Why do Accordians get such a bum rap ?

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 8 Jun 2009 10:01 pm

Accordian players were an integral part of Western Swing and Cowboy Bands up through the 40's and even the early 50's. There have been Accordian players and then really good Accordianists (like Fiddle players and Violinists). There was some real smooth music with an Accordian playing with violins and even clarinets in Western Bands. Even Riders in the Sky sounded better when they added a good Accordian player. The only trouble in the early years when Piano Players did not have electronic pianos, When the band played an out of town gig, it was not very often that the Dance Hall had a Piano that was in the same pitch as the Accordian.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 8 Jun 2009 10:57 pm

I may be wrong[if I am maybe Rick can set me right] Seems I remember Mr. Monroe had one in one of his early bands. DYK?BC

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 8 Jun 2009 11:47 pm

Accordians are still predominate in Polka Bands and Cajun Bands. They add a lot of body to the music. Jody.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 9 Jun 2009 2:54 am

Charles Davidson wrote:I may be wrong[if I am maybe Rick can set me right] Seems I remember Mr. Monroe had one in one of his early bands. DYK?BC

Yes Monroe had Sally Ann Forrester as the accordion player in Bluegrass Boys, off and on, from '43 till March of '46.

Some have said that the only way Monroe could use Howdy Forrester(one of the hottest fiddlers at the time) on the road was to take his wife, Sally Ann, along. It was during WWII years and pickers were scarce so he went and put her to work in the band. She left the band when Monroe replaced her husband with Chubby Wise.

She recorded eight tracks with the Bluegrass Boys on accordion and sang harmony with Bill on two cuts.

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 9 Jun 2009 3:11 am

In the 40s if you did not have an accordian in the band, in california,where I was mostly, you were dead meat. Even Roy Acuff who was real hot at the time was not drawing capacity crowds until he added an accordian and let Rachel take a few breaks. The crowd loved it. cc

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 9 Jun 2009 4:11 am

Charles and Alvin are right about Sally Ann Forester. I'm just glad she didn't play dorbo. You know Monroe also had some electric guitars on some of his Columbia records.

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 9 Jun 2009 5:55 am

Tex Ritter said he didn't hate accordians, only
accordian players. Early on, the only beef I had with the ones I came in contact with is they wouldn't
ever shut up and walked over everyone in the band.
That is not an accurate impression, as I do appreciate a good one in the proper setting.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 9 Jun 2009 6:29 am

Clyde,that could be said about ANY instrument,it's not the instrument,but WHO'S hands it's in. DYK?BC.

Steve Hitsman · Post by **Steve Hitsman** » 9 Jun 2009 6:49 am

A couple of hot accordian players:

(I know, I know, it's actually a bandoleon... close enough.)

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 9 Jun 2009 7:06 am

it's 'bandoneon' and that is an accordion. just a button accordion.

Speaking of which
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kl96zp7zUg

I have an accordionist in my group. We are a lady of spain free zone.

Steve Hitsman · Post by **Steve Hitsman** » 9 Jun 2009 7:51 am

Uh, excuse me: http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdseyeview/2215129422/

Bandoleon, bandoneon... they're interchangeable.

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 9 Jun 2009 8:11 am

Who says accordions aren't cool?

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 9 Jun 2009 8:40 am

For the same reasons banjos and pedal steels often get a bum rap - "It ain't what they call rock and roll.", to quote Mark Knopfler It's all image. With no disrespect to Lawrence Welk, who was a fine bandleader with a great band, the image of senior citizens doing polkas and waltzes on his show just doesn't fit with the extreme youth-image demanded these days. Welk's show imprinted that accordion image on the mainstream of every generation since the baby boomers.

The band I spend most of my time with has a B3 player who also plays accordion a good deal of the time. It's a great instrument that is much maligned in many quarters. But the same can be said for banjo and pedal steel. If the forum banjo-haters don't like the sound of that, sorry. I realize that not everybody does or should like everything, but a little basic respect goes a long way and what goes around comes around.

My opinions, naturally.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 9 Jun 2009 9:39 am

Dave Mudgett wrote:For the same reasons banjos and pedal steels often get a bum rap - "It ain't what they call rock and roll.", to quote Mark Knopfler It's all image. With no disrespect to Lawrence Welk, who was a fine bandleader with a great band, the image of senior citizens doing polkas and waltzes on his show just doesn't fit with the extreme youth-image demanded these days. Welk's show imprinted that accordion image on the mainstream of every generation since the baby boomers.

The band I spend most of my time with has a B3 player who also plays accordion a good deal of the time. It's a great instrument that is much maligned in many quarters. But the same can be said for banjo and pedal steel. If the forum banjo-haters don't like the sound of that, sorry. I realize that not everybody does or should like everything, but a little basic respect goes a long way and what goes around comes around.

My opinions, naturally.

I would have to say that 80% of the time I play my accordion on stage, someone makes a lame "Welk" remark. Usually something like "where is your bubble machine?"
Thing is I'm playing a single row diatonic doing a Cajun song, or a three row doing tex-mex. Nothing I play sounds close to Lawrence Welk, yet that's what the public thinks when they see any kind of accordion. SAD SAD PEOPLE!!

Winston's Dance Hall - San Marcos

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 9 Jun 2009 3:14 pm

Steve Hitsman wrote:Uh, excuse me: http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdseyeview/2215129422/

Bandoleon, bandoneon... they're interchangeable.

eer sorry no. My parents are from Argentina. WE have prot naog roots in the family. i still have boat loads of relatives there.

i am probably the only tango playing pro steel guitar player to my knowledge. trust me on this it is 100% bandoneon. Just because you can google up a misspelling does not make it correct. Not to be nit pciky but,t his IS my family's heritage.

This is like people who call flamenco music flamingo.

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 9 Jun 2009 3:16 pm

Dave Mudgett wrote:For the same reasons banjos and pedal steels often get a bum rap - "It ain't what they call rock and roll.", to quote Mark Knopfler It's all image. With no disrespect to Lawrence Welk, who was a fine bandleader with a great band, the image of senior citizens doing polkas and waltzes on his show just doesn't fit with the extreme youth-image demanded these days. Welk's show imprinted that accordion image on the mainstream of every generation since the baby boomers.

The band I spend most of my time with has a B3 player who also plays accordion a good deal of the time. It's a great instrument that is much maligned in many quarters. But the same can be said for banjo and pedal steel. If the forum banjo-haters don't like the sound of that, sorry. I realize that not everybody does or should like everything, but a little basic respect goes a long way and what goes around comes around.

My opinions, naturally.

FWIW my guitarist doubles on banjo

You add kazoo which we do and you've got the unholy trinity hehe

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 9 Jun 2009 3:39 pm

Hey Skip,

Don't be shy now.

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 9 Jun 2009 3:58 pm

Hey, work is work.

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 9 Jun 2009 4:07 pm

A to the M to the E to the N

If they pay me I'll play whatever makes a semi-musical noise

Why do I see a truck load full canned of re fried beans backing up to my house? lol

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 9 Jun 2009 5:41 pm

I was in a band years ago where we had a Cordovox player.. it looked like an accordian but it had its own amp and he didn't have to pump it. He covered the bass and keys and it weighed a lot less than a B3.
I dig the sound.. the was a local band called The Hooters that used a Hohner Melodica which was a wind powered keyboard thatsounded like an accordian.
But please no Lady of Spain or FLight of the Bumble BEe

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 9 Jun 2009 5:44 pm

Jeff Taylor will make you love the instrument. You can catch Jeff with the Time Jumpers..
Hook

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 9 Jun 2009 5:50 pm

I wouldn't say all accordions aren't 'cool'. The smaller accordions have found their way into various types of folk, country, and pop music.

The 120 bass accordion, on the other hand, seems to be more of a nerdy, fuddy-duddy instrument. It is most often associated with polka music, and polka is pretty old-fashioned nowadays. Kind of like the pedal steel guitar - it's often associated with 'traditional' country music, and that kind of country just ain't that popular any more.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 9 Jun 2009 5:53 pm

Here's a self-portrait in oil my brother painted, playing a four-stop. Accordions are synonymous with Newfoundland culture.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 9 Jun 2009 9:06 pm

As Hook Moore said: Check out the "Timejumpers". This is Accordian playing like in the 40's big Western Swing Bands. There has been a lot of Jazz played and recorded by Pop Quintet and Sextet Groups with Accordians over the years.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 9 Jun 2009 10:04 pm

I think it is mostly because most of us thought the Lawrence Welk show was a joke when we were growing up (I thought it was OK seeing it later in life, but I hate Polka music). Like the b@nJ0, I can take a little dose, unless it is Cajun music where I could listen all day.