Mar 2nd 2012 07:36 am Sunrise, sunset…
I must lament the passing of Davy Jones. I have always thought the story of the Monkees was interesting, the band that wasn’t a real band, the musicians who, it was supposed, weren’t real musicians. Brought together by television producers to act in a television sit-com designed to cash in on the popularity of the Beatles, the four young musicians and actors transcended the role and, before it was over, became a real band. OK, maybe not the best rock and roll band in history, but they did produce very good pop music. I know, because—and this is most important to me—I was a young teen at the time they were doing it, as susceptible as I would ever be to the light and peppy sound they were making. I remember the Monkees fondly. I’m glad Davy had a lot of fun with it.
Posted by jimmyjohnson / Vintage A&J
91 Responses to “Sunrise, sunset…”
Kevin on 02 Mar 2012 at 7:53 am #
My wife told me that Davy Jones had died and I said “no way”. But then I saw her face, now I’m a believer.
Adrian on 02 Mar 2012 at 8:15 am #
@Kevin. Well said!
Crab from Grapeland on 02 Mar 2012 at 8:17 am #
As musicians they weren’t all that bad.
Dave in MA on 02 Mar 2012 at 8:20 am #
It’s a bit misleading to say they weren’t real musicians.
Mike Nesmith was an accomplished musician and songwriter at the time.
Peter Tork was an accomplished musician and songwriter at the time.
Davy Jones had recorded two albums for Colpix Records before being cast in the Monkees, so he was a known singer.
Micky Dolenz had been singing with a blues band for a while before being cast in the Monkees.
And both Micky and Davy had acting experience.
However, they all thought they were being hired to BE a band as well as play one on TV. Don Kirschner had other ideas. They were hired to pretend to be a band.
Regardless of WHO played on those recordings, SOMEONE played on them, and the music was infectious and enjoyable. AND, it truly WAS the voice of Davy Jones and the voice of Micky Dolenz that you hear on the recordings. No one complained that Tony Bennett didn’t play the instruments on his records. No one complained that Frank Sinatra didn’t play the instruments on his records. No one complained that the Beach Boys’ recordings were mostly played by the wrecking crew and not by the Beach Boys themselves (common practice with MOST major label stars in the U.S. at the time)….. but someone decided to try to make it into a scandal for the Monkees. That attempt backfired, they gained creative control over the music, and they STILL remained popular. Only the first 2 albums were made under the ruse of them only adding voices to other musicians’ performances. Albums after that had a combination of them playing and some studio musicians playing certain parts too.
And 45 years later the recordings still sound fantastic!
(Let’s not forget, they had some of the BEST songwriters in the world writing for them too!)
Ellen on 02 Mar 2012 at 8:25 am #
Let’s not forget some of the appeal…most grown ups didn’t like them, thought they were silly. That was always a plus to the teen aged mind. I know, I was there. But I always thought they were good and I still enjoy the music.
billinbossier on 02 Mar 2012 at 8:43 am #
Sleepy Jean has always been one of my favorite songs. It doesn’t really matter who the back ground musicians are.
Mindy on 02 Mar 2012 at 8:48 am #
I started to ask, “Who were the Monkeys and who was Davey Jones? Wasn’t he the one who had the locker?” But I knew that if I asked either question I risked being drawn, quartered, pilloried, tortured and otherwise made to feel more than a little uncomfortable. So I won’t ask. I will start a debate by saying that, in many ways, they were better than the Beatles…but nowhere near as good as the Stones. The greatest rock guitarists ever are Keith Richards and Mark Knoffler.
mWL on 02 Mar 2012 at 8:53 am #
We used to watch them every Saturday morning. We were too young to really appreciate them as musicians but it was fun. Later i learned to appreciate the music and the song writers.
sandcastler on 02 Mar 2012 at 9:00 am #
Mindy, might I add Gordon Lightfoot and Glenn Campbell to the list?
Rickmeister on 02 Mar 2012 at 9:00 am #
Interesting Monkees trivia: Before Peter Tork became a Monkee, one of his musician buddies auditioned first and didn’t get the job, so he recommended Tork. Good thing, too – the buddy was Stephen Stills!
Jean from Dahlonega Ga aka Trapper Jean on 02 Mar 2012 at 9:03 am #
I think a lot of the nay-saying of their talent was because they were only supposed to be a tv show and all of a sudden they were getting actual concert gigs and going on tour, and between the tv show, the tours, and recording dates they were pressed for time and didn’t get to rehearse as much as they should have.
Two of my favorite pieces of Monkees trivia are: 1-Jimi Hendrix opened for the Monkees on one of their concert tours, and 2-due to the popularity of Davy Jones another young British singer had to change his name from David Jones to…Davie Bowie!
I remember watching the show when it was first on. My parents didn’t much like it, and my grandmother thought it was AWFUL. Of course that only made me more determined to watch the show and buy the albums. My kids grew up with the Monkees, and my older daughter said that it was one of the few tv shows I’d let them watch unsupervised because I didn’t worry about what they’d see. Can’t say that about many shows now-a-days.
Bill in Paducah on 02 Mar 2012 at 9:10 am #
Another side of Davy (and yes, Ed gets the name of the song wrong):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OVGY7Rjbhc
John in NY on 02 Mar 2012 at 9:58 am #
Trapper Jean stole my only real piece of trivia regarding David Bowie, but I wanted to add that I was another fan of the Monkees although I am more evidence that it had staying power than helping them pop on the scene.
We didn’t see the Monkees until we were kids and Nick began re-running the shows in the mid-80′s. Although in all the news articles MTV gets the credit, but we weren’t allowed to watch MTV at that time. Too young.
Loved the Monkees. Still sing their songs and however “real” they are they had real appeal. And to JJ’s point it seemed to me that Davey always had the most fun with being a Monkee. Maybe it would been different if his aunt invented White Out (Nesbith), but still always enjoyed his singing voice or his cameos.
Ruth on 02 Mar 2012 at 10:34 am #
Thanks to the Shrek movies another generation has been introduced to the Monkees. I listented to “I’m a Believer” for weeks after we took our daughter to see Shrek. It is such an easy song to sing along with that she picked it up listening to the credits.
Mark from Maine on 02 Mar 2012 at 10:39 am #
Dave in Ma – thanks for putting the record straight. it was an odd evolution,. And I built the Monkeemobile plastic model. Based on a 1966 Pontiac GTO. Too cool for school!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkeemobile
Tom from the Front Range on 02 Mar 2012 at 10:44 am #
Name Dropping and Six Degrees of Separation Mode On:
I went to high school with Stephen Stills in Florida. (Also Gallagher, but that is a discussion for another time.)
Name Dropping and Six Degrees of Separation Mode Off.
Happy Thoughts Mode On:
My daughters, both born after the Monkee’s show left the air, recorded every one of their episodes from Nickelodeon during the mid Eighties. They watched them continually until the Betamax finally died.
Happy Thoughts Mode Off.
Sadness Mode On:
I’ll miss Mr. Jones as well.
Sadness Mode Stays on.
Mark in TTown on 02 Mar 2012 at 10:44 am #
Mindy: You are half right. David Gilmour and Mark Knopfler.
With all the dangerous weather today I wanted to pass along a quick tip. If you have a battery backup on your computer, you can use it to charge a cell phone if your power goes out. It worked for me last year after the tornado hit Tuscaloosa. Just make sure to turn off the computer so it doesn’t drain the charge first!
Dan in SWMo on 02 Mar 2012 at 11:03 am #
John in NY: It was Mike Nesmith’s mother (not aunt) who developed Liquid Paper (Wite Out is a different brand). My wife went to the same school in Dallas as Mike.
The Monkees were definitely conceived as a spoof of the Beatles, but since the Beatles’ movies were in essence a spoof of themselves, they just ended up being much the same as each other. I enjoyed both bands.
Deb on 02 Mar 2012 at 11:14 am #
Okay, so Davy was my favorite and Micky was my sister’s. We loved their show and their music and still have a few records. I also bought the greatest hits CD when I saw it.
Several years ago I bought “Daydream Believers: The Monkees Story” which my kids enjoyed watching. So, of course, we had to rent the TV show and introduce it to them as well. The Monkees show is now on our list of shows to buy for our own collection.
We’ll all miss Davy Jones, but we can continue to enjoy the music and fun.
Jack in Dallas on 02 Mar 2012 at 11:16 am #
Dan, I presume your wife went to TJ in Dallas. I did as well, a few years after the Nez but in the same class (1965) as Meat Loaf. Was your wife at TJ around ’62 – ’65? By the way, the Nez went on to write and cowrite some really good music.
Blinky the Wonder Wombat on 02 Mar 2012 at 11:40 am #
In many ways the Monkees were a precursor to MTV- both via the videos in their shows and then in the experimental stand-alone music video format Mike Nesmith pioneered in the 1970′s. (I recommend the “Elephant Parts” video for anyone who is interested in the history of videos.)
It always struck me odd that Davey was the secondary singer of the band, since he was almost exclusively a singer when he was signed.
Woodrowfan on 02 Mar 2012 at 12:26 pm #
anybody else have the model of the Monkee-Mobile (sp?) at the time. cool car!
sandcastler on 02 Mar 2012 at 12:27 pm #
Great cultural history lesson today, thank y’all. These are the years my wife calls my dark age. Between: grad school, military, and being overseas; 1966 -1984 are years when I was out of touch with America.
sideburns on 02 Mar 2012 at 12:31 pm #
I can see that we’re all saddened to hear that Davie Jones has taken the last train to Clarksville.
dAVE. on 02 Mar 2012 at 12:56 pm #
I, too, am saddened by the death of Davy Jones.
And another piece of trivia for the Monkee’s fan club out there, Michael Nesmith’s mother invented Liquid Paper, the typewriter correction fluid from way back when.
Maggie in Michigan on 02 Mar 2012 at 12:58 pm #
In the early 1960s my parents took me to see the musical “Oliver!” which was playing at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit. I was probably 13, and developed an immediate crush on the cocky young man playing The Artful Dodger. When the cast for The Monkees was announced, I recognized Davy Jones as the actor who had stolen my heart earlier. I liked the tv show, and I liked their music too. Had a special fondness for Davy.
Tom in Glendora, CA on 02 Mar 2012 at 1:11 pm #
I remember that TV Guide (at that time a major publication) ran a survey on the best show
on TV. The Monkees came in first and Lawrence Welk second. Uproar ensued. They ran
another survey for the worst show on TV. Lawrence Welk first, the Monkees second.
Rich in NE IL on 02 Mar 2012 at 1:13 pm #
I was about 11 when the Monkies were on TV and I was a huge fan. My brother was 15 and a big Beatles fan. I remember arguing with him over which band was better! Looking back, I can’t believe that I actually thought the Monkies were better than the Beatles. I also find it odd that my brother would waste his breath arguing with someone so apparently clueless.
Larry Sheldon on 02 Mar 2012 at 1:18 pm #
Interesting what men remember, vs. what women remember.
The second strip is an exact match with my observations.
I never had an interest in the Monkees.
John in NY on 02 Mar 2012 at 1:29 pm #
@Dan in SWMo: Ah that’s what I get for not Googling my facts first. I knew it was close enough that he never had to do a Monkee’s reunion – which would have been awesome.
The Stephen Stills tie-in to this thread is interesting, but I did go to high school with his son Chris.
Having learned my lesson from earlier hit up Wikipedia and was a bit suprised he had his own page. If you do read it I remember Adam as well, but his sister Lorca WAY more. She was cute.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Stills
By the way – Peter was always my favorite because he always got the funniest lines in the show.
Soleil on 02 Mar 2012 at 1:46 pm #
“I’m A Believer” was written by Neil Diamond. Really.
(He also wrote “Red, Red Wine” that later became a smash hit for UB40)
Dave in MA on 02 Mar 2012 at 2:24 pm #
I find it interesting that so many people tie in the Smash Mouth version of I’m A Believer from Shrek with The Monkees. Neil Diamond wrote the song and his version is almost identical to theirs.
Tom from the Front Range, #1, the episodes are available on DVD. #2, I can help transfer old beta tapes to DVD if you’re interested….
Mary in Ohio on 02 Mar 2012 at 2:44 pm #
Wasn’t Mickey Dolenz the title character on the show “Circus Boy”?
Jim in Wisconsin on 02 Mar 2012 at 2:50 pm #
Can’t get the sone “Its a Little Bit Me, Its a Little Bit You” out of my head since Davy died. Another interesting story is that Don Kirshner gave them “Sugar, Sugar” to sing and Michael Nesmith said um, no, we aren’t going to sing a song with the iine “You are my candy, girl, and you got me wantin’ you”. Kirshner said all right, I’ll show you, and created a REAL fictional band, the Archies, who then “sang” the song. A cartoon for goodness sake. Number one song of the year.
It seems like Kirshner and the Monkees both could have done well to not part ways, but I understand artists like to have creative control…….
Jim in Wisconsin on 02 Mar 2012 at 2:55 pm #
Sorry for the typos, I forgot my reading glasses today and can’t quite see the computer screen clearly. oops.
Norm in Utah on 02 Mar 2012 at 3:27 pm #
Mary in Ohio –
Yes, he was. And Joey the Clown was played by Noah Beery, Jr.
Trapper Jean –
Another interesting bit of trivia (and maybe bar bet material) – When James Stewart went to Hollywood he had to change HIS name because there already was one, and so Stewart Granger was born.
Mary in Ohio on 02 Mar 2012 at 3:35 pm #
And Michael Douglas had to change HIS name to Michael Keaton!
Today’s new strip seems to have had JJ peeking into backyards in this part of Ahia.
Ruth Anne in Winter Park on 02 Mar 2012 at 4:05 pm #
More Davey Jones trivia from the NBC News coverage: He appeared on the Ed Sullivan show while with the Broadway company of “Oliver” on the same night that the Beatles made their first appearance.
Steve from Royal Oak, MI on 02 Mar 2012 at 4:15 pm #
I think my parents liked Davy Jones’ lead vocals because he had the best voice in the group. I also remember my Mom singing along with Daydream Believer. Both of my parents loved music, but did not care much for some of Rock and Roll, but the Monkees and Beatles were fairly acceptable.
I am about to get on a plane this afternoon for Detroit. I will leave at 2:50 and arrive back at 12:30, two and a half hours before I leave. I wonder if I go far enough I can go back in time to the days of watching the Monkees on prime time? Guess not, but it is all relative, isn’t it?
Neal in Bahstawn on 02 Mar 2012 at 4:28 pm #
There’s not a lot to add to this erudite discussion, but I’ll try two tidbits: The first is the extent to which the band ‘backfired’ on its producers, who had promised the folks in the Brill Building (songwriters) that they would have a steady source of income from the show – “No way this group writes its own material.” Less than a year later, members of the Monkees were coming up with their own stuff, displacing the ‘professionals’. While the show was still on the air (December 1967), Michael Nesmith would pen “A Different Drum” for Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys, launching her career.
For a great snippet of Jones (and the rest of the Monkees) at his funniest, watch this rendition of “Gonna Buy Me a Dog”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBlitTE9kLk. It manages to work in topical references to John Lennon and his pet raccoon and Mickey Dolenz as ‘Circus Boy’.
CW in 617 on 02 Mar 2012 at 4:48 pm #
Like Neal, I don’t have much more to say that hasn’t been said. Discussion of the Beach Boys (Good, Good, Good Vibrations!) and the Beatles does take one back. I was the right age to be a fan when the Monkees first appeared, and much later helped out a tivia team by knowing some of the lyrics by heart. I later Googled the lyrics to “Daydream Believer” (that’s how much later) and realized that I had never really understood them.
If he’s considered a Rock and Roll guitarist, I’d like to add Jorma Kaukonen to the list.
(The fan base for the Monkees and Jefferson Airplane overlapped only slightly, as I recall.)
Lynn from Memphis on 02 Mar 2012 at 5:17 pm #
I have a stick on name badge that Davy Jones signed-while I was wearing it! Back stage pass after the Memphis Chicks game-obviously not in his hey day. But it was still a thrill for me. My first crush!
Anonymous on 02 Mar 2012 at 5:32 pm #
I just remember them as the pre-Fab four.
emeritus Minnesota biologist on 02 Mar 2012 at 5:36 pm #
Frankie came on the scene when I was in JHS, ’42-’44. I remember the girls arguing over who was better, Crosby or Sinatra. I could not see why all the excitement. [The term "nerd" had not been invented yet.] While teaching in n. MN in the early ’60s, a student who lived with us, and whom I am still in touch with, introduced us to Peter, Paul, and Mary, perhaps one of the last popular groups who could really sing. One reviewer referred to them as “an angel and two cellos playing guitars”. The angel is now in the Land of Honey-Lee [probably misspelled].
John in Virginia on 02 Mar 2012 at 6:06 pm #
“Honalee,” I think it was, Emeritus, but I’m not betting sure of that. Wasn’t into the Monkees all that much, have to agree with Mindy on the best guitarists, but you touched my sore spot with Peter, Paul & Mary. When I was in the Navy, I used to trade watches [duty schedules, for the non-naval people], go in hock and bum military flights to cities where PP&M had a gig scheduled. Cut it awfully close getting back to base on time once or twice but I ended up with a Chief who got a chuckle out of my dedication [in spite of the PP&M Peach Movement activities] and he actually helped out by getting me on temporary orders once or twice. All I had to do was bring him a case of Coors and/or Olympia beer if I was in their distribution areas. [Has the Statute of Limitations run on that?] Now what was the best PP&M song? “El Salvadore” is right up there toward the top of the list. [And Spell Check just called me on that, but I'm too lazy to check!] The tornado watches they keep throwing at us obviously has messed up my mind!
Galliglo in Ohio on 02 Mar 2012 at 6:15 pm #
Am SO glad the someone else remembers “Circus Boy”! So Mickey had a special place in my heart. Always enjoyed the Monkees – they seemed to be having so much fun!
Speaking of Jorma Kaukonen… he has a music camp – teaching & performing – during the summer about 30 miles from my home in SE Ohio. It’s called Fur Piece Ranch – in Meigs County – and has quite a few top-notch performers during the season. Good to see that professionals are passing on their expertise to the younger generation.
Bill on 02 Mar 2012 at 10:29 pm #
“We’re just trying to be friendly
So come and Hey, hey, we’re the monkees
And people say we monkey around,
But we’re too busy singing
To put anybody down.”
Wow. Haven’t things changed from the 60s?
Now all our energy seems to be spent on putting
others down.
Sad.
Ivy on 02 Mar 2012 at 10:48 pm #
Their first concert was my first concert! I am so glad that my otherwise strict parents allowed me to go to these screamfests of innocent fun. Davy singing “I Wanna Be Free” made me cry then, and now.
Mark in TTown on 02 Mar 2012 at 11:03 pm #
My first concert was Heart, when they released the album with “These Dreams” on it. Man, can Ann Wilson sing! Still one of my favorite groups.
Jerry in Fl on 03 Mar 2012 at 6:23 am #
Nesmith went on to do some very good work post-Monkees. As I recall there was an attempt at a reunion, but one of them, (Tork or Nesmith?) wouldn’t do it. I’ll bet that none of them turned down any royalties from their days as a Monkee.- Too early, but we’ll talk later about the weather.
Cindy Bear on 03 Mar 2012 at 6:28 am #
Wow! This walk down memory lane is very deep. I was going to say that my daughter got her first kiss from one of the Monkees (not Davy) at a concert at 6 Flags over Texas, when she and her best friend were 15 and were both Monkee fans. I always liked their music, but thought the show was silly (I was a diehard Beatles fan anyway.)
Now I find out that Mickey Dolenz was Circus Boy (or maybe I knew that and forgot), which makes perfect sense, since in my memory that look exactly alike!
Also, I discover that I must have dated Mike in Dallas, because I clearly remember a man telling me that his mother invented Liquid Paper. I doubt seriously I was dating a man that much older than me when I was in my 20s (or maybe not), but I’m sure it wasn’t Mike Nesmith. SO, I can only conclude that he had a brother (not true), or this man was trying it on. (It didn’t work; his story was obviously more memorable than he was.)
Thanks for the memories. And Rest In Peace, Davy. I always loved you best.
Jerry in Fl on 03 Mar 2012 at 9:50 am #
I’m hoping that everyone is ok today. I rushed home last night to try and beat the bad weather. I certainly did as we are only now getting a slight sprinkle and some thunder. Whoops, now louder No wind at all. My guess is that the weather will start up in about an hour. The tail end of this front seems permanently anchored where it is and the front itself is sinking like the needle on your gas gauge. We’ll probably have storms traing through all day and maybe more.
Tom (Somewhere in Georgia) on 03 Mar 2012 at 12:51 pm #
Hi Mindy- I’ve never heard anyone rate the Monkees above the Beatles before. Interesting. I’d try to talk you into adding Eric Clapton into best best guitar catagory but I know that personal preference rules. Prince is one surprisingly good guitarist- I wrote him off until I saw him in the Concert for George playing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” I like surprises… But Davey Jones will be missed- he seemed to be such a good guy.
TruckerRon on 03 Mar 2012 at 1:53 pm #
As a young teen, I did prefer the Monkees to the Beatles because I was limited to watching them on TV. Of course (then!) I’d rather watch a comedy show with interludes and good production values to just listening to albums with my female relatives acting weirdly all over the room.
anne0091 on 03 Mar 2012 at 4:42 pm #
Brian May ( Queen) is BY FAR the best rock guitarist ever… even my 13 year old son agrees. Jimi is close but May played evrey style of guitar imaginable, and did it well.
RIP Davy Jones.
anne0091 on 03 Mar 2012 at 4:42 pm #
*** Every*** grrrrr
Mindy on 03 Mar 2012 at 4:49 pm #
Tom [somewhere in Georgia], it is a matter of preference but I’m just enough of an trouble maker to enjoy throwing something like that into the conversation…as if you hadn’t already guessed. Clapton definitely fits into the “best” category but I felt impish and left him out deliberately. True, the Beatles WERE way ahead of the Monkees, that was another Imp bite, but I do get into debates about which were/are best, Beatles or Stones! And now for another one out of left field [or right, since my baseball metaphors always flop], an often overlook guitarist of note is none other than Willie Nelson. That man is responsible for me to even begin to listen to C&W. Especially when he does “Georgia on My Mind.” [I won't elaborate on what part of Georgia memories deal with books and photographs and all that but I think Jimmy was watching again!]
Robin in Fl on 03 Mar 2012 at 6:19 pm #
Jerry
Seems to have passed now. Still overcast but saw a little tinge of pink towards Orange Beach (sunset! Not a fire!)
Now we welcome Spring.
Tom (Somewhere in Georgia) on 03 Mar 2012 at 7:03 pm #
Mindy- You are a trouble maker- of course, I like that in a person. I hadn’t considered Willie as a guitarist of note. But I do now- or at least try to. I rarely listen to country music on purpose. I’d also add Joe Walsh to the list? And George Harrison. Hey, I’ll give you quarter if you’ll elaborate on the Georgia memories deal…
Galliglo in Ohio on 03 Mar 2012 at 7:16 pm #
Mindy – Yes! Willie is a great guitarist!
Mindy on 03 Mar 2012 at 7:26 pm #
Well, Tom [Somewhere in Georgia], it was a dark and rainy night. Don’t send the quarter, the stamp would cost too much!
Galliglo, I admit Willie might not be a Segovia or a Montoya [the guitarist, not the wimpy, complaining counterpart to Danika Patrick in the racing world], but he FEELS his music and that’s about 80% of greatness in the music world. [Did I start another rumble with the Danika comment, Tom? I don't do it on purpose!]
John in Virginia on 03 Mar 2012 at 7:27 pm #
See Mindy’s nose grow! LOL!
emeritus Minnesota biologist on 03 Mar 2012 at 8:44 pm #
The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and also the Monteros are pretty good.
Steve from Royal Oak, MI (very temp. in Japan) on 03 Mar 2012 at 8:44 pm #
Hey, for my money, Roy Clark can pick it with anybody. Probably the best that no one has ever heard of unless your are into Christian music, is a friend of mine, John Michael Talbot. John can play left handed, right handed and banjo. Oh course it is all a matter of opinion.
About to go to bed. Woke up in Tokyo at 6:00 AM today, which is 4:00 PM Friday in Michigan. About to go to bed at 10:00 PM, Michigan time so that would be 30 hrs without sleep? It will take several days to make up for the sleep deprivation.
Steve from Royal Oak, MI on 03 Mar 2012 at 8:48 pm #
Have to change my name.
CW in 617 on 03 Mar 2012 at 10:45 pm #
Wow – We really are an eclectic bunch. In my time zone, I have only a quarter hour to give a “Happy Birthday” shoutout to Doc Watson.
I feel privleged to have seen Montoya, Segovia and the Romeros in concert. Victor Borgia also, but on a different instrument.
Mindy on 04 Mar 2012 at 6:19 am #
Steve [in Japan], Roy Clark is much better on banjo than on guitar. I’ve been fortunate as well, CW, to have seen Montoya and Segovia but never the Romeros. I missed Victor Borgia, dag drat it. And, finally, John, I’m glad you only said my nose was growing!
emeritus Minnesota biologist on 04 Mar 2012 at 7:06 am #
Whoops: Romeros.
Rick in Shermantown, Ohio on 04 Mar 2012 at 7:16 am #
For the young, Memory Lane is under construction.
For the old, it’s a dead end.
Mindy on 04 Mar 2012 at 7:43 am #
Okay, Rick, let’s quote D. H. Lawrence…no, let’s not. That’s just too morbid. The greatest Formula 1 driver of all time is Michael Schumacher.
Bob, near Mark on 04 Mar 2012 at 8:45 am #
All around? Chet Atkins!
Galliglo in Ohio on 04 Mar 2012 at 8:49 am #
I did get to see Victor Borga – he was great. Funny thing at the concert… someone was coughing and disturbing everyone. He stopped in the middle of his act and called out the cougher. I am sure that person was very embarrassed, but he/she was very inconsiderate in bothering everyone in the auditorium.
Judy in Conroe on 04 Mar 2012 at 11:56 am #
Peter, Paul & Mary – great group, great songs, great people. My husband and I are not concert goers, but we made a special effort to go to theirs. Mary gave the best hugs! My kids grew up on their music – every long car trip we played their album “Peter Paul & Mommy.” One of the nicest things about technology is that while we will inevitably lose the singer, we can still hear them sing their songs.
John in Virginia on 04 Mar 2012 at 12:50 pm #
I always thought that was the definition of classical music, Judy. I’m afraid to ask the musician in the family; if I do, I’ll get a lengthy explanation of which I’ll understand perhaps 50%…or less.
Still, I did, do and always will love PP&M!
emeritus Minnesota biologist on 04 Mar 2012 at 1:38 pm #
Old Faithful blew a minute or so after I visited http://www.nps.gov/features/yell/live/live4.htm , at about 1:35 pm CST. Probably won’t blow again for an hour or more.
emeritus Minnesota biologist on 04 Mar 2012 at 1:45 pm #
And, at 1:43 pm CST, there is a nice halo over Mt. St. Helens, at
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/views/java-highdef-medium.php
Is that what is called a lenticular cloud?
Mary in Ohio on 04 Mar 2012 at 3:32 pm #
emb – or else a flying saucer.
Tom (Somewhere in Georgia) on 04 Mar 2012 at 5:08 pm #
What a group! Clapton to Chet Atkins to Doc Watson to John Michael Talbot to…Montoya and Segovia ? Woah.
Steve from Royal Oak, MI- have you ever heard Phil Keaggy? When asked how it felt to be the best guitarist in the world, Jimi Hendrix (allegedly) said, “I don’t know man, you’ll have to ask Phil Keaggy.”
Don’t forget Les Paul. (Les Paulverizer)
Rick- I’m still under consruction!!
Mindy- here you go: 1/4!
Ruth Anne in Winter Park on 04 Mar 2012 at 6:40 pm #
I’ve been sharing this discussion with my husband who enthusiastically agrees with every guitarist named so far. He would add at least one more – Frank Zappa. (A certain someone must be really Fargone to have not chimed in with that one already!)
Bob, near Mark on 04 Mar 2012 at 6:56 pm #
And a protégé of Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed.
Steve from Royal Oak, MI on 04 Mar 2012 at 7:56 pm #
Tom:
Yes, I have heard of Phil Keaggy and he is a great guitarist. Imagine if he had more than 3 fingers?
Mark in TTown on 04 Mar 2012 at 8:30 pm #
Add Charlie Daniels for one of the best fiddlers I’ve ever heard or seen. That man can purely play the hell out of a fiddle. Remember the commercial that was on a year or so back? But I got to see him play at the Alabama State Fair (when we still had one) in Birmingham. Small folding-chair type place and I was only about 6 rows back. He played that thing like he was trying to set fire to the strings with the bow!
I know everybody has probably heard of Bonnaroo by now, but there was a music festival in middle Tennessee before that. Look up Uncle Dave Macon Days in Murfreesboro. They hold it in a recreated 1800′s village called Cannonsburgh Village. It is a park where they have moved old buildings to preserve them and give an idea what life in the 1800′s was like. The music festival has lots of performers of all types (not usually the big names) but the good to excellent type who do it because they love what they do. It also includes a large selection of arts and crafts types who sell their wares there. Well worth going if you are in the area.
Mindy on 05 Mar 2012 at 4:41 am #
1/4? Okay, Tom, gotta admit that I’m lost. Again.
John in Virginia on 05 Mar 2012 at 5:02 am #
Did we jinx some guitarists? Ronnie Montrose died this past weekend. Can’t say that he was great, but he was good. Actually, Johnny Depp is a rather good guitarist, as is Mick Jagger.
Russell Way Out There on 05 Mar 2012 at 5:08 am #
I’ve been coming to this site for several months but this is my first post. Hope I do it right. I am totally committed to Arlo and Janis, think Jimmy is among the Top Ten cartoonists ever (another topic on top of guitarists, etc.), and I really do appreciate the retro strips. You guys that post here really tickle me. It’s unusual to see so many people gather with so many different opinions and so many different topics, more often than not all at once, without a lot of profanity, conflict and general nastiness. I finally came to the conclusion, and decided to share it, that this is typical of the deep down good people who read A&J which is a deep down good snapshot of life. For Heaven’s sake, please don’t let that change! (I’m sending Jimmy’s name in as a candidate for the Pulitzer, by the way!)
Galliglo in Ohio on 05 Mar 2012 at 6:29 am #
Welcome to the Clan, Russell! To second Jimmy, we thank you. I had never really thought of the things this diverse group has in common, but upon reflection I think you are right. A&J does reflect basic values – the appreciation and joy of the so-called “common” facets of life. This blog always makes me smile…
Symply Fargone on 05 Mar 2012 at 8:42 am #
@Ruth Anne,
Yes Frank Zappa belongs as well as many others mentioned here. Segovia is definitely a favorite, along with Clapton, BB, Buddy Guy and one of the most amazing not standard guitar player types the great John Lee Hooker…just some of my guys….these and many others are just Symply Fargone….and another huge thank you to the nice folks in Winter Park!
Leo in LA on 05 Mar 2012 at 2:43 pm #
Best guitar? Ry Cooder. IMHO.
Meryl A on 06 Mar 2012 at 1:49 am #
My dad took my little sister and I to see them perform.
Tom (Somewhere in Georgia) on 07 Mar 2012 at 11:33 am #
Mindy- Sorry for the confusion. I wrote: “here you go: 1/4!” meaning here’s your quarter.
JJ-
“And let’s not forget Wes Montgomery. — JJ”
That’s right…
Mindy from Indy on 07 Mar 2012 at 8:43 pm #
It’s been a looong time since I’ve commented, but had to add my memories of The Monkees. I’m too young to have loved them in their heyday, but I watched them on Nick At Nite and listened to my mom’s 33 1/3 and 45s. She still has a record of Davy pre-Monkees. I was so bummed to read about Davy’s passing. I’ve been singing “Saturday’s Child” and “Words” for days now. You never think the past is so far behind you that pieces of it will break away and be lost forever, until they do.