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Topic: Norman Hamlet (and Merle) |
Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 12 Apr 2012 8:38 am |
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Yesterday in Nashville turned into an incredible day for a steel-playing Merle Haggard fan.
It would have been anyway, with a planned group interview (by Michael Gray of the Country Music Hall of Fame) with Norm Hamlet, Fuzzy Owen and Strangers horn-player Don Markham, oriented towards the early days in Bakersfield. Since two-out-of-three of them were steel players on the scene back then there was a steel-slant to a lot of the questions. And then Merle himself decided to show up and join in! They’d taken a tour of the new Bakersfield exhibit the day before and he must have liked it, so there was an hour-and-a-half of great stories and music history.
We got Norm describing in detail his early days on steel and transitioning from “straight” steel to pedals, the early days in the clubs and great stories about starting out with Merle. Don Markham was playing clubs in Bakersfield for almost 20 years before starting with Merle in the 70s and he had some great stories too.
Merle naturally did tend to dominate what had originally been intended to be focused on the sidemen, but somehow I don’t think anybody minded. And since there was a kind of steel-guitar focus we got to hear Merle tell about how they would head right over to see Curly Chalker’s band in Vegas after getting done with their own 6 hour gigs there (Haggard would do 5 or 6 sets a night, 5 nights a week, and this is after he’d started having hit records.) He also name-checked Jimmy Day, Herb Remington and Buddy Emmons at various points as well as Ralph Mooney… Merle told a great story about Fuzzy Owen struggling with mechanical problems on his pedal-steel at a Vegas gig and deciding just not to ever play steel again (and he didn’t; that’s when Norm joined the band).
Merle also talked at length about what a big influence Leo Fender had on the Southern California country scene, from the Bob Wills band up through 60s Bakersfield. That’s really emphasized in the Hall of Fame exhibit too, along with the Bigsby company.
Merle hinted that the main reason he didn’t get signed years earlier may have been because he sang too much like Wynn Stewart and hadn’t found his own style yet. He also had some good stories about Buck Owens and some really moving descriptions of Bonnie Owens and their relationship..
And Merle was funny as hell a lot of the time too… I expect that at some point video of the whole thing will be posted on the CMHOF website.
And to top if off they did a pretty stellar show at the Ryman later that night; I think maybe Merle was kind of pumped up by the whole thing. He really let Norm shine too; Norm sounded great on steel and dobro and was really up in the mix.
The only bad part was having to miss Johnny Cox playing at the Station Inn!
Pardon the long post, but I thought this was worth passing on...
Last edited by Pete Finney on 17 Apr 2012 6:36 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Larry Miller
From:
Dothan AL,USA
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Posted 12 Apr 2012 9:23 am
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robert kramer
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 12 Apr 2012 9:36 am
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Thanks again Pete.
The entire interview will be posted on the Hall of Fame website and either Pete or me will post the link on the Steel Guitar Forum when it's available. Meanwhile - here is a short excerpt w/ Merle talking about Bonnie "The Queen of the Coast"
http://www.tennessean.com/videonetwork/1557306254001
Also - there are photos of the interview on the Country Music Hall of Fame's Facebook page.
Just to name check some of the steel players attending the Norm Hamlet interview - along with Pete Finney - Weldon Myrick, Big Jim Vest, Lynn Owsley, Jay Andrews, Steve Fishell and Eddie Lang.
Mike Johnson was at the museum also - but he was working a live show on the patio with Dirk Johnson, David Smith, Michelle & Jimmy Capps. They were backing Gene Watson.
I also missed Carolyn Martin w/ Johnny Cox at the Station Inn. I saw them work there last year - they are outstanding! |
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Ray Jenkins
From:
Gold Canyon Az. U.S.A.
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Posted 12 Apr 2012 11:45 am
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I always want to see or hear something about Norm.He is so pleasant to be around and visit with.He always has a big hug for my wife Dixie and she too likes to visit with him,a wonderful gentelman and an ambassador for the steel guitar.
Is the rumor true that Merle is going to put him on regular?? 
Ray
_________________
Steeling is still legal in Arizona |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 12 Apr 2012 1:17 pm
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| Thanks for the update Pete. Norm Hamlett is a piece of country music history. These people are historic figures. Thank goodness they are still with us to impart their wisdom and experiences. I'll be eagerly awaiting the video. When I grow up, I want to play like Norm Hamlett. |
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Bob Watson
From:
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
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Posted 12 Apr 2012 9:30 pm
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| Great post! I can't wait to see the video. Thanks for sharing this with us. |
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Greg Wisecup
From:
Troy, Ohio
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Posted 13 Apr 2012 6:51 am
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Thanks for the link to the vid. Robert.
Wow. Incredibly moving.
I can't wait to see it all.
_________________
Derby SD-10 4&5 Black!(duh)/
Derby D-10/Steelers Choice/
Goodrich 120/ 2- Katana Boss 100's
/Nashville 400
RV-3/ Zoom MS-50G
As long as I'm down in the mix I'm Fantastic! |
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Hook Moore
From:
South Charleston,West Virginia
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robert kramer
From:
Nashville TN
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Joe Goldmark
From:
San Francisco, CA 94131
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Posted 22 Jun 2012 4:31 pm
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What a wonderful piece of oral history. It's real long (hour and a half), but pretty neat.
If you can't watch, you at least need to check out, at the 18 minute mark, some great video of Fuzzy Owen playing Swinging Doors about as good as Mooney. I'm pretty sure Moon was on the original, but Fuzzy kills it.
Joe |
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Greg Wisecup
From:
Troy, Ohio
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Posted 23 Jun 2012 4:47 am
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Thanks again Robert! This is a piece of history!
_________________
Derby SD-10 4&5 Black!(duh)/
Derby D-10/Steelers Choice/
Goodrich 120/ 2- Katana Boss 100's
/Nashville 400
RV-3/ Zoom MS-50G
As long as I'm down in the mix I'm Fantastic! |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2012 8:10 pm
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Just got in from a Haggard concert here in Texarkana. Got to spend a little time with Norm and some of the other band members. Norm is true gentleman and sounded just awesome on the show. The others band members were very friendly and a great bunch of guys. The show was fantastic and the steel was up in the mix where it should have been. Norm, you all were just super and the Hag was pretty good too.  Actually, he was great, can still sing his rear off.
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Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
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Bryant Aycock
From:
Pikeville, North Carolina
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Posted 28 Jun 2012 10:02 pm Good stuff!
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This is good stuff. Thanks for posting.
Bryant |
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Sidney Malone
From:
Buna, TX
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Posted 29 Jun 2012 5:54 pm
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I really enjoyed that!! Thanks!
_________________
MSA Millennium S-12U
Walker Stereo Steel
Hilton Pedal |
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Daniel Policarpo
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Posted 29 Jun 2012 6:04 pm
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| Thanks so much. Merle and the Strangers are the best thing going...going on 50 years! |
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