what my father was earning,")</i> his parents were none too happy at the thought of Top
leaving school to play blues in a club far into the night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Top said: "<i>I was only
15 then, three or four years younger than the rest, and there was no way my
parents would let me go out five or six nights a week to play music."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The decision was made that Top would quit the band and
return to his studies. It was not a popular decision with Top.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>"It was not happy - it
was extremely stressful."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Topham left the band and returned to art school – giving up
the coveted Yardbirds lead guitar role to the 'older' Eric Clapton (all of 17).
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>"Eric Clapton was the
obvious person to replace me," </i>Top told me.<i> </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And so the man who was there at the beginning - the man who helped to build the band, shape the shared vision, and make the
Yardbirds into a force in the British blues scene, stepped down. Topham was
quoted as saying that after awhile, he hadn't regretted the move as the band
was moving away from the blues and into mainstream pop – not a direction that
Top would have been happy with (and as it turned out less than two years later,
for Clapton too. He quit in protest reportedly because he felt the Yardbirds
were abandoning their roots – the blues).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Topham went on to Art College, which led to a career in
interior design and painting, as well as continuing to play his music. Top
played in several bands and worked as a studio musician through the years but
unfortunately, never really received the credit he is due as the <i>first</i> lead guitarist in the Yardbirds –
a very good guitarist overshadowed by men who became legends of rock guitar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I wondered if Top felt that had he not quit the Yardbirds, he might have influenced the others to stay true to the blues and steer
away from the commercial material they recorded with three other lead
guitarists.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>"Possibly, it would
have been different,"</i> Top said<i>. "I never
really liked what they did later, except for 'Still I’m Sad' - a great tune. However
I have always been a great admirer of Jeff </i>[Beck]<i>."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In 1992, the Yardbirds were inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. As Jimmy Page stepped to
the microphone, he announced to the crowd that one member couldn't be there to
accept his award – the late Keith Relf, lead singer, who had died in 1976. The
problem is that Jimmy forgot someone – a man who had been instrumental
(in more ways than one) in making the Yardbirds into a band that would
eventually be inducted into the Hall: Anthony 'Top' Topham.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The Yardbirds with Topham on lead guitar were obviously good
enough to become the house band at the Crawdaddy Club in 1963 – a major step
in the development of the band. I asked Top if he felt slighted that he is not
as well known as the three later Yardbirds lead guitarists, and has not received
credit for helping to propel the Yardbirds to a prominent position in the
London Blues scene before Clapton, Beck, and Page.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"<i>Perhaps; there is
still a lot that has never been said and it may well one day..."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What if he had not quite the band – could he have influenced
the others to continue to play blues rather than veering off in the direction
they took?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>"No I probably would
have been outrageously outrageous," </i>he told me.<i> "I was a very creative person."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In order to make the Yardbirds story complete, the familiar
chorus of 'Clapton, Beck, and Page' needs to be rephrased. It should read: '<i>Topham</i>, Clapton, Beck, and Page' - <i>four</i> great and deserving lead guitar
players in one of the greatest bands of the rock era.</span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C" style="color: purple;">Larry Manch</a></i></span><i> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319" style="color: purple;">'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories',</a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'A Sports Junkie'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'The Avery Appointment'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</a></span>. His books are available in paperback and e-book.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He writes about sports for <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;">Season Tickets</a></span>, food and travel on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;">Miles & Meals</a></span>, and music/guitars on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;">The Backbeat</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><i><a href="https://twitter.com/LTM_Author">Follow @LTM_Author</a></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><i><br /></i></div>
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Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-67362660861707134842021-08-27T08:33:00.000-05:002021-08-27T08:33:33.680-05:00Don Everly & Charlie Watts Were Exceptionally Talented Guys<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDaQejmOcfGFU2b8NKdo7LWD2MQbyl7lnlB1bhjwyyOnOTAdtHx50NLBZaHcPN4FnoUXTgjAi5ny4CdBUCSWWTfBAlRDQ6sG_W384472g00oAZ0MhRXN7MXygidOGHSsqqSDoLmcZKjw/s480/everly.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="480" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDaQejmOcfGFU2b8NKdo7LWD2MQbyl7lnlB1bhjwyyOnOTAdtHx50NLBZaHcPN4FnoUXTgjAi5ny4CdBUCSWWTfBAlRDQ6sG_W384472g00oAZ0MhRXN7MXygidOGHSsqqSDoLmcZKjw/w200-h148/everly.gif" width="200" /></a></span></span></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I’ve been a baseball fan since about 1960, and a music fan for just as long. My Mom used to sing along with the Everly Brothers on the radio. I saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, and not long after that, heard the Rolling Stones for the first time. Those things inspired me to become a guitar player. Don Everly died on August 21, 2021, and Charlie Watts, drummer for the Stones, died three days later. Don was 84, Charlie 80 - not unexpected for guys their age. But damn, it strikes me as profoundly sad. Those guys had a lot to do with my start as a musician.</span></span><p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's with much sadness that we let you all know that Donald Everly has passed away. <br />Thoughts and prayers go to Mrs Margaret Everly, Don's wife Adela and her sister, Don's son and daughters, Patti and her and Phil's sons and other family members, his friends and you the fans. <a href="https://t.co/gGQAyl8sev">pic.twitter.com/gGQAyl8sev</a></p>— Everly Brothers Int. (@EverlyBrosInt) <a href="https://twitter.com/EverlyBrosInt/status/1429340155303825417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve played in various bands for more than forty years. Everly Brothers and Rolling Stones songs have long been part of my set lists. I played their music because they were great songs. Don and his brother Phil were exceptional performers, great singers, with memorable harmonies. I don’t have the greatest singing voice, and I’ve done better singing harmony over the years. Don and Phil were great teachers for such a skill. </span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">As a guitar player, my heroes have always been guys like Keith Richards. He was one of Charlie Watts’ band mates for most of his life, and another great ‘teacher’ for me. I spent many hours playing along with Keith, Charlie, and the Stones, learning rock and roll. Any guitar player will tell you how important it is to have a good, solid drummer. Charlie was one of the very best. I suppose the Stones would have become famous had they never met Charlie, but the fact is, he was a huge part of their success. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/wi6333F6QF">pic.twitter.com/wi6333F6QF</a></p>— The Rolling Stones (@RollingStones) <a href="https://twitter.com/RollingStones/status/1430209721567416323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2021</a></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like I said, it’s not unusual for guys in their 80’s to pass on. But it sure is a damn shame when superior talents like Don Everly and Charlie Watts leave us. We still have the music they recorded, but the world is a sadder place today because we lost such exceptionally talented men.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Others will follow, of course. People get old and they die. Don and Charlie helped to teach me how to play rock and roll. As such, they played a big role in my musical life. I owe a debt of gratitude to guys like Don and Charlie.</span></span></p>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-47763779885260343862020-10-28T19:55:00.001-05:002023-02-08T12:02:33.046-06:00The One-Dollar Gig<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXETM25xNkKuOdn_L5qH0uxJi2Q7gAVLqByYWW5G9Ch6reVl56gWfiqAZBOxLY3vo2qfxJpVo6Qmprtdv0N2fw2bnQrX5pWL3CmDkejcMroXkYjO6Rgmco2pf1lT9Rf8SdeqsPhFCuIhk/s1024/Tulsa+time+12_1024.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="1024" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXETM25xNkKuOdn_L5qH0uxJi2Q7gAVLqByYWW5G9Ch6reVl56gWfiqAZBOxLY3vo2qfxJpVo6Qmprtdv0N2fw2bnQrX5pWL3CmDkejcMroXkYjO6Rgmco2pf1lT9Rf8SdeqsPhFCuIhk/w200-h128/Tulsa+time+12_1024.jpg" width="200" /></a></span>As a guitar player, <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;">I've played a lot of gigs over the years - </span></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;">but </span></span>the best was an unplanned gig with my brother David. We didn’t even have our own equipment with us, but it worked well.<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-size-adjust: auto;">It happened over 40 years ago, in 1980. We were both visiting our parents at Christmas time. We wanted some beer, but the problem was we had exactly two dollars between us. We could have bought two six-packs of Kohlers - the skunkiest beer ever made (99 cents a six-pack), but we decided we wanted to get out of the house and have some decent beer.</span></p><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We drove into town on a bitter cold December night. No one was around; we went first to the Wooden Nickel Tavern on Main Street, but it was closed. We knew there was only one other place that might be open in this little town - a bar on the north side of town on Route 28. I can't remember the name of the place, but it was for locals; they were not usually open to having college students in their bar.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We drove up there and saw maybe three trucks in the parking lot, so we went inside. We expected to be thrown out, but the bartender saw us and said, "Hey, come on in from the cold and have a seat."</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We sat at the bar and ordered two draft beers, probably Budweiser - a much better brew than the toxic Kohlers. They were fifty cents apiece, and we had just spent half of what we had. We sat at the bar, nursing our beers, knowing we only had enough money for two more.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Then I noticed an acoustic guitar on a shelf behind the bar, so I asked the guy about it. He said, "Do you play?" I said yes, and he handed it to me. I tuned it up, strummed a few chords and it sounded pretty good.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The bartender said to David, "Do you play too?"</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">"I play bass," said David.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">"Well you're in luck," said the bartender. He pointed behind us in the dark. "There's an old stand up bass over there."</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">David walked over, picked it up and played a few notes. Then we started playing a song, and the bartender poured each of us another beer. I started to reach for my money, and he said, "Oh no, the band never pays for beer in this bar."</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We played more songs; the bartender kept pouring more beer, the other people in the bar (all four of them) started dancing and applauding. </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">We played for about two hours and the bartender kept pouring beer for us. We only paid for the first two - one dollar. By the time we left, we still had a dollar and we'd played a lot of songs and drank a lot of decent draft beer - all on the house.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I've played a lot of guitar in the 40+ some years since I bought my first one. That bar in a small town on a bitter cold December night with two dollars in our pockets was one of the most fun times I've ever had.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I wrote about this 'gig' in my book, 'Song Stories,' available in paperback on Amazon.com</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(88, 86, 214); text-size-adjust: auto;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJrGgiuvfwqNtEf-D_7Wn0BlUSOuzsO4RRIuLongnfNkuM6wETR1aAQaDYC8fR5YPpV9aeExpF9okaab8k-LtkRlAp1tOgDfdk2iop9yFz9_ccbl4hjf5RE3et503w5C0rysn9biApZy0l3JmMl0ZtU1DuRRW87cyU8FCABHDpj3Qp1zUZA8tVHKj/s200/Song%20stories%20cover%20small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJrGgiuvfwqNtEf-D_7Wn0BlUSOuzsO4RRIuLongnfNkuM6wETR1aAQaDYC8fR5YPpV9aeExpF9okaab8k-LtkRlAp1tOgDfdk2iop9yFz9_ccbl4hjf5RE3et503w5C0rysn9biApZy0l3JmMl0ZtU1DuRRW87cyU8FCABHDpj3Qp1zUZA8tVHKj/w250-h400/Song%20stories%20cover%20small.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch</span></i></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Larry-Manch/author/B00DWKHW4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: purple;"><b><i>Amazon.com</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow @LTM_Author</span></b></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildAL3I2tFmhrE0bIgIRF0JDSEloT6YFN6I-y4ZOANwmQsxRqQCjyBjXUlprpixd3WO-FUH2mOw8zGa5qP_ximqHNa2lfpuXdCX_5XnjZcXR4eeHXP0UMPg6Oq7-Y1vhDGIkCNpqE85lMw2iWdCEyd7x0vmhVuubDLysW5xf-oJYfBhSOvcdcqaVUV/s720/Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="231" data-original-width="720" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildAL3I2tFmhrE0bIgIRF0JDSEloT6YFN6I-y4ZOANwmQsxRqQCjyBjXUlprpixd3WO-FUH2mOw8zGa5qP_ximqHNa2lfpuXdCX_5XnjZcXR4eeHXP0UMPg6Oq7-Y1vhDGIkCNpqE85lMw2iWdCEyd7x0vmhVuubDLysW5xf-oJYfBhSOvcdcqaVUV/w400-h129/Books.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-size-adjust: auto;"><div class="gmail_default"></div></div>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-42808557199864133362020-05-14T09:59:00.002-05:002023-02-15T09:02:56.341-06:00Dream Guitars<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTv-cuyk826xWnsAGB_ccIU-2Qq8Xt-hm9miR7sMZNar0QgcwqTW1mP7EX1A3c9zyHJlJvW2Psp27VPXgH6W0lZQu1UfyB7HEzR0Ab4ScM2UZA73Y4r1ApGxonMTL07cdGE3F_YkCHwI/s1600/guitar+75.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="1024" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTv-cuyk826xWnsAGB_ccIU-2Qq8Xt-hm9miR7sMZNar0QgcwqTW1mP7EX1A3c9zyHJlJvW2Psp27VPXgH6W0lZQu1UfyB7HEzR0Ab4ScM2UZA73Y4r1ApGxonMTL07cdGE3F_YkCHwI/s200/guitar+75.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Guitar players love to play, look at, talk and dream about
guitars. To the uninitiated, a guitar is just a guitar. For a musician though,
guitars have different sounds, purposes, and looks that make them desirable. I
own a cherry-sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard and a Fender American Standard
Telecaster, guitars I've played for decades. They have served me well in
various bands and recording but, of course, guitar players always have a list
of axes they dream of owning. My list is short and no, I don't really <i>need</i>
any more guitars, but oh to dream...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Gibson SG, wine-red</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Several years before I bought my first guitar, I worked in a
mall and every day, I walked past a guitar store. They had a lot of guitars,
but the one that made me stop to look every day was a spectacular wine-red
Gibson SG. This guitar just screams rock and roll, and although it's made in a
bunch of colors and finishes, the shiny, wine-red with the wood grain showing
through always struck me as spectacular. It is a stunning piece of equipment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I've had the chance to play several of these beautiful guitars
over the years and discovered two problems. First, the design of the body makes
them neck heavy, meaning you must at least keep your left hand on it at all
times, or else it takes a dive toward the floor (better have strap locks
installed.) The other problem is the double cutaway makes for a longer neck and
fretboard, a problem for short guys like me with short arms. I could live with
the first problem, but it's the second that kept me from buying an SG over the
years. Still, this is one fine looking axe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The SG (short for 'solid guitar') has been used by many
notable players, including Eric Clapton, (he had his painted) Angus Young,
Robby Krieger, (the Doors) Tony Iommi, (Black Sabbath) Frank Zappa, Pete Townshend,
and many more.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDhgCKuGbKDrmf2qL1Utfg0Id2LoG-irqA7a_gPah9Y4tZKLjGSoG81PN9-BHjaohbWwajPH80NX7kD115uEcUlKqiFIqHoYNY8y7fEh7BQpsXamkk4nq1XPEHxL5dtr8epUhzfw_hC8/s1600/SG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDhgCKuGbKDrmf2qL1Utfg0Id2LoG-irqA7a_gPah9Y4tZKLjGSoG81PN9-BHjaohbWwajPH80NX7kD115uEcUlKqiFIqHoYNY8y7fEh7BQpsXamkk4nq1XPEHxL5dtr8epUhzfw_hC8/w200-h150/SG.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fender Stratocaster</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back in the mid-'80's, I went looking to buy a Strat. It
didn't take five minutes in the guitar store for me to realize that every one
of those beautiful Strats was </span><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">way</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">out of my price range. I ended up with
a blue Telecaster – an excellent guitar, but it wasn't my first choice.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Strats come in many colors, but the two or three-color
sunburst with a rosewood fretboard are, in my mind, the cream of the crop.
Seafoam green is striking and attractive as well, but if I could only buy one
Strat, it would be the sunburst.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Strat sound is as unique as the look – especially the tones
produced by the neck pickup alone, the neck and middle together, and the middle
alone. Those sounds make the Strat unmistakable, and attractive to guitarists in
many genres. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The list of Strat players is long and distinguished, and for
good reason. Eric Clapton switched to Strats in the late '60's with Derek and
the Dominos and the Layla album, and it's still his main axe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Other well-known Strat players include the late Rory
Gallagher, Mark Knopfler, (Dire Straits) the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, his
brother Jimmy, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, David Gilmore, (Pink Floyd) Jimi Hendrix,
Buddy Holly, Bonnie Raitt, and more.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43tznh2sIW_egeN-UudF24wK1L7TiM5mq1sgrg1yM8hrvP61uVhKoPzY429ButkO20x8HqhH8ETBxpAkubEAcmBbfobRPqQCPYt8WcFzttoKR4NgdF8gyJJ9xQsznAk0vikKy3zCC-ag/s1600/strat+sunburst.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="1100" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43tznh2sIW_egeN-UudF24wK1L7TiM5mq1sgrg1yM8hrvP61uVhKoPzY429ButkO20x8HqhH8ETBxpAkubEAcmBbfobRPqQCPYt8WcFzttoKR4NgdF8gyJJ9xQsznAk0vikKy3zCC-ag/s320/strat+sunburst.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKNruUcy0pXrkqcmOb6hKYdDNZ-IZ44TrUxh_nLU8wf554_y4ET2ECbibCF_-4d4LHkME_65SR5L103uupzmb31Q0cVkVEhuZycInBHNJ5ub6LR_vXsiW5pxKIoeMuoNW2Br1bV2lvIU/s1600/fender.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKNruUcy0pXrkqcmOb6hKYdDNZ-IZ44TrUxh_nLU8wf554_y4ET2ECbibCF_-4d4LHkME_65SR5L103uupzmb31Q0cVkVEhuZycInBHNJ5ub6LR_vXsiW5pxKIoeMuoNW2Br1bV2lvIU/s1600/fender.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="425" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKNruUcy0pXrkqcmOb6hKYdDNZ-IZ44TrUxh_nLU8wf554_y4ET2ECbibCF_-4d4LHkME_65SR5L103uupzmb31Q0cVkVEhuZycInBHNJ5ub6LR_vXsiW5pxKIoeMuoNW2Br1bV2lvIU/s320/fender.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Rickenbacker Electric 12-string</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The electric 12-string produces a spectacular sound that you
can't get any other way. It's that chiming, chorus effect that you hear on many
songs by Led Zeppelin, the Byrds, the Beatles, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,
REM, and others. Several companies have made electric 12-string guitars, most notably:
Gibson, Danelectro, Hagstrom, and Rickenbacker.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I recall standing in a pawn shop in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, back in the '80's, eyeing a nice-looking red Hagstrom electric
12-string. I played in a cover band at the time, and our setlist included
several songs that would sound great with such a guitar. I didn't have much
money, but the asking price was not too shocking, so I played it for a while. I
was </span><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">this close</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> to handing over the money when I took a long look at the
headstock. Changing strings has always been my least favorite guitar activity,
and the thought of having to change and tune 12 of them on the same guitar made
me pause. I paused long enough to talk myself out of buying that guitar. It's a
shame, because the sound really would have been worth the effort, but at the
time, I couldn't convince myself. Danelectro now makes a very nice model for a
very reasonable price (under $500). I played one recently, and I was tempted,
but eventually put it back on the rack.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All 12-strings give you that beautiful sound, but
Rickenbackers are a little different. It's a great look, especially in my opinion,
the natural finish 360/12, and the three pickup 370/12 Roger McGuinn model,
famously used on songs by the Byrds. Apart from the look, the Ric 12 sound is
different because the arrangement of strings is different than other brands. For
12 strings, the three treble strings (E, B, G) are usually paired with one of
the same gauge and tuned in unison. The famous 'jangly' Ric sound is achieved as
the three bass strings (E, A, D) are paired with octave strings as usual, but
placed on the treble side, as opposed to Gibson and other brands that put the
octave on the bass side. The difference is striking and sets Rickenbackers
apart from the others (it's obviously a matter of taste, as is everything else I'm
writing about in this piece.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Besides McGuinn, Rickenbacker electric 12-strings have been
used by George Harrison, the late Tom Petty and his lead guitarist, Mike
Campbell, REM's Peter Buck, and others. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1a-9eFV-Pr7S11AlmUZWn1qlK-s7SYpzGF-l8rfJJWj0VsoTFTJntkKUytkwHBYb_KgxPGnIeg8-I6lgOitsZUoRMRB59-4RzWh0c3J7UCh4ytGvwq9SvAl1qkWoh4X1w8O3hc_-TnRg/s1600/rick+12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="1200" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1a-9eFV-Pr7S11AlmUZWn1qlK-s7SYpzGF-l8rfJJWj0VsoTFTJntkKUytkwHBYb_KgxPGnIeg8-I6lgOitsZUoRMRB59-4RzWh0c3J7UCh4ytGvwq9SvAl1qkWoh4X1w8O3hc_-TnRg/s320/rick+12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fender Telecaster Natural or Butterscotch</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As mentioned, I bought a blue Telecaster back in the '80's.
It's a great playing guitar but it's nowhere near as good-looking as the
butterscotch or the natural finish Teles. I know they play the same, and they
sound the same, but there is something striking about those looks, and decades
after I bought my blue model, I'm still kicking myself for not paying a little
more attention.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Keith Richards and Bruce Springsteen are Tele guys, and are often
seen with the simple, yet attractive natural and/or butterscotch blonde models
(Bruce's main guitar is a Telecaster body with an Esquire neck.) Teles come in
many looks and finishes, but to my eyes, the simple look is spectacular.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BvTmHPni-DqLRQmTSRJEfHZB0qJ8g6czhVsPUs5rbSqtHX5rY4y_k27XFWXnjD2pgsZzj5Db5kMvt2CNqGFDFB5Qfq67etTS1wbTvJGNT0EJZ7iQRmW53FkXV2C65SNndDRy9n8KJ5s/s1600/tele.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BvTmHPni-DqLRQmTSRJEfHZB0qJ8g6czhVsPUs5rbSqtHX5rY4y_k27XFWXnjD2pgsZzj5Db5kMvt2CNqGFDFB5Qfq67etTS1wbTvJGNT0EJZ7iQRmW53FkXV2C65SNndDRy9n8KJ5s/w200-h200/tele.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Gretsch Country Gentleman</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">George Harrison, with his Country Gentleman played through a
Vox AC-30 is one of the great equipment combinations in rock and roll history.
They're not especially attractive guitars, but it's the sound that made me
notice. I also liked John Lennon's black Rickenbacker 325, but George's Gretsch
was something special. The semi-hollow, big bodied guitar worked well with the
early Beatles songs, and was especially good for the lead and fill riffs in the
country-flavored, Buck Owens tune, </span><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Act Naturally.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Other guitarists who used the Country Gent include Eddie
Cochran, Duane Eddy, Brian Setzer, (the Stray Cats) and, of course, the
legendary Chet Atkins.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEity0IzKESh3aMHfGM1Ecnx1bczALSLnAhulJUk6EiQTriPRYJIFPSZYc05T_Bcg40YkYixEhlYU3T8_GoCm4MN-JqmhoHqZFebA_6i-V1I7CABx3G7rLPZ1mTbJIQJijc9DMt0tRBtFvU/s1600/gretschcountry-gentleman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEity0IzKESh3aMHfGM1Ecnx1bczALSLnAhulJUk6EiQTriPRYJIFPSZYc05T_Bcg40YkYixEhlYU3T8_GoCm4MN-JqmhoHqZFebA_6i-V1I7CABx3G7rLPZ1mTbJIQJijc9DMt0tRBtFvU/w200-h200/gretschcountry-gentleman.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Gibson Les Paul Goldtop</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Les Pauls come in several finishes, and they're all good
looking guitars, but the first Les Pauls in the early '50's were Goldtops with
P-90 pickups (single coil, as opposed to the humbuckers that followed a few
years later.) Like the natural finish Telecaster, the Goldtop is a simple, yet
elegant look. Gold</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">looks</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">expensive, and of course they are and always
have been, but a quality guitar isn't going to be cheap. That gold finish just
<i>pops</i>, making it, in my view, one of the best looking guitars you can buy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Notable Goldtop players include Buddy Holly, (he used a Goldtop
with P-90s early on before switching to a Fender Strat) Tom Scholz, (Boston) Duane
Allman, Dickey Betts, George Harrison, (the red Les Paul seen in the </span><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Revolution</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">video was originally a Goldtop, refinished and given to George by Eric Clapton)
Steve Hackett, (Genesis) Freddie King, Neil Young (his 'Old Black' is actually
a painted Goldtop) and John Fogerty.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaRHaTylCMUwq61Xvn0_dR_9_89-IVssQ3BM3vTQNWK0zcJV_EjsvGJI_BQsYUohK5UAEGy9uxCyFW6fENY8tZrcsSUM-9vzlD4czyo7cSfH6UsLI1jbXJsrTB1DEK_V85wpeefU0l7s/s1600/goldtop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaRHaTylCMUwq61Xvn0_dR_9_89-IVssQ3BM3vTQNWK0zcJV_EjsvGJI_BQsYUohK5UAEGy9uxCyFW6fENY8tZrcsSUM-9vzlD4czyo7cSfH6UsLI1jbXJsrTB1DEK_V85wpeefU0l7s/s1600/goldtop.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yet another stunning axe, the various black Les Paul models
are just</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <i>badass</i> looking, and they scream, <i>pick me up and play loud!</i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
In the early '80's, my band booked studio time, and the guy who owned the
studio was happy to bring out his Black Beauty. I was shocked and thrilled when
he offered to let me play it and record with it. At the time, I was playing a
Fender Jaguar, and still dreaming of owning a Les Paul, so this was a treat. I
strapped on that spectacular guitar and used it on several songs. It didn't
make me a better guitar player, but it sure made me</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">feel</span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> like I was a
better guitar player. Such is the power of an iconic guitar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We’ve seen Black Beauties in the hands of guitarists far
better than me, like Ace Frehley, (Kiss) John Fogerty, Peter Frampton, Al Di
Meola, and Steve Gaines, (Lynyrd Skynyrd).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPL7i0xUve_-cZPa7n4Cc78SCwSyqeG1QvXW90Dqec2qMCvsACQS4vRJSS4cLWQTZyGW_Nn3Naaay6XMHfffV5Q0Bi-Lu9nzvURDoYu4Sa5cYWvVw-6iYslWO0qqajYLfIr0LEcotCitI/s1600/les+paul+black.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPL7i0xUve_-cZPa7n4Cc78SCwSyqeG1QvXW90Dqec2qMCvsACQS4vRJSS4cLWQTZyGW_Nn3Naaay6XMHfffV5Q0Bi-Lu9nzvURDoYu4Sa5cYWvVw-6iYslWO0qqajYLfIr0LEcotCitI/s320/les+paul+black.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Carvin DC 150</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Carvin company built guitars, basses, and other equipment, selling via mail order. In the late '70's- early '80's, they advertised in Guitar Player Magazine, and I was struck by the DC 150 especially. This guitar came in black and natural finish, with rosewood or maple neck, but it was the natural finish 150 with rosewood neck that grabbed my attention. It looked a bit like a Gibson Les Paul Special, but it was a unique and attractive instrument. Unfortunately, at the time, I had no money for such a purchase. The Carvin Company has since been renamed Kiesel Guitars, after their late founder. I still love the look of this unique guitar.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgup0oF_5RxAO-BnVRhVc94xZOFAvt26uMusHaGDMY4MF2rK6wNe4VVd0h9cWZk268Q-3aqQzb5opKgXO20FGM4DSlm2LGGBLGJNalI7PwkbeEqC0KkuBNeq6cq5lx4VcIqHQJRM6Vgae8/s1600/Carvin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgup0oF_5RxAO-BnVRhVc94xZOFAvt26uMusHaGDMY4MF2rK6wNe4VVd0h9cWZk268Q-3aqQzb5opKgXO20FGM4DSlm2LGGBLGJNalI7PwkbeEqC0KkuBNeq6cq5lx4VcIqHQJRM6Vgae8/s1600/Carvin.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Gibson Double-neck</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fans of Jimmy Page and the Led Zeppelin song 'Stairway To Heaven' understand the allure of this spectacular guitar - the Gibson Double-neck. It's expensive (about $6500), heavy (13 pounds), but wow, what an axe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As mentioned, an electric 12-string would be a great addition to a collection, especially for guys like me who play a number of songs that sound great on such a guitar. Why would I need a double-neck? Just watch a video of Page playing 'Stairway', and that tells you all you need to know. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHVb1pEexfjjZPyPmmsfjdDdO0uf4IFFr3ULp-ygcxsp0hw99MXfwVBUsYfzkPa3dKeRuCE5CZtQ6g-KlOcg7FpIEVv7vX70wn_BEfUucvRMIf_UJriPlVoEUnpkrPqVK7KlFEKo1FG8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-05-16+at+8.25.10+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="1022" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHVb1pEexfjjZPyPmmsfjdDdO0uf4IFFr3ULp-ygcxsp0hw99MXfwVBUsYfzkPa3dKeRuCE5CZtQ6g-KlOcg7FpIEVv7vX70wn_BEfUucvRMIf_UJriPlVoEUnpkrPqVK7KlFEKo1FG8/s320/Screen+Shot+2020-05-16+at+8.25.10+AM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Gretsch 6120</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I was already a fan of Gretsch semi-hollow body guitars from George Harrison, but when Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats burst onto the scene with their blazing hot brand of rockabilly, this beautiful guitar became an object of interest. It's not so different sound wise than George's guitar, but the look is unique and worthy of a place in any collection.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I played one in an Austin, Texas guitar store and it was smooth with a great feel. Like Gibson SGs, it's neck-heavy, but that's a problem you can deal with to get that Setzer look and feel. Even unplugged, this Gretsch has a great sound.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJruqhQngM15JaR2VqeaN9wF-19BW_7idMxOeIzpdZWsoUn38cADdFxsqrYN9O5vX85VTnWcWKWoEP_HBLBziYOGrmXFn0yMb7Dc49o2XUleZ0M2LhqZ-BR5JRlCmhmIfs7npucDI1jLs/s1600/gretsch-6120-1990-cons-full-front.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="1280" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJruqhQngM15JaR2VqeaN9wF-19BW_7idMxOeIzpdZWsoUn38cADdFxsqrYN9O5vX85VTnWcWKWoEP_HBLBziYOGrmXFn0yMb7Dc49o2XUleZ0M2LhqZ-BR5JRlCmhmIfs7npucDI1jLs/s320/gretsch-6120-1990-cons-full-front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch</span></i></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Larry-Manch/author/B00DWKHW4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: purple;"><b><i>Amazon.com</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow @LTM_Author</span></b></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></p></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-43284608495301041552019-10-29T14:35:00.002-05:002023-02-08T15:05:25.894-06:00Duane and his Magical Slide<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbx72QpKitqb8Iwe3he7YS9Ysyu8JhWulTTJo_IBojjt1Ue5njuX3y3NOZOfY1oWk9J4UrHZU93NEKTMq71ZxOz3hdchFcpMCFuZ6wj3Cs-KEag7f8FwBVRkbkJJsNoc9VLDvRUtesEk/s1600/Duane.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1237" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbx72QpKitqb8Iwe3he7YS9Ysyu8JhWulTTJo_IBojjt1Ue5njuX3y3NOZOfY1oWk9J4UrHZU93NEKTMq71ZxOz3hdchFcpMCFuZ6wj3Cs-KEag7f8FwBVRkbkJJsNoc9VLDvRUtesEk/s200/Duane.jpg" width="154" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One of my guitar and musical influences was the great Duane Allman. When I was first learning to play, I started paying attention to Duane and his music. He had already died, but the music he left us with captivated me. Duane's melodic slide guitar playing was mesmerizing, and I wanted to learn to play like him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There were other slide players around whose music I was familiar with: Bonnie Raitt, Mick Taylor, George Harrison, and a few others. I had not paid much attention to slide before I heard Duane and the Allman Brothers Band. Obviously, there were quite a few excellent slide artists, but Duane's playing stood out for me as superior.</span></div>
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</div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I went to a pharmacy to buy a bottle of Coricidin – not because I had a cold, but because I read in Guitar Player Magazine that was what he used for slide guitar. I was disappointed to discover that it now came in a plastic bottle. Plastic doesn't work for slide guitar.</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"It doesn't come in glass bottles anymore?" I said to the pharmacist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"No, sorry. Are you a guitar player?" he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Yes. How did you guess?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Duane Allman, right?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Yes."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"We get that a lot. It seems he inspired a generation of guitarists to buy Coricidin – just for the glass bottle, so they could learn to play slide guitar."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I ended up buying a glass slide in a Boston guitar store and set out to play like Duane. It didn't take me long to realize that the magic of Duane Allman and his spectacular ability on guitar was pretty much out of my reach. He made it sound so effortless, so fluent, so <i>easy</i>. Those sweet, soaring slide lines were not anywhere close to being easy to recreate. It was further proof that Duane was a man with the rarest of rare talents. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Music fans know that Duane joined his brother Gregg and formed the Allman Brothers Band – a Southern rock group that gave us many memorable songs. Along with Gregg's soulful voice, Dickey Betts, and other members, the Brothers were well on their way to becoming one of the biggest bands on the planet when Duane tragically died in 1971 at age 24. The band continued, with Dickey doing his best to pick up the slack. Dickey learned to play slide so he could play Duane's parts, and he did an admirable job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All these years later, when I hear Allman Brothers songs, and especially, the sound of Duane's playing, it always makes me stop, listen, and smile at the wizardry. I still play slide on occasion, knowing full well that it doesn't come close to the master. It doesn't matter though – Duane inspired me to want to play slide guitar, and it's okay that I can't come close to his ability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Many guitarists have done excellent slide work. For me though, Duane was clearly the best, and a huge inspiration for me and many others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I wrote this on October 29, 2019 – 48 years to the day Duane died in a motorcycle accident. </span><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch</span></i></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Larry-Manch/author/B00DWKHW4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: purple;"><b><i>Amazon.com</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow @LTM_Author</span></b></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlY3KoPkZ4vzSGrfw6bH0yBciE45iQoMtqUlbBBaxX_o2x_oL5c3CeyU12XLN3Aaxjnthbo9YVImAClg-So9Q2JxfyoCdiwJE_0q1O2JjLzcoM_i5aY-2XH3yNS3vyYt5i2D7UfOQp7ajVeHc6JVT7mYEGCMT_Zde0fzLtHxebDxq-5OrFdWf022f/s720/Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="231" data-original-width="720" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlY3KoPkZ4vzSGrfw6bH0yBciE45iQoMtqUlbBBaxX_o2x_oL5c3CeyU12XLN3Aaxjnthbo9YVImAClg-So9Q2JxfyoCdiwJE_0q1O2JjLzcoM_i5aY-2XH3yNS3vyYt5i2D7UfOQp7ajVeHc6JVT7mYEGCMT_Zde0fzLtHxebDxq-5OrFdWf022f/w400-h129/Books.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><p></p></div></div>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-3581227157430502462019-09-17T10:35:00.002-05:002023-02-08T15:06:53.623-06:00Ric Ocasek: Rock Star, Memory Maker<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ric Ocasek singer, guitarist, songwriter, and record
producer, best known for his band The Cars, died September 15, 2019. He was a
multi-talented guy, and many of the songs he wrote were big hits. More
importantly, they were great songs - then and still relevant decades later. I didn't know him personally, but </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I
ran into him once - literally. He also unwittingly helped me have a successful gig.</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sometime during the winter of 1982 or '83, I was
headed to one of my favorite guitar/music stores: EU Wurlitzer on Newbury
Street in Boston. It was a cold, windy day, and I was walking hunched over with
my chin in my chest and my shoulders arched trying to ward off the chill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The door to Wurlitzer's was recessed into an alcove, and in
the late afternoon of a cloudy day, the entrance was dark. As I turned to step
into the blackness, a towering figure suddenly emerged. I ran right into him
before I even knew he was there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuqRWs4mlmO4RI6Tqr1Q3dh3tGEAxs7xM6Zv_GOZKCg_gfmpptIRNr6BoN1cOcAvASRGbp9wVPP7yk-fofPO8v0F7243fGmjgl5e37BhLQE7wPcUgOElFVnphr0KGpAxub-FC6wPZcEE/s1600/Wurlitzer.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuqRWs4mlmO4RI6Tqr1Q3dh3tGEAxs7xM6Zv_GOZKCg_gfmpptIRNr6BoN1cOcAvASRGbp9wVPP7yk-fofPO8v0F7243fGmjgl5e37BhLQE7wPcUgOElFVnphr0KGpAxub-FC6wPZcEE/s320/Wurlitzer.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">It's no longer the door to EU Wurlitzer (center, right) but it's </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">where I met </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ric Ocasek. (From Google Maps.)</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I stepped back, unnerved from the collision, but then I was
even more surprised when I looked up and realized who it was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"You're…," I started to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Yup," he said, "I'm Ric."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When I walked into the store, the guys inside were talking
about Ocasek's visit. I had just missed seeing Ric and a couple of the sales
guys having fun with an impromptu jam session.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I've played in several bands and have performed Ocasek songs
in all of them. The first was a Boston area rock band called Bluestone in the
early '80's, and we did three – <i>My Best Friend's Girl,</i> <i>Good Times
Roll,</i> and <i>You're All I've Got Tonight.</i> The Cars were big at the
time, and those songs were well known to our audience. We would have done a few
more of his tunes, but we didn't want to become known as a Cars tribute band.
His songs were that good, producing many songs covered by bands like mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A year or so later, I left Bluestone and my brother David
and I played as a duo. <i>My Best Friend's Girl</i> was in our set<i>.</i> We reviewed
our song list before our first gig, a Friday night show at an American Legion
hall in a small upstate New York town. We knew the audience would be primarily
farmers and working-class men, with a few women – people who likely would not
much appreciate rock songs like the Cars. We also played some oldies rock,
country rock, and some outlaw country, like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
After looking over our material, we discarded a few songs and added some that
would be a better fit for this small-town crowd. We were ready to remove the Ocasek
song from the list, but David had an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Why don't I play a country bass part?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It involved a simple change – from the driving bass featured
on the original, to the simpler, root/fifth pattern, commonly used in country
music (and other genres.) It sounded like a great idea, and it sounded even
better when we tried it. In fact, it was perfect. It turned this new wave rock
song into something that would fit right in with a country crowd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The night of the gig, we launched into our set and when we started
<i>My Best Friend's Girl</i>, no one except one young guy even turned a head.
This guy had been sitting at the bar with his back to us. When he heard the
opening chords, he turned, smiled and pointed a finger, clearly an "I see
what you're doing" gesture. After the set, he walked over, still smiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"I know what you guys did with that song. A country
bass line in a new wave song."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"What did you think?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"I think it's great." He waved his hand at the
people in the bar. "Well done, guys. They don't know the difference, and
I'm not telling on you."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Music has long been important to me and many people. Performers like Ric Ocasek enriched our lives with their talents and memorable songs. He was also a guy who figured into two memories that always make me smile. Thanks Ric, for the music, the inspiration, and the memories.</span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></i></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch</span></i></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Larry-Manch/author/B00DWKHW4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: purple;"><b><i>Amazon.com</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow @LTM_Author</span></b></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div>
Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-59176423561560294932019-09-09T18:53:00.000-05:002019-09-09T18:54:51.373-05:00The Swamp Rocker<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGnp03nYvDkaqrj2bSKxtyLp27mWfF2C-PTwaGx_IWVwoeTo8Ax96Kq8avEOLOzHcKLB0QkHRW9nzC2X8iT8LFClX3g2RM7cQaU8_mziUH1pUQZxB42u82XnZfd-EN29-sEao3FvHXkk/s1600/CCR+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGnp03nYvDkaqrj2bSKxtyLp27mWfF2C-PTwaGx_IWVwoeTo8Ax96Kq8avEOLOzHcKLB0QkHRW9nzC2X8iT8LFClX3g2RM7cQaU8_mziUH1pUQZxB42u82XnZfd-EN29-sEao3FvHXkk/s200/CCR+1.jpg" width="198" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">John Fogerty </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">is one of the most unique talents in rock history, with a distinctive, recognizable voice and guitar style. For decades, he</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> was the face, the voice, and the driving force behind one of rock’s biggest bands – Creedence Clearwater Revival. He also owns the distinction of probably being the only musician in history to be sued for plagiarizing himself – a result of an unscrupulous record company owner and a contract that amounted to legal theft.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The band that would become famous as CCR began in 1959, when junior high friends Fogerty, bassist Stu Cook, drummer Doug Clifford, and later, John's older brother Tom began playing as the Blue Velvets. In 1964, the band was signed to Fantasy Records, who changed their name to the Golliwogs. Seven singles were recorded with no impact on the public or the record industry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After a short stint in the army, Fogerty returned and the band got back together. John took over from Tom on lead vocals – the start of what would become one of rock's most successful and impactful bands. Saul Zaentz had recently bought the company and he offered the band a chance to record an album if they changed their name, bringing about the moniker Creedence Clearwater Revival.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Zaentz convinced them to sign a deal that would result in Fogerty losing the copyrights to his own compositions. It was a typical move for predatory record company executives like Zaentz; people like him had the power over bands and musicians. <i>Sign this deal or I'll throw you out like yesterday's coffee.</i> Too often, musicians felt they had no choice – without the record companies, they had little to no chance at making it in the music business. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unlike in their pre-Army days, under the new name (with the same guys) they started making hit records, starting with two memorable covers – <i>Suzie Q</i> and <i>I Put A Spell on You</i> on their first album, <i>Creedence Clearwater Revival</i>. Their second album, <i>Bayou Country</i>, included the song that would become their most covered hit, <i>Proud Mary</i>. That song, with <i>Born on the Bayou</i> on the flip side became a #2 hit on the Billboard chart. Fogerty started cranking out hit songs and hit albums – he was writing the songs, singing lead vocals, playing lead guitar, directing recording sessions, producing, (from the second album on) arranging – pretty much doing it all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">His band mates began to resent his control, but it was obvious that Fogerty knew the magic formula, and pretty much everything he touched, turned to gold. This would eventually lead to the breakup of CCR and the Fogerty brothers would stop speaking to each other. Although Cook, Clifford, and Tom Fogerty may have bristled at their being cut out of the creative process, they couldn't argue with John's success at writing hit songs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The next album, <i>Green River</i>, included the hits <i>Green River</i>, (#2, U.S.) <i>Bad Moon Rising</i>, (#2) and <i>Lodi</i> (#52.) The fourth album, and the third released in the epic year 1969 was <i>Willie and the Poor Boys</i>, containing <i>Down on the Corner</i>, <i>Fortunate Son</i>, and a rocking cover of <i>The Midnight Special</i>. CCR was riding high, awash in hit songs and albums, and a massive touring schedule.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In August 1969, CCR played Woodstock, but Fogerty was not happy with their performance, and their set was not included in the film. There were differences of opinion, and we can imagine that the rest of the band may not have agreed with John's appraisal. Even so, the year was a big one for CCR, with three hit albums and a number of hit songs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Nineteen-seventy saw the release of two excellent albums, the #1 hit <i>Cosmos Factory</i>, and <i>Pendulum</i>, which reached #5 on the U.S. Billboard chart. Despite the success, Tom Fogerty quit the band late that year, obviously tired of his younger brother's vice grip on all things CCR.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It could easily be argued that Fogerty didn't need Cook, Clifford, or his brother to be successful. The sound of CCR was defined by his gravelly voice and his unique guitar style (that he once described as trying to play like guitar legend Steve Cropper.) It may sound like a slight against his former band mates, however, listening to Fogerty perform today, it is obvious that the CCR sound is all him. Sorry, Stu, Doug, and Tom, (who died in 1990) but it's true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fogerty went solo, and legal problems arose as his contract with Zaentz and Fantasy Records called for eight more albums. Fogerty refused, and was assisted by David Geffen, then of Asylum Records, who bought out Fogerty's contract. He recorded several albums over the next twelve years, with little chart or financial success. He refused to play songs he had written and recorded with CCR, as the rights to those songs were owned by Zaentz and Fantasy Records, and Fogerty did not want to have to pay performance royalties to Zaentz to play his own songs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He took several years off, returning in 1985 with the successful <i>Centerfield</i> album featuring hit songs including the title song, <i>Rock and Roll Girls</i>, and <i>The Old Man Down the Road</i>. Legal problems happened yet again when Zaentz sued Fogerty twice – for the album cuts <i>Zantz Kant Danz</i>, and <i>Old Man…</i> The first lawsuit was for defamation, as the song was about a thieving pig, and appeared to be a direct attack on Zaentz. The second suit, as mentioned above, claimed that in Old Man… Fogerty had plagiarized his own CCR song, <i>Run Through the Jungle</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fogerty settled the defamation lawsuit and edited the offending song which became <i>Vanz Kant Danz</i>. For the other, you have to wonder at the nerve of Zaentz to stoop so low as to sue Fogerty based on two of his own songs. For sure, Zaentz didn't need the money – he got rich off of the toil of John Fogerty. It was obvious that this lawsuit was simply to get in yet another jab at a guy who made Zaentz a lot of money, but refused to continue to bow to a greedy record company owner. John managed to dodge the bullet when he proved in court that the songs were different. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After years of album and singles hits with CCR and as a solo act, Fogerty in 1997 won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album for <i>Blue Moon Swamp</i>. Although the record only reached #37 on the U.S. Billboard chart, it took the top honor at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Soon after, Fogerty began performing his old songs again, almost certainly leading to his touring success after that, which continues to this day. It is understandable why he stopped playing CCR songs, and it must have been a source of frustration for him that much of his post-CCR material was not successful. It does make you wonder if it wasn't just him that made those CCR songs great – maybe there was some degree of magic recording and playing with Stu Cook, Doug Clifford, and John's brother Tom. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In 2014, Zaentz sold Fantasy to Concord Records. Soon after, Fogerty signed a new recording contract with the company, and they returned to him the rights to his songs. After finally seeing resolution of a decades-old conflict, Fogerty now seems to perform his songs with renewed vigor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The modern version of John Fogerty – age 74 as of this writing - is still a force in the rock and roll world. He is back playing songs he wrote fifty years ago, along with later material. It's a great mix of songs that keep audiences paying to see him play, along with regular band member, son Shane and occasionally, son Tyler.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fogerty is the constant that defines the unique sound of swamp rock that began with the early days of Creedence, fifty some years ago and continues to the present. It's his voice and his guitar style that define the music – a unique sound that is still relevant and fresh today.</span><br />
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<span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: 'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories', 'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories', 'A Sports Junkie', 'The Avery Appointment', 'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</i>, <i>'Beyond the Fuzzy Parts,' 'Jonathan Stephens Is Just A Kid', 'Jonathan Stephens Is Moving', 'Suspended Logic', 'Descended From Royalty,' and 'Covering the Astros.' His books are available in paperback (some in e-book.)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-75589175404509406772019-03-02T11:44:00.003-06:002023-02-08T20:49:59.736-06:00The End of An Era, the Power of Music<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5oPP4iNmhRlPww4IqU2Hl5ox5Fo_3qjspFREVoodZ_wzPojJCqph0F7rXqEd1Kr56XxkH1qK8-Kxu9_NRL0iVcjPgpk58d5zCX4OrI2-yAii_m4QDuZQg-LC19DiexLXygaCM0l3as4/s1600/Eagles.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5oPP4iNmhRlPww4IqU2Hl5ox5Fo_3qjspFREVoodZ_wzPojJCqph0F7rXqEd1Kr56XxkH1qK8-Kxu9_NRL0iVcjPgpk58d5zCX4OrI2-yAii_m4QDuZQg-LC19DiexLXygaCM0l3as4/s200/Eagles.jpg" width="199" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Glenn Frey's death in January 2016 marked the end of an era. Here was a guy who fronted one of my favorite bands, a man who wrote and performed some of the greatest songs of the time that coincided with my own coming of age. The Eagles song <i>Take It Easy</i> held a strong personal connection for me, as mentioned in my book <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" target="_blank">The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories</a></i> in the chapter <i>Eleven Exceptional Albums</i>.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In 1971, Jackson Browne and Frey, both at the beginning of their musical careers, were neighbors in a Los Angeles apartment complex. Browne was working on songs for his first album. Frey especially liked one song, but Browne had been unable to complete it and, after some prodding, Browne gave the song to his friend to finish. Frey added a few words to the second verse: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQOhEcNP0P8bkmLvbb1O5ctIST-tr_l9MMOwGQL19jc4MgnB6paqzTnjpG6TwBymlM5pSN5ZQ_WOo1aGqFnfWo4gPJZeh0-5J3mZBq6bN3bUgvznQPEgbcO484vWWEoUgiXNEx_tSo-E/s1600/winslow.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1600" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQOhEcNP0P8bkmLvbb1O5ctIST-tr_l9MMOwGQL19jc4MgnB6paqzTnjpG6TwBymlM5pSN5ZQ_WOo1aGqFnfWo4gPJZeh0-5J3mZBq6bN3bUgvznQPEgbcO484vWWEoUgiXNEx_tSo-E/s200/winslow.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>"It's a girl my Lord in a flatbed Ford, slowing down to take a look at me."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And so was born a classic song that helped to kick-start the Eagles, who became one of the biggest bands on the planet. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As I wrote in the above-mentioned chapter, I first heard <i>Take It Easy</i> on a long-ago hot June night in 1972 as I was driving down the road, with my first paycheck in my pocket. I was driving my first car, enjoying a first moment of freedom, when from my radio speaker came that memorable song opening: the acoustic guitar strumming the chords while a jangly electric guitar accented the changes. I knew immediately that this was going to be a great song, and it perfectly fit the moment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Take It Easy</i> underlined and underscored that memorable moment in that unique set of circumstances. It could have been any number of great songs, but that one was perfect for that moment. After that, it was the first song I learned to play start to finish when learning to play guitar, and it continued to have meaning for me over the decades.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEpCDXYzgVBVBCCjyGTIh0TUk8I1jn26OROmbs4nFt6zEYEMBQgJ2GhIzxW9JvCCvqyhRTETJceUPe7JsRrvJ5Ty01dqYSrNOIV7X3oUbt_PZf05Xgug5WU_SqYTsoQuwQLdnhpcL2-I/s1600/Slide66_1024.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1024" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPEpCDXYzgVBVBCCjyGTIh0TUk8I1jn26OROmbs4nFt6zEYEMBQgJ2GhIzxW9JvCCvqyhRTETJceUPe7JsRrvJ5Ty01dqYSrNOIV7X3oUbt_PZf05Xgug5WU_SqYTsoQuwQLdnhpcL2-I/s200/Slide66_1024.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was important enough that in the Summer of 2002, when the kids were small, while driving east on Interstate 40 in Arizona that Tiffany and I realized we could not in good conscience, ignore the highway sign announcing the next exit – Winslow, Arizona.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We drove into town, looking for an appropriate corner on which to stand, when we discovered there was just such a place at the intersection of Old Highway 66 and North Kinsley Ave. On the northwest corner of that intersection stands a bronze statue of Jackson Browne, and behind him is a mural depicting a large window with the reflection of, yup, you guessed it – a girl in a flatbed Ford (with an eagle perched on an upstairs window sill.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Just across the street was a record/cd store (apparently gone now). In another one of those perfect moments, there it was - 2002, the 40th anniversary of the release of <i>Take It Easy</i> and the album, and the store was playing at loud volume through outside speakers, the album over and over. There we were, "<i>Standin' on a corner in Winslow, Arizona…</i>," taking photos with that very song wafting over us on a hot summer day. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6FHwwsnk4YhsIzt_0f76OV3ajzi95oodrLgK4UvBCF9VxapdHzPlK3yynyaovbw75inXbn0aBKEsBpNpKug8TlOF6wnerC1jOijYn5trtyiKMGRdHXj9fzKAHOq14PTHcpi40R2LMgM/s1600/Slide63_1024.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1024" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6FHwwsnk4YhsIzt_0f76OV3ajzi95oodrLgK4UvBCF9VxapdHzPlK3yynyaovbw75inXbn0aBKEsBpNpKug8TlOF6wnerC1jOijYn5trtyiKMGRdHXj9fzKAHOq14PTHcpi40R2LMgM/s200/Slide63_1024.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"I wrote this song with Glenn Frey," Browne told a concert audience days after Frey's death, according to a story on Billboard Magazine online. "It’s a song that I started, but I didn’t finish it. Even if I had finished it by myself, it wouldn’t be the song that it is and it wouldn’t be the song that we all love."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It is a timeless song, and hearing it always evokes those memories. It made me smile the first time I heard it, again on that hot day in 2002 on that corner, and it makes me smile every time I hear it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Without what became the Eagles signature song, Frey may never have emerged from that small apartment to become a musical force, and the Eagles might not have happened at all. And so it follows that what became several memorable moments for me, might have passed by unnoticed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Such is the power of music.</span><br />
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C">Larry Manch</a> </i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is an
author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books
include: <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319">'Twisted
Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320">'The
Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories',</a></span> <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320">'A Sports
Junkie'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320">'The Avery
Appointment'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320">'Between
the Fuzzy Parts'</a></span></i>, and <span class="MsoHyperlink"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795417609">'Jonathan Stephens Is Just A Kid'<span style="font-style: normal;">.</span> </a></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His books are available in
paperback and e-book.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He writes about sports
for <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0">Season
Tickets</a></span>, food and travel on <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/">Miles & Meals</a></span>, and
music/guitars on <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/">The Backbeat</a></span>.</i></div></div></div><!--EndFragment--><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script></span>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-76841810031030764512019-02-16T08:30:00.001-06:002023-02-09T16:08:53.753-06:00Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton – A Legendary Album<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My copy of the album</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you know electric blues, then you are surely familiar with the classic album <i>Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton</i>. It is one of the great blues rock albums in history, a record that helped to set a precedent for blues rock guitar. There were no hit songs from the record, and chart placement was not especially memorable, but none of those things mattered to those who loved the record.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The album, by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, is a classic 12-bar blues style of music, with five original songs out of 12 total tracks, including two instrumentals. The arrangements were sparse – lead and rhythm guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, harmonica, with horns added to some of the cuts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Blues Breakers</i>* was recorded in March 1966 at Decca Studios in West Hampstead, London, with Mike Vernon producing and Gus Dudgeon as engineer. The album was essentially a showcase for guitarist Eric Clapton and was an accurate representation of what the Bluesbreakers sounded like in live shows. Bandleader John Mayall was already established in the British blues scene, and Clapton was well-known after stints in the Roosters and more importantly, the Yardbirds. Bassist John McVie, (later, the 'Mac' of Fleetwood Mac) and drummer Hughie Flint, were solid, veteran players, rounding out the band.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clapton left the Yardbirds in March 1965, unhappy that the band had moved away from the blues toward pop material. One month later, he joined Mayall, a bluesman who wanted the talented Clapton to play blues with him. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clapton started gigging with Mayall, and the magic happened quickly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Their live shows were exciting, lively, and characterized by an inspired Clapton playing very loudly. He was stretching out and playing what he wanted to play, and Mayall was only too happy to let the then 19-year-old guitar star step out and show off his remarkable ability.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fans from his Yardbirds days joined with new fans and the crowds loved what they saw and heard. Signs began popping up in London: 'Clapton Is God.' It was a great band with some of the best players in England, and with the addition of Clapton, a top guitar slinger, Mayall had what he wanted – a blues band with serious chops.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Besides the inspired playing of Clapton, his equipment became an important point. In the Yardbirds, he had primarily played a red Fender Telecaster through a Vox AC30. The combination worked for him in his previous band, but he wanted something different for the Bluesbreakers, equipment with more punch.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Gibson Custom Shop 2011 Reissue of <br />the Clapton 'Beano' Les Paul.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clapton was a fan of American bluesman Freddie King, and the song Hideaway. Clapton saw an album cover with Freddie King holding a Les Paul and he went looking for one of his own. The story is he found a used 1960 sunburst Les Paul Standard (the year of this guitar has been debated**) that he bought for a reasonable price. He also asked West London music shop owner Jim Marshall to build him a combo amp that he could more easily carry around (one that would fit in the trunk of his car, according to the stories.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The result was Marshall's first combo amp, a 45-watt tube unit with two twelve-inch speakers, labeled the Marshall model #1962, later dubbed the Bluesbreaker amp***. The point of this amp with its lower wattage was to crank up the volume, causing the sound to break up and, along with the Les Paul and its PAF humbucking pickups, produce a rich, warm, natural overdrive that was perfect for what Clapton was doing. ****</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Armed with his new equipment and a new opportunity to play the music he wanted to play, the Bluesbreakers began to take off. Although Mayall had lost his recording deal with Decca, house producer Mike Vernon, who had seen the new lineup of the band play live, convinced the company to take another chance on them. Shortly before the Decca sessions took place, Vernon also convinced Mayall and the band to record two songs for his own fledgling label, so he knew what Clapton wanted in terms of recording, and he knew what to expect from this band. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mayall wanted to capture as closely as possible, the sound and feel of their live shows – not easy to achieve in a recording studio. Other artists and producers had attempted this with poor results, but Vernon thought he knew how to pull it off. The operative word for Clapton in the studio was 'loud', and although Decca engineer Gus Dudgeon had a hard time wrapping his head around the concept, they went with it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With Vernon's acute sense of the importance of letting Clapton do what he wanted, and Dudgeon reluctantly going along, the Bluesbreakers spent four days recording twelve songs. Four were Mayall compositions, one by Clapton and Mayall, and seven covers, including <i>Ramblin' On My Mind</i>, Clapton's first recorded lead vocal. The result of Clapton's Les Paul and Marshall, played loudly, and the method of microphone placement, (Clapton told Dudgeon to mic him from across the room) produced a spectacular tone that resonated with guitarists everywhere (and still does to this day.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The album was released on July 22, 1966, and to Mayall's surprise rose to #6 on the UK charts. It quickly became known as 'The Beano Album,' with the cover photo of the four members sitting on a stone step with Clapton ignoring the camera and apparently absorbed in a Beano comic. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was a great album for listening, and it caused a revolution in the blues/rock world, as guitarists everywhere salivated over the spectacular tone achieved by Clapton. It helped to launch the combination of the Gibson Les Paul and the Marshall amp as an important equipment requirement for rock and rock/blues guitarists. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Author Harry Shapiro wrote in May 2018 in <a href="https://www.loudersound.com/features/john-mayall-s-bluesbreakers-and-the-making-of-the-beano" target="_blank">John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton: The Making of 'the Beano album</a>'…, on Louder Sound.com:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Clapton detonated a neon explosion of noise and notes, cutting, biting, trebly and harsh – angry, passionate, a firestorm of blues runs, intense yet controlled, a music caught in the crosshairs of a young man’s frustration and anger and gripped by a psychic disturbance that he felt could only be exorcised through a Gibson/Marshal combo."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Shapiro quoted guitarist Steve Hackett, of Genesis and other bands:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Tremendously influential for me. A quantum leap forward in terms of sound, finger vibrato control and the level of distortion, treble and aggression."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Said Joe Bonamassa in the same piece: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"This was a change-your-life sort of record."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/bluesbreakers-with-eric-clapton-mw0000650476" target="_blank">Bruce Eder on AllMusic.com</a>, wrote: "…perhaps the best British blues album ever cut."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Michael Gallucci, writing in July 2016 on <a href="http://ultimateclassicrock.com/blues-breakers-with-eric-clapton/" target="_blank">Ultimate Classic Rock.com</a> said the record was:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"… a deft move that helped ignite the era's infatuation with blues-based rock music," and: "Every guitarist who's ever played a Gibson Les Paul with warm, stinging fluidity owes a debt to this album."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Shapiro wrote that:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"… the success of the Beano album propelled the blues above ground. It gave birth to the British blues boom from which came bands that went on to lay the foundation stones of international arena rock: Cream, Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"It was one of the greatest - if not the greatest - albums of the British blues boom, and the one which set in motion the rise of the guitar hero," wrote <a href="https://www.elsewhere.co.nz/essentialelsewhere/3439/john-mayall-with-eric-clapton-blues-breakers-1966/" target="_blank">Graham Reid in June 2016 on Elsewhere.co.nz</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/h94h/" target="_blank">Chris Jones</a> wrote in 2007 on BBC.co.uk:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"But to this day, from the first rip into to the final chord of the ‘Beano Album’, as it came to be known, remains just about the defining argument as to why Clapton really was once, God." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All of this is high praise for an album recorded 53 years ago. This record has stood the test of time – it is still a great album, featuring the unforgettable playing and tone of Eric Clapton, his Gibson Les Paul Standard, and his Marshall 'Bluesbreakers' amp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Author's notes: </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>* Although the band was known as John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, (one word) the album was called Blues Breakers (two words) with Eric Clapton.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>** Descriptions of the features of Clapton's guitar lead many to label it a 1960 model, while others suggest it could have been as early as a 1958. His guitar was stolen in late 1966 and was never recovered, although Bonamassa claimed in this <a href="https://www.guitarplayer.com/gear/joe-bonamassa-knows-where-eric-claptons-stolen-beano-les-paul-is" target="_blank">2016 Guitar Player.com</a> story that he knows where Clapton's 'Beano' guitar is. He also says the guitar is a 1959 in this <a href="https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/has-eric-claptons-legendary-beano-les-paul-burst-been-found" target="_blank">Guitar World story</a>.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>*** Apparently, opinions differ as to the wattage of this amp. Several sources list it as <a href="https://www.loudersound.com/features/john-mayall-s-bluesbreakers-and-the-making-of-the-beano" target="_blank">45w</a>, while others contend it was a <a href="https://marshall.com/marshall-amps/products/amps/vintage-reissues/1962-bluesbreaker),%20(https:/www.guitarplayer.com/guitaraficionado/marshall-arts-common-misunderstandings-and-misconceptions-of-marshall-amps" target="_blank">30w</a>.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>**** Some sources suggest that Clapton used a Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster, but there is no definitive answer to that question.</i></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch</span></i></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Larry-Manch/author/B00DWKHW4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: purple;"><b><i>Amazon.com</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow @LTM_Author</span></b></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-72045825153669043912019-02-14T07:36:00.001-06:002019-10-14T17:10:40.407-05:00Last Call Bassist<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmML8ujDe9lUWD6PLaYSu9S-q5CvpQGgXhujuO8kZ_7SpWKbv2XkfqvBdeHU8-Dc77BodLsX69PVdkX3nBcevQTSx1B8KePIp7ZWgrBsNO1ZvI35mcpQa6e5LLsvdGRzMP_rIJ9O-5gw/s1600/Cashbox+July+25+Carol+Kaye.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="1001" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmML8ujDe9lUWD6PLaYSu9S-q5CvpQGgXhujuO8kZ_7SpWKbv2XkfqvBdeHU8-Dc77BodLsX69PVdkX3nBcevQTSx1B8KePIp7ZWgrBsNO1ZvI35mcpQa6e5LLsvdGRzMP_rIJ9O-5gw/s200/Cashbox+July+25+Carol+Kaye.png" width="154" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Author's Note: If the reader wants to know what Kaye is really like, I present to you her response to my article. The caps and punctuation are hers. (See below.) </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Carol Kaye is one of the most renowned musicians in pop music history, as a guitarist and bassist. She played on thousands of hit records during a long career as a session musician – a sort of anonymous profession. Studio musicians like her were well paid, but rarely received credit, so it is a good thing that Kaye, for one, is becoming better known and is getting recognition for decades of brilliant work.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kaye played guitar and bass on approximately 10,000 recording sessions in fifty plus years in the business as a Los Angeles first call session player in the loose association of studio players later known as The Wrecking Crew. Her guitar session work includes acoustic rhythm guitar on Ritchie Valens' hit songs <i>La Bamba</i> and <i>Donna</i>, The Righteous Brothers' <i>You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'</i>, and electric rhythm on the The Crystals' <i>Then He Kissed Me</i>, sessions for Sonny and Cher, and Frank Zappa. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Her bass lines are clearly heard on the opening of Glen Campbell's 1968 hit <i>Wichita Lineman</i>, Sonny and Cher's <i>The Beat Goes On</i>, Nancy Sinatra's <i>These Boots Are Made For Walkin'</i>, the Monkees <i>I'm A Believer</i>, the television theme songs for <i>M.A.S.H.,</i> and the memorable funky lines for <i>Mission: Impossible</i>. She did sessions for the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Simon and Garfunkel, Joe Cocker, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">… <a href="https://www.carolkaye.com/www/library/basshits.htm" target="_blank">and thousands and thousands more</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWxGEfiYdovmxHy5sEPDLH_ksmCtGogn_Xs03E7wLjrg30Ebg2Uui5vx5L_0aDXrfRlewzbjzxya6q4tSUw3mpuGiin5MRAPNmbQMwwRHyJI74Yn1-E8G4vQm6-MJI8EgvHfjb4szCp8/s1600/pick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="682" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWxGEfiYdovmxHy5sEPDLH_ksmCtGogn_Xs03E7wLjrg30Ebg2Uui5vx5L_0aDXrfRlewzbjzxya6q4tSUw3mpuGiin5MRAPNmbQMwwRHyJI74Yn1-E8G4vQm6-MJI8EgvHfjb4szCp8/s200/pick.jpg" width="195" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kaye received her first guitar at age 13 from her mother, and by the next year, she was making money giving lessons. A few years later, a guitar teacher helped get her started in the LA jazz club scene playing bebop. She was happy playing jazz, with some touring involved, when record producer Bumps Blackwell saw her playing in a nightclub and asked her to do a session for Sam Cooke. That gig led to more studio work and although she was enjoying the nightclub jazz scene, she quickly realized that session work paid a lot more money. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">More studio work on guitar followed until Kaye was asked one day to play bass when the scheduled bass player was a no-show. She was a natural on the instrument and it didn't take long before she was the first choice of most producers and artists in the extremely busy L.A. studio community. She worked regularly with session greats Hal Blaine and Earl Palmer, (drums) James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Tommy Tedesco, (guitar) Leon Russell, Don Randi, Larry Knechtel, (keyboards) and others. She was one of the elite group of first call session players, a highly respected musician.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For much of the 1960's and 1970's, a working, single mother with three children, Kaye was the most sought-after bassist in the huge Los Angeles studio scene. The 'first call' players are just what you expect from the name – the first to be called by producers and artists when putting together recording sessions. Obviously, only the best of the best achieve such status, and Kaye was the one on bass.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4gkBEqz6k0B020nqDzd7IJe8k1-RBEDYu6cQrXXKiQG9vYRvkcS9pdddb5puyB7t8EwwssWKkNfd7o8uRY_J97t7tvtrfMANI94kzPQTpVii2rNj_yYWPXTGKUJ3ZQs5-Y7gzteBdfY/s1600/kaye+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="260" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4gkBEqz6k0B020nqDzd7IJe8k1-RBEDYu6cQrXXKiQG9vYRvkcS9pdddb5puyB7t8EwwssWKkNfd7o8uRY_J97t7tvtrfMANI94kzPQTpVii2rNj_yYWPXTGKUJ3ZQs5-Y7gzteBdfY/s200/kaye+book.jpg" width="156" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It’s not hard to figure out that the studio scene was dominated by men, with Kaye being the only woman reported to have been a member of what drummer Hal Blaine later </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">dubbed The Wrecking Crew (Kaye has repeatedly downplayed that term, saying they were never called by that name.) It is significant that no other women broke into this elite group (there were women among the singers at many sessions, but not instrumentalists.) Kaye was there because of her skills, and she remained because of her prowess and ability to come up with bass lines that perfectly and often uniquely, fit the songs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Record producer Quincy Jones said in his book that Kaye: "… could do anything and leave the men in the dust."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell: "She was brilliant, scared the shit out of me."</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZLt1Ld7iohzae94P2YDxGeF4FRvU8kXOyxTSuFEek3qVeNssvLqPeHi5EDTLLfiRRdoDZIdsV3ctXlXQlfvMVyWAEC_Foqh8x8Q6EVo-HLkaaMYXqvF9B8QjfG4abgtMyPT_-K8zf10/s1600/wrecking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="226" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZLt1Ld7iohzae94P2YDxGeF4FRvU8kXOyxTSuFEek3qVeNssvLqPeHi5EDTLLfiRRdoDZIdsV3ctXlXQlfvMVyWAEC_Foqh8x8Q6EVo-HLkaaMYXqvF9B8QjfG4abgtMyPT_-K8zf10/s200/wrecking.jpg" width="141" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After many years of daily sessions, Kaye moved on to television and film soundtracks. She wrote a number of books on electric bass technique and gave occasional lessons. Her interview segments from the Denny Tedesco film <i><a href="http://wreckingcrewfilm.com/" target="_blank">The Wrecking Crew</a></i> are insightful and her personality comes through. It is clear from those bits that she thoroughly enjoyed session work, being part of that exclusive club of top-rated musicians, and that she was more than capable of holding her own as a woman in an industry dominated by men.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Carol Kaye had the vision and the technique to play the right bass part for the song and the type of music, and her body of work has stood the test of time. We still hear thousands of the songs with her on bass. Without Kaye, someone, of course, would have played bass on those songs, but it's safe to say it would not have been the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">There is no substitute for first call – the best of the best. On bass, that would be the great Carol Kaye.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Author's Note: If the reader wants to know what Kaye is really like, I present to you her response to my article. The caps and punctuation are hers:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>"</i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>STOP WITH THE SLANDER!! DON'T SEND ME YOUR IGNORANCE.......you NEVER RESEARCHED MY WEBSITE AND I'M GOING TO PUT THAT UP ON FACEBOOK! ABOUT YOUR IGNORANCE.......HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE CALLED "HE DOESN'T LIKE THAT TERM" WHEN YOU'RE BEING A TERM THAT'S A LIE AND SLANDER TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY???????????????? STOP BEING STUPID AND IGNORANT!!! I read it, it's HORRIBLE AND LIES AND HEARSAY AND IGNORANCE....my fans will jump all over you for your IGNORANCE!!! TAKE IT DOWN!!" </i></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C" style="color: #954f72;">Larry Manch</a></i></span><i> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319" style="color: #954f72;">'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories',</a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'A Sports Junkie'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'The Avery Appointment'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</a></span></i>, and <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N7JV5NM" style="color: #954f72;">'Jonathan Stephens Is Just A Kid'</a></i></span>.<i> His books are available in paperback and e-book.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He writes about sports for <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: #954f72;">Season Tickets</a></span>, food and travel on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: #954f72;">Miles & Meals</a></span>, and music/guitars on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: #954f72;">The Backbeat</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"><a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/SeasonTickets_">Follow @Season Tickets</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script></span><br />
<script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-50550911968708552842019-02-07T11:24:00.002-06:002023-02-09T19:13:50.040-06:00Delaney Bramlett - Among Friends <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoYl0x938rLkr983irav4xjvn2qoYmivT8sqgbtJGAOkh_PYOXcOGn3hZvnVQwn7j9aPh3COOKxZvgeEXx9fNCjTtZjjkVL7wavUpv1FlxOYaAU0Bksoj0vHOjY6pM0lg2G2xUXlzVDY/s1600/original.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoYl0x938rLkr983irav4xjvn2qoYmivT8sqgbtJGAOkh_PYOXcOGn3hZvnVQwn7j9aPh3COOKxZvgeEXx9fNCjTtZjjkVL7wavUpv1FlxOYaAU0Bksoj0vHOjY6pM0lg2G2xUXlzVDY/s1600/original.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Delaney Bramlett may not be the first name that pops into your head when you think of singer/songwriters, but he and his first wife, Bonnie, fronted one of the great bands of the 1970's. The band was called Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, and they had some fantastic friends – folks who thought D & B were so good, they just wanted to hang around among friends and play as sidemen.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The "Friends" part included such rock luminaries as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Duane Allman, Dave Mason, Leon Russell, King Curtis, and others. How do you do that? How do you get rock royalty like Clapton, Harrison, and more to play as your backing band? You give them a dose of blue-eyed soul and stomping rock and roll, is what you do. You show them that you're a first-class showman, singer, songwriter, and guitar player. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Delaney Bramlett had a gift – he could sing, play, write, and he knew how to make the best of friends. Most of all, Delaney knew how to rock and put on a great show. It's funny to think of Eric Clapton and George Harrison content to sit back and play in a backing band, but that's exactly what happened when they met Delaney. The guy was a great bandleader and he inspired many well-known musicians to play with his group.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Delaney learned guitar young, and as a young man, moved to Los Angeles. It wasn't long before he was doing session work and playing in the house band for the popular television show <i>Shindig!</i> Along with major players like James Burton, Leon Russell, Glen D. Hardin, Larry Knechtel, and Glen Campbell, the young Delaney showed off his vocal and guitar chops on television and a number of recordings.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcWwXGCAF9NW3BSt2cLWxy8xY-27r6Mhu_p4MLOQ3d_mmuY_z7a5O9eyp2icpHjtVrHzFJunZIrmnzPUqkh5UjkyjpVYs5m9vLmOXiTtvWvHMgiE1hjOlRAmMwK9WVSg9NIyG0uW-Jwc/s1600/D+B+tour.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="1425" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcWwXGCAF9NW3BSt2cLWxy8xY-27r6Mhu_p4MLOQ3d_mmuY_z7a5O9eyp2icpHjtVrHzFJunZIrmnzPUqkh5UjkyjpVYs5m9vLmOXiTtvWvHMgiE1hjOlRAmMwK9WVSg9NIyG0uW-Jwc/s200/D+B+tour.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He met in 1967, Bonnie O'Farrell, a singer who had worked with Albert King and Ike and Tina Turner as one of the Ikettes. They married a week after meeting and began performing and recording as Delaney & Bonnie. The duo signed a record deal with Stax Records in Memphis, and released an album in 1969, <i>Home</i>, that was not commercially successful. They switched to Elektra Records later that year, recording <i>The Original Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (Accept No Substitute)</i>. Although this album did not make them rich, it caught the attention of Beatle George Harrison, who offered them a contract with Apple Records. Because they were already under contract, this deal fell through, and later, they were released from their Elektra commitment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Harrison liked their sound and style, and so did his friend Eric Clapton, then with Blind Faith (post-Cream.) Clapton booked them as the opening act for his own band, as well as recording with them as part of Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. Clapton helped the duo land a deal with his own U.S. label, Atco (Atlantic) and the album <i>On Tour with Eric Clapton</i> followed in late 1969. The band was off and running as a major force, with a spectacular assortment of sidemen like Clapton, Harrison, drummer Jim Gordon, bassist Carl Radle, and keyboardist Bobby Whitlock (all three later of Derek and the Dominos.) This album was D & B's most successful, reaching #29 on the Billboard album chart, and achieving gold record status.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clapton said in his autobiography and quoted in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/arts/music/30bramlett-1.html" target="_blank">Bramlett's 2008 New York Times obituary by Bruce Weber</a>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"For me, going on [with Blind Faith] after Delaney and Bonnie was really, really tough, because I thought they were miles better than us."</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_TOFXP0ZFzuf5kFFPvhQwsnUtzXf7AFOO4VTp_w2KT_cO0LcIqcBrX2TSTeumbIRIraib4gwT1-eF5oE4OrbCebwoHfcjGSW6ID8BaORE9-41_QVq-gvPDHMFiJO_9Fu24bXtA-XEQs/s1600/Tobonnie1970.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_TOFXP0ZFzuf5kFFPvhQwsnUtzXf7AFOO4VTp_w2KT_cO0LcIqcBrX2TSTeumbIRIraib4gwT1-eF5oE4OrbCebwoHfcjGSW6ID8BaORE9-41_QVq-gvPDHMFiJO_9Fu24bXtA-XEQs/s1600/Tobonnie1970.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After Clapton broke up Blind Faith, he continued to appear onstage with D & B, and he asked Delaney and the band to back him on his first solo record, <i>Eric Clapton</i>, recorded in late 1969 and early 1970. In addition to providing guitar work, Delaney produced the album and co-wrote seven of the 11 songs, five of them with Clapton. Clapton was reportedly not happy with the sound of his own singing voice, and he credits Delaney with urging him to sing and teaching him the art of singing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Said Clapton:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Delaney taught me everything I know about singing." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Delaney & Bonnie continued to tour and record, having some success in the early 1970's with the song <i>Soul Shake</i> (#43 on the Billboard singles chart) from the 1970 album <i>To Bonnie From Delaney</i>, and their biggest hit, <i>Never Ending Song of Love</i> (#13 on the singles chart and the #67 Billboard song of the year) from <i>Motel Shot</i> (1971.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Although the duo made some great friends and enjoyed commercial success, things began to come apart in 1971. Atco refused to release their next record, <i>Country Life</i>, citing poor quality, and then the company sold Delaney & Bonnie's contract and the master tapes of the album to CBS/Columbia. Columbia released the album, called <i>D & B Together</i>, in 1972, the couple's last record of original songs. They filed for divorce the next year and did not record or collaborate again.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmxh92kRmgWCxfP1XlSZigCtebdTXFQ9f2bADoF95Wnn0uxZnPlvPDF5UMXVTMxWBE8gwxdCUE0QH32TzV_qid479tK4wnap8etLi-lGYLbwvQCFdPLTQTym9cd_MHvv-eXtDcOkdyME/s1600/motel.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="347" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmxh92kRmgWCxfP1XlSZigCtebdTXFQ9f2bADoF95Wnn0uxZnPlvPDF5UMXVTMxWBE8gwxdCUE0QH32TzV_qid479tK4wnap8etLi-lGYLbwvQCFdPLTQTym9cd_MHvv-eXtDcOkdyME/s200/motel.jpg" width="195" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Over the next thirty some years, Delaney continued to record, tour, produce, and do session work. His efforts included artists as varied as Elvin Bishop, the Crickets, (as producer) Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, Dave Mason, Duane Allman, the Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Commander Cody, Hank Thompson, T. Graham Brown, and many more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Delaney died on December 27, 2008 at age 69 from complications of gall bladder surgery. <a href="http://www.swampland.com/posts/view/title:delaney_bramlett_the_death_of_a_southern_legend" target="_blank">His former wife wrote</a>:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"My heart is broken. This morning my soul mate, the father of my children, and my Partner in Musical History crossed over into the Light. Delaney Bramlett has left the building. Long Live the King."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Delaney's legacy is the body of recorded work and the memories of those he influenced, including Clapton and Harrison. His effect on those two specifically was noted by writer Pat Thomas in the Motel Shot liner notes:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Clapton and Harrison heard their music, and it turned them around."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Delaney Bramlett was a force in the music business, with his engaging blend of blue-eyed soul and stomping rock and roll. He and Bonnie were memorable performers, fronting an impressive band that could rock with the best of them. No matter what he was doing, Delaney was always among friends.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch</span></i></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Larry-Manch/author/B00DWKHW4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: purple;"><b><i>Amazon.com</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow @LTM_Author</span></b></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></p></div>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-77900288551715322452019-02-03T18:45:00.006-06:002023-02-10T20:50:40.518-06:00A Byrd, A Burrito, A Desert Rose<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2yVha43wUsO5KlkIlbKN0uwJCKNrzU92Vs9dBEH2mH9W128DAghE1y8gUK2f2fpHzaeiWvUzxWodI6O0qZv2PWzvhD11uh1VGIqFLS-hBQWDx2utjB_UUdKmvrqLkr_sGTJPwl4SWbk/s1600/Hillman.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="355" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp2yVha43wUsO5KlkIlbKN0uwJCKNrzU92Vs9dBEH2mH9W128DAghE1y8gUK2f2fpHzaeiWvUzxWodI6O0qZv2PWzvhD11uh1VGIqFLS-hBQWDx2utjB_UUdKmvrqLkr_sGTJPwl4SWbk/s200/Hillman.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The name Chris Hillman may not be familiar to you, but you have heard him sing, play guitar, bass, and mandolin on many hit songs and other music from the 1960's through today. He is one of the most talented, accomplished, professionals in music business history, and he has played in several notable bands, worked as a session musician, in a duo and as a solo artist.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you recognize the clues in the title of this piece, you will guess that Hillman has been in the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Desert Rose Band. He was also a prominent member of the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, Manassas, and McGuinn-Clark-Hillman. Hillman is a first-rate singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist; a professional in every respect. He wasn't always the so-called 'star' of the band, but every band he has been in benefited enormously from his talents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hillman's sister sparked his interest in country and folk music in the late 1950's. He started on guitar and then mandolin, quickly becoming proficient enough at age 16 to be asked to join the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers, a San Diego area bluegrass band (with later Flying Burrito Brother and Eagle Bernie Leadon.) After a brief stint with another bluegrass group, the Golden Boys (then the Hillmen) led to frustration, he nearly quit the music business in 1964. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Byrds</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Former Hillmen manager Jim Dickson offered Hillman a job playing bass in a new band that included Roger (then called Jim) McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke – The Byrds. Although he had not played the instrument before, he quickly became proficient and the Byrds soon became a premier folk/rock act. Their style was new and exciting, playing folk songs set to a rock beat with electric instruments and multi-layered vocal harmonies. They enjoyed world-wide success with huge hit singles, <i>Mr. Tambourine Man</i>, (written by Bob Dylan) and <i>Turn! Turn! Turn!</i> (a Bible verse first set to music by Pete Seeger.) With McGuinn, Clark, and Crosby handling the bulk of the singing and songwriting, Hillman remained in the background until Clark quit in early 1966.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlf8szZU7PYuCS8gz5_iMdtNlBRIY00QE-_-098D5m_vh5Xsbwu42uWCiZccCB3IyjEgmgWDMRcfmu1WwqRh6bIHWaPFEo7F95IWH3p5__HODyo8Y6lkiI88M75XjriovzHi_dQ8-OsSQ/s1600/younger.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="355" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlf8szZU7PYuCS8gz5_iMdtNlBRIY00QE-_-098D5m_vh5Xsbwu42uWCiZccCB3IyjEgmgWDMRcfmu1WwqRh6bIHWaPFEo7F95IWH3p5__HODyo8Y6lkiI88M75XjriovzHi_dQ8-OsSQ/s200/younger.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Byrds fourth album <i>Younger Than Yesterday</i> was an opportunity for Hillman to step up as a singer and songwriter. On this album, released in early 1967, Hillman wrote four and co-wrote another of the 11 album tracks – his first major contribution as a writer (<i>Have You Seen Her Face, Time Between, Thoughts and Words, The Girl With No Name</i>.) Personnel changes, including the firing of David Crosby and Michael Clarke led to recruiting country rocker Gram Parsons, first on piano, soon switching to guitar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Parsons wanted to move the band toward a country sound and Hillman, the former bluegrass player, agreed, soon followed by McGuinn. The result was the seminal album <i>Sweetheart of the Rodeo</i>, (August 1968) a preview of what Hillman and Parsons would do in their next band, the Flying Burrito Brothers. Hillman played bass, guitar, mandolin, and some vocals. He sang lead on <i>I Am A Pilgrim</i> and <i>Blue Canadian Rockies</i>, (written by Cindy Walker) sharing lead vocals with McGuinn on <i>One Hundred Years From Now</i>. Although he had written songs for the previous album, none of the songs on Sweetheart were his. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Parsons left the Byrds in July 1968, and Hillman suggest session guitarist Clarence White as his replacement, but then Hillman quit in September. He wasn't pleased with the band's recent performances or business manager Larry Spector's practices. After a disagreement on finances, the pair traded punches after a mid-summer concert in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, leading Hillman quit the Byrds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Flying Burrito Brothers</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The busy, talented Hillman didn't stay idle for long, joining with Parsons to form the Flying Burrito Brothers. This band was a sort of extension of what they had done on the Byrds <i>Sweetheart</i> album, music that Parsons called 'American Cosmic Music,' what we now call 'country rock.' Their first album was the critically acclaimed yet not commercially successful <i>The Gilded Palace of Sin</i>, released in 1969. Later named by Rolling Stone Magazine as #192 in the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and among their list of the 100 Best Debut Albums. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiLgJmZYSMz_JOVu5dyxXgbIrCUKILZKsGr_V3vOcwvm6k36axnLrCKZWm9PZ2RTVb9J6DvG8BstHgwHI76y3RJjqUMlIRRYjSzd7hqP3lJNSOIZrKJxvevfJeFNxKoI3FRnNklI0DWY/s1600/gilded.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="660" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiLgJmZYSMz_JOVu5dyxXgbIrCUKILZKsGr_V3vOcwvm6k36axnLrCKZWm9PZ2RTVb9J6DvG8BstHgwHI76y3RJjqUMlIRRYjSzd7hqP3lJNSOIZrKJxvevfJeFNxKoI3FRnNklI0DWY/s200/gilded.png" width="198" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Although this record was not a big seller (about 50,000 copies) it did have an impact, as noted by author/musician Sid Griffin in the liner notes for the 1997 reissue: "...like the first album by the Velvet Underground, it would seem every one of those 50,000 went out and formed a band inspired by what they'd heard."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hillman shared writing credits with Parsons on six of the 11 album tracks, including,<i> Christine's Tune, Sin City, My Uncle, Wheels, Juanita</i>, and <i>Hippy Boy</i>. Records like this (along with <i>Sweetheart</i> and Parson's previous group, The International Submarine Band's album <i>Safe At Home</i>) were forerunners of the country and L.A. rock of the 1970's and later, outlaw and alternative country (The Eagles, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Pure Prairie League, and bands well into the 2000's.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The FBB declined an invitation to play at Woodstock, but did perform at Altamont in December 1969, appearing onstage at the infamous concert between the Jefferson Airplane and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. They played seven songs, including their cover of the old country song <i>Six Days on the Road</i>, which was shown in the film of the concert, <i>Gimme Shelter</i>. Violence and death marred the event, but Mick Jagger biographer Anthony Scaduto wrote that the crowd seemed to calm during the Burrito's set of mostly mellow country rock.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While they had a good thing going with <i>Gilded Palace</i>, it came apart soon after. The second album was a flop, Parsons started to flake out, and Hillman fired him. The next record, <i>The Flying Burrito Brothers</i> (1971) with new guitarist Rick Roberts (later of the band Firefall) did better, but Hillman moved on in October 1971.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Manassas</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hillman's next stop was the band Manassas from 1971-1972, fronted by Stephen Stills. From the first album, <i>Manassas</i>, Hillman co-wrote with Stills, <i>Both of Us (Bound to Lose)</i> and <i>It Doesn't Matter</i>, with Stills and Roberts, and on the second record, <i>Down the Road</i>, wrote <i>Lies</i>, and <i>So Many Times</i> (with Stills.) Manassas was a good band with solid players; a showcase for Stills, but not much of a creative outlet for Hillman, and he didn't stay long.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Back to the Byrds</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In late 1972, David Geffen, founder of Asylum Records, offered the five original Byrds big money to record another album in an attempt to recapture the magic of their first records. For the 1973 release titled <i>Byrds</i>, Hillman contributed <i>Things Will Be Better</i> (with Dallas Taylor), and <i>Borrowing Time</i> (with Joe Lala.) The album reached #20 on the Billboard charts but was not generally well-received, and the members themselves were critical of their own work. Although it was the same five guys, the formula that had produced hit songs the first time around, wasn't working this time. A planned tour was cancelled, and the Byrds broke up again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5maxtb75bwH364gVo2DAQ6rZ7d2mBW0OGGZLcYZO4r9WFh5KEdrYq-vrYNlL5Ea0Kc8IWsH7GX__SzpIH_Od-SF7offSJLGYDPq-M1yLFW__XwAsqgIG03JhA20MpuEUwux7wAYzUIg/s1600/SHFB.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="466" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5maxtb75bwH364gVo2DAQ6rZ7d2mBW0OGGZLcYZO4r9WFh5KEdrYq-vrYNlL5Ea0Kc8IWsH7GX__SzpIH_Od-SF7offSJLGYDPq-M1yLFW__XwAsqgIG03JhA20MpuEUwux7wAYzUIg/s200/SHFB.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Geffen had a hand in Hillman's next project as well, offering </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">to put Hillman together with singer/songwriter/guitarist J.D. Souther, who had worked with later Eagle Glenn Frey as a folk duo in the late 1960's. They added Richie Furay, formerly of Buffalo Springfield and Poco, and became the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band. They put together a great group with Paul Harris, (keyboards, Manassas) Joe Lala, (percussion, Manassas) Al Perkins, (pedal steel guitar, Manassas and the Flying Burrito Brothers) and ace session drummer and former member of Derek and the Dominos and Traffic, Jim Gordon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The band's first release was <i>The Souther Hillman Furay Band</i>, in 1974. It was a good country rock record, well produced with smooth vocal harmonies and consistently good instrumentation. The album reached #11 on the Billboard chart, with the Furay-penned single <i>Fallin' In Love</i> reaching #27. Hillman wrote <i>Safe At Home</i>, a good, stomping rocker, and with Len Fagan, <i>Rise and Fall</i> and <i>Heavenly Fire</i>. The album was a solid debut, but personality clashes and disagreements torpedoed the band, which broke up soon after the 1975 release of their second album, Trouble In Paradise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Solo and Session Work</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hillman went solo and in 1976 and 1977, releasing two records, <i>Slippin' Away</i> (1976) and <i>Clear Sailin'</i> (1977). <i>Slippin' Away</i> featured some heavy hitters, including Steve Cropper, George Terry, Al Perkins, and Bernie Leadon on guitar, Jim Gordon and Russ Kunkel, (drums) Lee Sklar and Duck Dunn, (bass) Flo and Eddie (the Turtles) and Herb Pedersen on vocals, and others. Clear Sailin' had an entirely different set of musicians. Both records were well done, and produced some good material. It was the kind of effort you came to expect from Hillman – good songs, vocal harmonies, and tasteful playing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Over the next few years, Hillman was recruited often for session work, laying down solid work for old and new friends, including Gene Clark, Dillard & Clark, Poco, and Dan Fogelberg to name a few. During this time, he reunited with McGuinn and Clark for a tour and two albums, then recorded two mostly acoustic albums, <i>Morning Sky</i> (1982) and <i>Desert Rose</i> (1984.) Pedersen appeared on both records, a preview of what the two would do the following year when they started the Desert Rose Band.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Desert Rose Band</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZ8tMX4T7Wnho9TQyJMpw75lUC0PWD2B3bHoJ4SP_ra8Vh3y8kWRhHKbWj0RlDehHnMTqFJRAPF5e-o9ZX1HBJXJhZxnjnuYK4Pn5FdKenrpXUQDaWX3ESeOgSyQAKMIWDQRPzsnAzuA/s1600/drb.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="301" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZ8tMX4T7Wnho9TQyJMpw75lUC0PWD2B3bHoJ4SP_ra8Vh3y8kWRhHKbWj0RlDehHnMTqFJRAPF5e-o9ZX1HBJXJhZxnjnuYK4Pn5FdKenrpXUQDaWX3ESeOgSyQAKMIWDQRPzsnAzuA/s200/drb.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">Hillman and Pedersen in 1985, recruited guitarist John Jorgenson, bassist Bill Bryson, pedal steel guitarist Jay Dee </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">Maness, and drummer Steve Duncan for the Desert Rose Band. Over the next nine years this group cranked out hit after hit in a highly successful effort. Seven top-ten singles, and 16 overall hits followed from this tight country outfit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was some of Hillman's best commercial work since the Byrds, and it seemed that he really came into his own with this band. He was a front man, and he played the part well, along with Pederson. A number of songwriters contributed to their repertoire, and the DRB was a force in the country music world. They rode the wave until 1994, when they dissolved the band (Jorgenson and Duncan had left in 1991.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Later Work</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In 1996, Hillman again teamed with Herb Pederson for <i>Bakersfield Bound</i>, another excellent piece of work. The two had a long history of harmonizing together, and the harmonies on this CD are wall to wall. Included on <i>Bakersfield</i> was <i>Lost Highway</i>, an old country song written by Leon Payne in 1948 and popularized by Hank Williams in 1949. The Hillman/Pedersen version features stunning harmony vocals, the fine bass playing of Lee Sklar, the tasteful pedal steel licks of Jay Dee Maness, and lead guitar of Jim Monahan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">Other albums and tours followed, the veteran Hillman</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;"> continued to record and play shows for appreciative audiences. Although he wasn't turning out hit songs, the music he made continued to be compelling, interesting, and well worth your time. It is proof positive that an artist doesn't have to have songs on the charts to be relevant, although many of his songs from that time were very good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">His latest album is <i>Bidin' My Time</i>, released in 2017, co-produced by Tom Petty (who also appeared on guitar and harmonica.) Hillman is still in full, clear voice, at the top of his form at age 74. Assisted by former DRB friends Herb Pederson, John Jorgenson, and Jay Dee Maness, with old friends McGuinn and Crosby, this is yet another excellent Hillman album. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Throughout Hillman's career, whether he was fronting a band or in the background, he has been a consistent presence. His creative bass playing, inspired mandolin licks, and his strong, clear voice mark Chris Hillman as a consummate professional and one of our favorite performers.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8LKb8tsFIs6FyhzH0Dd89EfTU_pWtr7IlK8bcHtaX5ubHSayoxjG4aQZnFr_zb-mdYoULZUscbdo6DmT3AchfEQM-f5fybGexaF3WNK5hbS2fGQGEtK8KnKBz1_o3ZMpTn2y7TjcQGM/s1600/bake.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1200" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8LKb8tsFIs6FyhzH0Dd89EfTU_pWtr7IlK8bcHtaX5ubHSayoxjG4aQZnFr_zb-mdYoULZUscbdo6DmT3AchfEQM-f5fybGexaF3WNK5hbS2fGQGEtK8KnKBz1_o3ZMpTn2y7TjcQGM/s200/bake.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The frequent band changes over the decades may seem on the surface, frivolous. Musicians tend to be nomadic, and a great many move from band to band, looking for better or at least different opportunities. For sure, some make changes simply because they have short attention spans. Not this guy though. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With Chris Hillman, you get the distinct impression that his career moves were fueled by a desire to seek out better professional opportunities. This is, after all, a guy who with his level of talent, knew he wasn't going to be bagging groceries or flipping burgers. There would always be opportunities for a musician with his advanced talents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The contrast is with a character like Gram Parsons. His talents were unquestioned, but his motivation was. He was a talented singer and instrumentalist, but throughout his short life it appeared he was more interested in partying – drinking and doing drugs, hanging out with friends, than in pursuing music. His addictions led to his early death, at age 29.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Chris Hillman kept a steady path, lived, worked, and perfected his talents. Fortunately for him, his family, and music fans, he did not fall victim to the kinds of behaviors that claimed Parsons and so many others.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We can, of course, still enjoy Hillman's work from decades past on vinyl and CD. But it is fun and refreshing to see an accomplished artist like him, still on stage, white hair and all, performing and playing – still in his element and obviously enjoying it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He still plays some of the old songs (see the last video below, Hillman and Pedersen on stage with <i>Eight Miles High</i>.) He may have evolved long past the days of the big, curly head of hair that he sported back in the day, but he is still part Byrd, part Burrito, and part Desert Rose – a man who, over the decades, produced a wealth of excellent, entertaining music.</span><br />
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<b>The Byrds<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>The Flying Burrito Brothers<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Manassas<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>The Byrds Reunion<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Solo Recordings<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>The Desert Rose Band<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>The Latest </b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ZLsMBrYs20" width="320" youtube-src-id="7ZLsMBrYs20"></iframe></div></div>
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<b>Live Chris and Herb<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch</span></i></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Larry-Manch/author/B00DWKHW4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: purple;"><b><i>Amazon.com</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow @LTM_Author</span></b></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></p></div></div>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-43203554735659790502019-01-30T16:48:00.001-06:002019-02-02T12:38:50.042-06:00Standing in For Buddy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVOFC0FMSNAEcADwwKVQOPl8STgO08zq69rJ1voATD3r5km-9HQrg8ipK2sSCELYPO08mYMiTnxkRT0VrWEtLZIQKlKHHdwEsFGFUsn5msep9KZOZTv0U_kO76TaKbLPiKPJQJwKqk0w/s1600/vee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVOFC0FMSNAEcADwwKVQOPl8STgO08zq69rJ1voATD3r5km-9HQrg8ipK2sSCELYPO08mYMiTnxkRT0VrWEtLZIQKlKHHdwEsFGFUsn5msep9KZOZTv0U_kO76TaKbLPiKPJQJwKqk0w/s200/vee.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">February 3, 2019 marks the 60th anniversary of the so-called, 'The Day the Music Died.' That is, the day Buddy Holly and three others died in the crash of a small plane near Clear Lake, Iowa. It also marks the anniversary of the beginning of a long musical career of a man who played an important role after the crash – Bobby Vee. </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You've probably heard of Vee or at least some of his songs. He was a popular singer in the early/mid 1960's, with several hit songs, including <i>Take Good Care of My Baby</i>, and <i>The Night Has A Thousand Eyes</i>. These songs are significant in the history of popular music, but oddly enough, it was the Holly tragedy that helped to propel Vee to his own musical career. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On that long ago day, Vee (his real name was Bob Velline) was a 15-year-old aspiring musician in Fargo, ND, right across the Red River from Moorhead, MN. Early that morning, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson, and pilot Roger Peterson died in a plane crash on their way from Clear Lake to Moorhead. The rock and roll stars were scheduled to play a show that night at the Moorhead Armory and had hired Peterson to fly them ahead of the rest of the band and crew. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Vee, along with his brother Bill, and several high school friends, were planning to attend the concert, but when Vee heard about the crash and a radio announcement seeking a replacement band, he seized the moment, and volunteered to play the show in Holly's place. It was a pickup band, and they had only a few hours to rehearse before taking the stage. They played well enough for many to notice, helping to launch Bobby Vee as an international singing star. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Credit goes to Vee and his friends for having the vision and the guts to step in for the great Buddy Holly. Vee died in October 2016 at age 73, best remembered for his hit songs, but also for standing in for the great Buddy Holly on the day</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> he died. </span><br />
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<span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C" style="color: purple;">Larry Manch</a></i></span><i> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319" style="color: purple;">'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories',</a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'A Sports Junkie'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'The Avery Appointment'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</a></span></i>, and <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N7JV5NM" style="color: purple;">'Jonathan Stephens Is Just A Kid'</a></i></span>.<i> His books are available in paperback and e-book.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He writes about sports for <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;">Season Tickets</a></span>, food and travel on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;">Miles & Meals</a></span>, and music/guitars on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;">The Backbeat</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/SeasonTickets_">Follow @Season Tickets</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script></span><br />
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Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-54197080307846281892019-01-26T12:20:00.004-06:002023-02-08T17:16:56.834-06:00A Brilliant Musician and Memorable Friend<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacKplPQIDuvHrl_Gbj3MVEoseYkcg3oEVt27rSDqweOMjQazMJSQSDfl8rsYZCF7VqT4OZwtN1EzaECcGbnBBzKdquh2DnzjIFYKIFaHFxTT8R9DIiYRV7SC1sTQ2eVouZEub9jZpbmw/s1600/Kelly+3+Yae.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="604" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacKplPQIDuvHrl_Gbj3MVEoseYkcg3oEVt27rSDqweOMjQazMJSQSDfl8rsYZCF7VqT4OZwtN1EzaECcGbnBBzKdquh2DnzjIFYKIFaHFxTT8R9DIiYRV7SC1sTQ2eVouZEub9jZpbmw/s320/Kelly+3+Yae.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelly Roberti. Photo by Yae Inoue Bowman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kelly Roberti was a world-renowned jazz bassist and composer, an accomplished chef, teacher, author/poet, and a world-class non-conformist. He spent his life pursuing his passions - family, music, friends, travel, and cooking. Kelly was a unique personality with talent, vision, and a great many friends. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When he died from lung cancer in early March 2016, at age 61, the outpouring of love and support for his wife Yae Inoue was massive. Unfortunately for this couple, they were forced by government red tape to remain apart for almost two years, reuniting only a little more than two years before Kelly's death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kelly grew up in Malta and Bozeman, Montana, with his father Mike and mother Mary instilling in him a love and passion for music. His father was an educator and music director for the Bozeman Public Schools, while Mary was a piano teacher. Kelly's parents were so deeply into music that it was probably a foregone conclusion from the day he was born that Kelly would become a musician.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kelly said of his parents:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Pops taught in the Montana public school system for forty years. His relentless work ethic and energy was something to behold as a child… He and my dear mother gave me music from the day I was born – every day, always, music."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kelly's path took him from small town Montana to clubs and venues around the world. He toured, performed, and recorded with some of the finest jazz musicians over the years, including Emily Remler, Sonny Rollins, David 'Fathead' Newman, Ray Brown, Dave Grusin, Sheryl Bailey, and <i>many </i>more. He </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">contributed to more than sixty recordings.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQR3VKsYQ5hogKa8G6b_0Yya5fCMk7oxAG6iHWWcX3snex_g1MPyNBFbOzedwhB2liCwJqGJJa8tp6Ok59cOwLALADL9S-p1yCnOzsgU5WQQzmFjYPp3A45J409QaY594G0eI2XaT76gs/s1600/Kelly+1.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="422" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQR3VKsYQ5hogKa8G6b_0Yya5fCMk7oxAG6iHWWcX3snex_g1MPyNBFbOzedwhB2liCwJqGJJa8tp6Ok59cOwLALADL9S-p1yCnOzsgU5WQQzmFjYPp3A45J409QaY594G0eI2XaT76gs/s200/Kelly+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Yae Inoue Bowman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When he was not on the road, he performed every Wednesday night as <i>Kelly Roberti and Friends</i>, at Plonk!, a small restaurant venue in downtown Bozeman. He did nine seasons presenting <i>Jazz and More with Kelly Roberti</i>– an award-winning series of free concerts at the Bozeman Public Library, with various other like-minded musicians doing what they love – discussing and performing jazz.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Reviewers found multiple reasons to write complimentary things about Kelly. A St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer called him:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"…an original and soulful improviser with chops almost unheard of until now."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Los Angeles Reader said he was an: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"…earthy and meticulous bassist whose lines underpin the ensemble with roots and flair… an heir apparent to the late Charles Mingus."<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What set Kelly apart, aside from his prowess and feel for his instrument, was his attitude regarding conformity, or rather, the lack of it. He said in a speech:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"If I was in New York City, I'd have to sound like everybody else. And I don't do that."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In 2010, Kelly accepted the Montana Governor's Award for the Arts. He continued to champion Montana musicians and the local music scene. In his acceptance speech, he told the audience:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"You have to be a pioneer to be an artist in Montana." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxImYw5Ya0hq9UAxKmfy1OwPSnIdkN1El-esMcbjCftEYOC-ASvG83iaAzTNV5atzd3yHUu5lauhSkt3PCAmwNuyxVCqoWQModpmbqAeRvakiHtLXxlmxSaiAbI3y0Vh8y9FCT28Yd5E/s1600/Kelly+2+Yae.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="604" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxImYw5Ya0hq9UAxKmfy1OwPSnIdkN1El-esMcbjCftEYOC-ASvG83iaAzTNV5atzd3yHUu5lauhSkt3PCAmwNuyxVCqoWQModpmbqAeRvakiHtLXxlmxSaiAbI3y0Vh8y9FCT28Yd5E/s200/Kelly+2+Yae.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Yae Inoue Bowman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In addition to Kelly's significant musical career, he pursued other arts – writing, teaching, and cooking among them. As a writer, he published poetry and wrote lyrics. He mentored young musicians and taught improvisational thought for private students as well as teaching college level classes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As a chef, he excelled at Italian and French cooking, which he called, "a meditational thing." (<a href="https://bozone.com/remembering-kelly-roberti/" style="color: #954f72;">Bozone.com, <i>Remembering Kelly Roberti</i></a>, March 2016.) He was also known to respond to challenges by Yae to cook a world-class meal using only what he had in the refrigerator. For those of us who never had a chance to dine with Kelly and Yae, they regularly posted on Facebook, photos of his culinary creations. We could only imagine the pleasure of tasting those meals, and we believed Yae when she said they were spectacular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kelly and Yae met in 2009 on Facebook. After a year of Skyping, they met in 2010 in person when Yae, a graphic and web designer, traveled to Montana from her native Japan. It was the first of several visits, and soon a romance developed, with the couple marrying on February 29, 2012. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, about a month later, Yae was forced to return to Japan as her visa had expired. Although they were legally married, the U.S. government denied Yae re-entry, resulting in a 656-day marathon ordeal of red tape, frustration, and disappointment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kelly wrote in June 2013:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"My wife, who is a Japanese citizen had to leave the country 15 months ago to make possible the application for a green card from both countries. This is the method we were told to do. There is no dual citizenship allowed between Japan and the U.S. It has been 15 months of sadness for us."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Finally, late that year, the nightmare ended and Yae was allowed to join Kelly in Montana. The story was documented in January 2014 by journalist Rachel Hergett of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle in, <i><a href="https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/dailyfeatures/bozeman-man-reunited-with-wife-after-nearly-two-years-apart/article_df89793c-7fd6-11e3-87cb-0019bb2963f4.html" style="color: #954f72;">Bozeman man reunited with wife after nearly two years apart<span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></a></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QVhOCMskCpiEfvgPHm8lvfAS-gAHCzt0D7Xeefmuk_dh_zbQVkAvyl_xJ1RXcahlY-OD3BSX4iPhlf0cRnS7DkPrNm1aZpYCW7-8P0XQ4s0R7sKoZI_Kd-pAJm1W7-3eccJZSHQZl2U/s1600/Kelly+4+Yae.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="604" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QVhOCMskCpiEfvgPHm8lvfAS-gAHCzt0D7Xeefmuk_dh_zbQVkAvyl_xJ1RXcahlY-OD3BSX4iPhlf0cRnS7DkPrNm1aZpYCW7-8P0XQ4s0R7sKoZI_Kd-pAJm1W7-3eccJZSHQZl2U/s200/Kelly+4+Yae.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Yae Inoue Bowman</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hergett wrote in that 2014 reunion piece, "Kelly Roberti and Yae Inoue’s love story finally has its happy ending." Those of us who knew Kelly (we weren't close friends in our school years, but we knew each other) had followed the saga and we enjoyed seeing the pictures taken by friends posted online on the day Yae landed in Bozeman. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then, the happy ending took a tragic turn when Kelly was diagnosed with lung cancer. The couple had only been back together for about a year when the bad news came. The good news was that Kelly was a survivor and a fighter, as evidenced by his recovery from a motorcycle accident in 2005 that had left him in bed for a year and required fourteen surgeries. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"This [the accident] made me a better person," said Kelly in a Facebook post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The cancer diagnosis again brought out the fight in him, but this was a fight he would not win. He died on March 7, 2016. Kelly and Yae had been married for just over four years, only about two of which was spent together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"He fought such a tough fight for us," said Yae in Hergett's March 9 follow-up story, <a href="https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/go/soundcheck/sound-check-kelly-roberti-remembered-as-musician-contrarian-chef-and/article_7edd9237-3f71-5993-a55c-5d089b45baa4.html" style="color: #954f72;">'Sound Check: Kelly Roberti remembered as musician, contrarian, chef and husband.'</a>"I can’t even imagine the pain he had to deal with. Even though he was so weak all doctors told me to consider a hospice care, he wanted to fight."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After Kelly's passing, the tributes and condolences poured in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Always challenging, sometimes frustrating, usually funny as hell, with an outcome that was surprisingly beautiful. Kelly Roberti lives on in our hearts and the music he made," wrote Philip Aaberg, Roberti friend and collaborator, from the Hergett story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kelly's long-time friend Dave Vaughan wrote on Facebook: "I grew up with him. We formed our first band together. Nothing ever changed. Thank God. He was a brilliant contrarian asshole genius."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Bozeman Library Foundation Director Paula Beswick told Hergett for her article:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"… the community learned so much about music and life through Kelly on those Monday nights."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Montana television show <i>11<sup>th</sup>& Grant </i>posted on their Facebook page:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by David Dzubinski</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"There are few musicians in the world that enrich lives like Kelly Roberti," (from the Hergett story.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From the website, 'All Things Emily.com', (an Emily Remler tribute site) Lu wrote in, <a href="http://allthingsemily.com/thoughts-for-kelly-roberti/" style="color: #954f72;">'Thoughts for Kelly Roberti'</a>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Kelly was fervent about jazz and unequalled in crusading for musicians long gone and for those who were making the journey. He had deep affection for the written word, he was a chef extraordinaire, he was a jazz historian, he was intolerant of political buffoonery, he was a rebel, he was gentle and kind, he was a positive presence…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In 2014, Kelly and Yae took what they called their honeymoon trip, driving across the U.S., then spending time in Paris and Japan, where Kelly met Yae's family. They visited friends along the way, including a studio session in Philadelphia, PA. that proved to be Kelly's final recorded work. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In that session, jazz singer/composer</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> </span><a href="https://brecherjazz.com/" target="_blank">Kaylé Brecher</a> collaborated with Kelly, recording some of his poetry set to music, resulting in the CD <i><a href="https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/kaylebrecher12?fbclid=IwAR1ODbq2Jl1dFaU4D5hAJktq1dSHxp9eeOkONugHEzv9X5iy0o_7VPqx9wI" target="_blank">Stars Don't Weep,</a> </i>with pianist/composer </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://brecherjazz.com/ddzubinski.htm" target="_blank">David Dzubinski</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"I miss his presence immensely," wrote Brecher.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Playing and recording with him was very special," said Dzubinski.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In a long career, Kelly worked with notable musicians such as trumpeters Wynton Marsalis and Woody Shaw, guitarists Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, and Emily Remler, singers Dionne Warwick, MJ Williams, and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Brecher</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">, pianists Dzubinski, Ann Tappan, and Eric Funk, to name a few. He practiced his art relentlessly, always seeking to improve as a musician and to further the cause of music and fellow musicians.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"I want to contribute to the tradition, the true human condition and to the next generation," Kelly had said in his 2010 Montana Governor's Award for the Arts speech. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Most who knew him would probably agree that he succeeded. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kelly Roberti was for sure, a brilliant musician, a unique personality, and a memorable friend, sorely missed by those who knew him. Philip Aaberg's quote is worth repeating:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Kelly Roberti lives on in our hearts and the music he made."</span><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l7P9Hs3XCYM" width="406" youtube-src-id="l7P9Hs3XCYM"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wq7kn3Ax7W8" width="388" youtube-src-id="Wq7kn3Ax7W8"></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Photo credits:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yae Inoue Bowman (photos 1, 2, 3, 4)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">David Dzubinski (photo 5)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch</span></i></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Larry-Manch/author/B00DWKHW4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: purple;"><b><i>Amazon.com</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow @LTM_Author</span></b></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></p></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-68781554409507716442019-01-22T07:38:00.000-06:002019-01-29T16:31:40.677-06:00The Byrd Who Flew Alone<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW4KXXnr8bebVwrCVTpi7hTYqXV5eRJcI9LnTW12gFNXbAk0C6yuPm3x16RN5VQeSHyPwTKLxBmquW1EvHN3aDtaXg8J4ZcbmkV8-aIpakHjPTLvv_XvACcQC3FpdBH-03__mmC-AH9E/s1600/gene.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIW4KXXnr8bebVwrCVTpi7hTYqXV5eRJcI9LnTW12gFNXbAk0C6yuPm3x16RN5VQeSHyPwTKLxBmquW1EvHN3aDtaXg8J4ZcbmkV8-aIpakHjPTLvv_XvACcQC3FpdBH-03__mmC-AH9E/s200/gene.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Gene Clark was a singer, guitarist, and songwriter who contributed his remarkable talents as a founding member of one of the great bands of the rock era – The Byrds. He is not as well-known as fellow Byrds Roger McGuinn or David Crosby, and that is unfortunate. Clark was an extraordinary singer and songwriter; a master of his craft, and an enduring voice in the history of popular music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the early 1960's, Clark became a member of the New Christy Minstrels, a popular folk group of the time. He left in 1964, moved to Los Angeles, and met folk singer/guitarist Roger McGuinn (then known as Jim) at the Troubadour Club. The two began performing together, covering Beatles songs, folk songs in a similar vein, and some original material. They were soon joined by folkie David Crosby, and the nucleus of one of the great vocal harmony groups was in place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With the addition of bassist Chris Hillman and drummer Michael Clarke, the Byrds were signed to Columbia Records and went into the studio with producer Terry Melcher. The first single was to be Bob Dylan's</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mr. Tambourine Man </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">backed with the Clark original</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I Knew I'd Want You</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, with the album</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mr. Tambourine Man </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">soon to follow.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clark wrote five of the twelve songs on that album, including <i>I Knew I'd Want You, </i>and <i>I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better</i>. Both songs were 'B' sides of the first two Byrds singles, with his <i>She Don't Care About Time </i>appearing on the next single with the Byrds second huge hit, <i>Turn! Turn! Turn! (also the title of their second album.) </i>The album, released in December 1965, contained three Clark songs, <i>Set You Free This Time</i>, (also placed on the next two singles, once as the 'A' side, and then as the 'B') <i>The World Turns All Around Her</i>, and <i>If You're Gone</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The sixth Byrds single featured another major Clark-written song, <i>Eight Miles High</i>, a cut from the third album, <i>Fifth Dimension</i>, but Clark quit the Byrds before the album was completed. The Byrds management were making decisions regarding lead vocal duties that often put McGuinn in front, relegating Clark to harmonies, leading to Clark's disillusionment. Listening to recordings of Clark on lead vocals is proof to me that he was a far better singer and should have been featured more often in the Byrds. To me, this is especially evident on his solo version of Mr. Tambourine Man, recorded in 1984. Lack of appreciation for his vocal abilities, along with his reported fear of flying and clashing personalities, led him to leave the Byrds in early 1966. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He went solo with the backing of the Gosdin Brothers, and then tried another brief stint with the Byrds. In 1968, Clark joined banjo player Doug Dillard, performing as Dillard and Clark, releasing one excellent album (along with later Eagle Bernie Leadon, former Byrd Chris Hillman, and others.) Clark and Dillard worked well together, with Clark writing or co-writing eight of the nine songs on their first record, <i>The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark</i>, a smooth, cohesive country rock album that should have been a big hit. Clark, however, refused to tour, causing album sales to stall. Their second effort, <i>Through the Morning, Through the Night</i>, was a disappointment, containing only four Clark tunes with seven cover songs. The lack of original material doomed the record, and Clark left the band shortly after the album's release.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clark continued performing, including several attempts to put the Byrds back together, but he never again approached the level of success or fame he had with the Byrds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Health, alcohol, and drug problems plagued Clark in the 1980's, leading to his death in May 1991 at only 46 years old. Gene Clark was an exceptionally talented singer/songwriter who never really received the credit he was due as an important figure in rock history.</span><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C" style="color: purple;">Larry Manch</a></i></span><i> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319" style="color: purple;">'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories',</a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'A Sports Junkie'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'The Avery Appointment'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: purple;">'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</a></span></i>, and <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N7JV5NM" style="color: purple;">'Jonathan Stephens Is Just A Kid'</a></i>. <i>His books are available in paperback and e-book.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He writes about sports for <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: #954f72;">Season Tickets</a></span>, food and travel on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: #954f72;">Miles & Meals</a></span>, and music/guitars on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: #954f72;">The Backbeat</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"><a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/SeasonTickets_">Follow @Season Tickets</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script></span></div>
Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-54994476373440185302018-10-05T09:42:00.000-05:002018-10-05T09:42:24.999-05:00A Magic Carpet Made of Steel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbY4UiMnU2jxvILBPbWg7kWIIsgYPMb9iv2apTsDqd7hdh11kkGLVhEg5XZF6L3XUS3ULc75acTu-GelXWuqZO4WjY7ck0NNbjKHSMIVSfn-YGQniMOI0aRNuK7M_kWPOOwimEMHqRH0/s1600/train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbY4UiMnU2jxvILBPbWg7kWIIsgYPMb9iv2apTsDqd7hdh11kkGLVhEg5XZF6L3XUS3ULc75acTu-GelXWuqZO4WjY7ck0NNbjKHSMIVSfn-YGQniMOI0aRNuK7M_kWPOOwimEMHqRH0/s200/train.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It wasn't until the conductor shouted, "ALL ABOARD!" that I felt the sense of history, and then the song lyrics popped into my head:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Riding on the City of New Orleans</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Illinois Central, Monday morning rail…</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">My 18-year-old son Brendan had just handed his ticket to the Amtrak conductor, and he stepped through the door of the passenger car, when the conductor did what they have done for well over one hundred years. It is a tribute to a time when train travel was the dominant and most modern means of mobility – the unique and time-honored custom of announcing the impending departure by shouting the announcement up and down the platform.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We were standing next to the tracks at the Amtrak station in Temple, Texas, and Brendan was boarding the Texas Eagle. This train had left Chicago the previous day on a 1300-mile journey, making twenty-four stops in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas before reaching Temple, with two more stops before San Antonio, Texas. We stood watching, just feet from a vintage Pullman car that is part of the <a href="http://www.templerrhm.org/" target="_blank">Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum</a> in this Central Texas town. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The whole thing struck me as a unique moment for Brendan – that he was taking part in history.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The song that was now stuck in my head was the <i>City of New Orleans</i>, written in the early 1970's by Chicago native Steve Goodman. He wrote the song while traveling on the Illinois Central rail line out of his home city, and recorded it on his album <i>Steve Goodman</i>. Arlo Guthrie had a Top 20 hit with the song in 1972 from the album <i>Hobo's Lullaby</i>, and Willie Nelson had a #1 country hit and a Grammy Award in 1985 with the song (a year after Goodman died from leukemia at age 36.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yes, it's mass transit, but trains are different. Trains have been a popular means of travel for two hundred years in the U.S. – far longer than cars, buses, or airplanes. Railroads began as early as 1720, becoming the dominant form of mass transit in the early 1800's. Rail travel was comfortable, efficient, faster than any other method, increasingly affordable to many people, and remained the primary means of travel well into the 20th Century.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (The B&O, well-known from the Monopoly board game) was the first to offer passenger travel, in 1827. It took until 1869 before the first transcontinental railroad was completed, with a golden spike at Promontory Summit, Utah. The Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads met at that historic place, allowing much easier travel between the coasts than ever before. The building of railroads contributed to the spectacular growth and expansion of the United States, and so, rail travel is probably the single most important and historic means of mass transit in our history.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When air travel emerged as the most efficient way to go long distances, passenger railroads began a steady decline. While still in operation today, the number of regularly scheduled trains and stops has dramatically decreased. However, it is still possible to participate in the history of rail travel, by booking a trip on Amtrak.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I had not heard of Goodman when Guthrie's version of his song became popular. I was a regular AM radio listener back then, and it quickly became a favorite of mine, and m</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">y brother David and I performed the song when we worked as a duo in the 1980's</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">. I assumed that Guthrie had written it, as it seemed to fit his style; I didn't learn that Goodman penned it until years after his death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I thought about Goodman riding the train with the sights and sounds of this unique form of travel all around him as he crafted the lyrics of this classic song. Brendan was now in position to see, hear, and feel this unique experience. Having traveled by train several times in my youth, I also knew the sights and sounds, and I had long appreciated Goodman's fascinating lyrical imagery </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">(with some tweaking by Arlo. *)</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"While the sons of Pullman porters, </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and the sons of engineers,</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>ride their father's magic carpet made of steel…"</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What an image that conjured – Brendan, the <i>native son</i>- coasting along on a carpet of steel rails, while his train rolled <i>"along past houses, farms, and fields."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After he boarded the train, we got in the car and headed home. The lyrics of the song ran through my head, and we were curious about how he felt about his trip, so his sister Emily texted him, asking if he was enjoying the ride.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">His response was: "Look out the window. What you see is what I see."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Okay, so he didn't feel the uniqueness of the thing like I did. (Later that night, he told us via text that he had enjoyed the experience.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We arrived at home, and I did a little research. I discovered that the <i>City of New Orleans </i>was still operating and, at the moment Brendan stepped onto his train, the more famous train was on its regular route, about 600 miles to the east, somewhere near Memphis, Tennessee (<i>"… changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee."</i>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Even if Brendan wasn't as excited about the experience as I was, riding a train is still a unique way to travel. Not everyone has this opportunity, as passenger trains are nowhere near as prevalent as in the past. Where once, trains connected every major city and many smaller towns, the number of routes and stops are a mere fraction of what they were in the heyday of rail travel. It is a sad possibility that passenger trains could soon disappear altogether.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One day soon, while we still can, the rest of us in the family are going to heed the famous "All Aboard!" call, and take a train trip, so if it does disappear, Emily will have had the chance to enjoy the experience of the train wheels, <i>"... rumblin' 'neath the floor." </i>For sure, Goodman's song will roll through my mind before, during, and after what will be a memorable trip – a celebration of American history.</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">* It should be noted that Goodman's original lyric in this verse was 'Daddy's', instead of 'father's', and 'steam' instead of 'steel.' Guthrie, Nelson, and others substituted those and a few other words</span></i><i><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></i><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">which I like better than the original - with all due respect to Steve Goodman.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="text-decoration: underline;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C">Larry Manch</a></i></span><i> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319" style="color: #954f72;">'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories',</a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'A Sports Junkie'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'The Avery Appointment'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</a></span>. His books are available in paperback and e-book.<br /><o:p></o:p></i><i><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>He writes about sports for <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: #954f72;">Season Tickets</a></span>, food and travel on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: #954f72;">Miles & Meals</a></span>, and music/guitars on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: #954f72;">The Backbeat</a></span>.</i><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/SeasonTickets_">Follow @Season Tickets</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script></span></span>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-48072461127669375882018-08-26T09:51:00.001-05:002018-08-26T09:51:43.979-05:00A "Sweet" Riff<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbiwzhRi1VVkL0zIwXNODdU2FkqnDrfVz_uaB3mbh9wd1JxjDGCqex1Ev3lsVsEucKpCSnnrnOrMiCfwrYQml8KJK37MyM0rttXniB2QRYY9005hr3-etfjt4NKc3PPmxA0gHGKz13KXQ/s1600/ls.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="631" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbiwzhRi1VVkL0zIwXNODdU2FkqnDrfVz_uaB3mbh9wd1JxjDGCqex1Ev3lsVsEucKpCSnnrnOrMiCfwrYQml8KJK37MyM0rttXniB2QRYY9005hr3-etfjt4NKc3PPmxA0gHGKz13KXQ/s200/ls.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I learned to play guitar because I wanted to play the songs I liked. Even if I couldn't play them as well as the records, it was satisfying to have those small moments of triumph when I could duplicate a great riff or chord sequence from a favorite tune and a well-known guitarist. Ed King played one of the greatest rock riffs of all time, and many amateur guitarists like me did our best to learn it. </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Without having such models to emulate, playing guitar wouldn't be nearly as much fun. Copying riffs and chord sequences from luminaries like King, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger McGuinn, and many more, is the way I learned to play, and so did millions of other guitarists. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">For me, riffs and chord sequences like those in </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Day Tripper</i>, <i>Smoke on the Water, Turn, Turn, Turn</i>, the flat-picked chord sequence of <i>House of the Rising Sun</i>, and the finger-picked arpeggiated opening to <i>Stairway To Heaven</i>,</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;"> were all goals to accomplish. Learning to play those made me feel better about my guitar skills, and made me want to learn more and play them better. Many such riffs spring to mind, but there was one that, once learned, gave me more satisfaction than all of the others. It was the iconic opening to one of my favorite songs, and I struggled with it, trying to get it to sound right. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">Then one fine day, I was in a music store, and some guy whose name I should have written down so I would never forget it, made it all happen for me. He did something that experienced guitar players do for others; things that help to open the door, so to speak, and help someone improve their craft.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He was sitting on a Fender Twin Reverb amp, with a sunburst Fender Strat, playing that memorable riff. I watched him play it, and I was mesmerized by the sound and his apparent ease at playing the notes. He looked up and smiled, and t</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">hen he showed me how to play it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was, of course, the well-known opening to the classic Lynyrd Skynyrd song, <i>Sweet Home Alabama</i>– the riff written and performed by Ed King. That song was released in 1974 with Skynyrd's second album, helpfully titled, <i>Second Helping</i>. Somehow, I had not noticed this new band until I heard that exceptional riff and the song that went with it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With that song, I instantly became a fan, and a few years later when I bought my first guitar, that riff was among the first things I tried to play. Learning it spurred me on; it was a turning point in my development as a guitarist. Ed King's unique riff made me work harder to get better on the instrument. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">As simple as it sounds, it is difficult to get exactly right, and the guy in the music store took the time to show me how to play it. At the time, I didn't even know the names of the three Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarists, and I had no idea which man had played it. I didn't discover until years later that Ed King was the man responsible for this classic riff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">King, a California native, was a founding member of the Strawberry Alarm Clock, a 1960's band that had a hit song with <i>Incense and Peppermints</i>. He met his future band mates during a tour when Skynyrd opened for the SAC and not long after, in 1972, he was invited to join the Southern Rock band. Bassist Leon Wilkeson quit Skynyrd during the recording of their first album, <i>Lynyrd Skynyrd (</i><i><span lang="EN">Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) </span></i>and King was recruited to replace him. Wilkeson returned soon after the sessions, and King switched to guitar, along with Garry Rossington and Allen Collins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Strawberry Alarm Clock's brand of psychedelic pop is a huge jump to Skynyrd's three-guitar Southern Rock style, but King fit right in. His Fender Stratocaster sound was the perfect complement to Rossington's Gibson Les Paul, and Collins' Gibson Firebirds and Explorers. It was a seamless mix of talent, and Lynyrd Skynyrd became one of the biggest bands on the planet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Within a few years though, King had had enough, and he left the band (later replaced by Steve Gaines, who died in a 1977 plane crash, along with his sister Cassie, Ronnie Van Zant, pilot Walter McCreary, co-pilot William Gray, and assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ten years after the crash, Lynyrd Skynyrd re-formed and King rejoined, staying until 1996 when congestive heart failure forced him to retire. He had a heart transplant in 2011, but it was cancer that caused his death on August 22, 2018, at age 68.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The legacy King left behind is his exceptional body of work, primarily with Lynyrd Skynyrd, and probably especially, the memorable <i>Sweet Home Alabama </i>riff. I can only imagine, but it must have made King smile when he thought of the millions of guitarists who spent hours trying to duplicate it – something that, according to an interview, came to him over the course of just a few minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ed King's talents on guitar, bass, and as a songwriter contributed enormously to the success of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Thanks to artists like him, guitarists everywhere enjoy playing and learning classic riffs like the one Ed gave us on <i>Sweet Home Alabama. </i>He inspired us to play guitar - a gift I will never forget. </span><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C" style="color: #954f72;">Larry Manch</a></i></span><i> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319" style="color: #954f72;">'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories',</a></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'A Sports Junkie'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'The Avery Appointment'</a></span>, <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" style="color: #954f72;">'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</a></span>. His books are available in paperback and e-book.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>He writes about sports for <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: #954f72;">Season Tickets</a></span>, food and travel on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: #954f72;">Miles & Meals</a></span>, and music/guitars on <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: #954f72;">The Backbeat</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"><a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/SeasonTickets_">Follow @Season Tickets</a><script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');</script></span>Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-27973390080452951822018-02-12T15:23:00.000-06:002018-02-12T15:29:16.269-06:00What Got You Started?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When did you first start paying attention to music? Who were your early musical influences? I was a music fan first, and didn't learn to
play guitar until I was in my early 20's. I didn't pay much attention to music
until I saw the Beatles in 1964 on the Ed Sullivan show. That was also the
moment when I decided I had to be a guitar player.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After that first exposure to the Beatles, I began listening
to the radio. The mid-1960's was a spectacular time for rock and roll and pop
music. We had the British Invasion, American surf music, Motown, blues rock, folk
and folk-rock, and just plain rock and roll.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Television was a great source of musical influences in the
mid-1960's. I was fortunate that my parents helped to expose me to different performers;
people who I might not have investigated or listened to on my own. I still
listen to Glen Campbell and Roger Miller today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Monkees were a popular television show around that time.
As a middle school student, I would not have admitted to my friends that I
watched the show or listened to their music, as my buddies (who probably also
watched the show in secret) considered it 'girl's music.' I no longer care what
anyone thinks of my musical tastes, and I still appreciate the Monkees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">One of the first bands guys like me were not afraid to admit
that we watched on television and listened to on the radio was Paul Revere and
the Raiders. These guys inspired me to buy my first records – 45 rpm singles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I was listening to the radio a lot in those days, and
besides the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys, I was interested in
bands like Cream (long before I discovered Eric Clapton's Yardbird's years, or
his stint in John Mayall's Blues Breakers.) Sometime in those years, I won two
tickets to a Steppenwolf/Three Dog Night concert by calling in to a radio
station prompt and naming the group that performed this song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Steppenwolf had a couple of huge hit songs with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Magic Carpet Ride</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Born To Be Wild</i>. I remember going to
middle school dances called Fun Nights, featuring local rock bands, who played
the hits of the day, including this one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I am not ashamed to admit that I liked some of the sugary pop
music of those years. This song was a big hit in 1968-69 (it was Billboard
Magazine's #1 song of 1969.) The song was recorded by a group of studio musicians,
and was featured on the Saturday morning cartoon <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Archie Show</i>. It may be the goofiest song ever written, but it
was a catchy tune, a fun song to listen to and to play on guitar, and I still
have it on my music player.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In a more serious vein, I was also paying attention to Bob
Dylan and his acoustic folk music. His lyrics were serious and 'deep' in the
parlance of the era. This music was dramatically different than other songs I
liked, but it struck me as significant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Roger McGuinn took his influences from the Beatles and Bob
Dylan, combining Bob's songs with a rock beat, and a Rickenbacker electric
twelve string guitar that he had seen George Harrison use on several Beatles
songs. His new band The Byrds featured multi-part vocal harmonies with McGuinn,
David Crosby, Gene Clark, and Chris Hillman, and had a big hit with their
unique, jangly style.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Listening to the Grass Roots might at first make one think:
sappy songs. Okay, so they were mostly about falling in or out of love, they didn't
write their own songs (at least the hits), and they didn't play on the records.
That would seem like negatives, but these guys could sing their assess off, the
songs were well written, and they were great rocking songs. I still like this
band.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Doors were strange. Jim Morrison was strange. They
didn't have a bass player, which was strange. Then again, the Doors were a damn
good band. Morrison was a monumentally talented poet/songwriter and performer,
and one of the most iconic front men in rock history. Their songs had a lot of
darkness about them, but they were one stomping band. If you've never seen the
film 'The Doors', starring Val Kilmer as Morrison, do yourself a favor. His
portrayal of the 'Lizard King' is stunning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Although I had enjoyed the Beatles for years, I had not
bought any of their records. I don't remember why I waited until <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hey Jude/Revolution</i> was released as a
single, but I remember anxiously waiting for it to appear in our local record
store.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After several years of buying 45's, I acquired my first
album. One would think that my first such 'major' musical purchase would be one
of the bands I had been listening to for years, but it was a departure from
those groups – The Ventures <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hawaii Five-O</i>
had captured my attention from the popular TV show. The album was entirely
instrumental, and I listened to it endlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">By 1970, I had a driver's license, a car, a job, and a
paycheck. I wasted little time, and I bought a record featuring two hit songs –
Badfinger's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Straight Up</i>, with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Day After Day</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Baby Blue</i>. This record turned out to be an outstanding collection
of songs by this early Apple Records group. This is one of the great rock/pop
albums of all time, and years later, it also became my first CD purchase when
my record player wore out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">My musical journey went on from there. To read more about
it, order <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320" target="_blank">The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories</a></i>, available in paperback and e-book from
Amazon.com.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C">Larry Manch</a></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist.
His books include: </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction
Stories'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other
Rock & Roll Stories',</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'A Sports Junkie'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'The Avery Appointment'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. His books are available in paperback and
e-book.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i>
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<i><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
also writes about sports for </span></i><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and
travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and
music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.</i></span><!--EndFragment-->
Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-31538278878196774732017-10-14T08:32:00.000-05:002019-02-04T17:53:08.264-06:00Gentle On Our Minds<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcI0NNd08naX4Vj7uwnkoles13Rt_OeK6Y1U0NoiY-p5pcw2EN4Lv3E-CQz8UuLOsgELGO7KfOdjzgD9vi0ZMy4v4YgFzkuTYnb9jNF9tMo_E0SSWWOPT6Eeb-UOhDpS98gIgLRgmQeY/s1600/glen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="500" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcI0NNd08naX4Vj7uwnkoles13Rt_OeK6Y1U0NoiY-p5pcw2EN4Lv3E-CQz8UuLOsgELGO7KfOdjzgD9vi0ZMy4v4YgFzkuTYnb9jNF9tMo_E0SSWWOPT6Eeb-UOhDpS98gIgLRgmQeY/s200/glen.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Glen Campbell died in August 2017 at age 81, bringing to a
close a decades long musical career filled with incredible songs. He was best
known as a Grammy winning singer, television host, and occasional actor. What
many don't know is that before the movies and television shows, and before the
hit songs, he was one of the most sought after session guitarists in the
business.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Most fans know him for songs like 'Galveston,' 'Gentle On My
Mind,' and 'Rhinestone Cowboy,' but before he recorded those memorable songs,
he was hard at work making records for other artists. Before fame as a solo
artist, Campbell was a member of what is now known as The Wrecking Crew, a
group of first call, Los Angeles studio musicians. With players such as James
Burton, Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Leon Russell, and others, Campbell's guitar
work can be heard on hundreds of 1960's recordings. Who would have guessed that
when listening to some Frank Sinatra, Wayne Newton, or Monkees songs, you were
hearing Campbell's guitar?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">His musical career began early, at age four, in his home
state of Arkansas, with a guitar given to him by an uncle. He progressed
quickly, performing on the radio at age six, and by his 17<sup>th</sup>
birthday, he was playing in his uncle's band in New Mexico. By 1960, with
guitar skills that set him apart from most others, he found his way to Los
Angeles, and worked at a music publishing company, writing and recording
demos. It wasn't long before record producers began calling him for session
work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As a studio guitarist (he also played banjo, bass and
mandolin), Campbell appeared on hundreds of recordings for other artists,
including Frank Sinatra, the Righteous Brothers, Merle Haggard, Dean Martin,
Nat King Cole, Ricky Nelson, The Monkees, the Beach Boys, and many more. When
Brian Wilson stopped touring with the Beach Boys, Campbell was recruited to
replace him in the live band, playing bass and singing falsetto harmony vocals.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Although Campbell still had a recording contract as a solo
artist with Crest Records, and then Capitol, he did not enjoy chart success
with his own music. That changed in 1967, with the release of the John Hartford
penned, 'Gentle On My Mind' (fellow Wrecking Crew guitarist James Burton also
played on the sessions.) The song won four Grammy Awards, and opened the door
for Campbell as a solo artist. Later that year he had another hit with Jimmy
Webb's 'By the Time I Get To Phoenix', followed by two more Webb masterpieces, 'Wichita
Lineman' (1968), and 'Galveston' in 1969.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Campbell became a television star in 1968 when he was tabbed
as a summer fill-in for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Smothers
Brothers Comedy Hour</i>. The brief stint on TV was successful, showcasing his voice,
guitar playing, and his compelling, down-home country boy personality. The next
year he had his own show, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Glen
Campbell Goodtime Hour</i>, with emphasis on great music and fun. The show ran
for three seasons, and often featured well known performers that Campbell knew
from his session days, such as Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, Linda Ronstadt, and
Willie Nelson. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">His personal life was well documented, especially when drug
and alcohol dependency affected his behavior beginning in the 1970's, and what
the tabloids often described as a stormy relationship with country singer Tanya
Tucker in the '80's. Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 2011,
and fourth wife Kim was outspoken in her descriptions of the difficulty of
being a caregiver for a loved-one afflicted with that devastating disease.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For music fans, Campbell was, first and foremost, a captivating
singer and performer, and his spectacular vocal and guitar skills distinguished
him as an extraordinary talent. Though he didn't write any of the songs he made
famous, he made them his own with an unmistakable delivery. Those songs were
perfect for him, and they were perfect for the time. I still have Campbell's
best known songs on my music player; because they are such exceptional pieces
of music, especially 'Galveston' and 'Gentle On My Mind.' Some fifty years on
after hearing them for the first time, Campbell's versions of those songs still
resonate strongly with me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I also appreciate the unique and special abilities of
songwriters like Hartford and Webb, who wrote the words that Campbell sang so
beautifully. Without those gifted artists, we might not even know the man who
went on to make their songs famous. With that said, it was the artist Glen
Campbell who brought those songs to life. The music lives on, still gentle on our minds.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2A7iuQF_tAc" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A-sExIVBVaw" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/egNHPnrtY_8" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/064JXXk2Hrs" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iDRXADEJuKo" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aMb681nTLIo" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
This video is an interesting insider's look at some of the musicians of the Wrecking Crew.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w9-FfwwXRDg" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Songs on which Campbell appeared as a session player.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xEkB-VQviLI" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KnPL5OXSBNE" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ERrwjR4ZlfI" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Yes, this one is hard to believe, but Glen really did play guitar on this hit song.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0m_giioppT4" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Larry Manch</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist.
His books include: </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction
Stories'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other
Rock & Roll Stories',</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'A Sports Junkie'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'The Avery Appointment'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. His books are available in paperback and
e-book.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He also writes about
sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Season Tickets</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Miles & Meals</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Backbeat</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></div>
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Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-75596502191977017342017-10-07T08:30:00.001-05:002019-04-12T20:31:57.804-05:00Tom Petty - An American Original<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuhdmkpgqnx90PbKsQ8dB7CeKjmm1WUP5D-fRgKqIPClJgkOMwezFvthdwAeqoDPqi5FarsP28E-qCmHp0r6DXIXRij_7bSH1oylJvQC-GsAc83VdRQm4rpAcwMLo_dz8w8DrKyleo_Y/s1600/Petty.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuhdmkpgqnx90PbKsQ8dB7CeKjmm1WUP5D-fRgKqIPClJgkOMwezFvthdwAeqoDPqi5FarsP28E-qCmHp0r6DXIXRij_7bSH1oylJvQC-GsAc83VdRQm4rpAcwMLo_dz8w8DrKyleo_Y/s200/Petty.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tom Petty was an American original. I know – we say that
about a lot of well-known figures, and obviously, that's what it takes to make
someone worthy of such acclaim. Some people are famous for all the wrong
reasons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Petty was famous for all the right ones. We know him because he wrote
and sang some of the greatest songs of our time. His style was unmistakable,
with a twang in his voice, and powerful, guitar-driven songs that you want to
listen to over and over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Like many (myself included), Petty was inspired by seeing
the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show in the early '60's, and he was influenced
by the Byrds with their Roger McGuinn/12 string Rickenbacker fueled folk rock. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He followed his dream, forming a band called the Epics,
which soon turned into Mudcrutch, and then Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The
new band released their first album late in 1976, just the beginning of a long
string of albums and exceptional songs. In 1988, Petty joined the Traveling
Wilburys, a super group of epic proportions, collaborating with George
Harrison, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, and Jeff Lynne. A brief solo career followed,
and in 1991, the Heartbreakers re-formed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Although Petty soared as a songwriter and performer, he is
living proof that being a well-known rock star does not, of course, create an
immunity to life struggles. Petty's life was far from perfect, including a
strained relationship with his father, a legal fight with ABC and MCA Records
over artistic control, bankruptcy, drug dependency, an arsonist burning down
his home, a bout with depression, and a divorce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yes, we all have life difficulties. Petty and those like him
don't get a pass or bonus points for being famous and having life troubles any
more than the rest of us. A talented songwriter can use such experiences to
fuel artistic expression, and that is often what he did. Fortunately for him,
his family, and music fans, Petty found his way through depressing, trying
circumstances, and continued to make memorable music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Over the years, Petty maintained a level of excellence in
his music and live performance. Album after album, song after song, fans found
more to like as Petty continued to practice his art. If you were fortunate to
have seen him in live performance, you were treated to a long-remembered
experience. There was no theater, no phoniness; just straight ahead rock and
roll music, played by a thoroughly professional group of musicians, led by the
master himself, Tom Petty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Tom Petty of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers made us all
believe by singing about ordinary experience in an extraordinary way,"
wrote the the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on their Facebook page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Tom Petty was a gentleman," wrote Steve Winwood.
"I had the pleasure and privilege of doing two tours with him. During that
time, I got to see what a brilliant songwriter and musician he is, and how much
he is loved by millions around the world."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Rodney Crowell wrote on Facebook that although he had not
known Petty well, "…he and I crossed paths a few times at this or that
musical function. My spirit was always lifted. I admired the man."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Crowell called him "a solid dude," and: "Tom
Petty is gone, but if there are any bold messengers of musical truth out there
dreaming the untainted rock and roll dream, his legacy is there to be used the
way you would a map and key."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Tom was a tender southern gent in life, a poet and a
music master on stage. He had a rocking chair wisdom that brought everything
back down to earth. We will love and miss him for the rest of our days." –
Olivia and Dhani Harrison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Another Wilbury traveling on," added guitar
legend James Burton.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">'Legend' is an overused term. But considering Petty's body
of work, his popularity among fans, the impressive numbers of records sold, and
the respect afforded by his fellow musicians, I can't think of a better way to
describe the man who wrote and performed some of our favorite songs. It is obvious that the accolades are well-deserved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Since I
didn't know him personally, I'll have to take Winwood and Crowell at their word
when they use terms like "gentleman", and "solid dude."
Like many, I admired Petty for his talent, his commitment to his craft, and his
integrity as a musician and performer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Several months after his passing, information regarding his
death was made public. Originally reported as a heart attack, the coroner's
report indicated Petty died of an accidental overdose of pain medication. Petty's
family revealed he suffered from emphysema, knee problems, and a hip fracture.
Pain medication helped him through the final part of his last tour, and a fan
video at the last concert (the Hollywood Bowl in September 2017), shows Petty
limping off stage after the final number.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Petty's
words in the song, 'Here Comes My Girl' may or may not have been autobiographical,
but one has to think that, if he was writing about himself, he got this one wrong:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Every
now and then, I get down to the end of a day,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'll have to
stop, ask myself, "What've I done?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It just
seems so useless to have to work so hard,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And nothin'
ever really seem to come from it."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For sure,
what Tom Petty did wasn't useless. He refused to "back down", and obviously,
he learned to fly in a long, productive, spectacular career. A lot came from
it, as those who love his music will surely agree.</span><br />
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October 7, 2017, at a Florida Gators football game, the crowd reacted to a Petty video on the big screen by singing along. Video courtesy SEC Country Facebook page.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FFloridaGators.SECCountry%2Fvideos%2F476145446103434%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Larry Manch</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist.
His books include: </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520141319"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction
Stories'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520154372?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other
Rock & Roll Stories',</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520187211?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'A Sports Junkie'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520176295?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'The Avery Appointment'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520152310?ref_=pe_870760_150889320"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Between the Fuzzy Parts'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. His books are available in paperback and
e-book.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He also writes about
sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Season Tickets</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Miles & Meals</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Backbeat</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/LarryManch">Follow @LarryManch</a>
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Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-86825890761104821842016-07-15T11:56:00.003-05:002023-02-08T13:33:45.501-06:00Privileged Witnesses<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKhleZt7E29BcsI3JTY3HatLAN0xTEeFK_limLR1FqcLGCcuswPGV3nAYx5VY1Pw3AQaqtbmN6vUCYozZzcA-KMGXt8mlXgrA3BH_fAg7mVWEcZxMS5hjFICM_4THKq7xXC4LoI8aTpI/s1600/Ellison+Eagles.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKhleZt7E29BcsI3JTY3HatLAN0xTEeFK_limLR1FqcLGCcuswPGV3nAYx5VY1Pw3AQaqtbmN6vUCYozZzcA-KMGXt8mlXgrA3BH_fAg7mVWEcZxMS5hjFICM_4THKq7xXC4LoI8aTpI/s320/Ellison+Eagles.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ellison High School Wind Ensemble, <br />
Mr. Smith conducting. Photo courtesy Mr. Raul Munoz</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Some experiences leave a lasting impression. Sometimes they are grand in scale, and
sometimes not, but they are significant enough to become etched in your mind
and your heart. Music has such power, especially live performance. People
playing musical instruments can move your soul; they can astonish and electrify,
they can transfix and captivate. Sometimes, when everything is just right, you
feel privileged to have witnessed it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A high school band, including my
son Brendan, and a piccolo player provided such a memorable experience on a
rainy May night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It was the Ellison High School Spring
Concert, the final event of the year for this group. Brendan is 16, a member of
the school's baseball team, and also plays the baritone (aka: euphonium) in the
Wind Ensemble, the band made up of the best musicians in the student body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mr. Gonzalez' Concert Band, the least
experienced of the Ellison bands, opened the program, setting the tone for the
evening with a fine performance. Mr. Young's Symphonic Band joined them, with
the entire group showing remarkable progress over the course of the year. The
Symphonic group performed alone, and my thought was this was the best we had
seen from these groups in our two years as high school parents.</span><!--EndFragment-->
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As the Wind Ensemble took the
stage for a combined effort with the Symphonic Band, Mom, sitting next to me, leaned
over and said: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Are they all especially
good tonight?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Yes, they are," I
said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With the Wind Ensemble,
directed by Mr. Smith, this group is always excellent, and we knew what to
expect. At least we thought so. We had no idea what was to come.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With guest conductor, Frank
Coachman (a former band director at Ellison), they played a medley from the old
musical <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mary Poppins</i>, a march, and a
familiar Scottish/Irish piece, all beautifully done. The program included Frank
Ticheli's <i>'An American Elegy'</i>, a work he composed in tribute to survivors and
those lost in the Columbine High School tragedy. The piece featured solos and duets
from a trumpet and several other instruments. The final duet included a
baritone, and although I could not see Brendan from my seat, I knew he was
playing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">At the conclusion of <i>'Elegy'</i>,
Mr. Coachman pointed to each soloist and, in turn, each stood. The emphatic
manner in which he pointed made me think he was pleased at the performances. We
were also happy, of course, hearing our son (and the others) play so
beautifully, and to see Brendan recognized before his peers and the audience
for his work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">That would have been enough for
me – an evening of exceptional music from these talented high school students
and directors. I was delighted and felt as though we had been treated to the
best performances we had yet seen in the two years since Brendan began at
Ellison.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">They weren't finished yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mr. Coachman announced they
would play a surprise selection. The music began, and it was immediately
recognizable – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'The Stars and Stripes
Forever'</i>, the John Philip Sousa classic that is the National March of the
United States. It is, in my opinion, one of the finest and most stirring pieces
of music ever written, featuring the famous piccolo part (officially known as 'obbligato',
i.e., an indispensable part). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As the familiar music began, my
thought was, are they going to do the piccolo part? They can't do this music
without the piccolo; it wouldn't be the same. Do they have anyone who can play
it? It is technically difficult, and only someone with great talent and
confidence can take on such a part and do it justice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">At the critical point, I saw
movement beyond the conductor, and a young lady stepped past her music stand
and moved to the front edge of the stage. She lifted her piccolo to her lips
and with every eye in the audience surely fixed on her, delivered a stunning,
soaring rendering of the most famous piccolo part in all of music. It was
utterly spectacular and the crowd briefly erupted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then, as if the crowd wasn't
already awestruck, the low brass section stood as one, faced the audience, and
presented with authority, the robust countermelody, while our favorite piccolo
soloist continued to play. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wQGTCl7IswU" width="320" youtube-src-id="wQGTCl7IswU"></iframe></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">As the piece reached its majestic
conclusion (all too soon!), the crowd </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exploded.
</i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">I leaped to my feet with those around me, and we clapped, whistled, and
shouted appreciation and approval. Not just for this last magnificent piece,
but for the entire program.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I turned to look around me, and
I saw smiles everywhere. I saw faces lit up, beaming, mirroring the look on my
face. I felt as though I had experienced a significant event. It was one of
those things grand enough in scale to leave a lasting impression on me, and
surely, most of those who were fortunate enough to be in that room for this astounding
program.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The night included a string of
outstanding performances, and among those were several that were powerful and
memorable. Brendan, his Wind Ensemble band mates, and that piccolo player
captivated and electrified me, and made me a privileged witness to magic that
moved my soul.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;">Larry Manch</span></i></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><i><span style="color: #1f497d; text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span><i>is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. He has written 20 books; all available in paperback on </i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Larry-Manch/author/B00DWKHW4C?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" style="color: purple;"><b><i>Amazon.com</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>He writes about sports for </i><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="color: purple;"><i>Season Tickets</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>Miles & Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on </i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/" style="color: purple;"><i>The Backbeat</i></a><i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Follow @LTM_Author</span></b></span><b><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Cambria, serif; margin: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucs61Ak7M-vHSTGBi4nqVdQxnn498b9f3wFs_qnwOr1PaX6fx5TbfPUWJEjt_m8Ar2Ey4wiOiwXZpbw69tcHjb7pMO_oRISntw9fIaOkKciLQJ5uBDqoIi3lh075CwBfWcg6JIyjwUoncJBIo5S7IZDPIiJTevTawbJYdnNB2xtbDzOxU49a-rEgv/s720/Books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="231" data-original-width="720" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucs61Ak7M-vHSTGBi4nqVdQxnn498b9f3wFs_qnwOr1PaX6fx5TbfPUWJEjt_m8Ar2Ey4wiOiwXZpbw69tcHjb7pMO_oRISntw9fIaOkKciLQJ5uBDqoIi3lh075CwBfWcg6JIyjwUoncJBIo5S7IZDPIiJTevTawbJYdnNB2xtbDzOxU49a-rEgv/w400-h129/Books.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><p></p></div>
Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-73138663963335726352016-05-19T13:51:00.007-05:002020-10-26T06:59:01.623-05:00King of the Texas Troubadours<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbkeK5milfUCxXkAknonaU9ZSoTrDohAbMGc8daTnmQQm8zxKL1aDGHW5TxNNxHkiOsI4o79tDBVqXCy3-DbFQpf4L4GCGRMGJoxIX1VaO6sxxR2ftKIFOWT7BuCDl9CismhnUmog6bM/s1600/Clark.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbkeK5milfUCxXkAknonaU9ZSoTrDohAbMGc8daTnmQQm8zxKL1aDGHW5TxNNxHkiOsI4o79tDBVqXCy3-DbFQpf4L4GCGRMGJoxIX1VaO6sxxR2ftKIFOWT7BuCDl9CismhnUmog6bM/s200/Clark.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I was a passenger in a car on
Interstate 35 just entering Austin, Texas, when I read the news on my phone. It
was Tuesday, May 17, and Texas singer, songwriter, and luthier Guy Clark had died
earlier that day. After reading the news, I looked up and the first thing I saw
was an American flag at half-staff. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I was reasonably certain that no
one whose death usually prompts lowered flags had recently died. I looked
around and in the next two minutes, spotted five other American flags. Of the
six I saw in that span, three were at half-staff. My thought was, whether it is
for Clark or not, it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> fitting that
at least three American flags in Texas fly low today in honor of Texas legend
Guy Clark's passing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clark, born in 1941 in the west
Texas town of Monohans, is probably best known for songs like 'L.A. Freeway',
'Desperados Waiting For A Train', and 'I Don't Love You Much Do I'. He recorded
twenty albums, winning a Grammy Award in 2014 for 'My Favorite Picture Of You.'
His songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Jeff Walker,
Jimmy Buffet, Vince Gill, Kenny Chesney, Roger Creager, Alan Jackson, John
Denver, and many other well-known artists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ricky Skaggs had a #1 hit with 'Heartbroke',
Walker and Creager had success with 'L.A. Freeway', Cash and the Highwaymen with
'Desperados…'. John Conlee had a Top Ten country hit with 'The Carpenter' – all
written by Clark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New York Times</i> called him a "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/arts/music/guy-clark-a-king-of-the-texas-troubadours-is-dead-at-74.html?_r=0">king
of the Texas troubadours</a>," and described his lyrics as "…narrative-rich
songwriting."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/05/17/guy-clark-dead-74/80932338/">Peter
Cooper</a>, in a story for the Tennessean, published the day Clark died, wrote
that Clark "…garnered a reputation for uncommon poetic perception."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"I think he may be the
greatest storyteller of all, for me," said Vince Gill in Cooper's story. "He
paints the coolest pictures of all." Gill had a top 10 country hit with
Clark's 'Oklahoma Borderline'. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"It's almost like his
music was embedded in the land," said fellow Texan Sarah Jarosz, in a <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-guy-clark-dead-20160517-story.html">Chicago
Tribune</a> story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I didn't discover Guy Clark and
his exceptional music until the summer of 2013 when I read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Texas Music</i> by Rick Koster. From that book, I also discovered a
slew of exceptional Texas singer/songwriters, including Rodney Crowell, Joe
Ely, Townes Van Zandt, and Steve Earle – as it turns out, every one of them protégés
and/or close friends of Guy Clark. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the 1970's, Clark and his second wife
Susanna (mentioned in 'L.A. Freeway', and who died in 2012) hosted legions of
young songwriters and pickers like Crowell and Earle in their Nashville home. In
these often marathon sessions, friendships were forged, songs were crafted, and
legends made. Guy and Susanna Clark were facilitators of a massive movement of
creativity; encouraging, fostering, and mentoring young songwriters who went on
to varying degrees of success. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Robert K. Oermann wrote liner
notes for Clark's 'Craftsman' album, noting that Clark was "The patron
saint of an entire generation of bohemian pickers."</span></div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center;">My friend <a href="https://twitter.com/GuyClarkKCA">@GuyClarkKCA</a> passed from the world this morning. Rodney <a href="https://t.co/bmeSTQsbIq">pic.twitter.com/bmeSTQsbIq</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center;">— Rodney Crowell (@RodneyJCrowell) <a href="https://twitter.com/RodneyJCrowell/status/732556822670802944">May 17, 2016</a></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: center;">
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While reading Koster's book, I
explored the wealth of outstanding material recorded by Clark, a man with
insights somehow different from others – that "uncommon poetic
perception", that Cooper wrote about in the Tennessean. It was things like
the entirely believable sentiment of hoping to avoid disaster on a big city
highway while escaping the bustle, that first grabbed me. Clark's 'L.A.
Freeway' struck me as an exceptionally well-told story of trying the city life
and discovering it's not for you, being homesick for Texas, and disliking a
landlord ("That son of a bitch has always bored me.") Many might
consider a box of moldy cookies insignificant, but Clark wove it into a song
line, an additional piece that helps to make the 'L.A.' story compelling,
personal, and unique.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Next, it was the moving love
story 'I Don't Love You Much, Do I', often sung in spectacular harmony with the
incredible Emmylou Harris. This song so affected me the first time I heard it, that I made it the ringtone
on my phone for my wife Tiffany. Such is the power of Guy Clark and his masterful
way with words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As mentioned, musicians and
fans alike have been equally enthralled by Clark's music. What greater affirmation for a songwriter than to have artists of the caliber of Cash,
Denver, Walker, and so many others record your songs. Vince Gill recorded
Clark's 'Oklahoma Borderline', and he was moved to tears when he heard 'Randall
Knife' the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“I started weeping, bawling all
over my guitar,” Gill told Country Weekly magazine in 2011, as reported in the
Cooper/Tennessean story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Guy Clark's words are indeed
poetry, not just words set to music. He told Sandmel, according to Cooper, that
his old friend Townes Van Zandt "…never rhymes moon-June-spoon to make a
buck. It’s more of a literary approach," perhaps not realizing he was also
speaking of his own writing style.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">John Spong, writing in Texas
Monthly about Clark's lyrics: "Guy’s were stark and grounded, like he’d
found them in the back of a roughneck's pickup in the Monahan's oil field. But
all of it was poetry."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Throughout Clark's long career,
he was, as CNN's <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/17/entertainment/guy-clark-singer-songwriter-obit/">Don
Melvin and Brandon Griggs</a> wrote, "…one of the most respected
singer-songwriters of his generation," and "revered by the Nashville
music community for his song craft and generosity of spirit."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On the day Clark died, Rodney
Crowell, his friend for 45 some years, changed his Facebook and Twitter profile
pictures to one of him kissing Clark on the cheek. "My friend Guy Clark
passed from the world this morning," wrote Crowell.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNnPLJVhxJam40uzQeyweCwaJm-2ExPbewvlnWbRb99gnWATmy6nUS6V0weuNRYGuu8FoMbEEFeTGW4biD-qx29i-RRlqiKrKqm5bnX4AnXIS6e3p3j9i3fvxOMnJC8c6Cp-sfxn5_64/s1600/Rodney.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNnPLJVhxJam40uzQeyweCwaJm-2ExPbewvlnWbRb99gnWATmy6nUS6V0weuNRYGuu8FoMbEEFeTGW4biD-qx29i-RRlqiKrKqm5bnX4AnXIS6e3p3j9i3fvxOMnJC8c6Cp-sfxn5_64/s400/Rodney.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Lyle Lovett, fellow Texas
musician, wrote on the same day on Twitter and Facebook: "Guy Clark was my
friend. The world is a better place because he lived. I pray for comfort for
all who loved him."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Roseanne Cash, daughter of
Johnny Cash, former wife of Rodney Crowell, and another recipient of Clark's
mentoring of young songwriters, <a href="https://twitter.com/rosannecash/status/732568974672728064">wrote on
Twitter</a>: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Travel safe, old friend.
I would not be the songwriter I am if I hadn't sat at your table and learned
from a master."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As mentioned by Vince Gill, in
Clark's songs, "He paints the coolest pictures of all," leaving no
doubt that Guy Clark was a master musical artist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Peter Cooper, in his Tennessean
story, quoting Clark as told to Sandmel:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"... I'll bet that when
you're dying, you're not going to think about the money you made. You're going
to think about your art."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 6.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"In
the end, then," wrote Cooper, "Mr. Clark had something fine and
gleaming on which to dwell."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"I wished I was in
Austin," sang Clark in 'Dublin Blues'. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> in Austin the day he died, on a rainy Texas day watching
lowered flags flying, paying tribute to a legendary artist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; tab-stops: right 6.0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although
he is now gone, fortunate are we who can still dwell on the "fine and
gleaming" art of the late Guy Clark, Texas troubadour. </span> </span> </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yTwUpkEK6yk" width="420"></iframe></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C0VQC2cX9h0" width="420"></iframe><o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KY5MOUO464Q" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L4T0QmSCTq0" width="560"></iframe><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9e3f9d93-7fff-fe49-616f-12de8819a69b"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Larry Manch is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist. His books include: 'Twisted Logic: 50 Edgy Flash Fiction Stories', 'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other Rock & Roll Stories', 'A Sports Junkie', 'The Avery Appointment', 'Between the Fuzzy Parts', 'Beyond the Fuzzy Parts,' 'Jonathan Stephens Is Just A Kid', 'Jonathan Stephens Is Moving', 'Suspended Logic', 'Descended From Royalty,' 'Covering the Astros,' 'Food Adventures,''The Set List,’ 'The Racing Line: Green Flag,’ and ‘The Racing Line: Checkered Flag.’ His books are available in paperback (some in e-book.)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He writes about sports for </span><a href="http://seasonticketsltm.blogspot.com/?m=0" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Season Tickets</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, food and travel on </span><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miles & Meals</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and music/guitars on </span><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Backbeat</span></a><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/SeasonTickets_">Follow @Season Tickets</a></p></span></div></div>
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Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-58307913751835802442016-04-13T13:29:00.000-05:002016-10-01T18:26:22.507-05:00Merle<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2BtYZmrdFhHz6JuDakB-opmiOhjaiIChKT9uAwUmjmTUBSMN5ycllFO1793NN4PzNq5puJCJzLVgjTWCZzjkSV1EgOLqB3Ox7p-4qcSTNLY2eqDRzZJi6-kcXblWZibQyrUHjskK9Ok/s1600/Merle.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2BtYZmrdFhHz6JuDakB-opmiOhjaiIChKT9uAwUmjmTUBSMN5ycllFO1793NN4PzNq5puJCJzLVgjTWCZzjkSV1EgOLqB3Ox7p-4qcSTNLY2eqDRzZJi6-kcXblWZibQyrUHjskK9Ok/s200/Merle.png" width="198" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He was one of those one-name
guys – someone whose first name alone left no doubt who you were talking about.
Like Waylon, Willie, Jerry Jeff, and maybe even Elvis, all you had to say was one
name, and everyone knew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">'Merle'.</span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I recall a brief conversation
in the late 1990's, while driving a group of people on a lonely stretch of Texas
highway. It was somewhere southeast of Lubbock, when I heard a voice from the
back seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Turn up the radio,
please."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I wasn't even listening to it,
and was only vaguely aware it was tuned to a country station. The radio was
only on because we were on a long trip from Amarillo to Abilene, and the passengers
wanted to hear music. I was fine with silence, and the radio seemed plenty
loud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Why?" I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Uhh… Merle."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I looked at the guy sitting
next to me, and he smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Merle," he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I know I'm a little thick some
times, and even after such a conversation, it took me many years before 'Merle'
stuck in my consciousness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I had always been a rock,
rockabilly, and folk rock guy. Then, as a guitar player and singer, it was some
time in the mid-1990's when I discovered that some country music was similar to
the music I was into. I started listening to Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson,
Johnny Cash, Marty Stuart, and others. Not sure how I missed Merle Haggard during
that time, but somehow he escaped my attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It didn't happen until sometime
in 2013 – okay, so I'm <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> slow on
the uptake sometimes – when I saw a series of videos filmed by a group from
Kentucky called <a href="http://www.lexingtonlabband.com/#/">The Lexington Lab
Band</a>. The LLB is an association of musicians from around that area, who
film what they call episodes, each concentrating on a particular recording
artist. Their second such series focused on the songs of the guy named 'Merle'.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With Big River Band members Kevin
Treadway on vocals, Jay Johnson on bass, and Dale Adams playing the Roy Nichols
style lead guitar, the LLB did stunning versions of 'Workin' Man Blues',
'That's The Way Love Goes', 'Sing Me Back Home', and 'Ramblin' Fever.' Those
videos captured the essence of Merle, in a way that made me pay attention to
the music of a man I should have noticed long ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I was suddenly and finally aware of Merle Haggard. It was a, 'how could I have missed this fantastic stuff
for so long?' kind of thing. Who knows? One day, you're oblivious, and then it
hits you like a slap upside the head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Merle!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Oddly enough, long before I
discovered the magic of Merle, I was familiar with the music of Buck Owens,
Dwight Yoakam, the Mavericks, and others with the well-known Bakersfield Sound.
Yoakam, in a 1994 interview with Country Guitar's Isaiah Trost, also described
Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers, Creedence
Clearwater Revival, and the Eagles as being extensions and byproducts of the
Bakersfield Sound. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Even with all of that music
already firmly on my radar, I'm still trying to figure out how in all those
years, I skipped over Merle, one of the originators, along with Owens, of this
popular form of country music. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately, the LLB's four
videos led me to an enlightening and enjoyable exploration of the music of this
giant of country music. 'Mama Tried', 'Okie From Muskogee', and a seemingly
never-ending assortment of Merle's songs were like discovering buried treasure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Haggard died on April 6, 2016, his
79th b</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">irthday, leaving a legacy equivalent to that of Johnny Cash, Waylon
Jennings, and every seminal figure in music history. Fortunately for the rest
of us, that music lives on. Although it took me far too long to discover
Merle's music, at least I can play it, sing it, and enjoy it from here on out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sang Merle:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"All I wanna do is sing my song.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Maybe I'll find somebody else to help me sing along."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Like I said, finally, after all
these years, I'm singing along with Merle.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OjCltSnl2aE" width="420"></iframe><o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZOM0m39sC6U" width="560"></iframe><o:p></o:p></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kZb73lHrCTw" width="420"></iframe><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p> </o:p></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C"><i>Larry Manch</i></a><i> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist.
His books include: </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q1J5BCQ"><i>'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other
Rock & Roll Stories',</i></a><i> </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I6H7G2E"><i>'A
Sports Junkie'</i></a><i>, </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DWEHDS8"><i>'The
Avery Appointment'</i></a><i>, </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GLZELU8"><i>'Between
the Fuzzy Parts'</i></a><i>.</i><br />
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>He also writes about
baseball for </i><a href="http://climbingtalshill.com/author/brenemil/"><i>Climbing Tal's Hill</i></a><i>, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/"><i>Miles
& Meals</i></a><i>, and music/guitars on
</i><i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/">The Backbeat</a>.</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>He lives in Central
Texas with his wife and family.</i></div>
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<a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-="" href="https://twitter.com/LarryManch" p="">
</a>
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<!--EndFragment--></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2723219624500645499.post-44524438878298777002016-02-20T20:28:00.000-06:002019-01-27T18:46:44.352-06:00Glenn Frey: A Unique and Memorable Talent<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Glen Frey spent the past 40 plus years writing and performing some of the best music many of us have ever heard. As frontman for the Eagles and a solo artist, his music captured and held our imaginations and our interest as we grew from teenagers into adulthood, through middle age, and beyond.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Eagles had their first hit in the summer of 1972, when 'Take It Easy' hit the airwaves, followed by 'Peaceful Easy Feeling', and 'Witchy Woman'. Their skills as singers, instrumentalists, songwriters, and performers took them to a level reached by only a few. At their peak, the original lineup of Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, and Bernie Leadon, were one of the biggest bands on the planet as they continued to produce memorable songs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Even with lineup changes, the Eagles maintained their position as one of the best bands in history. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When Frey died in January 2016 at age 67, we were shocked and dismayed at the loss of such a talented performer.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Take It Easy"</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mSScV6Rt_6s" width="560"></iframe></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Peaceful Easy Feeling'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'You Belong To the City'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'The Heat Is On'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Smuggler's Blues'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Take It Easy'</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DWKHW4C"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Larry Manch</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> is an author, teacher, guitar player, freelance writer, and columnist.
His books include: </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q1J5BCQ"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'The Toughest Hundred Dollars & Other
Rock & Roll Stories',</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I6H7G2E"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'A
Sports Junkie'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DWEHDS8"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'The
Avery Appointment'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GLZELU8"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">'Between
the Fuzzy Parts'</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He also writes about
baseball for </i><a href="http://climbingtalshill.com/author/brenemil/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Climbing Tal's Hill</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, food and travel on </i><a href="http://milesmealsltm.blogspot.com/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Miles
& Meals</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, and music/guitars on
</i><a href="http://thebackbeatltm.blogspot.com/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Backbeat</i></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He lives in Central
Texas with his wife and family.</i></div>
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<a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/LarryManch">Follow @LarryManch</a></div>
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<br />Larryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18118816766355717195noreply@blogger.com0