| Author |
Topic: Byrd with Bird |
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 6:23 am |
|
Here's Jerry Byrd playing "The Moon of Manakoora" with whistler Fred Lowery. Remember when there were professional whistlers? Well, I don't either but there were. Honest. There's a even clip of the Alvino Rey band trading off solos with a whistler.
https://home.comcast.net/~aevolk/music/byrdlowry.mp3 |
|
|
 |
Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 6:32 am
|
|
Cool!
I never witnessed a professional musical whistler, but do remember a professional bird call whistler who gave a program at my junior high school in 1957.
Thanks Andy. |
|
|
|
Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 6:59 am
|
|
| Nice. Worked a few gigs with some of the pro whistlers back in the 70s. The folks who would have someone like that playing a concert for their event....long gone. Now the young corp. types want some booty shake music for their corp events. Whistler would not make it. |
|
|
|
Anthony Locke
From:
Texas, USA
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 7:33 am
|
|
| Nice! Thanks for posting. |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 7:52 am
|
|
Believe it or not, there are still some pro whistlers around. A few years ago when I was with the Moonlighters, we played a gig at one of the NYC glee club's parties and a whistler sat in with us and did a few tunes. I think he was louder than my Tricone, and that's pretty loud! He gave me his CD, but I could never bring myself to listen to it.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 8:50 am
|
|
He gave me his CD, but I could never bring myself to listen to it.
LOL!
Reminds me of the my family 'rescued' a guy in a motor home after he broke down. He was a traveling yodeler and gave us some 45s (this was a looong time ago). My brother and I loved 'em and played 'em all the time but somehow my Mom accidently broke 'em, both..  |
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 9:09 am
|
|
What got me to dig up the above Byrd clip was watching this documentary. I can't say I like listening to complex whistling music but it was fascinating to learn about whistling's history in crime, a vehicle for communication over distances, and as entertainment.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=176066&highlight= |
|
|
|
JW Adams
From:
Davao Philippines
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 11:13 am Whistlers
|
|
| Marvin Rainwater had a hit on the country and pop charts in 1957 with a whistler, the song (Gonna find me a bluebird) |
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
|
|
|
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 11:46 am Many THANKS Andy!
|
|
Andy.....what a refreshing audio break!That was one of those recording sessions that JERRY BYRD had been so busy doing, that he couldn't even remember it. Right?
That whistler........had a vast resevoir of unlimited talent and skills that some of us instrumental wanna-be musicians will never have in our possession.
The many, many 'standard' licks and/or phrases he tossed in here and there as effortlessly as one popping a cap on one's favorite brew was really an exciting experience to get to hear.
THANKS Andy! |
|
|
|
Don McGregor
From:
Memphis, Tennessee
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 4:48 pm
|
|
Back many years ago, when Meadowlark Lemon was still on top of his game, my father took me to see the Harlem Globe Trotters. It was a wonderful show to take a young kid to.
The Globe Trotters' theme song was "Sweet Georgia Brown", as performed by "The Brother Bones". At the souvenir stand as we were leaving, my Dad bought me the 45. I wore it out, and that is the version I learned Sweet Georgia Brown from. The lead was done by an incredible whistler, and the flip side was "Poor Butterfly", also whistled.
It's still one of my favorite tunes to play guitar or steel on.
Wish I could whistle. |
|
|
|
Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 5:52 pm
|
|
At the risk of seeming a heretic, I have to say that when it started Jerry's playing was so relaxing  , then the whistler came in, and it wasn't so bad  , until he started that warbling and I thought it was awful  . Eventually he stopped, and Jerry came in with a solo, which was excellent , and was even more appreciated because the whistling had stopped.  Then, no sooner was I enjoying Jerry's playing again when the whistling came back in. 
Needless to say, people will listen to Jerry's playing over and over again, as long as there are ears out there to listen. I doubt hardly anyone will rush out and buy recordings of the whistler.  |
|
|
|
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 6:01 pm
|
|
I'm giving away my age here, but whistlers used to be common on radio in the 30s and 40s.
Don't think I could stand too much of that sound!!
Like Alan mentioned, the warbing did me in !! |
|
|
|
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 8:55 pm So you gwo don't remember?
|
|
There used to be a 1/2 hour or full hour radio show sponsored by the Hartz Mountain song bird food company......or something or another.
It was an entire show of BIRD chirping and warbling.
Now that was a bit testy! |
|
|
|
Russ Wever
From:
Kansas City
|
Posted 23 Jan 2010 9:51 pm
|
|
Here's 'the skinny'
on whistlin' Fred
- - > click |
|
|
|
Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
|
Posted 24 Jan 2010 12:32 am
|
|
I enjoyed it plenty. Unique, creative, with talent coming from both sides - Jerry Byrd and Fred Lowery. 
I am amazed at how many persons of all genres that Jerry has accompanied.
Now with respect to the whistling, I would hate to hear a solid hour of it, but several times spread out in a program would be delightful.
Aloha,
Don |
|
|
|
Don McClellan
From:
California/Thailand
|
Posted 24 Jan 2010 1:59 am
|
|
| The great jazz harmonica player, Toots Thielemans, also plays jazz guitar in his act and whistles in unison each note he plays when playing single note solos. Its really unusual and remarkable. Also, there is a man on Maui who I see at the beach now and then who whistles as he walks the beach in the morning and he sounds a lot like the guy in this Byrd recording. He's loud and strange. He told me he has CDs but I too have not been able to ask him for one. |
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
|
|
|
Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
|
Posted 24 Jan 2010 11:56 am
|
|
A little whistling is okay. Bing Crosby used to whistle a few bars on a few of his numbers.
By the way, the whistler on the posted music was out-of-tune at times, and, I noticed at least one error from Jerry.  |
|
|
|
