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Saturday, June 6, 2009

CREATIVE EXPRESSION - THE BRIDGE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

The artist lives in two worlds simultaneously. The external or outer world, the skeletal framework of his life, with which he engages to work and play and practically relate to those around him. Less visible, but perhaps more potent, is the existence of his inner world, the womb of creativity, where he perceives and listens with different eyes and ears and lives a parallel existence within this private space.

How different these two worlds are! And how separate they can feel from one another. One deals with tangible realities, the other with invisible realities. One deals with the here and now, the other is musing on past, present and future all at once and framing a view through which to understand them. One is relatable and accessible, the other is difficult to capture and contain in a way that can be shared meaningfully… and yet, what is the job of the artist if it is not to capture something of those invisible realities and make them known to the outer world?

Now, you say, the artist does not have the monopoly on the private musings of an inner world. Naturally. Point taken. Invariably though, the artistic temperament seems to feel the keenest divide between the worlds, to have the most vivid experiential dichotomy between the two, and to have the greatest need to reconcile them. Enter creative expression.

When the world inside your head feels more real to you than the world outside your front door, the action of creating something that can be expressed, seen or heard produces sharp relief. Presenting your inner interpretation of the world you experience seems to produce a bridge that links your two worlds together. When a melody comes up from inside of you and sings to your surroundings, when lyrics are penned that make known a thought that was previously known only to you the ripple effect is profound.

The very act of creative expression in this context is an intersection or apex of your dual realities. It gives you, the thinker, the reflective one the chance to be known, to relieve the inner loneliness that comes from flowing in a river with a deeper current than most. It gives the opportunity for the world around you to interact with your inner world, to be given a back-stage pass if you like to the theatre of your heart. There is great joy in being known, especially in giving glimpses to such a core dimension of you.

Not only is there the relief of reconciliation and the joy of making yourself known however, but also there is the thrill that comes from presenting something valuable to those around you. To serve others is to be enriched. To allow others to perceive something newly by seeing through your eyes is to contribute greatly to the world. To enable them the vicarious relief of getting something said that is so hard to put into words is no small service.

And so it seems the bridge of creative expression is a two way street, a servant that serves two masters by all at once providing the artist a way out, and others a way in. And in doing so, both reflecting and participating in the Divine.


Posted at Musician 's Home by  Kathryn Overall




Thursday, May 28, 2009

J.R.'s Biography

I was first exposeed to a guitar around the age of five by fooling with my dad's untuned and long unplayed Kalamazoo, and after spending a couple of wasted years on piano lessons, I was allowed to return to my guitar (now tuned but still unplayed). After getting all the knowledge I could from my dad, I was forced to literally teach myself as there were virtually no guitar players running around loose in the early '50s. In 1957 I was offered a gig with three guys much older than me and I began working in a very popular club in upstate NY called the "Tradewinds" with one of the guys having to act as my "baby-sitter" due to my tender age. We played Wed., Fri., and Sat. nites for the regular crowd, and Sun. afternoons for the under 18 crowd. At $50 a nite, I was the richest kid in 8th grade. I played with those same guys until I went off to Penn State for 4 years and then into the military for 8 years, of which half was spent in the Republic of Vietnam. When I returned home in 1970 I landed a job with a singer named "Ginger McChord", and then did a duo with another guitar player for a couple of years. I was discharged in July of '72 and moved to Jackson, MS which had a fairly good music scene....lots of pickers and lots of places to play. After a year in hell playing with a drunken Elvis wannabee, I left and started my own four piece group called "The Goodlife", and we lasted about 6 years before everyone got tired of everyone else. Playing six nights a week in hotel lounges will grate on your nervous system after a short while. It was while playing with this group that I first got involved learning pedal steel. I bought a Sho-Bud Maverick and kept it in the room for about a year until everyone thought I was good enough to bring it on stage for one or two numbers a night. Trouble was, it turned into all night every night within another year and I discovered that I was working WAY too hard, so I put it up and stopped playing it in public for many years. I also managed to be playing at Rosie O'Grady's in Memphis when Elvis decided to bite the big one. What most folks don't remember is that there was a HUGE Shriner's convention in town that week making the whole experience just that more surreal. What a mess! After the road I went to work with Chip Todd at the Peavey Guitar Factory in Meridian, MS and I met one of the main influences in my guitar life....Charlie Gressett. Charlie, with some minor help from me, was responsible for making all the custom guitars for all the Peavey clients out there including Sly Stone, ZZ Top and the "officially non-existant" doubleneck for Neil Schon of Journey. We formed the "Peavey Guitar Shop Band and appeared 4 nights a week at a great club in town and Hartley Peavey made sure we got everything we needed. in !980 I opened my own repair and custom shop in Jackson called, oddly enough, JR's Guitars, but almost immediately I started to get requests for band engagements, so I resurrected the "Goodlife" with the exception of doing it with drummer Jim Hathcock and bassist Aubrey Barnette and a keyboard player du jour. It was this group that backed Terry Bradshaw, Dorothy Moore (Misty Blue), Joe-Frank Corolla of "Hamilton, Joe-Frank and Reynolds" an opened for acts like "Alabama" and "Ronnie Milsaps". I still play with these same goobers today and we have appeared under such names as "Madison Station", "Mountain Oyster Cult", "House Dressing" and, my personal favorite, "A Great Big Steaming Pile of Us".



Posted at Musicians Home as a Blog

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Writing a Song


By Don Bob Bush



I'm sure that everybody has their own method they use to create a song and I think you should use what ever works the best for you but I am still going to tell you what works the best for me, hehehe…They say that you can’t really sing the blues until you have lived the blues. Well in a way that is true…Most all of the songs that I have written I have done so with a heavy heart and when I was going through pain. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that you can’t write a song unless you have gone through pain but you sure as hell understand the feeling and presents of a blues song when you have. This is how I go about writing a song… First of all I need to be in the right frame of mind and usually alone. I need a few things to get started. I round up a cassette recorder and a pencil and notepad. Then I sit down and write down what the general idea of what my new song is going to be about. Okay now is when it gets interesting…LOL I just start brainstorming on a good hook ,Very important to get the hook right! You have to get your creative juices flowing because after you nail down your hook you have to build off of that and create the rest of your song. Turn on your recorder and start singing and trying to find the right combination of words that fit what you are trying to say in your song…just leave the recorder running and go for it. I can’t tell you how many times I have been driving to work in the morning and was working on a hook for a new song I was writing and got it sounding pretty good so when I get to work I quick write down the words and by the time I got home to a recorder I could still remember the words but I lost the feeling of the song that felt so good that morning…a recorder is important for me anyway. A lot of times I don’t even pick up a guitar until I have a good start for my new song on paper and on a cassette… Then from that point on it is kind of like building a house one brick at a time and with a song, one line at a time until you are happy with the general rough cut. Once you have that it is just a matter of singing the song over and over until you work out the kinks. Then take it to your band and work on a good arrangement…lead parts intros, endings and dynamic’s and so on…There you have it that is how I do it. It is important to realize that every song is Not going to be a hit but to keep on writing and keep on trying to get it right… and to always write from your heart! Thanks for reading my ideas :-)


=Don Bob Bush=
Posted at Musicians Home
http://musicians-home.ning.com


Tuesday, February 24, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY/VALENTINE'S DAY, DAD

My dad, Arnold F. Staffen was born in Greenville, MI, Feb. 14,(Valentine’s Day)1921. He was major influence on my musical career. He played the trumpet and was a HUGE barbershopper. Man, there’s some serious ear development in barbershop harmony which I’m familiar with! He passed away in 1985.

Also while on this subject, I must include my uncle Burt Staffen, also a Barbershopper. He was a judge for the international SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America) competitions until his passing in 2,004. He began teaching me music theory as well, at the tender age of 14.

I eventually furthered my career as a rock musician at some of the local clubs in the area, also going to college (Grand Rapids Jr. College) to enhance my music theory education.

I then moved to Los Angeles in 1976 and took up recording engineering. I owe my thanks and gratitude of both my father and uncle Burt.

Happy Birthday Dad! Love... your son,

Lar

This was posted by Larry A Staffen On Feb.12th at Musicians Home
Come and see more here:

http://musicians-home.ning.com/

Friday, February 20, 2009

''RONNIE FRAY BIOGRAPHY''

''FRAY'S PHOTO SITES''
http://community.webshots.com/user/rafray

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/4101760StnUOFpvQb#forum

''RONNIE FRAY BIOGRAPHY''

Once voted Ontario's 'Entertainer of the Year' the extremely talented entertainer RONNIE FRAY has performed throughout the United States, Canada and the Orient.
He has entertained in some of the top nightclubs such as Gilley's..Pasadena,Texas.
Billy Bob's..Fort Worth Texas. Royal York Hotel..Toronto Ontario. Hollywood Bowl..California.
Joe Namath's Bachelors Three in Alabama, and the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.
He has shared the stage with other great entertainers such as Ms. Gus Hardin, Bonnie Raitt,
Greg Allman, Buck Owens, Bobby Bare, Delbert McClinton, Jack Scott, Alabama, Ronnie Milsap,
Leon Russell, Hank Williams Jr., David Alan Coe and Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins, just to name a few.

The following has been condensed from an article in the September 1992 issue of 'For The Records'
a Canadian record Collectors ‘magazine' published in Sarnia Ontario Canada. June-1997.

Rerevised Nov. 2000.
RON'S BACKGROUND.......
Proudly displayed on a wall of Ronnie's apartment is a picture of his grandfather, Reginald Fudge.
He played the saw, fiddle, banjo or 'anything with a bow', on Vaudeville Stages.
Ron's mother 'made' records (quite literally,she pressed them) at Spartan Records Co.Ltd.
London Ontario Canada. Ron's dad worked there too.
"My dad played harmonica, spoons and he could really yodel quite well too."
RONNIE FRAY...
Ron was born in London Ontario Canada.
He used to walk to a friends house and the two of them would go to their guitar lessons from
'Edith Hill Adams' on Egerton St. His friend? Canadian singer, Tommy Hunter! Ron studied
steel guitar for a few years. He and Tommy attended grade school together...
Ealing School on Hamilton Road in east London.

TRAVELLIN'........
His first public appearance...at age 15...was with "The Middlesex Ramblers," with Larry Broderick of London
in 1956. He played steel guitar with Vic Cole..Delmer Schlon and Buddy Henderson. During their rehearsals,
Ron would often grab an acoustic guitar and sing some songs of the 'upstart' Elvis Presley.
His first 'paying' performance was in the Capitol Theater in Woodstock Ontario....between movies.
At one of these early performances, some girls started yelling for them to do Elvis songs.
Larry said, "Sure, we've got a steel guitar player here who's going to sing you some Elvis songs"
and motioned for Ron to take his guitar. Knees shaking....He sang "That's Alright Mama" and
"Love Me Tender". He was so taken with audience reaction, he bought an old Harmony guitar..
(at Novak's Pawn Shop in London). He quit the 'Middlesex Ramblers' found some new players
and formed "The Belaires" on his own. Larry Broderick went on to be ''Larry Lee and the Leasures''
and then he moved to Nashville and became a booking agent.

Then....... THE CAPERS..
RON formed his first band, "The Belaires", with Tom Leyes..Bruce Wallis..and Bob Pickle.
This band lasted about 3 years. The Capers meanwhile were already a functioning group.
About this time, Garth Hudson (organist) Paul London (vocalist) and Gery Risser (guitarist)
left the Capers. Garth to play organ with Ronnie Hawkins' band...'The Hawks'.
Ron was subsequently hired as lead singer and guitarist with the Capers.
He then he hired Jerry Penfound who had been playing organ for Ronnie Hawkins.
Ron said "we sort'a swapped keyboard players."
Ron's first gig with the Capers was in January of 1961 in Sudbury Ontario. Ron laughingly recalls...
"We drove there in Tom's 1957 Ford 'convertible' with no heater and it was sooo cold....just ridiculous!"
Jerry Verga of the "varjac" entertainment agency in Detroit Michigan was the main drive behind the
bands eight years of continual touring.
Ron says..."Man, Jerry kept us workin' from Tokyo to Atlantic City. From Detroit to Val'dor Quebec.
Youngstown Ohio to Nashville Tenn. "We had to fake an illness just to get a damnvacation."
"We all loved Jerry a great deal". He was 'THE' booking agent.

THE RECORDINGS........
RON'S first album was recorded at United Sound Systems in Detroit Michigan in April of 63.
1t was titled. "Introducing The Versatile Capers."
Four years later..... the second album "Get Caperized" was released with Michael 'Dean' Wilson on organ.
RON'S third album was "The Ronnie Fray Capers" a trio with Alan 'Clark' Eakin on bass. Ron and Clay Highley
were the only original Capers left. The group's name again changed to "The Reptile Band" in Grand Rapids.
He recorded his fourth album at at 'Bavarian Inn' in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Hal Beveridge on bass and vocals. Clay Highley on drums and vocals.
The fifth album, and best in my opinion, was called "Put This In Your Ear." It was recorded in 1980
in Detroit Michigan and Memphis Tenn. The songs on this album were original compositions by
Ronnie..Delbert McClinton..J.J. Cale and Michael Martin Murphy.

"Delbert McClinton is my hero" says Ron. "He's the guy I enjoy listening to and learning from."
And now his son is taking up all my space on my c.d. player. He's really fantastic.
"J.J. Cale is another guy I really enjoy. They're both great writers."
During the 1970's, he did a lot of touring and recorded about nine singles.(45's).
Among them "She Taught Me How To Yodel" and "Road To Nomineui."
A number one hit in Japan,(Okinawa) for nine weeks!
He has appeared on several TV shows including Austin City Limits with Roy Clark and Gatemouth Brown,
and The Tommy Hunter show before it was the 'Tommy Hunter' show...(Carl Smith's 'Country Hall of Fame'.)

He fronted the Gus Hardin Band on tour and on the Nashville 'After Hours' T.V. show.
Ron has performed as a band member with the likes of...
The Capris..Jack Scott..Ronnie Hawkins..Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown..Ms.Gus Hardin and
The Chuck 'bob' Carnes Show with the 'Dusty Chaps Band. On one occasion, while playing guitar
and harmonica for Gus Hardin at the 'Hollywood Bowl' on a show with Ronnie Milsap,
Ron says he looked out into the front row and saw Barbara Streisdand! "Wow..boys, we better be good"
he said! Another occasion was in Florida, when Greg Allman found his way to the stage to jam.
Bonnie Raitt sat in with the band in St. Louis Mo. and Gerald Stewart was on drums for a few months
while they backed up the Florida country rocker 'Gary Stewart'....Playing drums with 'Stewart' later was
Randy Panda..a Texas born fatback drummer who joined up with the boys in Columbus Mississippi.
Randy played drums on several recordings and toured with Ron for about four years...
touring all across the southern United States and also into Canada. Panda (Randy Woolery) was a solid force
with the short lived trio they called..R'ale. 'Dusty' Dale Thomas played guitar and bass. Ron played bass pedals.

VERY LIKEABLE FELLA........
Ron comes across as being rather shy, unassuming, and not at all egotistical. "I've never thought of myself
at all as 'quote'...a star. "I don't have stars in my eyes...I just want to be happy and play music for people
and get paid for it!"

He describes his occupation as an 'entertainer' rather than 'singer' or 'musician'. (He really plays harmonica well too.)
But believe me...he is all of those things. I asked why he didn't sell some of his recordings at his appearances?
"I don't think about it often enough."
Well thankfully he decided to record again. Ron is still busy entertaining throughout South Western Ontario and Michigan.
He plays some 'good ol' rock'n'roll, old country n' some western swing, beebop and lots of the blues.....and just about
anything else you can think of.
Though he is basically a single act, I have yet to see him play alone! Why? Because there are so many of his peers
who like to join him on stage! Fairly regular guests are...Bruce Dean, guitar...Tony 'lefty' Smith from Detroit...guitar. ...
Another is Gary McCracken of Sarnia Ontario, well known for his percussion artistry as a member of Kim Mitchell's
early group 'Max Webster'. He still has a few friends from 'The States' dropping in to jam with him.
You never know who will be performing with him on stage but you are guaranteed to be completly entertained!

FIRST C.D........
Ron finally made another recording. His first CD called "Progressively Basic".
It contains six of what Ron modestly calls ‘home grown' songs...his own compositions.
One you'll especially like is 'So Goes Another Day', a cool country song.
Also a couple of my favorites are....The Yodeling Song and '53 Buick Blooze.

Joining Ronnie on his album recorded in Sarnia and Toronto Ontario, are:
Gary McCracken...drums; Jim Lewis...bass; Al Weiss...saxophone;
Michael "Woody" Woodhull...dobro guitar; "Dusty" Dale Thomas...
electric guitar; Tony Bandoni...guitars; Dale Rivard...pedal steel guitar;
Gregg Chad and George Webber...keyboards; Billy Heater...harmony vocals.

Ron has just rereleased his 'Put this in your Ear' album on C.D...
He says "they're goin' like warm cakes"....ha ha!

The above, written material is courtesy of Dave Wilson, publisher of "For The Records"
a Canadian Record Collector's Magazine.
Please contact Dave at this e-mail address: dcwilson@cogeco.ca

The C.D.'s... 'Progressively Basic' and 'Put this in your Ear' are now available for purchase.
To get your copy-s, send a cheque or money order for $15.00 each in US funds to:
Ronnie Fray
161 Nelson St. #104
Sarnia Ontario Canada
N7T 7S7
OR www.risserrecords.com (Chet Risser)
The complete address is on our main page.....

Thank you.
rfray@mnsi.net

YOU WANTED A LIST OF INFLUENCES IN MY LIFE AND MY MUSIC.
HERE THEY ARE......
Mr. Herbert Long (grade school history/music teacher) Edith Hill Adams (hiwian guitar teacher)
Tommy Hunter (grade school bud). Then, coming later.....David Clayton Thomas (singer)
Clay Highley (drumer) Dale Thomas (guitar player) Garth Hudson (first keyboard player)
Ronnie Hawkins (singer) Randy Panda (drummer). Tom Davis (drummer).
and the pros....Delbert McClinton...J.J.Cale. Ray Charles...Buck Owens...Chuck Berry....
Fats Domino...Buddy Holly... Tony Bennet....Bobby Darin...George Jones..Jimmy Reed...
Frank Sinatra...Buddy Emmons...Chet Atkins...Jimmy Reed...Bobby 'Blue' Bland....
Hank Williams Sr. 'n Jr. Elvis Presley.. John Prine...Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown...
Leroy Parnell...Gus Hardin...Brent Mason..Hank Garland..All the 'Big Bands'..
And of coarse, my dad, Arthur J. Fradgley. My mom for her everyday inspirations...
and my grandfather, Reginald Fudge. (he played all strings and the saw.)
There are many many more ... far too numerous to mention....
but, without these people in my life, I just wouldn't be!

Thank you and 'Keep on Pickin'.
=R=

Ronnie Fray is a member of Musicians Home and a Great Friend!
Come and see more here: http://musicians-home.ning.com

Don Bob Bush Biography

About Me

My name is Don Bob Bush and I was born in a small town in southern Ohio. I was brought up in a southern home and I have been around Country music my whole life. I remember as a young boy on Saturday night sitting on the floor and watching the HeeHaw Show. Roy Clark, Buck Owens and Archie Camble and we can not forget Grandpa Jones. As I grew up my biggest influences were people like Hank Williams Jr,George Jones, Merle Haggard and David Allen Coe. After living in Ohio my family moved around a lot but we finally ended up in Belding Michigan in 1973
Later in life soon after high School I started a band in 1978 it was called The Gamblers Band. We had that band together for two years and we played every weekend to a packed house. Back in those days things were a lot different than they are now in many ways! It was very much fun and we thought we were stars…I had a lot of growing up to do and I would soon be on the road with a new band. A man came in where we were playing one Saturday night and offered me a job singing in his band and they were going on the road and playing in some clubs in Detroit. His name was Hal Beveridge and he was well known around the Grand Rapids Michigan area…I took him up on his offer and I was still green behind the ears but learning the ropes fast. We went into the Studio and recorded (Jim Beam Blues) a song I wrote and a Delbert McClinton song called (Go On) with this band.
We were playing label songs of all of my heroes and I loved it. We were opening for big name bands and having a great time. I have had the opportunity to open for bands like Hank Williams Jr., David Allen Coe and Charley Daniels.
After I played with the Beveridge Brothers Band for a few years I left them and joined a band called Lotta Miles Band and we were on the road around western Michigan. They were a great band and we had a lot of fun and made a lot of money. I had the opportunity to open for Box Car Willie at the Show boat in Lowell Michigan with this band.
It was time for me to start my own band and go on my own so I put together The Don Bob Bush Band and we have been playing in the Grand Rapids area for many years. We have been in and out of the studio and recorded many of my original songs. Some of which are…(A Couple of Fools),( Future Man), (I Learned How to Live) and also (I Still Love You). We will be in the Studio and record more songs soon
Posted at Musicians Home
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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Who Am I

Lets see, This is hard for me to count back so many years and players. I started playing the drums when I was 5yrs old. My dad had a band called (The POP-A-TOPS) Figures beer and music go good together! (THANKS DAD)He played the Steel Guitar. His father Earl Price played lead guitar and fiddle with him in that band. (MISS HIM TOO) I guess I can say I thank my dad and grandfather for the talent I have. My bedroom was upstairs and practiced every day with my mom's Waylon, Willie, Merle, and Johnny Cash records. I can't count how many needles I went through and how many scratch's my Mom now has on her records from me.(THANKS MOM) I'd drive them nuts day after day. Then my dad thought I was good enough to play in his band called Sharlow Country. Then I wanted to play flatop so I could play music with my grandfather who taught me how to play rythum with a fiddle (THANKS GRANDPA) Then I wanted to learn how to sing. Between my dad and grandpa (I was sounding like a cat crying for milk.) But I kept at it. Soon I was playing drums and singing with Bob Griffis and the Stoney Roads band. Well a guy named Harold Woodrum (WOODY) sat in with the band and liked what he heard and asked if I would join his band called County Line. So all my hard practice paid off cause while I was playing drums his nephew from Nashville came up for a visit and offered me to play (PROFESSIONALLY) For Sunny Martin on a 2yr tour. I turned it down after thinking long and hard and talking to friends like Earl Duzan about living out of your suit case. (Thanks Earl) I then felt I mastered the drums and wanted something different. So I started a band about 8rys ago and called it Outlaw Express. But then I went back to playing drums because lead was real different for me. The rythum was fine (just the lead) Anyway I wanted to play music with my wife Jane who is a very good singer and harmonizer and plays keyboard well. I didn't want to use the name Outlaw Express because of (The Band Of Outlaws and Royal Express) So I called on my little brother and dad to help form the band Oneway! We started in my basement in Muskegon. Since then Kenny Cook a very good steel player has played with us (LOVE YOU KENNY) and his cousin Roger, also a great drummer! (I thank Kenny for putting up with me while I was learning lead licks)
Matt Dunbar, a very good friend and bass player like a brother, has played with us too. Thats when I really got to know Steve Maycroft. I first heard of him years back with Borderline band at Deanos. The guy is wild on the guitar and very talented! I wish I could play like that. And also Felix The Cat! So I asked Steve for some tips and he said use the KISS (I said HUH!!) He said yah Keep It Simple Stupid!! Then he said learn your scales. So I went and bought a book and...(THANKS STEVE) I love the Band Of Outlaws. They play very well!! Anyways here's to all my friends: Earl Duzan, Jannie Lambert, Harold Woodrum, Rod Tenbrink, Jerry Hodges, Bonnie Woodring, Larry Obrien, Burt Smith, Tommy Bornes, Matt Dunbar, Kenny Cook, Roger Hughey, Lee Goodman, Jimmy Smith, Ralph McAllister, David Price Bill Holerman, Mike Myer, Norm McFarren, Steve Foster (The Fonz) And most of all My best friend partner and in crime, my wife Jane Price!
LOVE YOU BABE! So as you can See I love Waylon and Willie and Johnny Cash. And for the wild side I love Stevie Ray Vaughan!!!


Posted at Musicians Home as a Blog
Entry by Outlaw Express(Oneway Band)

http://musicians-home.ning.com/profiles/blogs/who-i-am