Instrumental Fans

I wanted to start another thread as I mostly like instrumental music and the thread Willy started was on a particular vocalist. WC, I have listened to Asleep At The Wheel, but owing to the fact that I enjoy the sound of the period instruments and styles I like Wills' music better, if not his "singing".    It is not just western swing but also Jazz and swing performances with early electric guitars that appeals to me. Here is a 1945 performance with Al Casey in which he runs his instrument through some paces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKqHGG-mpX8

I also enjoy electric violin music. This the violinist I like the best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp9h0hn4h1s&list=PLcpXAObrfN-oh_m42Pfe_RlpcMUEABM61

Electric violin?????????????????????

Got it.  Electric violin is another kettle of fish altogether from electric fiddle.  An electric fiddle, Bill, is built like an electric guitar.  No acoustics.  My problem with electric fiddle is that it sounds artificial.  To me, it's just not the same.  Like a keyboard instead of an acoustic piano.  Floyd Cramer played a spinet piano, but on occasion, would play a grand or even an organ.  Totally different sound, and easily distinguishable.  Frankie Carle played a grand, but would switch off to a spinet or honky tonk piano for the same reason.

I guess a violin and a fiddle are technically the same instrument.  The difference is how they are played, and, sometimes the bow is different.  There is a place for electric violins.  My opinion is that that place is NOT in country music.  

Bob Wills used acoustic instruments.  Most of his material was recorded direct to disc.  I can't recall off hand of I have any Bob Wills material that is stereo.  There is certainly worse material than that of Bob Wills.  Like I said earlier, my personal opinion is that Hank Thompson and ASW refined and perfected what Bob Wills started.  They had the benefit of enhanced recording technology, mainly stereo.

I'm glad to know that there is another music lover in the crowd, 75. Thanks for sharing.

Regards

WC

Bill Cahill wrote:Electric violin?????????????????????

Sure Bill,

As made famous by the Revenge of the Nerds movie.

   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XePd71I4ozk

Here is another one of my favorites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JKbpF95kR4

Very nice music. I have heard the electric Violins as well. 75x11 I am with you on the instumental music as well. I listen to instrumental music most of the time, from the 20s to today. At work I have streaming jazz music playing all day. It beats all the news channels others have on. I have it on to keep me relaxed while working on computers. That way I don't hear the ringing in my ears all day. I have that stuff called tiniunitus or whatever its called. And usually if I play music I don't notice it. Anyway really nice tracks.

I listen to mostly jazz and swing during the day for much the same reason, although fortunately I don't have tinnitus. I have a small stereo at my workplace and keep my music library on a 16GB SD card. I have 2 Jean Shepherd radio show collections on another in case I want to listen to "talk" radio.

Instrumental has always been my favorite, I loved (and still do) the Ventures when I was a teenager.  Another favorite is Ferrante and Teicher.  As a saxophone player myself, I also like jazz.

Do you like Billy Vaughn, MR MEZ? I have a large collection of his records.

Regards

WC

Yes I love Billy Vaughn. While learning to play, Boot Randolph was my hero!

Do you know how Boots Randolph got his start in the music business?

The drummer in the Billy Vaughn orchestra was the second best drummer who ever recorded a note. The BEST one was in the Brazos Valley Boys, Hank Thompson's western swing band. Wonder who these people were? Nobody seems to know.

Regards

WC

After his military duty, Boots played primarily jazz at nightclubs for $60 a week. He got a recording contract with RCA in Nashville in 1958 and also was hired as a musician for recording sessions. These recording sessions were for stars such as Roy Obison and Elvis Presley, I would imagine that might be his start but I'm not sure.

Maybe this has a lot to do with his start;

Jethro Burns, of the famed country comedy act Homer & Jethro, saw Randolph's group, and appreciating the high level of technical skill employed, told Chet Atkins at RCA about the young saxophonist. With co-writer James "Spider" Rich, Randolph had already written an early version of "Yakety Sax," titled "Chicken Reel." Atkins heard the tape and encouraged the sax player to come to Nashville and do session work.

Even earlier, taken from a 1965 edition of "Music City News":

In 1955, Red Foley was introduced to a 9 year-old girl singer sensation named Brenda Mae Tarpley. As quoted by Foley himself "she tapped time with one foot like she was stomping out a prairie fire, while never twitching another muscle on her tiny frame." She had turned down a $30 gig singing at a local department store to meet Red Foley. This girl was later to be known as Brenda Lee. In 1957, she was about to record her first hit, and her signature song "Dynamite." At her insistence and that of Foley, Owen Bradley, the A&R man for Decca records, was convinced to allow a couple of her friends to perform session work on that recording. Total unknowns who were working for bread and beans in Nashville, waiting for their big chance. Floyd Cramer and Boots Randolph. Duane Eddy is alleged to be in the recording as well, but I have not personally confirmed that. Chet Atkins is alleged to have glommed on both of them. Floyd Cramer, along with Atkins and Jim Reeves, "invented" the Nashville Sound, popular in the 1960's, that basically eliminated nasal vocals, fiddles, and steel guitar and replaced those with rich vocals, string sections and orchestras, along with Anita Kerr and the Jordanaires chorus with mezzo-soprano. Boots Randolph became the band leader for Homer and Jethro. He recorded his own material, but mostly on the Monument label. The rest you know.

Regards

WC

I did not know that Boots ever had a recording contract with RCA. Thanks.

Regards

WC

Somewhere I still have a cassette tape simply called Chet, Floyd, & Boots

I have that album.  Their connection is not only being lifelong friends, but they were all in "The Million Dollar Band" made famous on "Hee Haw."  Floyd Cramer and Chet Atkins, along with Eddy Arnold and a couple others, pretty much ruled the roost at RCA Nashville back in the day.  Floyd Cramer was THE piano player in Nashville in the day.  He appeared on almost every label.  He had an exclusive recording contract with RCA, as did Atkins and Arnold.  

Can we name the members of the Million Dollar Band?  Chet Atkins, Roy Clark, Jethro Burns, Johnnie Gimble, Boots Randolph, Charlie McCoy, Floyd Cramer and Bob Moore.  The drummer from Buck Owens' Buckaroos provided his services on tv at least.  Both Anita Kerr and the Jordanaires provided vocals.  Their recordings, if any, have proven to be elusive.

Can any of you music gurus tell me the name of the drummer for Hank Thompson?  Surely there is a website that tells that information.  My favorite drummer and I don't know the guy's name.    

Wikipedia credits Randolph with being associated with RCA. I'll take their word for it. I learned something, as I was unaware Boots ever had an RCA recording contract. I also did not know that Boots Randolph passed in 2007.

Regards

WC

Can any of you music gurus tell me the name of the drummer for Hank Thompson?

Gary Sullivan