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Topic: Help get Buddy Emmons interviewed on "Fresh Air" |
Dave Magram
From: San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2003 2:01 pm
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I listened to the sound clip of the NPR review of the reissue of Buddy Emmons' early jazz album and it got me thinking that it would be a wonderful tribute to Buddy if Terry Gross could interview him on Fresh Air.
In my opinion, there have been, and are, a lot of great steel guitarists and I enjoy listening to all of them- but there is only one Buddy Emmons, and I don't believe that his artistry and brilliant musicianship have been properly recognized outside of the steel guitar community.
So I wrote an e-mail to Terry, first mentioning how much I enjoyed her insightful interviews with musicians and other artists who are especially innovative (which is true- she is excellent!), and suggested that Buddy Emmons is one of the most innovative musicians ever and deserves to be interviewed on Fresh Air by Terry.
I mentioned that besides his incredible playing, Buddy co-designed two of the most famous steel guitar brands, and was instrumental in developing the string and pedal setup that nearly every steel guitarist uses today.
I described the many styles of music Buddy plays so superbly, and some of the artists and hit records he has performed on. I suggested several recordings of Buddy to listen to (the Black Album, the White Album, Ray Price, and especially the "Swing" series, since Terry seems very familiar with big band era music.
I included the URL for the tribute page that Ernie Renn assembled for Buddy on www.buddyemmons.com, so that Terry and her staff could get some ideas for an interview as well as see how much regard so many excellent musicians have for Buddy Emmons.
Perhaps if others of you on this Forum wrote to Terry Gross at: freshair@whyy.org
and support this suggestion, it might convince Terry and her staff to interview Mr. Buddy Emmons, who I believe has done more for the pedal steel guitar than any other individual, and who always seems to play exactly the right notes at the right time.
Dave
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Larry Miller
From: Dothan AL,USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2003 2:07 pm
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I'd also like to see a spot about Buddy on CBS Sunday Morning! |
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Damir Besic
From: Nashville,TN.
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Posted 10 Jun 2003 5:30 pm
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I would love to see documentary about Buddy Emmons on A&E, something like "Life and Times of"...wouldn`t that be nice...
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jim milewski
From: stowe, vermont
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Posted 10 Jun 2003 5:36 pm
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lets stop screwing around....Buddy for president! |
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Ernie Renn
From: Brainerd, Minnesota USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2003 3:57 am
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An interview would, IMHO, hinge on whether Buddy wanted to be interviewed.
I do think a biography would be a wonderful idea.
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My best,
Ernie
The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com |
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Bill Fulbright
From: Atlanta, GA
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Posted 11 Jun 2003 5:17 am
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How about a video docu-bio?
Do you think it would sell a few copies?
Count me in.
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Bill Fulbright
Mullen D-10 8x7; Gibson ES-165; Peavey Vegas 400;
ICQ# 2251620 My Music Site
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Dirk B
From: Harrisburg, MO, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2003 8:31 am
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I wrote a letter to Fresh Air on this very idea last year prior to Buddy'd re-emergence at the ISGC and they didn't bite.
But if a few of us pitch the idea to them in the context of BE's importance to American music in general (and not his importance to our steel subculture) we may get somewhere (if Buddy is willing, as Ernie says).
And, yes, what about that biography? |
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Jim Cohen
From: Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 11 Jun 2003 8:50 am
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Quote: |
I wrote a letter to Fresh Air on this very idea last year prior to Buddy'd re-emergence at the ISGC and they didn't bite. |
I dunno. Maybe it was your letter that led to this very segment this week...? It could be that they considered your suggestion but needed some "excuse" to cover Buddy, so they seized on the "reissue" (about which they really said almost nothing in their story) as their opportunity/excuse. My personal opinion: having just done a story on Buddy, they're not likely to do another one anytime soon, but hey, can't hurt to try! |
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Dirk B
From: Harrisburg, MO, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2003 9:09 am
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That occurred to me too Jim, but in the letter I mentioned some of Emmons' thoughts about the jazz album (gleaned off the "Ask Buddy" site) and the reviewer didn't mention any of that, which I would think he would have had he known.... [This message was edited by Dirk B on 11 June 2003 at 10:11 AM.] |
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