| Author |
Topic: John "Marmaduke" Dawson of NRPS |
b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 7:41 am |
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From NRPS web site
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JOHN "MARMADUKE" DAWSON (1945-2009)
John passed away peacefully on July 21, 2009 at the age of 64 in Mexico, where he had retired several years ago. It is with great sadness that we relay this news, and extend our deepest condolences to his family and all his many fans out there.
His songs inspired us in so many ways. His energy, passion and commitment to the New Riders brought us all so much joy over the years. We can all be thankful that his music and legacy will live on forever. |
I never met him, but his songs and unique voice were a positive influence on my own music during my formative years. Peace. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 9:25 am
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I was just listening to the first NRPS album the other day. His voice, while thin sounding, fit the music perfectly. Of course, Jerry Garcia's pedal steel playing didn't hurt the overall sound.
RIP indeed.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 9:37 am
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| I'm saddened to hear this. I knew he was not well, and in particular not well enough to perform with the current version of NRPS. Thanks, Marmaduke, for all the music. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 4:41 pm
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Received via email.
| Fred Campbell wrote: |
Wow, what a shocker.
I really respect his songwriting. One of his songs, "Glendale Train", was so authentically old-timey that I thought it was an actual folk ballad from the pioneer days until he told me he wrote it.
I got to play with him and Rusty Gauthier in the 80's and 90's. The NRPS were travelling around playing clubs mostly in the Northeast as a trio. Who needs bass and drums when you've got Marmaduke wailing on the 12-string, Rusty playing every stringed instrument under the sun, and lots of good 3-part harmony? He had some very loyal fans, people who would drive hours to see a show. I really miss those days. RIP John. |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 5:04 pm
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Sad to hear. We lose another one from the Bay Area "home team" of musicians and a member of the extended Grateful Dead family.
The last time I saw him he was playing in that incarnation of the New Riders in the early 90's. It wasn't the greatest mind you, but he still had the unique voice.
It was a pretty big deal, in a small kind of country bar in Carmel Valley on the Monterey Peninsula where I was living at the time.
A lot of the old hippies came in from the hills to park their old pickups and VW buses in the lot in between the Jags and the Mercedes.
I will always remember one of the early times I saw Marmaduke with the New Riders at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco in May, 1973 in what was the original Bill Graham "Day on the Green." They were the opener, with Waylon Jennings and the Waylors in the middle, and the Dead were the headliners.
Truly one of the most magical musical days of my life.
I'm smiling as I'm thinking of John in his distinctive voice singing the Peter Rowan penned tune, "Lonesome L.A. Cowboy"...
"So many pretty people in this city, and I swear
Some of them are girls
I meet 'em down at Barney's Beanery
In their platform shoes and spit curls
I buy 'em drinks, we stoke our hopes
And try to make it one more night
When I'm left alone at last
I feel like I'll die from crying"
Rest in peace, brother Marmaduke.
_________________
Mark |
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Duncan Hodge
From:
DeLand, FL USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2009 8:57 pm
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AND TAKE A LAST, FLYING LOOK
AT THE LAST LONELY EAGLE
HE’S SOARING THE LENGTH OF THE LAND
SHED A TEAR FOR THE FATE
OF THE LAST LONELY EAGLE
FOR YOU KNOW THAT HE NEVER WILL LAND
Thank you John for this and many, many other beautiful songs that have made me feel pretty darn good for the last 40 years (give, or take a few years)
_________________
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."
Last edited by Duncan Hodge on 23 Jul 2009 5:27 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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JB Arnold
From:
Longmont,Co,USA (deceased)
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Posted 23 Jul 2009 4:15 pm
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One of the true originals. Those songs still hold up today-I know we play them all the time. I grew up on the NRPS and Dawson's tunes, he will be sorely missed.
JB
_________________
2 Fulawka D-10's 9&5
Sho-Bud Pro 2 8&5
"All in all, looking back, I'd have to say the best advice anyone ever gave me was 'Hands Up, Don't Move!"
"Your FIRST mistake was listening to your wife instead of your steel instructor." (H.Steiner) |
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Hook Moore
From:
South Charleston,West Virginia
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 10 Aug 2009 11:43 am
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wow,, so sorry to hear this  .. RIP Marmaduke.. You and Buddy were the reason I play the steel to this day... I remember those days,,, John slamming that open G chord to Henry while Buddy and David played steel and tele licks over it..It opened my ears up to country, even though it wasn't accepted by ""real"" country players of the day... Another one down.. We are losing friends and mentors by the dozen it seems.. thanks for posting this b0b.... bob
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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David Rupert
From:
Mesa, Arizona (via Mahopac, NY & Missouri).
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Posted 4 Sep 2009 5:51 am Rest in Peace
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This is indeed, sad news.
John Dawson, David Nelson, Buddy Cage...& the rest of the New Riders, were a very big part...of my life. And, still are! I started listening to them, in the early '70's. They...were, my Favorite band!!
Buddy Cage, was the main reason/influence...for becoming a steel player.
The New Riders of the Purple Sage, were a very special band!! Magical, cosmic...country rock!
Rest in Peace, John Dawson.
_________________
David "DJ" Rupert
"Music. Without it, life itself...would be impossible."
ZumSteel - Encore™ S-10 / 3p x 5k (Two-Tone; Red & Black Top).
Roland™ Cube 80x Amp, Hilton Volume Pedal, TC Electronics™ Flashback™ Delay, TC Electronics™ MojoMojo™ Overdrive, Peterson StroboPlus HD Tuner, D2F Covers. Evans JE-300 Amp. (in the not too distant future).
Most Importantly: the musicians hands...& soul.
http://www.bandmix.com/pedal-steel-75/ |
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Jim Ives
From:
Los Angeles, California, USA
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Posted 4 Sep 2009 7:09 pm
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I wonder what Marmaduke and Jerry are doing right now. If they have weed in
heaven, they're digging it right now.
Jim |
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Mike Poholsky
From:
Kansas, USA
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Posted 5 Sep 2009 7:26 am
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That's sad news indeed. John & NRPS were one of introductions to country music and the steel guitar for me. Looking back at those days, around '70, I didn't know jack about country music or steel guitar, but I got my start listening to Johns' music & NRPS. RIP
_________________
Zumsteel 12 Universal
SGBB
ShoBud VP
'64 Fender Twin Reverb/Fox Rehab
Fender Steel King w/BW 1501-4
FX to Taste |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 5 Sep 2009 8:57 am
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Very sad news. He was a distinctive singer with a very recognizable voice, and just a tremendous performer in the 70's. I saw probably one of the best country-rock double-bills ever in the mid-70's: NRPS and the Flying Burrito Brothers at UCLA's Royce Hall. The place was packed and both versions of each band were probably the strongest stage versions (this was when Joel Scott Hill was fronting the Burritos, and he and Gene Parsons' harmonies were so tight I thought they were Siamese twins), with Sneaky and Buddy on steel. Dawson had boundless energy on stage and had the crowd wrapped around his finger.
There was a jam with everybody at the end. I'd list the songs, but there seemed to be people burning rope all over the place and for some reason it made me forgetful.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 10 Sep 2009 7:03 am
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'Listening to Marmaduke and Jerry G. this morn'!
http://www.archive.org/details/nrps1970-06-24.weiner.25866.sbeok.shnf
This is a great show.
A great recording of Dawsons vocal, Jerry is playing some great live Pedal Steel at this point. Check out "Live and Let Live" for some classic country... the next one has a good Steel break, too (songs #4 and #5).
That archive.com site is great for pulling up live shows.
I put in "New Riders" (in quotes), and 6 pages of live shows came right up... I scrolled right to the early 70's... I'll be listening to some Buddy Cage years when I get my 2nd cup of coffee.  |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 9 Oct 2009 7:27 am
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I met John a few times.
Buddy Cage's girl knew mine and she brought him to my studio.
He said he was going to jam with some old friends,
NRPS, and they would be surprised because they had
no idea he was around Massachusetts at the time.
I brought my early digital recording gear and got
the night down, and it was a great one.
Two steel players, lap/fiddle and pedal.
The guitar picker had just left Rick Nelson's band
2 weeks before the plane crash,
and had a far away look much of the night,
but played with fire.
A year on NRPS stopped into my local music store,
and I reminded John about the tape we got to him,
and he sat an talked for an hour or so
about horrorshow gigs on the road and such.
Very funny man.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many! |
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