When told, "He can make his clarinet speak", somebody once quiped about 30s clarinetist Ted Lewis: "Yes, it says for God's sake put me back in the case!" That story comes to mind for some reason.
Ed Altrichter
From: Schroeder, Minnesota, USA
Posted 22 Apr 2006 8:12 pm
Makin' music... my as-piration !
( but wasn't he actually a very good musician when not doing comedy ? I think his name was Clell Summey.)
John P. Phillips
From: Folkston, Ga. U.S.A., R.I.P.
Posted 22 Apr 2006 8:42 pm
Tex "Cousin Jody" Summey
Original name: James Clell Summey
Birth: Dec. 11, 1919
Death: Aug. 18, 1975
He was a country comedian from the Grand Ole Opry. He did a lot of the comedy routines with Lonzo & Oscar, another comedy Opry act, as well as his own. He was famous for wearing unusual clothes and playing a dobro guitar.
Cause of death: Heart attack
Burial:
Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens
Goodlettsville
Davidson County
Tennessee, USA
Plot: Music Row section, in front of Lefty Frizzell's grave
I believe he was the Dobro player on Roy Acuff's original recording of the Wabash Cannonball. Messed his left hand up when a jack slipped when he was leveling a mobile home.