Just An Interesting Bit of Nostalgia For Me...

[Lin Evans]

Nostalgia - Many years ago - back in 1975 - My soon to be sweet wife Sherry and I were both in school at Palomar College in San Marcos, California. I was living in my travel trailer with my big red Malamute pup named Red Dog in a KOA campground nineteen miles north and Sherry was living at home in Escondido, California. In those days I played bluegrass guitar in a local band to help pay my tuition and would bring my Martin D-41 to classes and during breaks and after classes sit under the trees and pick. One day a couple of musicians wandered in, sat down and listened then pulled out their guitars and we jammed for about two hours. They said they had recently made an album and had a single which was about to be released. Their names were Dan and John. Dan played his guitar upside down with normal stringing so that what is normally done with the left hand was done with the right and it produced a really neat effect. The had come from Texas and made California their home. Dan said his older brother was named Jim and played with Dash Crofts in the group Seals and Crofts. This is how I met Dan Seals and John Coley (England Dan and John Ford Coley). They were truly nice guys - very personable and Texas friendly. After a couple hours we shook hands and I never saw them again. Dan and John split a few years later and Dan Seals went over to the country venue. Sadly Dan passed away with Lymphoma in Nashville at the age of 61 in 2009. Others there who have also died are Chet Atkins,  Jerry Reed, Glen Campbell, Roy Clark and Waylon Jennings that I'm aware of.  My wife Sherry passed away a year later in 2010 at the age of 53 years and three days. 

In this room were some of the finest country musicians of the past 50 years or so. This rendition of All That Glitters Is Not Gold by Dan is my favorite. Here’s a partial list of the people in this room: Dan Seals, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Roy Clark,  Bobby Bear, T. Graham Brown,  Crystal Gayle,  Gary Morris, Gene Watson, Glen Campbell, Janie Fricke, Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed  There are more that I don’t recognize but I just thought folks here on this forum might like to hear and see this. Nothing special – just the video made of Dan’s turn to sing.

Lin

 

[wideangle]

Lin

That is so so nostalgic - a genuine piece of history. I really enjoyed it.

It brings back memories of the local pub Folk Clubs of fifty odd years ago which I used to go to, where you heard the occasional singer who went on to bigger and better things nationally and even internationally.

Regards

wideangle

[Barry Beckham]

The thing is we are running out of these great old musicians who have entertained us for years. There are only a few left and they are getting on. Will today’s rappers or pop stars be doing an acoustic set at the Albert Hall and the American equivalent in 20 years time. I sort of have my doubts.

I think from a music point of view, those of us at a certain age have lived through rather good times, that seem to be at an end, or does every generation say that. I still sit at my PC creating images and slide shows listening to the old greats. Johnny Cash and the American man series is superb. Even some early Dolly Parton and others.

My daughter went to a Phil Collins (Genesis) concert in Brisbane last weekend. He still has it, but can’t play the drums or stand through the whole show, just age catching up, but he can still sing great and belt out the old classics.

 

[JudyKay]

Great story and video, Lin.  Thanks.

[Lin Evans]

Thanks folks for the comments... I think Barry hit the nail on the head. We're running seriously low on talented musicians who hone their craft and provide us with the true talent which was rather commonplace years ago. Today the reliance on things like "autotune" and electronic effects make stars out of mediocre entertainers who have learned that they can get rich using effects, flash and gaudy presentation in lieu of true musical ability which requires years of hard work.  It's sad...

Best regards,

Lin