Did Leon Rhodes play Fiddle on any of ET's Records?

Roger Kelly · Post by **Roger Kelly** » 23 Nov 2002 2:33 pm

...the reason I'm wondering is that on a tune entitled "The Road is Closed" written by Hank Cochran, and is on ET's "It's So Hard To Be Good Album" and released around 1972, ET says, "Ahhh Jack" (Mullatto sp?)who plays the first half of the break on Guitar, which by the way, sounded great, then says, "and Leon", who plays the last half of the break on the Fiddle, which was great too.
As many times as I have listened to this album, I never noticed ET introducing Leon during a break and hear a Fiddle being played. Since there were no credits on the album, does anyone know if Leon Rhodes played Fiddle on this tune, or was it a different Leon? Just wondered? It was a good break too! Charleton didn't take a break on this tune, but he was in there making it sound like only he can.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 23 Nov 2002 5:24 pm

ET's band at the time had Leon Boulanger on fiddle and Jack Milletti on guitar.

According to Webster's Dictionary, a mulatto is "someone who is of mixed Causcasian and Negro blood." I don't think Ernest had anyone in the band at that time that fit that particular description.

Roger Kelly · Post by **Roger Kelly** » 24 Nov 2002 6:08 am

Thank's for the info Herb.

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 24 Nov 2002 7:23 am

Leon Bolanger played fiddle with ET. When I saw them, it was Leon on fiddle, Junior Pruneda on bass, Jack Mallette on guitar and Buddy Charleton on steel, (I don't recall the drummer's name.)

Jack and Buddy were incredible, so I don't really remember much about the fiddle at the show. I do know Leon Bolanger was a great fiddler.

On another note, Leon Rhodes was actually a drummer. (At least that's the story I heard.) I don't recall ever hearing that he played fiddle. Chet Atkins did...

(I completely missed your post Herb. I think I've been up too long...)

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com[This message was edited by Ernie Renn on 24 November 2002 at 03:23 PM.]

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 25 Nov 2002 11:34 pm

I think it might be safer to say that Leon was a guitarist who found that he could increase his chances of working by also playing drums.

I'd love to see his early career documented.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 25 Nov 2002 11:48 pm

Jason, ( and others too ), Vintage Guitar magazine did a nice, lengthy interview on Leon, it's archived on their website: www.vguitar.com.
Jussi

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 26 Nov 2002 10:22 am

Jussi, that was interesting! Thanks for pointing that out!

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 26 Nov 2002 9:54 pm

I had read that interview, (thanks for bringing it up again!) but I thought I heard somewhere that Leon was a drummer and when Big D Jamboree needed a guitar player, he additioned. I could be wrong...

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 27 Nov 2002 9:07 pm

Hi Jussi, thanks man, I know the article quite well.
I'd like to read motre about the Big D Jamboree, the Beck studio, Leon supposedly working with a version of the Western Cherokees, and indeed Ray Price.
Pete Wade was pretty much Ray's guitar slinger for most of the 1950s, but it happens that Forumite Ray 'Skip' Montee has a really cool series of photos of the Cherokee Cowboys circa 1955; Leon on guitar.

When all is said and done though, I loved that article.