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Topic: Ray Price In Runge Texas... |
B Bailey Brown
From:
San Antonio, TX (USA)
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Posted 26 Nov 2001 3:26 pm |
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OK, so my old friend Bobby Flores sends me a very gracious invitation to see Ray Price in Runge, TX last Saturday night. You say, Where??!!. Well, it is about 50 miles south of San Antonio. I said, “Can I bring a friend?”, and he said “sure!”…Unfortunately after a few phone calls, I had no good looking blonds (or good looking any kind of female) available that night (sigh…), so as a fall back I asked Butch Cornwell if he would like to drive down with me. Butch has never turned down an invitation to see Ray Price!
I can tell you it was a completely enjoyable evening!!! Both Butch and I commented on the fact that Ray sounds as good today as he did when we started watching him in the early 1960’s. He is not exactly a young man anymore, but he has NOT “missed a step”, as they say about athletes.  This guy can still get on a stage and sing a song better than most of the talent out there today. Oh, you want to know about the Cherokee Cowboys?
Well, there was Bobby, and anybody that has ever seen Bobby Flores, no matter what instrument you choose to put in his hands, knows that music just doesn’t get any better! Additionally, there were 5 other fiddles on stage. A gentleman whose name I never caught, but I think he came down from Dallas with Ray, and he was excellent. They were complemented by 4 violin players who I believe are from the San Antonio Symphony. Good grief, they sounded like they had been with the band for years! Incredible string section.
Ray brought a guitar player and a drummer that I believe have been with him for years and they are excellent, but you would not expect less. Additionally, there was my old friend Allen Chapman on upright Bass, and Andy Langham on Piano (and he is probably the best keyboard guy in San Antonio!), who directed the band.
Oh yes, Ray did have a Steel player and it was the forum’s own Tommy Detamore…jeez, what a treat!! If any of you saw Tommy’s post about the Sho-Bud Professional he got a few months ago, and how beautiful it was…believe it! He brought that guitar, and it is truly gorgeous!! 8 pedals, and only 2 knee levers, and what a TONE!! Tommy was nothing less that GREAT. Butch mentioned that he had seen Ray a year ago and he didn’t let Tommy play much. Well, he let him play last Saturday! Nothing out of context mind you, but Tommy played what needed to be played and he blew me away. What a wonderful musician he is. I closed my eyes and opened my ears several times, and I could almost hear Jimmy Day or Buddy Emmons on stage. Tommy nailed it!
It was one of the most enjoyable evenings I have spent in the last few years. Thanks Bobby, and you can use my old Yellow Blanton whenever you want to!!
B. Bailey Brown
[This message was edited by B Bailey Brown on 26 November 2001 at 03:45 PM.] |
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Bob Carlson
From:
Surprise AZ.
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Posted 26 Nov 2001 4:08 pm
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Sure would like to have been there. I have about all of Ray's early recordings, except "Walk Me To The Door", and I believe he sings better now than he did with that young high voice.
You said Andy Langham played piano and lead the band. Isn't Blondie with him any more?.
He don't travel much anymore. Just stays down there in Texas and plays week ends. And when you go to one of his showes you know there will be a steel player. I don't think it's so much for himself, he was a pop singer to start with, but he know's what the people want to hear.
BC |
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B Bailey Brown
From:
San Antonio, TX (USA)
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Posted 26 Nov 2001 4:17 pm
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I am sorry to say that Blondie passed away within the last year. At least I think it was about a year ago. He was one of the GREAT musicians from the state of Texas, and he is greatly missed. He made all of us Texans proud!! What a great guy he was!!
B. Bailey Brown
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Al Udeen
From:
maple grove mn usa
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Posted 26 Nov 2001 4:49 pm
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| Ray was at the Medina Ballroom in Mn, a couple weeks ago with no steel! could that be a first, also is Buddy out of work? Maybe time to put things back in perspective? |
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Mike Sweeney
From:
Nashville,TN,USA
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Posted 27 Nov 2001 1:59 am
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| Blondie passed away last October after having open heart surgery. Blondie was one of a kind and had one of the best musical minds of anyone I've ever worked with. Mike Sweeney |
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Tommy Detamore
From:
Floresville, Texas
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Posted 28 Nov 2001 7:26 am
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| Wow! Thanks B. Bailey! It was good to see you guys out there. It is such an honor to me to get to do that gig with Ray and those marvelous musicians. BTW, the other lead fiddler was Dale Morris Jr. Dale and Bobby Flores playing together are amazing, for sure. Here is a picture of Ray and the band on stage: http://www.ImageHosting.com/images/Tommy/rayprice.jpg |
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Bob Carlson
From:
Surprise AZ.
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Posted 28 Nov 2001 8:36 am
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Al Udeen, If I went to see Ray Price and he didn't have a steel player....I would ask for my money back. How can he do "The Other Women" with out a steel break?.
BC. |
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Al Udeen
From:
maple grove mn usa
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Posted 28 Nov 2001 11:07 am
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| Bob Carlson! I didn't go to see Ray, but a friend did, how about "Nightlife" without steel? Thanks! Al Udeen |
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