Tribute: Linda Ronstadt's Hired Guns

[the Scribe]

I am not sure I am using the correct terminology but I thought it is about time to pay tribute to the very talented musicians that surrounded and contributed to Linda's career. This is going to be a very long and most interesting thread.

The Sidemen are the forgotten 'guns for hire' that changed musical history.

Rock 'n' Roll Guns For Hire: The Story Of The Sideman

“As a sideman, it’s your job to be invisible; you should be heard and not seen. You’ve got to know who you are and where you stand in the hierarchy. The hard thing for a sideman is that the better you are at your job the less people notice you, and that’s the whole point” - Keith Richards, The Story Of The Sideman.
David Bowie’s sideman of 40 years Earl Slick (Slicky) is our guide through this documentary that looks at the men and women behind some of the greatest songs of the 20th and 21st century. The Sidemen are often the forgotten ‘guns for hire’ that changed musical history.

The Story Of The Sideman is a unique account of what it feels like to live in the shadow of a star, a story of triumph and thwarted ambition. And it’s a story that has never been told. Through Slicky we will witness an alternative and unique view of rock and pop history with unprecedented interviews with some of the world’s most successful and famous frontmen, including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Billy Joel as well as the sidemen past and present for Prince, David Bowie, John Lennon, Otis Reding, The Rolling Stones and Beyoncé.

Having worked with everyone from The Cure to the New York Dolls, from the Yardbirds to Eric Clapton and John Lennon as well as Bowie, Slicky shows us what it’s really like to be a Sideman, on stage, in the studio, and at home waiting for the phone to ring.

We learn how the perfect sideman is a solid, reliable and humble musician who allows their ego to be subsumed by the main star. That they must have an emotional and intellectual connection with their lead allowing their intuition to anticipate every move they make as well as the ability to learn an entire set list in a matter of days.

[the Scribe]

I got the idea for this thread when I found this video a few minutes ago and wasn't sure what thread to post it in. I was thinking in my Linda Ronstadt Scrapbook catchall thread but realized this is bigger than that. What incredibly talented people they were and still are.

to start...

JOHN BELAND


John Beland biography - Part 1 (Flying Burrito Brothers)

Aubrunner
Published on May 19, 2017
John Beland was a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers and Swampwater who played with Linda Ronstadt and Arlo Guthrie. He also played with a million of stars like: Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Kris Kristofferson, Glenn Frey & JD Souther, Rick Nelson, Bellamy Brothers, Garth Brooks, Kim Carnes, Bobby Bare, Johnny Tillotson, Larry Murray and a million more. Members in the Burritos were: Gib Guilbeau, Skip Battin, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Chris Ethridge, Brian Cadd and more. Here is part 1 of his biography from his beginning to 1977. Part two is coming soon with rare and unseen clips and music.

ronstadt.proboards.com/thread/287/linda-ronstadt-swampwater


Early career and Swampwater (1970–1976)

Beland moved back to Los Angeles and joined Linda Ronstadt's first solo band. With Ronstadt's band, Beland toured the United States, performing at the Capital Records Convention; Fillmore West with The Byrds; the Big Sur celebration with The Beach Boys and also at Troubadour. At the Troubadour gig, Kris Kristofferson was the opening act. After speaking with Kristofferson, Beland decided to join his band too at $35 for a week run. Kristofferson played the same songs he had played with Beland a year prior, but this time had a much better reception. Beland's connection with the Troubadour remained for a number of years, where he saw debut performances by The Carpenters, Poco and Elton John. He also met a band there called The Flying Burrito Brothers.[3]

Ronstadt's bass player was replaced in the early 1970s by Beland's friend and former One Man's Family band member, Thad Maxwell. Shortly after Maxwell joined Linda Ronstadt's band, the backing band started their own band called Swampwater. Their sound was a combination of Guilbeau's hard driving Cajun rock and Beland's Byrds-Beach Boys style harmonies. Shortly after the formation of Swampwater, they were signed by the Nashville-based Starday-King Records and secured an album deal. The group recorded their first album in Albuquerque, New Mexico with John Wagner as the producer. They created a country hit titled "Take A City Bride". The track was the first Los Angeles-based band to score a Billboard country hit single.[3]

Swampwater became closely connected to The Byrds, due in part to Gib Guilbeau's connection with Clarence White and Gene Parsons, before they joined the legendary group. The close connection to The Byrds gave the band huge exposure to record executives in Los Angeles. Beland subbed in for Clarence White on numerous recordings for The Byrds, due to his similar sound and style when White was unavailable. Swampwater left Starday-King after recording one album and signed with RCA for a new album that would be produced by Larry Murray. Many of the sessions took place in Los Angeles and Nashville. Unfortunately, the production on the second album wasn't as good as Beland had hoped. In later interviews, Beland stated that at this time he had become disillusioned with the direction of the band.[3]

Despite the position of Swampwater, Beland continued to play on sessions for other Los Angeles-based artists, such as James Taylor's sister Kate Taylor. He was hired by Arlo Guthrie to play in a house band along with Ry Cooder, Gib Guilbeau and The Flying Burrito Brothers bassist Chris Ethridge, for the Tribute to Woody Guthrie concert at the Hollywood Bowl. The concert received huge public acclaim and the live recording of the concert is in the Library of Congress.[3]

Swampwater and Linda Ronstadt parted ways in 1971 to become the new backing band touring the country with singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie. While in Chicago, they learned a new song written by Steve Goodman during a soundcheck. All the band members were fans of the song and began to play it during their tours. It would go on to become an iconic song titled, the "City Of New Orleans". Guthrie and Swampwater also played Carnegie Hall that year, but Beland grew tired of Swampwater's lack of commercial chart progress and quit the band in 1972 to pursue a solo career and concentrate on playing for other acts.[3]

Beland became music director and guitarist for the country pop star Johnny Tillotson. Tillotson and Beland traveled the world together, performing throughout the United States, as well as Germany and the United Kingdom. While touring with Tillotson, he was introduced to Tony King, who was the head of Apple Records. He forwarded on a tape of Beland's recordings to Ringo Starr, who approved Beland to be signed as a solo artist to Apple Records. He returned to Los Angeles to work on his new solo album. Beland didn't complete the solo album under Apple Records, due to The Beatles' pending litigation against their manager Alan Klein. He remained focused on the project and eventually finished the solo album in 1973 with Scepter Records. The album was titled, John Edward Beland. Following the release of the album, he continued to tour and record with Johnny Tillotson and remained an in-demand studio guitarist.[3]

Kris Kristofferson hired him again in 1973 after working with him numerous times at the Troubadour. Kristofferson by this point was a household name in music. He toured the country with Kristofferson and his wife Rita Coolidge, meaning Beland had to end touring with Tillotson. He became a featured part of Kristofferson's show, as well as playing on their albums, in concerts and television appearances. In 1975, Beland left the band, citing Kristofferson's drinking issues as the main reason. Not long afterward, Beland was hired by emerging singer-songwriter, Kim Carnes. He played on her albums, "St. Vincent's Court" and "Sailing", as well as backing her on tour as an opening act for the pop star Neil Sedaka, who was enjoying a comeback at the time.[4]

Fortuitously, two brothers from Florida, Howard and David Bellamy, arrived in Los Angeles in 1976. They had just scored a massive hit with "Let Your Love Flow". New to the local scene, they hired Beland to record with them. He played on their records and helped them form their first touring band. Later that year, The Bellamy Brothers, with Beland leading the band, joined Loggins and Messina on tour. The Bellamys' follow-up single, "Crossfire", was a huge hit in Europe, featuring Beland's signature big electric guitar sound that actually inspired Bonnie Tyler's record, "It's A Heartache". Unfortunately, "Crossfire" failed to sustain The Bellamys, and after a major equipment robbery in Chicago, Beland left the act. Mac Davis then hired Beland in 1977. He toured the country with Davis, primarily working Las Vegas, but lost interest in Davis' slick cabaret-style show. While on tour in New England, Beland became close friends with Davis' opening act, the powerfully talented Dolly Parton. Beland and Parton became fast friends. Soon after returning to Los Angeles, he parted ways with Davis and became Parton's guitarist. Her new single "Here You Come Again" was released that year, and her career skyrocketed. Beland then began to tour with Parton throughout the United States.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Beland

[Richard W]

Keep this up!

As a liner notes aficionado back in the day, it's fascinating to me to find out who these people are and what they did.

I recall my surprise reading liner notes when I saw many musicians associated with Linda on the Pointer Sisters' album Energy (including Wachtel, Glaub, and Porcaro, if I recall correctly).

[the Scribe]

ED BLACK



Artist Biography by Tom Kealey

Ed Black took the pedal steel guitar and Dobro, traditionally country & western instruments, into the world of rock music. Black wasn't the first to do this but he was one of the most memorable, having recorded the distinctive, screaming solo in Linda Ronstadt's "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" as an early example.

Black started out in Phoenix, AZ, around 1971 with an eclectic band called the Goose Creek Symphony. The group traveled to Los Angeles where they opened up for Linda Ronstadt at the Whiskey a Go Go and Ronstadt, along with her producer, John Boylan, convinced Black and drummer, Mickey McGee to join her band. In agreeing to their offer Black wound up playing on Ronstadt's albums, Don't Cry Now, Heart Like a Wheel, and Prisoner in Disguise, touring with her band in between releases as well.

Black left Ronstadt's band after 1975 and concentrated on his studio prowess, appearing on albums by Tracy Chapman, Gene Clark, Dwight Yoakam, and many other high-profile artists until 1990 when his health began to fail. In 1998 the music world was robbed of a very talented innovator in Ed Black, who passed away at barely 50 years old.

MUSIC CREDITS

www.allmusic.com/artist/ed-black-mn0000144322/credits

I met Ed in 1972 when he was one of Linda's hired guns. He and the others who had been touring with Linda were excited because she had promised them a place on her upcoming record (Don't Cry Now). Ed was from the Phoenix Arizona area and he later lived out his dream as he was instrumental in creating a music venue named the Red River Opry on the banks of the Salt River here in Tempe, Arizona. Unfortunately he died not too long afterwards. The theatre is still there under new management and is called the Marquee Theatre.

It is difficult finding any videos with Ed but here he is with Linda about 3 months after I met her in 1972. In fact, I met the whole band that night. Ed is the guy sitting down (left corner of the video) ronstadtfanaz


Midnight Special-Linda Ronstadt "Long, Long Time" 1972

HISTORY
In 1993, the venue debuted as the Red River Opry. A family-oriented place with auditorium seating and home to a theatrical-style revue called the “Arizona’s Country Music Show,” which we described at the time as a “scripted blend of family-friendly crossover country and pop, punctuated with a bit of comedy.” Yee-haw.
A decade later in 2003, long after the Red River Opry headed for the last roundup, it became the concert venue we all know today, sans the seating and heaping helpings of cornpone.

The Marquee Theatre debuted in March of 2003 with Ozomatli and has hosted over 1,500 national touring artists including Nine Inch Nails, Muse, Kings Of Leon, The Black Keys, Adele, Prince, Green Day, Katy Perry, Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers, A Perfect Circle, Godsmack, Sigur Ros, Flogging Molly, Fallout Boy, Modest Mouse, Odd Future, Social Distortion, Phoenix, Eric Church, Paul Oakenfold, Deftones, Megadeth, 311 and Benny Bennassi to name a few.

The auditorium style venue is located 1 mile north of Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ at the corner of Mill Ave and Washington Street just north of Tempe Town Lake.

www.marqueetheatreaz.com/

[the Scribe]

RICHARD BOWDEN



Artist Biography by Tom Kealey

Richard Bowden has always been a very funny man and comes by it honestly. His mother once said when asked about her son's behavior, "The first time I ever saw him he was naked -- and hungry." He would eventually cash in on his wit, but not before he made significant contributions to the world of country-rock music. He was born in Linden, TX, on September 30, 1945, to parents who always supported his creative tendencies, and even though he was a high school honor roll student going on to college, he was never discouraged from playing music, eventually putting his own band together.

By the time he and his bandmates were out of college, their group, Shiloh gained enough popularity all across Texas that they were able to avoid having to get "real jobs," and instead were able to concentrate on writing, performing, and preparing for the day when they could break into the big time. The band consisted of drummer/lead vocalist Don Henley, bassist Michael Bowden (Richard's cousin), keyboardist Jim Ed Norman, Dobro/steel guitarist Al Perkins and, of course, lead guitarist Richard Bowden. Along the way, they came to know Kenny Rogers, who encouraged them to go to Los Angeles and gave them tips on how to search for a record deal. Rogers' advice paid off and Shiloh released their first album, Shiloh, in 1970. The record spawned one regional hit single but went otherwise unnoticed, and that, together with a bad management deal, caused the band to break up. Not surprisingly, the album started gaining more popularity due to the increasing visibility of its individual members and is now one of the most valuable pieces of vinyl in the "Rare and Hard-to-Find" catalogs.

Soon after Shiloh disbanded, Bowden, cousin Michael Bowden, and Henley landed jobs with Linda Ronstadt. Along with Glenn Frey, they served as her backup band, undergoing personnel changes along the way due to some of its members leaving to start their own band, called the Eagles. In 1974, Bowden also made his exit to start another band but instead was recruited by Roger McGuinn for one album and a tour until McGuinn chose to join Bob Dylan & the Rolling Thunder Review and let the band go. In 1978, Bowden started another band, called Blue Steel, and released No More Lonely Nights on Infinity Records. While on tour with the Eagles, the label went out of business, causing him to rebuild the band and shop for another deal, which he secured with Electra Records. However, after recording Nothing but Time, the band broke up.

In 1982, disillusioned with the band business in L.A., Bowden moved to Nashville and was introduced to hit songwriter Sandy Pinkard by his former Shiloh bandmate and current record producer, Jim Ed Norman, with the intention that the pair would combine their songwriting skills in a collaborative effort. It was a well-conceived plan, but when they tried to put it into action, it simply would not work -- they couldn't stop laughing long enough to write a serious song. While making up hilarious and frequently off-color lyrics to their own songs, as well as those of others, they gave rise to a new singing comedy duo called Pinkard & Bowden. Billed as "America's Funniest Duo," they spent the next 16 years creating albums, appearing on radio and television shows, and making live audiences laugh until they doubled over in pain. After that stretch, Bowden and his wife packed up their dogs and cats and moved back to their home town in Linden, TX.

In 2001, Bowden needed a breather from the center stage so he decided to accept an offer from his old friend Don Henley and the Eagles to tour Europe as their guitar tech, jocular guru, and occasional guitarist, performing on "Hotel California" during the show. Upon his return, he immediately got down to work on his own solo comedy album. Living in a town of less than 3,000 people, Bowden enjoys his role as civic leader, having won a seat on the city council. He is frequently invited to speak and entertain at most of the local community functions, and occasionally appears as "Special Guest Star" on the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom radio show.

www.allmusic.com/artist/richard-bowden-mn0000850862/biography



Pinkard & Bowden - Daddy Sang Bass

Richard Bowden is a funny guy. He was another Ronstadt hired hand in the Ronstadt band with Ed Black and can be seen in the Midnight Special Pilot video with Ed and Linda. Richard was helpful in talking Linda into allowing me to take a few photos. She was mostly camera shy during performances as it must have thrown her concentration off but she was more willing back stage. Richard also gathered the band together so I could take a photo of them. All four of them appeared on the video post above with Ed. Richard and I talked a bit while watching The Earl Scruggs Review. He too was excited about being on Linda's upcoming Don't Cry Now album. Great guy. ronstadtfanaz

Here is a song Richard sang while Linda took a break:


Mail Order Dog

Linda mentioned some of Richard's antics lol. She got a kick out of having Richard around:

Richard Bowden is “America’s Most Famous Unknown Entertainer” BY TOM GEDDIE
Published: October 31, 2013



Richard Bowden admits to, once upon a time, in the wee hours of the morning, walking into the lobby of a Washington hotel nude except for the shaving cream on his face. and asking anybody who would listen, “Do y’all know where a man can get a razor blade this time of night?”

That was back in the mid 1970s, when he was lead guitarist for Linda Ronstadt.

It wasn’t the first time he was nude, he claims.

“My mother once said, in response to some of my reported behavior, ‘The first time I ever saw him, he was naked and hungry.’ I guess I didn’t change much during those years.”

Bowden, who bills himself as “America’s most famous unknown entertainer,” made a lot of music before his years with Ronstadt and a lot of music in later years. He also served on the city council in Linden, Texas, where he was born, and is one of the founding instigators of Music City Texas Theater — all just part of a long and continuing resume.

He’s still most known— outside Linden, and maybe within — as half of the successful musical comedy team Pinkard and Bowden.

Bowden’s career began in high school when he joined his dad’s country music jams at home. Soon, he and some friends began picking up some instrumental gigs playing with the Ventures, Herb Alpert, and similar groups until, when the Beatles came along, they decided to add vocals.

“Nobody wanted to step up and sing,” Bowden remembers. “We were rehearsing at my parents’ house one night, and my dad suggested we write down the titles of four songs we’d like to do, and then everybody would draw a song and sing it whether we want to or not. We did it.”

So the primary singing job fell to young drummer Don Henley; yes, that Don Henley, eventually of the Eagles. Bowden sang some Johnny Rivers and Sam the Sham songs.

The guys’ band, after a chance meeting with Kenny Rogers in Dallas, eventually moved to Los Angeles and became Shiloh. That eventually led to a four-year gig with Ronstadt, which Bowden said was “great training. I was singing background with her. Her phrasing was impeccable, and some of that rubbed off on me. I was blessed to be with somebody that good.”

Henley and Glenn Frey also became part of Ronstadt’s band before forming the Eagles.

Bowden later played with, among others, Roger McGuinn and Dan Fogelberg before moving to Nashville and meeting another songwriter, Sandy Pinkard, a partnership that lasted 16 years and through four Warner Brothers albums – Writers In Disguise, PG-13, Live In Front Of a Bunch Of D-dkh—ds, and Cousins, Cattle and Other Love Stories – sealing Bowden’s reputation as a comic.

“I’ve been known for being funny for years, more known for being funny than as a guitar player,” he said.

The duo’s first big song parody hit was “Mama, He’s Lazy,” a takeoff on The Judds’ popular “Mama He’s Crazy.”


Pinkard & Bowden - Mama, She's Lazy

“Just as theirs was coming down off the charts, ours came out,” Bowden said. “It went way up on the charts, and Warner Brothers said ours sold more singles than the average #1. We were off and running. They put us out opening for everybody you could think of including Eddy Rabbit and Chrystal Gale.”

Pinkard and Bowden began playing comedy clubs next, rolling into town and doing the morning shows at classic rock radio stations.

“That’s where we found our audience, by getting up at 4:30 in the morning and then going into comedy clubs that night,” Bowden said. “We’d be there the whole week and get up every morning on the radio shows, and began packing the comedy clubs.

Other popular parodies included “Help Me Make It Through the Yard,” “I Lobster But I Never Flounder,” “Blue Hair Driving in My Lane,” “What’s That Thing (on Aaron Neville’s Head?), “Please Come to New Boston,” and more.

Over the years, the group did one serious piece: “Christmas Evergreen,” a recitation of a poem that Bowden wrote with a quiet guitar solo version of “Silent Night” behind the recitation.

In 1998, Bowden returned to Linden to help take care of his aging mother.

“My mother had been widowed for several years and her health had started to go down,” he said.

Music City Texas had already been formed, but didn’t have a venue. Bowden helped raise $25,000 from the Lions Club and the Linden Economic Development Corporation, and the group leased the virtually abandoned American Legion hall. Henley came home for a show, and Bowden called on old friends Rogers, Jackson Browne, Michael Martin Murphey, John Anderson, T. Graham Brown, Robert Earl Keen, and others to perform.

“I made a lot of friends, so I started calling people and started bringing in these national acts to Linden,” he said. “Michael Granbury wrote an article on the theater in The Dallas Morning News and we began drawing people from Dallas, Houston, Austin, and everywhere in between. That was a good thing because it boosts the local economy. People leave a lot of money at the theater, local restaurants, and motels here and in Jefferson.”

Bowden ended up as a four-term city council member in Linden, and last year filled out someone else’s two-year term.

He’s also helped with the annual Wildflower Trails of Texas Festival, the establishment of the annual “T-Bone” Walker Blues Fest, and remains a more-than-popular emcee for local events.

In 2010, Bowden had double bypass surgery and later fell in the rain and shattered a knee that took extensive repair with pins and metal plates. He also remarried in 2012, to Holly Joy Bowden, inheriting six-year-old and month-old granddaughters.

“I’m fine, so far,” he said. “Holly makes me eat all the right stuff.”

He doesn’t have to spend much time anymore with people confusing him and same-named fiddler Richard Bowden, who used to get Linden’s Richard Bowden’s royalty checks; that Bowden saved the checks because they weren’t his, and finally got them to Linden.

Rather than slowing down, though, he’s got responsibilities with Music City Texas Theater, with the blues festival, with the Pinkard and Bowden website, and with his band Moon & the Starz. He has a role as “the kindly faced Dr. Earl” in a movie, “Open Gate,” that’s available on Netflix. He also played guitar on three songs on Henley’s soon-to-be-released new album, Cass County, because Henley “wanted some of these B-Bender licks on his guitar,” Bowden said.

The B-Bender is a device, somewhat like a capo, that Bowden patented years ago to raise the pitch on a single string, creating a steel guitar effect. The company that manufactured the B-Bender began, he said, skimping on the quality of the parts, which affected durability, so when the contract ran out Bowden took control again. He opened his own shop where he’s in charge of quality control, created his own internet business, and sells the devices in, so far, the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Today, the man who calls himself “America’s most famous unknown entertainer” is far from his days — but not too far — from the lobby of that Washington hotel lobby where he showed up wearing nothing but the shaving cream on his face.

For more information visit www.bowdenbbenders.com , pinkardandbowden.co/ and www.mytexasmusic.com/richardbowden/richardbowden.html .

www.countylinemagazine.com/November-December-2013/Richard-Bowden-is-Americas-Most-Famous-Unknown-Entertainer/

[the Scribe]

MICKEY McGEE



Artist Biography by Tom Kealey

Mickey McGee (born William Michael McGee, October 25, 1947, New Orleans, LA) spent his formative years in and around Phoenix, AZ, playing drums in various rock bands and developing his craft to the point where he longed for newer and loftier challenges. While touring with the band Goose Creek Symphony, McGee met Linda Ronstadt, who would later remember him and serve as a major catalyst for his career. Chris Darrow of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band convinced McGee, together with bandmate and good friend Ed Black, to head west for Hollywood and join him on a solo project.

McGee, found his way to Los Angeles in the early '70s and quickly made his presence known in the local country rock community where he again attracted the attention of Ronstadt and record producer John Boylan. Boylan asked both McGee and Black to remain in Los Angeles and work for Ronstadt. Boylan's confidence in the abilities of McGee and Black were such that he invited the pair to play on Ronstadt's 1973 album, Don't Cry Now, which went gold two years later. After the release of Don't Cry Now, McGee toured with Ronstadt, which gave rise to new relationships with other notables such as Jackson Browne, for whom he played drums on For Everyman.

What followed was a long but intermittent gig with the Flying Burrito Brothers that spanned a period from 1975 to 1981. As McGee's recording experience grew, so did his reputation as an experienced road warrior, making him the likeliest of candidates to assume the role of key sideman for the debuting RCA group, Juice Newton & Silver Spur. He agreed to be their drummer on a series of tours to promote their 1975 album of the same name, and concurrently was able to maintain his commitment to the Flying Burrito Brothers.

Another side of McGee would be uncovered after the 1975-1976 Juice Newton tour ended, which was that of a songwriter. Along with collaborator Doug Haywood, McGee penned "Blue," to be recorded on the second Juice Newton & Silver Spur album, After the Dust Settles, released in 1977. Two years later Juice Newton would record McGee's composition "I'll Never Love Again" for the album Well Kept Secret, which was Newton's first album as a solo artist. "I'll Never Love Again" has since been covered by many other artists, and was also performed on network television. McGee, while remaining very active in music, yielded to the temptation to take on yet another new challenge by expanding his expertise to include work in the motion picture industry.

He currently resides and still performs in Phoenix, Arizona.

www.discogs.com/artist/674456-Mickey-McGee

Mickey McGee was Linda's hired gun the night we met. Mickey was on the quiet side which is something I can relate to. Great musician! Below is a photo I took of the band. Richard Bowden gathered the boys up for me and I got this photo: ronstadtfanaz


Mickey McGee - Richard Bowden - Mike Bowden - Ed Black - 4/27/1972

MIKE BOWDEN


Mike Bowden - Linda Ronstadt 4/27/1972

Mike Bowden and Richard Bowden are cousins. Mike also played on Don't Cry Now and had a prolific career:

www.allmusic.com/artist/michael-bowden-mn0001498283/credits

[the Scribe]

SHEP COOKE



Shep Cooke: a rewarding life, but 'nothing any better than that'

June 28, 2012 12:00 am(0) CommentsWalter "Shep" Cooke bounced between Tucson and Los Angeles throughout the 1970s and '80s, picking up work as a session musician and touring for awhile with Linda Ronstadt's Stone Poneys.

He performed as a solo artist and teamed up with fellow Tucsonan Bobby Kimmel for a short-lived but successful trio called the Floating House Band.

"He's really a wonderful musician in every way," says Kimmel, a guitarist and singer who left Tucson in the early 1960s to form the Stone Poneys. "He was a really good guitar player and had a sweet, sweet voice. He had a really good musical ear, better than mine."

In Tucson, Cooke played in the country band Sunset Limited for a few months in the 1970s. He became a regular at Tucson restaurants and clubs, where he would play guitar and sing.

There's no hint of that life in the midtown home where Cooke was raised and where he has lived most of his 66 years.

No concert posters. No photos of him with Tom Waits, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne or any of the other artists on whose records he played. Nor are there any album covers from his two recordings as a solo folk-rock musician or the songs he recorded with The Dearly Beloved.

He looks around the room on a blistering hot day earlier this month and says that he is fully retired from music.

He got rid of the bass and his other guitar. He no longer has a piano, which he had played off and on.

It was a rewarding life, he says as air blasts noisily from his swamp cooler and he sips a can of Miller beer, his long gray hair pulled back from his eyes.

But it wasn't a profitable one.

"I never made any money. Pressed 1,000 copies of my first album. Gave half of them away and sold the rest for $4 apiece at my shows," says Cooke, who supplements his Social Security checks by working 10 hours a week as a school crossing guard. He has a website (www.shepcooke.com), where he sells digital downloads of his songs for 99 cents a pop, even though he has no computer.

Cooke shares his home with quirky art projects in various states of completion, along with stacks of collected odds and ends. An imposing 12-foot-tall Styrofoam robot stands guard in the front yard, framed by a child's doll house and a metal garden table topped with Christmas village figurines. A front room is crammed with sculptures, including a vintage beach-comber bike festooned with an animal's spine up the center bar. On one wall are paintings by Cooke's late father, who spent his life working for Pima County's parks department and his retirement painting simple, colorful landscapes until his death 10 years ago.

Cooke taught himself how to play the bass so he could join The Dearly Beloved.

"He can play anything. He is a phenomenal musician. I used to say if you give him enough time he could play a fence," says Dearly Beloved bandmate Terry Lee. "Of the whole band he's probably the best musician. Always was, still is."

The men last spoke a few years ago when their fellow bandmate Tom Walker died.

Cooke says he's uncertain of how far The Dearly Beloved would have gone.

"We were good enough, but just good enough. I don't think that band was ever going to get much better than that, but I don't know," he says.

He says he already had lost interest by the time of the crash.

"I was arrogantly too self-confident and thought I could do better than this," he adds, looking around his home that he has turned into an art gallery. "Here we are 45 years later and I have not done better than that, try as I may. I've been in country bands, folk bands, rock bands. I was in a reggae band for six months. I was in a couple of duos. All of which were respectable musical ventures, but nothing spectacular, nothing any better than that."[/font]

[the Scribe]

WADDY WACHTEL




LINK: www.waddywachtelinfo.com/KingoftheSidemen.html


some nice photos with Linda here:

waddywachtelinfo.com/waddywachtelwithlindaronstadt.html

Article in Rolling Stone:

Waddy Wachtel Reflects on Working With Warren Zevon, Keith Richards
By Patrick Doyle
July 24, 2013 8:30 AM ET

Waddy Wachtel may be the greatest session guitarist of all time, with a resumé including classic work from the Everly Brothers, Warren Zevon (he co-wrote "Werewolves of London"), Jackson Browne and Stevie Nicks. Now Wachtel is stepping out of the shadows in the career-spanning documentary King of the Sidemen, directed by friend Gary Simson, with guest appearances from friends including Nicks, Browne and Keith Richards. "He is a natural maestro," says Richards, who played with Wachtel in the X-Pensive Winos. "He can take a song to further heights than you expected, beyond expectations. I envy him, quite honestly."

The film began when Simson – who has worked on shows from Deadliest Catch to A&E's Biography – approached Wachtel at The Joint in L.A., where the guitairst has has held weekly jam sessions for several years with fellow pros like Bernard Fowler and Blondie Chaplin (the Rolling Stones), bassist Rick Rosas (Neil Young), drummer Phil Jones (Tom Petty), guitarist/keyboardist Brett Tuggle (Fleetwood Mac, David Lee Roth), singer Jamie Savko and guitarist Keith Allison (Paul Revere and the Raiders) – along with surprise guests from Richards to Robert Plant. "Basically we do two sets of the finest rock & roll tunes that there are," Wachtel says. "We do a combination of great Stones tunes, AC/DC tunes, Led Zeppelin tunes, Hollies songs. . . . [Gary] got the idea that this is a historic event happening, and it'd be a great thing to start documenting."

In addition to footage of the Joint jams, the film will also include stories from Wachtel's key sessions – one already-available 16-minute clip tells the story of his partnership with Zevon and how they made "Werewolves of London," trying the song with multiple musicians before finally settling on Fleetwood Mac's rhythm section. "It's the most difficult song to play but that's what makes it so elusive and hard, you've got to lay these same three chords over and over and make it feel important each time around," Wachtel says. "Mick [Fleetwood] and John [McVie] laid down that fat, beautiful groove and all of a sudden the song had a serious foundation to it."

Wachtel also singles out Richards' "Take It So Hard" as a career highlight. "The level of musicianship in that band was really about as high as it gets," he says, remembering the song was the first the band ever cut. "It was take one and we were all standing there going, 'Oh, my God, that was pretty amazing.' I don’t even know if we really rehearsed. We went over a couple songs and headed up to Canada. It was magnificent. Really incredible."

Wachtel has a good idea why artists still rely on him above all others. "I've been able to find things that go well with the melody being sung by the singer, things to counterpoint that melody, rhythm parts that work against it, things like that. My ear and my sense of counterpoint I believe are whats kept me floating."

And having worked with everyone from the Everly Brothers to Linda Ronstadt, Wachtel is also a pro at navigating larger-than-life personalities. "Extreme personalities are something one comes to know, love and deal with in this business," he says. "You get in a room full of musicians everyone's talking at once interrupting each other, but everyone keeps the same thread – the object is to get something recorded that sounds like the fun it was."

[the Scribe]

HERB PEDERSEN

some great Ronstadt history in this video interview with Herbie

This interview took place as a result of Herb receiving a cd taped live at McCabe's Guitar Shop. Many of the musicians were from the band I just listed above which would date it around 1972-1973. There are a couple of McCabe's recordings (at least 2) that I know of. When I ran a Ronstadt fan club in the late 1970's I received a McCabe's cassette tape from a guy who if I remember correctly said he copied it from the "master tapes" from that event. He said he received those master tapes as payment for his involvement. Unfortunately, my secretary at the time saw fit to dump my entire box of fan club correspondence so I cannot recall the guys name nor do I have the letter he wrote. That particular concert tape has appeared on youtube along with the one below. There is some controversy over the dates on all of the McCabe's tapes. From the way Herb has described it I believe he isn't talking about the same concert sent to me back in 1979. Mine included many members of the Seldom Scene along with Herb and others. I am thinking it was recorded in 1974 pre-Heart Like A Wheel release. Anyway, this is an interesting interview from another great musician who was THERE with Linda at the beginning.


Herb Pedersen, Bluegrass Legend & Country Rock Pioneer

1:20 / 47:13
Herb Pedersen, Bluegrass Legend & Country Rock Pioneer

Stephen Peeples
Published on Jun 17, 2016
Bluegrass ace and country-rock pioneer Herb Pedersen spoke with Santa Clarita journalist Stephen K. Peeples at the singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist's home musician's home in Woodland Hills in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley on Sept. 17, 2015.

Pedersen had guested on Peeples' "House Blend" music and interview program on SCVTV in Santa Clarita three times, and it was time for an update.

The wide-ranging interview took place shortly after Pedersen gave Peeples a CD copy of a Linda Ronstadt concert live at McCabe's in the early when Herb was a member of her studio and road bands.

That's where we started......

*****
HERB PEDERSEN began his career in Berkeley, Calif., in the early ’60s playing five-string banjo and acoustic guitar with people like David Grisman, Butch Waller, David Nelson and Jerry Garcia.

Pedersen subbed for an ailing Earl Scruggs in The Earl Scruggs Revue early in his career. He went on to membership in The Dillards, The Desert Rose Band and The Laurel Canyon Ramblers; has toured for the last couple of decades as a duo with fellow DRB bandmate Chris Hillman (Chris and Herb have been pals for nearly 50 years); and was a frequent guest with The Grateful Dudes, the longest-running bluegrass band in the U.S.A., based in Newhall, California.

Based in Southern California since the 1970s, Pedersen has toured or recorded the world with a who's who of folk, country and country-rock artists, among them Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gene Clark, Jimmy Webb, John Stewart, John Denver, James Taylor, Stephen Stills, Kris Kristofferson, Vince Gill, Johnny Rivers, Dan Fogelberg, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, The Doobie Brothers, Jennifer Warnes, John Prine, Steve Goodman, Jesse Winchester, John Fogerty, Dolly Parton, Weird Al Yankovic, Ringo Starr, Duane Eddy, Buck Owens, Dwight Yaokam and many more.

Most recently, spring 2016, Pedersen was on the road with Mudcrutch, Tom Petty's reconstituted pre-Heartbreakers band.

Pedersen has long been active as a soundtrack musician as well; his licks and/or vocals are all over classic '70s TV soundtracks including "The Rockford Files," "Smokey & The Bandit," "Maverick" the movie, "Hunter," "The Simpsons" and many more.

Get tuned to more Herb history at his official website:
herbpedersen.com/

So here are the songs from the recording that was sent to me live from MCCabes. It would be nice if it wasn't the same as Herb's cd which would mean there is yet another wonderful McCabe's recording out there waiting to be heard. The host's voice at the beginning I believe is that of Bobby Kimmel. Bobby may be the best historian on all of the McCabe's recordings as he managed the place after leaving the Stone Poneys.

The interesting thing about this particular recording is we get the "birth of the TRIO" story from Linda herself. Just before this concert took place Emmy called Linda and told her that Dolly Parton was at her house and that Linda should get there ASAP! She broke the sound barrier getting there and lived to tell about it. They put some of the songs on tape that day, one of which was When I Stop Dreaming (my favorite from this session) but still has not been released on a TRIO album. (regretfully)

The following recordings were posted by former forum member Cornish Pirate (UK). He has been MIA for awhile now. Hope he is ok. He was a master in the studio. I recommend everyone downloading these songs if you can. They could disappear at any time. They are a treasure.

Lonesome Feeling cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/01_LonesomeRoad.mp3
Someone I Used To Know cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/02_SomeoneIUsedToKnow.mp3
Pickaway (band instrumental)
I've Turned You To Stone cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/04_I'veTurnedYouToStone(pitch-125).mp3
Are You Missing Me (vocals John Starling) cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/05_AreYouMissingMe.mp3
Satan's Jewel Crown cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/06_Satan'sJewelCrown(pitch-125).mp3
House of the Rising Sun (band instrumental)
Fair and Tender Ladies cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/08_Fair&TenderLadies(pitch-125).mp3
Wicked Path Of Sin
cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/09_WickedPathOfSin(pitch-125).mp3
Louise cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/10_Louise.mp3
When I Stop Dreaming cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/11_WhenIStopDreaming(pitch-125).mp3
Keep Me From Blowing Away (Linda w/Paul Craft) cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/12_KeepMeFromBlowingAway(EndMissing).mp3
After The Fire Is Gone cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/13_AfterTheFireIsGone.mp3
Once More cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/14_OnceMore.mp3
Simple Gifts cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1975McCabes/15_TisAGift(pitch-125).mp3
Here are a couple from her earlier appearance at McCabe's, (probably 1972). The quality is a bit better than the later one and I hope they are near the right speed.
cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1974McCabes/01_RockyTop.mp3
cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1974McCabes/04_WickedPathofSin.mp3
cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1974McCabes/06_Rollin'inMySweetBaby'sArms.mp3
cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1974McCabes/02_CrazyArms.mp3
cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1974McCabes/03_OnceMore.mp3
cornishwrecks.co.uk/lrfiles/1974McCabes/05_ICan'tHelpItIfI'mStillinLoveWithYou.mp3

If some of the following links don't work then copy the individual song link and put it into your address bar and enter. They seem to work that way.

【CGUBA102】Country Gazette with Linda Ronstadt 1972

Take's Live Bluegrass Channel
Published on Oct 28, 2014
McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, CA

Song List:
01 - Rocky Top
02 - Crazy Arms
03 - Once More
04 - Wicked Path Of Sin
05 - I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You
06 - Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms
07 - Poor Old Slave
08 - Angel Band
09 - Orange Blossom Special

Musicians:
・Linda Ronstadt (Guitar?, Vocals)
・Byron Berline (Fiddle, Vocals)
・Roger Bush (Bass, Vocals)
・Alan Munde (Banjo)
・Skip Conover (Dobro)
・Bob Kimmel (Background Vocals)
【CGUBA102】Country Gazette with Linda Ronstadt 1972
10/28/2014
Memo: Some people say this show took place in 1974.


The Dillards - Nobody Knows/Hey Boys/Hard Times (Playboy After Dark, 1970)


Herb Pedersen - "Paperback Writer"

companion thread: ronstadt.proboards.com/thread/1431/ronstadts-bluegrass-country

[the Scribe]

Should “second fiddles” be ashamed of their position? – Part 1
by Chuck Violand in SFS Instructor’s Blog



When you hear someone described as playing “second fiddle” it is usually not a flattering title for the person wearing it. And the Merriam Webster dictionary doesn’t help matters when it defines “second fiddle” as “having secondary status, or one that plays a supporting or subservient role”!

So the “second fiddle” title conjures up images of being second rate, living in the shadow of the one in first place, or riding someone else’s coattails. Let’s be honest here- it’s not a position most people aspire to hold. However…

In my opinion many “first fiddles” would not have achieved the success they did had it not been for the people who served as their second fiddles or “sidemen”.

The whole world knows Elvis Presley and the fame he gained in his career. What you may not know is that it was Scotty Moore who served as Elvis’s first guitarist, manager for 14 years and his sideman, eventually being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame himself in 2000 in the sideman category.

Don Henley and Glenn Frey became famous with their band, The Eagles. But they were very capable sidemen for Linda Ronstadt before going out on their own. Phil Collins was a sideman to Peter Gabriel in the rock group Genesis before taking over lead vocals after Gabriel departed the group.

Fourteen of the most famous second fiddles, or sidemen, in American politics were Vice Presidents who went on to become “first fiddles” of the United States. Several of them became legendary statesmen in their own right, making significant impacts on both American and International stages: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Harry Truman to name just a few.

“Second fiddles” aren’t limited to just the world of music and politics. The business world is loaded with examples of executives who served as sidemen to much more recognized industry leaders.

John D. Rockefeller had Henry Flagler; Andrew Carnegie had Henry Frick. In more recent times Bill Gates had Steve Ballmer, Mark Zuckerberg has Sean Parker and yes, even the “Oracle of Omaha” himself, Warren Buffett, has Charlie Munger.

I think the role of second fiddle is grossly misrepresented and the value these hardworking folks offer their more visible counterparts is vastly understated. What’s more, I believe the role of “second fiddle” is a vital one for any business leader.

In fact, I’ll state that any of the second fiddles I mentioned played a significant part in helping their more visible counterparts achieve the success and notoriety they enjoyed.

Every front man recognizes (and has a deep appreciation for) the invaluable contribution his sideman makes. And every sideman understands the critical role he plays with his front man. So in my next SFS Instructor’s Blog I’ll explore in more detail how each party in this equation can maximize his own performance and in turn maximize their combined performance as a synergistic TEAM.

Chuck Violand (more about Chuck)
SFS Instructor
CEO Violand Management Associates

sfs.jondon.com/20519/blog/should-second-fiddles-be-ashamed-of-their-position-part-1

[the Scribe]

MIKE BOTTS

Mike Botts 12/2005

Written by
Johan Ramakers
Posted in
SIDEMEN
Tagged
2005, 61, cancer


Mikebotts-

1Dec 9, 2005 – Mike Botts (Bread) was born Michael Gene Botts on Dec 8, 1944 in Oakland, Ca. while still at college he played with a band called The Travelers Three and worked as a studio musician. He was working with Tony Medley when he met David Gates and became a member of Bread from 1970 to ’74, after which he toured and recorded with Linda Ronstadt for 2 years. He reunited with Bread in ’76 to ’78 for one final album and world tour. His always continued his session and studio career – working, recording and touring with the likes of Karla Bonoff, Andrew Gold, Richard Carpenter and Dan Fogelberg. In 1996, the members of Bread once again reunited for a world tour that ran until the fall of 1997. He also contributed to several soundtracks for films and finally recorded his only solo album, Adults Only, released in 2000.

In Mike’s own words a flashback of his life in music:

From Oakland to Sacramento

I was born in Oakland, California, then raised for my first six years in the nearby town of Antioch and at age seven the Botts family moved to Sacramento. This is where my fascination with music and drums started to become a “hands on” reality, thanks to a school system that had a music department and for the encouragement and guidance I received from a grumpy but caring old music instructor named Mr. Wolfe. While I continued my formal music education in school, my informal education came mainly from the local radio stations. By the time I was starting high school, I was also starting to play gigs around town with local bands and had developed a particularly strong interest in Jazz and Rhythm & Blues.

It was during this period that I was listening to everything from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Little Richard and Fats Domino. By the time I had entered college I had become a “large fish in a small pond”, so to speak. It afforded me some great playing opportunities such as working for a short time with Jazz greats like guitarist, Wes Montgomery and organist, Jimmy Smith, as well as being first call on some of the best gigs in town. But deep down I knew that if I was going to continue to grow and find new musical horizons I would have to leave Sacramento.

From Sacramento to LA

It was during my second year of college that I was offered a few casual summer gigs with a group based out of Los Angeles called the Travelers Three. A few months later they called me from Canada to say they were going Electric, they needed a drummer and offered the job to me. We all got along great. I enjoyed the music and besides, it was my ticket to Los Angeles and The Road, so of course I accepted. Being in L.A. soon gave me the opportunity to break in to recording.

With some networking and recommendations by a few close friends, I was able to do more and more session work in between the college and club tours with the Travelers Three. As the group started fading, my career as a session player started getting brighter. In fact, it was at a recording session for the Travelers Three that I first met David Gates. David had been brought in to produce some recordings of us for Capitol records. The record company passed, the group broke up but I continued to run into David occasionally in various recording sessions around the city.

From Bill Medley to David Gates

Over the next couple of years, outside of being a member of an ill fated group called Joshua Fox, I pretty much focused my energy on developing a career as a studio musician. It was during this time that I got a call to do a session with Bill Medley and ended up working with him for the next two years. So, between touring with Medley and all of the session work, I was staying very busy. And just when I thought my career had stabilized and I was really locked in, I got a call from David Gates. David wanted me to come by to meet the other guys in BREAD and hear their first album. Having been soured by previous group ventures, I have to admit I was less than enthusiastic. But after hearing the music and meeting Jimmy and Rob, I agreed to become a member. After all, even if the group failed I always had the studios and Bill Medley to fall back on.

Well, little did I realize what was about to happen. I was able to balance BREAD, Bill Medley and recording sessions pretty well, at least for awhile. Then while I was doing a series of concerts in Hawaii with Medley, I got another call from David. He had called to tell me that “Make it With You”, was climbing up the charts and we had a hit on our hands. At that point I knew I had to make a choice. So, with the understanding and encouragement of Bill Medley, I flew back to L.A. to be a full time member of BREAD.

BREAD soon became the all consuming part of our professional lives. We were either in the studio or on the road from 1970 to May of 1973. That’s when the group decided to take a hiatus from all the pressure and pursue some individual projects and goals. It was shortly after the breakup in 1973 that I started working with Linda Ronstadt. I recorded and toured with Linda for about two and a half years. It was an absolute ball working with Ronstadt and what a band !! Fortunately, I was still able to balance my studio work and my obligations to Linda until I got another call from David in 1976. David called to tell me that he, Jimmy Griffin and Larry Knechtel had been discussing a possible reunion. Well, within weeks of David’s call, I had sadly given notice to Linda Ronstadt and was back in the studio with BREAD cutting tracks for the Lost Without Your Love album.

Mike Botts interviews Andrew Gold (another Ronstadt hired gun)


Andrew Gold discusses the making of "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt.

The band continued to tour through 1978 but unfortunately some irreconcilable differences within the group eventually involved all of us in litigation and caused the group to disband once again. Over the next few years I continued doing studio work with various artists. At this time, I also began trying to develop my production and songwriting abilities with some measure of success. Outside of a short tour of the U.K. with David in 1980, I devoted most of my time to recording and developing my talents as a musician, writer and producer.

By 1982, I was feeling that old urge to hit the road again . So when Karla Bonoff invited me to join her band for a summer tour with James Taylor, I gladly accepted. After that I proceeded to work with Karla on and off for the next couple of years. In late 1983 I formed a group with Andrew Gold. I first met Andrew while working with Linda Ronstadt back in 1974. Although we had all the ingredients for commercial success, the group (Houdini) became a victim of what I call a spontaneous internal combustion, which was ignited by the third member of the group. Unfortunately, It never got off the launch pad. Oh well, Se la vie!

By 1985 drum machines and computers had been introduced to the music scene. It soon became evident that this was not a fad or novelty and that they would be incorporated into all areas of music. Consequently, I had to become a computer programmer as well as a drummer. Becoming at least somewhat computer literate not only helped me in studio work but was also an enormous help in developing my songwriting and production abilities over the next few years. From 1985 through 1990 I was almost totally involved in recording as a player, singer, writer, and producer. The only exception was a short tour to Japan with Richard Carpenter in 1989. But other than that, I stayed in L.A. and concentrated on expanding my talents and abilities in other areas of music including some video production and direction.

In the summer of 1991 I got an opportunity to tour and record with Dan Fogelberg. After the previous five years, the gypsy in me was more than ready to start touring again. Because Dan usually goes out on tour only once or twice a year, it was, once again, easy for me to balance touring with session work and other projects I was involved in.

That brings us to ’96’. I had just released “Double Platinum Drums”, my first CD rom of drum samples and loops, I’d started working on a recording project for the NBA and was waiting to get a phone call from Dan Fogelberg regarding a possible tour. Well, I got a phone call but it wasn’t from Dan. It was from a man named Selwyn Miller, who very politely informed me that he was representing, guess who? That’s right, DAVID GATES! And that became the beginning of an extensive two year world tour to celebrate the group’s twenty-fifth anniversary.

After completing the world tour with BREAD, I began diligently working on my first solo CD effort, “Adults Only”. Although it took quite a while to complete, it’s now finally available and I couldn’t be happier or more satisfied with the results. I had the invaluable help of some of the best musicians and engineers around and they were indispensable in helping me turn my musical vision into a reality. The whole “Adults Only” CD project became a wonderful personal experience and a genuine labor of love. I hope you enjoy it as well.

This was followed by the great ‘Na Kama Hele’ (the Travelers) “Slack Key”project which was just plain fun. The original members of the ‘Travelers 3’ reunited along with Rick Cunha to record two CD’s, “Ki Ho `Alu Journey” and “The One They Call Hawaii”. They’re a collection of some of the great classic songs of Hawaii done in the traditional style of “Slack Key” guitar. You can check out both CD’s while sipping your Mai-Tai at www.nakamahele.com.

I’ve most recently been back working with Dan Fogelberg again and having a great time. Dan has always put together excellent bands and this last one was one of the best. We completed an extensive U.S. tour during the summer of ’03 which I later chronicled in my tour journal. A couple of months later the tour was followed by a special taped “live” performance with Dan and the band for the Chicago based PBS music series, “Soundstage”.

Mike sadly passed away from colon cancer on Dec 9, 2005 at the age of 61.

rockandrollparadise.com/mike-botts-122005/


Linda Ronstadt - "Heatwave"

CabinFeverReliever
Published on Mar 22, 2017
1976 - "Rockpalast." Stadthalle, Offenbach, Germany. Linda Ronstadt (vocal); Waddy Wachtel (lead guitar), Andrew Gold (1951-2011 guitar, vocal); Dan Dugmore (guitar, vocal); Kenny Edwards (bass, vocal); Brock Walsh (keyboards); & Michael Botts (drums). Song written by Brian Holland, Edward Holland and Lamont Dozier. For the most comprehensive website and news about Linda, please visit www.ronstadt-linda.com/

[the Scribe]

KENNY EDWARDS


Written by
Macamba0

August 18, 2010 – Kenneth Michael ‘Kenny’ Edwards was born on February 10, 1946 in Santa Monica California. He had the good fortune to begin life in the Southern California community of Santa Monica where much musical history would be recorded. Little did he know that he would eventually be in the thick of the most active of all the entertainment media, and more impressively, be an integral part of its growth. All types of music captivated him at an early age, which made him a willing and able student of diverse ethnic sounds, including early American bluegrass, country, folk, and rock. In 1965, Edwards teamed up with Bob Kimmel, a transplant from Tuscon, and formed a folk group which would soon after be embellished by the powerful vocals of Linda Ronstadt, whom Kimmel knew from Arizona. The group called themselves the Stone Ponys and, with the help of their new manager, Herb Cohen, quickly managed to secure a recording contract with Capitol Records, gaining considerable recognition by the American folk-rock mass. Their first album was, by many accounts, considered to be a masterpiece that displayed lush harmonies provided by Edwards and Kimmel, although the record did not spawn a hit. The second attempt, released in 1967, contained the hit song “Different Drum,” which induced Capitol to send the band out on tour. However, just before the tour, the Stone Ponys decided to terminate their relationship, leaving Ronstadt to fulfill the final album commitment on the contract. Edwards would rejoin Ronstadt in 1974 and spend the next five years as a key force behind her successful run.



www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nuz8SbpTN1J3UPKlknngvmGsQGMnecFR0

After leaving the Stone Ponys in 1968, Edwards united with Wendy Waldman, Andrew Gold and Karla Bonoff, each of whom were prolific songwriters, accomplished musicians, and great singers. They had aspirations of launching individual careers, but enjoyed singing together so much that they decided to join forces and become a group. The quartet called themselves Bryndle and would win a recording contract with A&M Records in 1970, but their only album remained in the can, and just the single “Woke Up This Morning” was released. The frustrating end to their dream caused Bryndle to disband, but they would re-form two decades later.



In 1974, Edwards was approached by Ronstadt and she asked him to rejoin her band and help to ignite her floundering career. It turned out to be one of the best moves she ever made because he also brought along Andrew Gold. Edwards, who would play bass, remained the standing foundation in Ronstadt’s band for the next five years, and with Gold, served as the spark that did indeed ignite her career. Edwards stuck with Ronstadt through her glory years, touring extensively and providing invaluable input in the studio which took full advantage of his multi-instrumental prowess, not to mention vocals, collaborative songwriting, and creative production ideas.

By the late ’70s, Edwards grew to become a talented, well-rounded, aspiring record producer whose next step would be commander of his own project. His former bandmate from Bryndle, Karla Bonoff, landed a record deal with Columbia Records in 1977 and she called upon him to produce her. He produced all three albums. The first, titled Karla Bonoff, was the most successful. After Bonoff’s contract expired, Edwards continued to get more and more calls for his services as producer as well as studio musician and vocalist. He put in more than his share of air miles between L.A. and Nashville, but still found enough time to branch out into other areas, taking on the production of feature films, one of which was Vince Gill’s version of “When Will I Be Loved” for the movie Eight Seconds that he co-produced with Andrew Gold.

Other credits include writing and scoring films and teleplays such as Miami Vice, Crime Story, The Street, The Secret Sins of the Father, and others. In the early ’90s, having enjoyed successful careers individually, Edwards, Waldman, Bonoff, and Gold decided to put Bryndle back in action. Their first CD was released on Music Masters/BMG Records. Entering 2001, they continued to write and record new material, and tour throughout the U.S. and Asia. By the end of 2002, Edwards had finished his first solo album.

His session work has seen Edwards work either live or in the studio with acts such as Emmylou Harris, Stevie Nicks, J.D. Souther, Don Henley, Brian Wilson, Warren Zevon, Art Garfunkel, Vince Gill, Mac McAnally, David Lee Murphy, Jennifer Warnes, Danny Kortchmar, Lowell George, as well as a younger generation of artists including Glen Phillips and Natalie D-Napoleon. Edwards released his first, self-titled solo album in 2002. In his later years, he performed as a singer-songwriter, often with Nina Gerber accompanying, and completed the recording and release of a second solo album in 2009.

Edwards’ career had spanned four decades, consumed thousands of studio hours, and countless thousands of air miles, and he has participated in the creation of libraries full of hit songs. His is not a household name except to those in the industry, but he has played an influential part in musical history, especially where it pertains to the development of country-rock music and its boom during the ’70s. With the release of his 2nd solo cd, Resurrection Road” Edwards, who for most of his career was the consummate backup ace, took a more prominent position on stage and had planned to play an important part in the future development of music for some time to come.

Sadly Kenny lost his battle with prostate cancer on August 18, 2010. He was 64.

rockandrollparadise.com

[germancanadian]

I didn't know that Andrew Gold wrote the Golden Girls theme "Thank you for being a friend", pretty cool.

[the Scribe]

Dec 17, 2018 14:37:46 GMT -5 germancanadian said:

I didn't know that Andrew Gold wrote the Golden Girls theme "Thank you for being a friend", pretty cool.

That's nothing compared to this:



In 1996 Gold’s was the first human voice to be “heard” on the surface of Mars, when Final Frontier, his theme from the American television series Mad About You, was used to activate a robot for the Mars Pathfinder space probe.

[musedeva]

Yep, as a near lifetime resident of S.B. I finally came into contact with Kenny, he was going to come to my new recording studio and community center I developed....on the day the recession of 2008 hit! Ahhhh Lost everything....but Kenny absolutely was delighted with my improv riff recordings on Miles "Kind of Blue" and said I was definately a "friend" of his and that we would meet...and then he was ill...sad...but he was very very loved there locally

[Deleted]

Who is he?

[PoP80]

It looks like it might be her "bodyguard" Richard Norton?

[Deleted]

May 19, 2021 16:26:42 GMT -5 PoP80 said:

It looks like it might be her "bodyguard" Richard Norton?

[Deleted]

RN got the glam gurls, lucky guy! Here Frida of Abba

[Deleted]

Agnetha

[Deleted]

Stevie Nicks

[Deleted]

Dec 17, 2018 7:20:17 GMT -5 the Scribe said:

KENNY EDWARDS


Written by
Macamba0

August 18, 2010 – Kenneth Michael ‘Kenny’ Edwards was born on February 10, 1946 in Santa Monica California. He had the good fortune to begin life in the Southern California community of Santa Monica where much musical history would be recorded. Little did he know that he would eventually be in the thick of the most active of all the entertainment media, and more impressively, be an integral part of its growth. All types of music captivated him at an early age, which made him a willing and able student of diverse ethnic sounds, including early American bluegrass, country, folk, and rock. In 1965, Edwards teamed up with Bob Kimmel, a transplant from Tuscon, and formed a folk group which would soon after be embellished by the powerful vocals of Linda Ronstadt, whom Kimmel knew from Arizona. The group called themselves the Stone Ponys and, with the help of their new manager, Herb Cohen, quickly managed to secure a recording contract with Capitol Records, gaining considerable recognition by the American folk-rock mass. Their first album was, by many accounts, considered to be a masterpiece that displayed lush harmonies provided by Edwards and Kimmel, although the record did not spawn a hit. The second attempt, released in 1967, contained the hit song “Different Drum,” which induced Capitol to send the band out on tour. However, just before the tour, the Stone Ponys decided to terminate their relationship, leaving Ronstadt to fulfill the final album commitment on the contract. Edwards would rejoin Ronstadt in 1974 and spend the next five years as a key force behind her successful run.



www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nuz8SbpTN1J3UPKlknngvmGsQGMnecFR0

After leaving the Stone Ponys in 1968, Edwards united with Wendy Waldman, Andrew Gold and Karla Bonoff, each of whom were prolific songwriters, accomplished musicians, and great singers. They had aspirations of launching individual careers, but enjoyed singing together so much that they decided to join forces and become a group. The quartet called themselves Bryndle and would win a recording contract with A&M Records in 1970, but their only album remained in the can, and just the single “Woke Up This Morning” was released. The frustrating end to their dream caused Bryndle to disband, but they would re-form two decades later.



In 1974, Edwards was approached by Ronstadt and she asked him to rejoin her band and help to ignite her floundering career. It turned out to be one of the best moves she ever made because he also brought along Andrew Gold. Edwards, who would play bass, remained the standing foundation in Ronstadt’s band for the next five years, and with Gold, served as the spark that did indeed ignite her career. Edwards stuck with Ronstadt through her glory years, touring extensively and providing invaluable input in the studio which took full advantage of his multi-instrumental prowess, not to mention vocals, collaborative songwriting, and creative production ideas.

By the late ’70s, Edwards grew to become a talented, well-rounded, aspiring record producer whose next step would be commander of his own project. His former bandmate from Bryndle, Karla Bonoff, landed a record deal with Columbia Records in 1977 and she called upon him to produce her. He produced all three albums. The first, titled Karla Bonoff, was the most successful. After Bonoff’s contract expired, Edwards continued to get more and more calls for his services as producer as well as studio musician and vocalist. He put in more than his share of air miles between L.A. and Nashville, but still found enough time to branch out into other areas, taking on the production of feature films, one of which was Vince Gill’s version of “When Will I Be Loved” for the movie Eight Seconds that he co-produced with Andrew Gold.

Other credits include writing and scoring films and teleplays such as Miami Vice, Crime Story, The Street, The Secret Sins of the Father, and others. In the early ’90s, having enjoyed successful careers individually, Edwards, Waldman, Bonoff, and Gold decided to put Bryndle back in action. Their first CD was released on Music Masters/BMG Records. Entering 2001, they continued to write and record new material, and tour throughout the U.S. and Asia. By the end of 2002, Edwards had finished his first solo album.

His session work has seen Edwards work either live or in the studio with acts such as Emmylou Harris, Stevie Nicks, J.D. Souther, Don Henley, Brian Wilson, Warren Zevon, Art Garfunkel, Vince Gill, Mac McAnally, David Lee Murphy, Jennifer Warnes, Danny Kortchmar, Lowell George, as well as a younger generation of artists including Glen Phillips and Natalie D-Napoleon. Edwards released his first, self-titled solo album in 2002. In his later years, he performed as a singer-songwriter, often with Nina Gerber accompanying, and completed the recording and release of a second solo album in 2009.

Edwards’ career had spanned four decades, consumed thousands of studio hours, and countless thousands of air miles, and he has participated in the creation of libraries full of hit songs. His is not a household name except to those in the industry, but he has played an influential part in musical history, especially where it pertains to the development of country-rock music and its boom during the ’70s. With the release of his 2nd solo cd, Resurrection Road” Edwards, who for most of his career was the consummate backup ace, took a more prominent position on stage and had planned to play an important part in the future development of music for some time to come.

Sadly Kenny lost his battle with prostate cancer on August 18, 2010. He was 64.

rockandrollparadise.com

Linda's tribute to Kenny latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/08/linda-ronstadt-kenny-edwards.html

[Deleted]

Did Linda attend any of the funerals of her hired help, and fellow musicians or other celebs she knew?

[bennyboy1974]

Not a hired hand but I wondered what the relationship was between Linda and Warren Zevon. I’ve never seen a photo of them together and he was a pretty heavy drinker at the time she was covering his songs so I can’t imagine they moved in the same circles. I always find it surprising that she never met Stevie Nicks even though the shared Waddy Watchel in their bands and Stevie Nicks used to be housemates, along with Lindsey Buckingham, with Warren Zevon.

Does anyone know if Warren or Linda ever spoke about each other or appeared together, on stage or in social life?

[RobGNYC]

Aug 29, 2021 17:19:25 GMT -5 bennyboy1974 said:

Not a hired hand but I wondered what the relationship was between Linda and Warren Zevon. I’ve never seen a photo of them together and he was a pretty heavy drinker at the time she was covering his songs so I can’t imagine they moved in the same circles. I always find it surprising that she never met Stevie Nicks even though the shared Waddy Watchel in their bands and Stevie Nicks used to be housemates, along with Lindsey Buckingham, with Warren Zevon.

Does anyone know if Warren or Linda ever spoke about each other or appeared together, on stage or in social life?

According to her Playboy interview, Linda did meet Stevie Nicks at least once, at a Louise Goffin show, and apparently sat with or close by her:

RONSTADT: One night, I was really desperate for some inspiration. I went with a bunch of people in the music business to see Louise Goffin (Carole King's 20-year-old daughter). We were all holding our breath. I knew she was good, I had heard some of her stuff in the studio, but none of us were sure how we felt about that. Just before the curtain went up, I thought, Do I want her to come out and fall flat on her face? If she did, I could go "Phew!" But then I thought, If she blows me away, I will have some inspiration and that will be good. I decided I wanted her to be great.

PLAYBOY: Was she?

RONSTADT: She was wonderful. She was exciting and she had so much confidence. You know, all we female singers in the Seventies knew was that we were these independent people going around the country, earning our own living, and that we represented something because all these articles were written about us. But we didn't know how to arm ourselves. Our defenses were put on in a clumsy fashion. Louise came out the quintessential Eighties woman. She wore her defenses like enameled veneer. It was beautiful. She understood exactly who she was and how to protect herself. She had done her homework. She knew how to move around. She knew her craft thoroughly. Stevie Nicks leaned over to me and whispered. "Gee, do you think we still can get a job singing backup for Joe Cocker?" We were the graduated class.

[eddiejinnj]

Linda has said that she was not close with Warren. Not in a bad way but that it seems Warren difficult to get close to. I have always thought it weird that Linda was not shown with any of Fleetwood Mac in pics. eddiejinnj

[memac62]

Aug 30, 2021 8:12:11 GMT -5 eddiejinnj said:

I have always thought it weird that Linda was not shown with any of Fleetwood Mac in pics. eddiejinnj

The closest I've seen is from the March 77 Rolling Stone article. There's a picture of Fleetwood Mac members in bed together and John McVie is reading the Linda cover story from December 76. The Fleetwood Mac article tells how John McVie has a crush on Linda. He even bought a new suit to wear to the Don Kirshner Rock Music Awards hoping to meet her. She never showed up.

[Deleted]

I think this guy qualifies. He was the male singer in Linda's support quartet during her Nelson Riddle era.


redyoung.com/category/red-young-austin/

[ukfan]

Aug 29, 2021 17:19:25 GMT -5 bennyboy1974 said:

Not a hired hand but I wondered what the relationship was between Linda and Warren Zevon. I’ve never seen a photo of them together and he was a pretty heavy drinker at the time she was covering his songs so I can’t imagine they moved in the same circles. I always find it surprising that she never met Stevie Nicks even though the shared Waddy Watchel in their bands and Stevie Nicks used to be housemates, along with Lindsey Buckingham, with Warren Zevon.

Does anyone know if Warren or Linda ever spoke about each other or appeared together, on stage or in social life?

I was rereading The Hit Parader magazine article interview with Linda March 1978 (to deviate slightly I was amazed to read Linda state in the article she got drunk for one show to make her stage fright disappear),anyway she goes on to say that before her next tour she came home with six months off & was going to stay home but instead went to New York & just hung out.She said that when she was in New York she really worked harder playing & having fun than I did when I was working.I would come back from New York just exhausted … but it was fun. This got me to researching what she actually got up to in New York & the whole point of this post that Linda did actually make a fleeting appearance on stage with Warren Zevon.On the 17th March 1978 Linda,James Taylor,J.D.Souther,Bruce Springsteen & Dickey Betts (of the Allman Brothers Band) attended a performance by Warren Zevon at Trax New York City a tiny club then located at 100 West 72nd Street. Zevon had just begun his Excitable Boy Tour & this show (which didn’t start until 3am & lasted nearly two hours) may have been on an invitation only or promotional nature.At some point during the show the attending musicians took to the stage as a troupe to perform the ‘werewolf howls’ background vocals on Werewolves Of London.Springsteen was definately present but there are conflicting accounts of whether Bruce was part of the on-stage troupe or not.To complete the Linda connection Rick Marotta  & Waddy Wachtel were members of Zevon’s band on the tour.
I’ve searched YouTube thoroughly in the vain hope that this was recorded but have so far drawn a blank.

[guest]

there is a photo I have seen, on Instagram IIRC.