| Author |
Topic: Gordon Stone |
Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
|
Posted 12 Jul 2020 8:13 am |
|
With sadness I relay my good friend Gordon Stone has passed.
Gordon was best known for his banjo playing but also played pedal steel really well. Gordon was his own man on pedal steel in fact. I recall hearing him play out and saying to myself "now that's an original approach for pedal steel". We got together to jam occasionally here in Waterbury. Gordon played a U12 Kline BTW. We even did a gig in a local pub Dobro/Banjo, nuttin' else at his insistence.
Gordon was a muse and mentor for a few generations of pickers in the Burlington VT area. He started with a bluegrass band "Pine Island" in the seventies, continued to play bluegrass in a quite a few other BG incarnations thereafter. He picked up PSG and played in a band The Decentz that gained some notoriety.
Gordon has five instrumental albums to his credit. Gordon's style was melodic along the lines of Bill Kieth but with a jazz influence though. He made banjo very listenable IMHO.
One of his biggest accomplishments I can think of is the fact he toured a successful original instrumental trio for about ten years around the US, and made a decent living at it. Typically bass and drums accompanied him on banjo or PSG. (talk about pissing into the wind)
I talked to Gordon on his birthday a couple months ago. he was in a rehab in CA. He sounded great. I had high hopes for him but apparently relapsed and succumbed to his demons Friday. |
|
|
 |
Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
|
|
|
|
Russ Tkac
|
Posted 13 Jul 2020 3:29 am
|
|
| So sorry for your loss Jim. |
|
|
|
Patrick Strain
From:
Binghamton/Gilbertsville, NY
|
Posted 18 Jul 2020 10:28 am
|
|
Very sad. He was one of the first pedal steel guitarists that I was aware of. Being a teenager in the Northeast in the '90s, I initially encountered his playing through the recordings he did with Phish. Then, I got to see him play in the regional festival scene. This is definitely a loss for the community.
_________________
Sierra Crown D-10 8+4, Sierra S-10 3+4, Carter D-10 8+7, Carter Starter 3+ a lot of engineering problems |
|
|
|
Asa Brosius
|
Posted 19 Jul 2020 4:30 pm
|
|
Thanks Jim-
I loved Gordon's playing- I remember watching him at Langdon St Café before I knew what a pedal steel was- I think you were the second player I ever saw, at that same venue. I worked with Tyler Bolles, one of VT's great bass players, at the old Red Hen Bakery for those years- Tyler loved him- played a lot of his banjo music during those 12 hour shifts-that inspired me to take a dobro lesson with him in the Waterbury area - I'll never forget it- answered the door in his bathrobe, pre-coffee, all hair and beard, very much like the Dude from the Big Lebowski- we just talked about pedal steel, he showed me how to hold the bar, then he tried to sell me his dobro. Lovely time, lovely man. RIP |
|
|
|
Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
|
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
|
|
|
|
Jim Fogle
From:
North Carolina, Winston-Salem, USA
|
Posted 20 Jul 2020 12:58 pm
|
|
I'm sorry to read this. You don't normally think of pedal steel guitar and banjo in the same sentence. The link Jim Pitman provided includes a link to Gordon's banjo playing as well as an informative article for those like me that are not familiar with Gordon's body of work.
My condolences to Gordon's friends and family.
_________________
Remembering Harold Fogle (1945-1999) Pedal Steel Player
Dell laptop Win 10, i3, 8GB, 480GB
2024 BiaB UltraPlus PAK
Cakewalk by Bandlab software & Zoom MRS-8 hardware DAWs
Zoom MRS-8 8 Track Hardware DAW |
|
|
|
Brett Lanier
From:
Madison, TN
|
Posted 21 Jul 2020 8:17 am
|
|
Very sad to hear about Gordon's passing. We crossed paths a few times throughout the years, but I never got to know him all that well. I was lucky enough to play one gig with him ten or so years ago. He was one of the very first steel players I knew of, so that was a thrill for me.
Last winter I hosted a steel get together, and although Gordon wasn't able to make it, he sent texts throughout the night wanting to know how it was going. I think he was pretty happy to see that our little Vermont steel community has been growing recently.
A close friend of mine, and wizard of a musician Pappy Biondo became close with Gordon these last couple years. Gordon was a big influence for Pappy on the banjo, and Pappy went out of his way to help Gordon out as a friend and fellow musician. He spearheaded a project called "Gordon Stone - A Retrospective Anthology" on his label Astrology Days. Gordon passed the night before it's release so he decided to postpone it a bit.
I always loved what Gordon added to the song "Fast Enough For You" by Phish. He really had his own sound on steel, which is all we can hope for playing this thing. I heard a story from Mike (bassist) that the producer (Barry Beckett) was adamant about cutting Gordon's licks from the first verse. Mike being one of the biggest fans of pedal steel that I know went home that night and wrote a lengthy dissertation on why the licks ought to stay. I like that story, and I'm glad they're there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybD3F45NCm0 |
|
|
|
Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
|
Posted 21 Jul 2020 4:00 pm
|
|
TX guys...all you New Englanders and beyond.
Yeh Brett, I love that tune too. |
|
|
|
Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
|
Posted 21 Jul 2020 4:17 pm
|
|
Jim Cohen, funny you should mention Winnie Winston. I knew Winnie's brother Rick, another fellow Vermonter, long ago. Rick ran a Movie club in Montpelier. I also got to know and hang with Winnie at one of those St Louis shows years ago. Small world.
Asa, the Langdon Street Cafe is now called Sweet Melisa's. I've played there a bit. They are still dedicated to having live music. Not sure if they will survive Covid though. Shortly before the quarantine they raised money via a go fund me. They were able to pay long overdue rent and things were looking up - oh well. |
|
|
|
John Brabant
From:
Calais, VT, USA
|
Posted 10 Aug 2020 5:45 am
|
|
Been meaning to get to posting about Gordon since Jim called to tell me about Gordon's passing. Really tragic and sad. Gordon was such an influence to so many here in Vermont. His banjo playing was just so beautiful, a la Bill Keith, absolutely. I remember, back in the late 1990s going to see Mike Auldridge's country/bluegrass fusion band in Northampton, MA at the Iron Horse nightclub, and playing on the little stage was Gordon playing banjo in a trio or quartet, can't remember exactly. Mike Auldridge, who would profess that he really didn't like banjo all too much, was just entranced by Gordon's playing and said afterward to me that his opinion of the banjo is different with "that guy playing it..". I told Mike that Gordon was an amazing pedal steel player as well. I later saw Gordon in the crowd at the bar before Mike's band, Chesapeake" came on stage and told Gordon what Mike said and dragged him over to introduce him to Mike. A very sweet moment.
My very favorite tune by Gordon is Pachysandra which is at the link directly below. He plays some beautiful 5 string and steel on it. In fact the entire "Even with the Odds" album is wonderful. Gordon discography is available on Spotify, FYI. At the second link below is a memorial tribute to Gordon put together by Phish bassist Mike Gordon (who is a steel fan and player, who Gordon has reportedly given some lessons), Tony Trishka, etc. which is pretty great, with new testimonials and great old video clips.
Very sad for you Jim on your loosing one of your best friends. Hang in there buddy. RIP Gordon, you are already so missed. This is a very sad time and huge loss for Vermont's musical community.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr-NyO0_meg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIzjgsthbUg
_________________
John Brabant
1978 Emmons D-10 P-P |
|
|
|
John Brabant
From:
Calais, VT, USA
|
Posted 10 Aug 2020 6:14 am
|
|
To purchase the just released vinyl Gordon Stone Retrospective Anthology or download the digital version here. Some of his work can be heard at this link as well. Proceeds from purchases go to a good cause:
https://gordonstone.bandcamp.com/
_________________
John Brabant
1978 Emmons D-10 P-P |
|
|
|
Charlie Hansen
From:
Halifax, NS Canada and Various Southern Towns.
|
Posted 10 Aug 2020 7:44 am
|
|
His banjo playing sounds like it was inspired by Jimmy Arnold.
_________________
I don't know much but what I know I know very well.
Carter S-10 3X5, Peavey Nashville 112, plus Regal dobro and too many other instruments to mention.
Bluegrass Island CFCY FM 95.1 Charlottetown, PE, Canada, on the web at cfcy.fm.
A Touch Of Texas CIOE FM 97.5 Sackville, NS, Canada,
on the web at cioe975.ca. |
|
|
|
Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
|
Posted 10 Aug 2020 12:27 pm
|
|
Jim,My Condolences.
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
|
|
|
Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
|
Posted 11 Aug 2020 8:33 am
|
|
| TX Stu |
|
|
|
