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Topic: Always Patsy |
Willis Vanderberg
From:
Petoskey Mi
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Posted 20 Dec 2004 7:12 pm |
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I journeyed down to Venice Fl. to see the "Always Patsy " show and listen to a great steel guitar. Mr Roger Rettig out played everyone in the band.His choice of voice on his guitar bordered on brilliant.
If you ever get a chance to see him do,
" The best little whore house " go for it.
He will be touring with that show in the near future.Jimmy Dicken's old steeler , Earl Williams went along and this was the first time he had seen a steel in a theater type setting. Very impressed.There is hope yet.After watching the debacle on the Grand Ole Opera, saturday night, this was music to our ears. |
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Randy Candler
From:
Yuma, Arizona, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2004 8:14 pm
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| My wife and I got a chance to see the same musical show, Always Patsy. A friend of ours Billy Easton was the steel guitarist in the show, and what a show it was! Billy is a seasoned player and he and his sweet wife are dear friends. If your in the area its worth seeing in downtown Scottsdale Az. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 21 Dec 2004 3:55 am
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Thanks for your kind remarks, Bud - it was great to see you guys!
We're playing this show until January 9th and, happily for the Theatre's management, the show has totally sold-out. So, it's been another 'Always - Patsy Cline' success-story.
I always enjoy doing it, and it's extra fun when a couple of pickers come to visit!
Happy Christmas, Bud and Earl!  |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 21 Dec 2004 10:01 am
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I played the show recently, and Roger was a GREAT help to me, instructing me on how to deal with a director who didn't know squat about country music, to explaining the score, which is written in real music, not a chart. Youy want to see something scary, look at the intro to "Walking After Midnight" written out!
It's a good play, fun to do, and I imagine, fun to watch! Go see it, right, Roger? |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 21 Dec 2004 12:36 pm
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This current show (in Venice, FL) is a bit of a departure from the usual 'Patsy' in that it's 'community theatre'. That's shorthand for no-one (except me) getting paid!
I'm very grateful to the members of the Florida Steel Guitar Club who were initially approached by this theatre in their search for a local steel player - both Bud Vanderberg and Jack Stoner were kind enough to pass the info along to me and, after some negotiation with the theatre (they came to see our recent 'Patsy' in Ft Myers), I was pleased to accept the gig. It fits in very neatly between the two 'legs' of the 'Best Little Whorehouse...' tour that I'm involved with, and , thanks to Bud's kindness in putting me up at his lovely home, it's turned out well.
The downside is that some of the musicians are making some curious musical 'choices', and, along with some other random deviations from the charts that can make the 'steel chair' less-than-comfortable, things don't always 'sit' quite as they should!
Nevertheless, it's been a pleasant experience overall, and I've been made very welcome; it has progressed, musically, from the first tentative couple of shows back at the start and I'm sure it'll only improve....
RR |
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Billy Easton
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 21 Dec 2004 3:20 pm
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Randy..
Thanks for the good words. It was a pleasure to have you and Vicky here. The Always Patsy show is a fun show. We started in Scottsdale on Nov. 11th, and we are scheduled through March 6th. I am working with some really great chart reading musicians who are not really familiar with country music at all. The violinist plays the Tucson opera and works often in San Francisco. She is of Czech descent, and grew up in Ecuador. We have a real international bunch here. I would like to invite any of you who happen to be in the Scottsdale area to come and see the show. We work Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Maybe if you are in the area for our SWSGA Convention, you can work this one into your schedule!!
Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ |
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Willis Vanderberg
From:
Petoskey Mi
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Posted 21 Dec 2004 8:46 pm
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I wish I could make it out west Billy, sure sounds like a goods one.
What we need is some one to write a few more shows of this type. It sure beats a smoky bar room full of noise.
The semi sophisticated folks in Sarasota and Venice wore their hands out after every song.The young lady singing the "Patsy"
role came down to the exit and smiled, shook hands, hugged, whatever. The folks loved it.I thought the fact that every performance was sold out, spoke volumes for this type of entertainment.It was very special and ever more so after watching all I could stand of the "Grand Ole Opera Saturday night.Where in the world do they find these new entertainers ?.I really thought the guitar player in the clown pants was at least dressed right for his part. I think I'm too old for all that junk..Good night Farris where ever you are
Bud
[This message was edited by Willis Vanderberg on 21 December 2004 at 08:48 PM.] |
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