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Post new topic Ed Black on "The Great Pretender" by Michael Dinne
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Author Topic:  Ed Black on "The Great Pretender" by Michael Dinne
Ben Elder

 

From:
La Crescenta, California, USA
Post  Posted 30 Jul 2010 9:50 pm    
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The last time I weighed in on a topic that included the late Ed Black and his work on the now out-of-print "The Great Pretender" by Michael Dinner (LP of the same title, 1974, Fantasy Records), there was nothing on YouTube, iTunes, etc. to demonstrate.

Now there is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaH4LfhxVQc

The video isn't much--just the obligatory static shots of the album covers and the label. There's a little bit of noise leading in and out, but Ed and his ZB sing out, even on my laptop.

Michael Dinner is now a TV and movie producer/director ("Wonder Years," "Hot To Trot"), but at the time, he had no less than Linda Ronstadt and Herb Pedersen singing backup and a pretty stellar lineup of SoCal studio cats.

Along with honorable mentions to the Lloyd Green Panther Hall LP that Charley Pride sang on and Cal Hand's "Red Wing" ("The Wylie Butler," Takoma), this is my favorite pedal steel recording.
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Kevin Hatton

 

From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
Post  Posted 30 Jul 2010 9:57 pm    
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For anyone who is a ZB player that is the classic ZB sound. Clear as a bell with overtones and uppper mids. No other guitar has that particular sound. Classic.
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Dave Ristrim


From:
Whites Creek, TN
Post  Posted 31 Jul 2010 6:12 am    
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That album remains one of my favorites of all time! I have 2 copies on vinyl and finally encoded one in ProTools and burned it to cd. Amazing stuff. I didn't know Ed was playing a ZB on that record. Do we have confirmation on that? Not that it makes much difference. Whatever it is, it sounds glorious.
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Skip Edwards

 

From:
LA,CA
Post  Posted 31 Jul 2010 6:50 am    
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Very cool...a classic example of '70's California country rock...and unheard by most folks.
Thanks, Ben.
Yes, it is definitely a ZB...a blue & blonde D10 that Ed sold to Gary Brandin. Day set-up, btw.
Forumite Mickey McGee is on drums...maybe he'll chime in.
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Dave Ristrim


From:
Whites Creek, TN
Post  Posted 31 Jul 2010 7:28 am    
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Skip, thanks for the ZB confirmation.
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Russ Tkac


Post  Posted 31 Jul 2010 7:32 am     Ed Black
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Great tone. Great player. Gone too soon. Ed's tone got me going back then! Smile
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Stu Schulman


From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
Post  Posted 31 Jul 2010 2:32 pm    
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I was lucky enough to play pedal steel in a 4 piece bar band with Ed on guitar for a while,we had some major fun I learned so much from him.I wish that I had a copy of that record,I used to have it on cassette but that was a million years ago. Winking
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Kevin Hatton

 

From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
Post  Posted 1 Aug 2010 1:39 am    
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Dave, could I get a copy of that CD? I'll pay you for it. As you know I build ZB's.
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Mike Poholsky


From:
Kansas, USA
Post  Posted 1 Aug 2010 7:19 pm    
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Thanks Ben! Gonna have to dig that one out of the record collection. It's been a long time since I heard that. Another early influence of mine. Ed did a great job.
Thanks!
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Joachim Kettner


From:
Germany
Post  Posted 7 Feb 2015 11:44 pm    
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Some great pictures of him (and others) here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhVFX6yLLds
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Skip Edwards

 

From:
LA,CA
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2015 8:00 am    
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Mickey McGee on drums, Arnie Moore on bass.
I'll have more names as soon as I talk to Arnie.
Thanks for posting that...
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Joachim Kettner


From:
Germany
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2015 10:30 am    
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You're very welcome! Ed is on almost every track of "Artist Proof". If those pictures are taken during the recording of the album, I could give the remaining names also: Jennifer Warren, Claudia Lennear, Russ Brooker, Earl Schackleford vocals, Loren Newkirk on piano, accordion, Steve Cahill guitar, vocals.
Did they play on any other records fom that time Skip?
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Skip Edwards

 

From:
LA,CA
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2015 1:55 pm    
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Yes... Jennifer Warnes, John Fishback, engineer. I thought that was Claudia Linnear... Arnie confirmed it for me. Loren is on keys.
Studio was Crystal, on Vine. Just below Santa Monica Bl, and catecorner from Gold Star.
I'm sure that group of folks played on a few things back then.
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Jay Hudson


From:
Austin, Texas
Post  Posted 10 Feb 2015 2:15 pm    
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home.comcast.net/~jarvid/MP3/MichaelDinnerPage.html

Ed's on "The Great Pretender" and "Yellow Rose Express",
Al Perkins on "Last Dance in Salinas".
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Olli Haavisto


From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
Post  Posted 11 Feb 2015 8:45 am    
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Speaking of Al Perkins, I'm a huge fan his but I have never seen him play live.
Is there a chance nowadays to see him play in concert?
Is he based in LA or Nashville? Or maybe somewhere else....
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Olli Haavisto
Finland
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Skip Edwards

 

From:
LA,CA
Post  Posted 11 Feb 2015 8:52 am    
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Hi Olli...
Al lives in Nashville. Not sure what's keeping him busy these days. The last time I played with him, he just tore it up on lap steel and on his Anapeg.
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Olli Haavisto


From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
Post  Posted 11 Feb 2015 12:44 pm    
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Ok, thanks Skip.
Great meeting you in Phoenix!
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