by JOE BENNETT of the "Sparkletones"

August, 2008

"Goin' Across The Mountain"

On Saturday morning at around 10 A.M. a broadcast goes out from a little Carolina town called Spindale. This broadfcast is solid Bluegrass til the cows come home by PRO Blugrass historians and commentators. They can tell you what color socks Lester Flatt wore when they recorded Foggy Mountain Breakdown!

The program is called "Goin' Across The Mountain" and if you haven't heard any modern Blue Grass music lately, just take a listen to the skills they have accomplished these days. Some of the licks are undeniably unbelieveable.

The new songs are very enjoyable and entertaining with fresh story lines that will draw you into the compositions and touch the old heart strings.

If you have listened to much Sparkletones music, you will hear the vocal harmonies that are straight from the Blue Grass genre. Everything we ever did that had any kind of harmony sounded like the mountain harmonies we were raised on. Sparkie's voice was the spice in the mix. We just threw ourselves into the pot and whatever came out was Carolina Rock 'n Roll with stolen horn licks and jazzy swing beats on the drums and lots of walking bass ... probably the only instrument that could not be called blue-grassy because the bass in blue grass usually plays a 1-5 swing.

Yeah, they called us "Rockabilly" (For which we are proud) but we have to admit the music had a kick and a certain feel you couldn't find anywhere else. Even now, you could put a 5 string banjo, a fiddle Ýor mandoline in with our old stuff and it would fit like a glove! As a matter of fact, Sparkie is a superb 5 string banjo picker these days and plays Foggy Mountain Breakdown" just like Earl!

Ya'll drop in a see us sometime!

Joe




July, 2008

Lookin' for Leads

For a while I have been trying to get a tune called "Up a Lazy River" by Si Zentner, one of my all-time favorite big band cuts. No way you can stay in your seat when that recording comes on. That band was like a well-oiled piece of equipment that just never fails you. You are right, the arrangement was not so complicated but the band fit the arrangement like a glove and the t-bone solo at the end was a killer. Drums were rocking along right in the rock and roll groove and the bass sound was the best possible in those days ... The bass line was just perfect.

I have often written about how we didn't have rock and roll guitarists in the 50's to copy so we had to dig out horn parts and modify them.This song is a good well to drink from for that.

Let me just say that Mr. Zentner's arranger, Mr. Florence, came up with a ton of licks on that one cut. You could copy them and and add your own ideas to them.

Well, as you well know, with home recording equipment that is available in our day we can get commercial quality in the back room and with the multi track recorders, we can make our own big band sounds using guitars and keyboards. What an age we're living in. All those years I thought I was playing in tune and then I tried a electric tuner! Good grief, what a difference!

JD's Boogie Woogie was another that supplied ideas for guitar leads.

I finally did find the place to hear ... Lazy River ... if you want to have a little joy in your life, punch it in and turn up the volume ... in the search box enter "Si Zentner Up a Lazy River".

I sure do appreciate the video feature in the Rockabillyhall.com website this month. Thanks John Hall and Bob at Rockabilly Hall.

We are trying to get a flatbed to park in a parking lot somewhere on some saturday around the end of July and have a group jam. I'll let you know how it goes ... meantime, ya'll have a great, safe summer.

Joe




June, 2008

Keep Pickin'

Things have sure slowed down here in Carolina (South) with go-juice being so expensive and all. We have several great employers in the area: ... BMW, Donelly, Millikin , Disney and others to name a few. I don't know what we'd do without them. We have a great climate here though it is a little dry right now but still possible to grow a garden.

You know as we grow older we become more concerned about the necessities of life and worry about things. It locks down your creativity and enthoozie for music and other activities. If you LIVE the music business it is easier to to stay locked into the music mode but trying to part time that with a regular job is flat out tough! Rebuilding transmissions and playing bass in a rockabilly band mix together like oil and water, especially if you don't have one lined up to repair tomorrow!

Most of the rockabilly cats that I know are tough as a gristle and will go down swinging if you try to make them stop. It is like a fever that 2 aspirins and a cup of chicken soup won't cure. About 14 verses of "Hound Dog" with a drummer that can REALLY play those triplets would work much better!.

I teach at Roper Music here and if any of you are passing through, I am in the phone book. Just give me a call or stop by and say "hello". I have some great students and I'll have one pick for you. I have them play Little Rock Getaway, Caravan, Misty, Hold It (with bass string ripoffs), etc. and tons of other great guitar songs. We need more guitar instrumental songs that require technique to play or just simple songs that sound good like "40 Miles of Bad Road" by Duane. I believe there is a market out there for it.

Deke called one day and I met them at WalMart. I got to see a sure nuff travellin VAN! What a sight! Those boys can really play and I was thrilled to see them in Green Bay 2 or 3 years ago. Hi Deke!

Too many sour-puss faces in rockabilly nowadays! Come on Gang! This is GOODTIME music we're playing ... SMILE ! You're on rockabilly camera!

Ya'll have a good 'un!
Joe.



May, 2008

Who influenced you?

Who did you listen to? All of these questions are ligit and very common in music circles. No doubt Les Paul, Arthur Smith and Hank Garland as far as my own background. The truth is, we all have to copy someone ... there has to be a beginning though ... right?

Well, we must confess that generally, the stage belongs to the innovators ... those who did something a little different or just flat played it their way regardless of what others think.

One of the greatest was Danny Gatton. He fooled around with that guitar and coaxed different licks out of it ... (slide with a beer bottle?) How about "remington ride" in double-stops with snaps and double-stop ripoffs?

Tommy Emmanuel is one of my current favorites. This guy is a super entertainer as well as a master musician and he uses the whole guitar ... no wasted space there ! Could be the best on the planet! He has more speed than should ever be allowed and technique variations to suit any taste. His mastery of right hand techniques are just amazing. Good for you, Tommy!

May I suggest something for all of us? Turn off all effects and see what your playing is saying ... really saying! Some of my students say," Please don't turn it off ... it won't sound good!". I really don't want them relying on effects to sell their picking. Some of the really great rock guitarists use the effects as a necessary part of their style ... ie: Van Halen, Metallica, etc. These guys are simply great players and have developed their own wild style.

So, do we copy them? ... you bet we do! Most of us don't have time to fiddle around with a guitar and figure out licks ... or try to develop a new style. These boys, previously mentioned, do it for a living and that is what it takes. So when we see Eric Johnson rip off a 120 note waterfall run without batting an eye, just smell the smoke coming off of the fingerboard and enjoy it!

I'll be kicking around doing some bookings as a a solo this year, mainly for the 50's gang. I hope I'll get a chance to meet some of you guys ... don't know who the agents are yet but hope to find out soon ... get me at joebennettguitar@yahoo.com.

I hope you all have a great, safe summer!

Joe



March, 2008

Carolina Pickers

Can you imagine a little kid about 5 with a mandolin, another kid around 8 with a 4 string tenor banjo, another with a acoustic guitar and another couple of kids who just sang not to mention a 14 year old daughter who tap-danced really great? That was the first band I was ever in called the "Jamborettes".

That little band won a lot of contests around here in the mid-forties to lower 50's.

We sang harmony as we heard it from the bluegrass bands. We did stuff like "Foggy Mountain top", "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms," Blue Moon of Kentucky", etc.

We traveled around to various schools and competed in their talent contest. Winners usually got $20 simoleans. Our band had 6 members in it so, if we won, we didn't get too much after the split.

There was one bluegrass band that was shore nuff tuff! Some kinda "Mountain Boys" (I forgot their real name) and one of them was a couple of years ahead of me in school over at Cowpens High by the name of Bobby Thompson.

I know. You think I'm lying through my socks and you're probably thinking," No way there was that much talent in one small area of South Carolina." For those of you who don't know, Bobby was one of the top staff men in Nashville. Played 5 String and developed new ways of playing - chromatically! He was in demand as a rythym player on his vintage Martin flat top. He did years on Hee-Haw ... the bearded guy in the background except when he duo'd with Roy Clark.

Just up the river over by Arcadia, lived another 5 string man who was really innovative ... Buck Trent! You know the guy with the funky little knobs as tuning keys that would de-tune his banjo a step or step down or up.

Buck was Porter Waggoner's man on banjo for years and was a great player and showman. He still plays in Branson these days, I believe.

If you listen to the old Sparkletones stuff, you'll notice it is basically a bluegrass tempo - I mean we played fast. A 5 string would have fit right into that tempo and cloggers would have felt tight at home dancin' to Black Slacks. Sparkie (The littlest one in The Band) plays really good 5 string and if we are playing in the local area, we usually can talk him into draggin' that banjo out and knockin' out a couple of Bluegrassers like Foggy Mountain Breakdown, etc.

Sadly, we lost Bobby Thomson a few short years back but his tradition and techniques are still used by banjo players everywhere.

Here is a list of Carolina Pickers you may recognize:

Smokey Reese, Bobby Thompson, Buck Trent, Wayne Arthur, Joe Bennett, Jimmy Denton, Sparkie Childress, Billy Childress, Pink Anderson, Marshall Tucker Band, (Toy Caldwell, Tommy Caldwell, Paul Riddle, George McCorkle, Joe Dean Haywood, Doug Grey, Rusty Milner. Charlie Daniels and Trottin' Sally! This is a list of just a few.

There is a book out about the Hub City Musicmakers - order it at your local Barnes-Noble Bookstore. You will be amazed!

It is always interesting to me to see how a new style of music hooks into the current or old style.. We know a guy who is a bluegrass fiddler and does a bluegrass version of "Play That Funky Music, White Boy!" Yessir, it will really malke you Hee-Haw!

Ya'll take it easy and have a great summer.

Joe Bennett





December, 2007

'Tis the Season

In the late 40's, my Mom took me to Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium to see Gene Autry and CHAMP in person. Ol' Gene sung all the cowboy hits and a few country ones as well. After that Gene got up on Champ and made him dance and do all the tricks cowboy horses did back then and topping it off with a pose called "The End of The Trail." Ol' Champ hung his head low as if he was tired as could be while he stood on a pretty small box and the lights turned blue.

After that it happened! Old Gene pointed Champ down a ramp and here he came prancin' right down into the audience! The announcer said,"Please don't touch the horse." Well, me having an end seat, I thought," Maybe just a small touch on the tail!" They went up and down the aisles, Gene waiving his hat to the fans and smilin'. I planted my skinny elbow as far out into the aisle as I could and ... maybe it was my imagination ... I thought I felt old Champ's tail swish across my arm! He was so big and the squeeks of the saddle and smell of horseflesh added to the excitement and then ... off he rode up that ramp and back into the sunset as the curtain closed and the band played "Back in The Saddle." ... off to see other kids over in Greenville or Who knew where. All I know is that I had a sad feeling that lasted a couple of days ...

It reminded me of another day that comes annually. About December the 1st the excitement would hit town. Red and green colors everywhere with majorettes and brass marching bands, horses, clowns...you know the routine I played trombone in the Cowpens Hi School marching band. Black and white uniforms with white buck shoes (Watch out for those horses up front! ... too late ... Squish!)

Ahh, those were the good old days ... until ... the caps ran out for your pistol, the fruitcake was all gone ... and, if you were a lone kid like me, you were left all by yourself to play with your electric train or eat nuts and apples. Man, I hated to see night time come on Christmas day ... but ... then! ... quick as a wink, the next day dawned bright and fair and you got to live that special day all over again ... well .. .almost.

We all have witnessed the let-down at times like these.

But! ... why don't we plug in the old strat, lay us down a rhythm track on the recorder and rock a little ... our way ... maybe try to write a song about Christmas or something ... maybe play a few of the good ol' songs. There is something about "When My Blue Moon Turnes to Gold Again" that can reach down into the bowels of the blues and lift you right out.

The other night my wife called me to the computer and said "Look at this." There was a young band with a girl singer playing "Maybe Baby" ... our song. Almost everybody has a "Maybe Baby" written by them. We had one too. The band had the harmony down and the lead licks were really good and ... the most encouraging thing was that the kids at the party were dancin!' When you see people dancin' to your music, that is one of the best Christmas presents of all! God bless our troops where the battle scenes are played out and give them protection.

Merry Christmas to ALL and Happy New Year!
Joe Bennett





November, 2007

Reflecting

Oxford American is a magazine calling itself the "Magazine of good writing" and I tell you what, they do have some heavyweight writers. The music issue comes with a CD with songs of the subjects included therein. Yep ... The Sparkletones are in there on page 110 and I really do appreciate the kind words and sincerity with which the article was written. Titled "They Rocked Their Little Hearts Out", Bruce Eder's presentation of "The Tones" and our history pretty well sums it up. Thanks a million, Bruce, for making us feel young again and for the great article. Please know we are all grateful.

The song "Bayou Rock" was our offering for the CD and something strange has happened on it. On the original Mundell Lowe played the lead. It was during the days when I said to myself, "No more lead guitar for me ... I just wanna sing." Jack Gold said "OK" and we brought in some heavyweight players. Anyway, that is NOT Mundell's jam on the CD ... somehow, someone has punched in someone else playing my licks ... but it ain't me! ... and it NEVER was me! I am curious as to how that could happen!

This A.M. I went down to Wayne West's Flint Hill Ranch and had breakfast with a bunch of Carolina Cowboys/Cowgirls ... complete with horses of the cutting kind, a real chuck wagon, tons of breakfast edibles, sheep dogs and sheep and got to play a little music on the side.

Mike Harper, Wayne Pugh and I played and sang Sons of the Pioneers stuff and it was purely acoustic ... I used to play that music as a kid and will always love it with the wonderful harmonies and chord progressions that influenced my writing down through the years ... how about the changes on Tumbling Tumbleweeds? ... Awesome! I also like the new groups such as Sons of the San Joaquin, Michael Martin Murphy, Riders in The Sky. I have written a pot full of cowboy songs but ... shucks! ... where you gonna sell 'em?"

I want to thank all who have given kind words of encouragement concerning this little blurb most every month. Writing words without music has been a little strange for me so I hope ya'll will excuse the goofs and I certainly don't want to offend anybody ... If I have, please excuse me ... I didn't mean to.

Ya'll hunker down by the fireplace and enjoy your families this season ... let 'em know you love 'em!

Happy Holidays ...
Joe Bennett




August, 2007

Cushman Eagle

Well sir, there I was in my overalls with hands in pockets in the traditional farmer's pose, when I thought I saw it out of the corner of my eye!... or, was it? I couldn't hear any sound but I couldn't restrain myself and,like an idiot, I made a mad dash into the crowd and as I rounded the corner of a barn, I saw it!

No, it wasn't all shiney and bright as I remembered them. As a matter of fact, It was in pretty rough shape, sad to say. Nevertheless it was a real one from way back yonder in the 50's ... a genuine Cushman Eagle motor scooter!

I have often thought of that little Eagle that carried me over the winding hills of Carolina. Wayne and I (The Bassist for the Sparkletones) talked his mom into buying him one. They were both "used" but ran superbly. Wayne's had been souped up and had a little more pepper than mine but we conquered every hill and ridge together. Sometimes we would go to Rainbow Lake and swim, lounge and watch the scenery while listening to that giant jukebox playing mostly shag music.

I feel guilty telling ya'll this stuff because maybe you didn't ever get to ride one. You could put your sweetie on the queen seat and go putt-puttin'on a Saturday and just have a ball. They were well built and very reliable which meant a lot since we didn't have cell fones and such back then.

That scooter gave me a freedom I never had before. I used to clip on a piece of cardboard to the front fender brace of my bike so it would sound like a Cushman as it popped against the spokes. But when I got the real thing it brought lots of joy which was greater than I had imagined as we putted around.

After riding thatÝ ittle scooter for a little over a year, I was riding down through Drayton in front of the mill on the way to town one day. As I motored down the hill to cross Peter's Creek bridge, the unexpected happened ... blowout on the front tire! Actually, it wasn't a big deal. I wobbled a little but held it in the road. After crossing the bridge, I pulled over into a front yard where an elderly gentleman was rocking in his chair on the porch. I asked if I could leave the scooter there til Daddy picked it up. He said that would be fine.

Well, that night at supper I was advised that the scooter would be sold. I believe that the elderly gentleman may have enhanced the story somewhat ... you know what I mean ... made it a little more colorful ... like,"Man, he was all over the highway and almost lost it. I thought he was a goner!".

Dad sold it to Lec Green whose son, John, proceeded to have a ball with it ... by the way, he is John Green Automotive of Nascar notoriety. Well, anyway, I had just got a license to drive a car and Daddy let me take our old 49 Plymouth more than enough. An unforgettable period of time came to a close with that little episode and, as a matter of fact, I might invest in a few parts here, a few parts there and ... who knows? ... a re-built Cushman Eagle is real possibility!

I used to think up songs as I motored on that little red scooter. So, you see, there is a connection to rockabilly music! And, if you never had one there are plenty available on line ...

Ya'll have a good 'un!
Joe

PS: if you have time, check in and drop a line at www.joebennettandthesparkletones.com




July, 2007

What is a rockabilly?

Howdy, ya'll! ... been a while but I'll try to keep it going this time for a while. Actually this is one I have been dreading but I knew it was a' comin' ... here goes.

Question: What is a rockabilly? And What is rockabilly? Well, a rockabilly is one who participates IN or listens TO rockabilly music and philosophies. Rockabilly is a genre or type of music. Performed in the rockabilly style and usually among rockabilly fans, the total sound (As would come out of Sun Studios, for example), is a sure-fire distinctive mix of rhythmic patterns with musical tones put forth by a small combo where bass slaps, guitar licks and the drummer pounding out the back-beat on two and four with the down beats on one and three, with spurts of drum breaks , make it literally impossible to keep still. It impels those listening to get on the dance floor and "Cut a rug" as the old folks used to say. When you find yourself sweating as you hold sweetie-pie's hand and feel like you're having fun, you have passed into the realm of rockabilly ... the key word being "Fun".

Back in the 50's, some columnist called us "Rockabillies" - it hurt our feelings but we got labeled that from then on. I believe it was the way we talked that put the label on us - of course, later, we were glad to be called rockabillies - but to tell you the truth I never felt like we touched on the sound of "That's alright, Mama" which, in my humble opinion was the very first real rockabilly song - it was always my measuring stick. Ricky's style was definitely rockabilly - man it was a great sound with James filling those donuts up with clean, solid licks coming off of that telly - not to mention numerous others who were fantastic musicians.

There is not much that can compare with the first lick of a rockabilly band in perfect tune as they wind up into a good ol' foot-pattin', hand-clappin' solid song that puts you shakin' on the ballroom floor.

Someone asked at work last week what the heck was wrong with the recording industry? Well, here it is in the nut-shell ... we forgot the girls. Girls like to dance - WITH BOYS!" - but boys are shy and don't know how to "Fast Dance" they call it - oh, no sweat - they can "Slow-Dance" but will they? Once the kids start dancing' again, It will open up. Now, they sit or stand at a $75 or more concert - while their pained ears ache from the watts coming off of that stage - think the girls like it, generally? I say NO!. All it would take would be a courageous major label to try to turn the tide - search for uniqueness - like the Beatles. ..play danceable music that doesn't kill your ears - come on somebody! - let's make music FUN again!

Anyway, it is obvious that rockabilly comes from hillbilly - meaning hillbilly stringed instruments, not horns or synthetic sounds - vocals are of the old gospel type with appropriate rock and roll beat. It means more. It means the music is played on stringed instruments with harmonies and simple chord progressions. Just my cup 'o tea -

Here's hoping you guys have a great summer and are kept safe. It would be great to hear from you - new web site that you might enjoy with a hot lick or two plus newer photos . Drop on in and see us - @ joebennettandthesparkletones.com ... also the sparkletones on youtube - some old videos from Nat King Cole, Sullivan. Etc.

Bye, ya'll
Joe B.



April, 2007

Tabakky Lesson

Time for the good times - weather is great and people are friendlier. There are a few grumblers about taxes which are due on the 15th as we all know but by-and-large everything seems to be just peachy.

Many bands used the winter months to throw together a new inventory of songs or write a few. Some are hosing off the flat-beds or checking cables and plugs to make sure all the connections are solid.

As we look back over the past year we note one thing that is unwelcome. One more birthday has visited us which means we are getting older. A little at a time. Old Poppa Time waits for no man and the clock just keeps on ticking. But, know what? - we just keep on rocking and trying to enjoy our music and culture from the 50's. It is always great to hang out with some other rock-a-billies and swap stories about our experiences on the road. Some are good for a bellie-shakin', down-deep hee-haw.

Once on a cold wintry day here in Carolina we were traveling between jobs in the lower part of the state . We made a rest stop at a little place, topped off the tank and scooted back out into the traffic. Members of the band at the time were Rick Dunn, Gene Brown, Wayne Arthur and myself. My uncle Claude was traveling with us and was driving at the time.

When the cellophane paper started cracklin', I thought it was a candy bar wrapper but NO, it was the wrapper from a plug of chewing tobacco withdrawn from Rick's shirt pocket. He promptly made the announcement that the plug would be divided evenly between us band members - Unk would be left out of it.

First one to get rid of his chaw had to buy lunch for everyone. "Ready?" Rick asked. "Alright, you boys are not gonna be able to play tonite if you do that stuff." warned Unk. It was too late . Four chaws made their way into the chewing cycles of 4 dumb kids. Here it was, colder than a witche's belt buckle in the dead of winter, inside a hot car, too cold to let the windows down and no place to spit except out the car window where it blew right back into your face if you tried. No paper cups available.

As time wore on, a tiny trickle started down everyone's throat and it hit the "Gag Button" somewhere around the tonsil area near the adnoids - let's face it, the mouth can only hold so much volume then the liquid follows he path of least resistance and goes - you guessed it - DOWN! - YAAAAA!!!!! He exclaimed as he went for the door handle and missed.

The soggy chaw hit the window ricocheting into his lap. The other three of us almost strangled until finally, Unk pulled the limo over and we peeled outta the cockpit - tabakky chaw and good red spit spewing forth.

Other drivers looked at us in curiosity and probably thought we were totally nuts - they were right. I don't believe Rick could see too much anyway. How ironic! The whole thing was his idea!

Here's hoping you all have a great spring and summer and that I'll see you somewhere down the line.

Joe



March, 2007

A Musical Ear

Howdy everyone! I hope all is well with you and yours and that you're enjoying some good 'ol Rockabilly music these days.

A friend and student, Bruce Cannon, brought in some awesome stuff this past week by The Blasters. We had a ball just listening to that good music. I tell you, it is hard to sit still with that rockin' stuff "floatin' o'er the air waves" as they used to say! I believe that one of the biggest compliments anyone can give a musician or group is to run out onto the dance floor to claim a space to dance in when their music is played ! Let me tell you the joint was jumping at Music and Arts in Spartanburg!

Hey Blasters! - you guys are great!

Speaking of "GREAT", one of the greatest gifts God ever gave man is a musical EAR! I, for one, am tired of hearing people say,"Oh, I can't read notes - I just play by ear." Boy, it tears me up to hear that! -- Listen.

The GIFT is in THE EAR! People who can play by EAR should be some of the most grateful people on earth! Without an EAR, there would be no great licks or original pieces to hear. I read where Errol Garner who wrote "Misty" couldn't read a note of music! Yet, he wrote the most classic love song ever! It is a miracle when people can sit down and play ANYTHING they want to because they have a great ear.

One of my friends, Gary McCraw, has "perfect pitch" and reads notes like you and I read a book - yet he can play magnificently by ear! He is in charge of the music program at Wofford College here in Spartanburg and carries most of his musical inventory in his head - not a briefcase. "Can you play (So-and-so)? - well, maybe - can you hum some of it?" - then, away he goes laying in those big, fat chords of his and joy is brought to everyone who listens.

Some have poked fun at rock and roll guys for not reading notes but you may be surprised at how many CAN read notes. And so what? If you do read notes, you are playing what someone else probably created by ear FIRST and then put it down in notes! You've seen some of those old movies about old composers writing the classics. First, they try the sound out on the piano and THEN they put the notes down! - Hey! - It is the EAR, Man!

Yeah, I read notes - had to learn it from The Gibson Course when I was a kid. It was the way my teacher taught - the only game in town and I am really glad I got that training. It fed my family many times when writing arrangements for orchestras doing jingles and productions for single performers - .enough of that! But the gift I am most grateful for is the EAR - I can hear a song and write the chords as it plays or play along. It just means I am OLD! Please be proud of your ear - IT IS A GIFT FROM ABOVE!

Our WEB SITE IS FINALLY UP!. Here's hoping you like it - some music and lots of fotos. I want to say THANKS to Doris, my wife and Lindsay, my daughter for all the hours of work and support they gave me in establishing that web site - Everyone should have team members like them!
http://www.joebennettandthesparkletones.com

Well, you all have a great spring and just remember what the REAL gift is and WHO gave it - see you next time.

Joe



February, 2007

Steve Hoffman

Hello everyone! Here's hoping you had a really great holiday and maybe got a new rockabilly record for a gift. Here in the Deep South we had a really neat time.

The last few days have been a real hallmark in my musical history. I met and conversed with (Albeit on line) the one and only Steve Hoffman who re-mastered, compiled, and annotated the one and only album by our group, The Sparkletones, in 1983 on the MCA label.

You should see his list of credits! ... Elvis, Beach Boys, Beatles just to name a few! He is considered a GURU among the mastering/re-mastering set and has performed his magic on so many of the old cuts from the 50's on up.

He has actually held the original masters in his hands and sat down to tweak those babies into the works of art we collect and listen to today!

If you want a tour through musical history that will amaze you, check this link out. I never knew that one person could do all that! http://www.stevehoffman.tv/discography/.

While you are at Steve's site check out his forum's discussion about the Sparkletones and the Sparkletones' debut on YOU TUBE. http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=103584.

Thanks to Rockabilly Hall fan, Indy Mike, who was nice enough to E-mail and tell me about Steve's forum and YOU TUBE!

Now, a word about today's younger generation. It is encouraging to see so many younger folks wanting to hear about, and learn to play, our favorite genre of music. It is surprising to see and hear so little guitar work in modern pop and rock. Many of my students want to play Skynyrd, Clapton, Stevie Ray, etc., because they feature so much guitar.

It is interesting to me the number of guitarists who play through a Fender Bassman amp these days. What a sound! That amp can handle most anything you throw at it, but you'd better have a goodly supply of lettuce on your hip if you Go shopping around! They don't come cheap. They are older amps of the tube type, I believe.

Here's hoping you have the good fortune to be able to sit down in your favorite chair, after hanging a "Do Not Disturb" on your door, with a Pepsi and bowl of fresh popcorn and listen to a Little Jimmy Dickens album with all that great guitar work. You will be glad you did!

Til next time,
Joe Bennett






Holidays, 2006-2007

Joe Reflects

It was during the years of the wars - 1943-45 ... in the deep south. I remember riding in my uncle's car and it was cold. Memories of Ernest Tubb singing "Walking The Floor Over You" and "Sugar Blues" by Clyde McCoy playing on the radio are still very strong in my file of significant Flashbacks. Second hand smoke from a freshly lit Chesterfield or Lucky Strike wafted through the cockpit of that old Ford and, for some reason, I used to like the way the switch on the steering wheel column looked ... kind of a toggle and the shiniest chrome - a real work of art. Try to imagine a combination of those 2 songs - played together - and you will hear the origin of a sound yet to be born.

It was the era of "Der Bingle" and White Christmas and one of the coldest Christmases I can remember. To a kid around 4 or 5, Old Santy was the main event and any color combination of red and white drew my immediate attention!

Truly it was very picturesque down at Glendale. No big elaborate decorations or lights but usually a well done-up cedar tree and one single blue or red light sitting alone in the corner of a lower window in a 2 story wooden mill-hill house. Many of the old folks do it the same way even today. All that white with one solitary colored light down in one corner. To me it says something of tough times and quiet memories of worse ones that had passed before.

Tenacity was a very necessary thing in those days - you had to hang on and not let anything separate you from the most important thing in your life. These ol' boys new how to do it - lots of Irish blood in the area fresh from the tater famine over there and they were rough and tough.

Christmas morning finally arrived and after seeing the gifts and cookies and stuff we were told to look outside. Man! What a White Christmas! I ran to the other windows and looked out - guess what?! Through one window at the end of the house I could see plain as day! There were reindeer hoof prints and sleigh runner prints in the snow! I summoned everyone to come and lookie, lookie! They all agreed - Old Santy had landed there by the end porch. Hot diggity dawg! Don't tell ME there is no Santy Claus!

Of course, it was only Mrs. Bagwell's cow had broken out over night and drug the chain through the snow and ice and it looked like a sleigh runner. No one ever told me until years later. I was tenacious about that story and no one could take it away from me - not even now!

I also still held on to that combination sound of Ernest and Clyde and mixed in a little hootchie cootchie from the midway at The Piedmont Interstate Fair. The swing patterns on the drums, chord progressions and bass patterns featured by Joe Bennett and The Sparkletones were all born during those years of childhood. Mother could tickle those ivories and listening to her play those 1-6-2-5- and river blues chords got branded in my mind. Daddy doing the "Hambone" to quick rhythms got caught up in my soul and that is what will come out in my riffs and jams. Thank you Penny and Mrs. Ella for giving that to me - wherever you are, please know that I have so much joy playing music that you, Ernest and Clyde laid in my heart and I will try to never keep it inside but let it out. It is true that modern music has no place for my kind of chord changes and stylings but God gave the good-time music to make people happy -

I'll take that ANYTIME
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!
Joe Bennett






December, 2006

Songwriting Advice

One thing that is free in this world and also in abundance is the comodity called ADVICE. Now, good, well-meaning advice is certainly welcome when given by one who has whiskers on the subject. For instance if Scotty Moore said," Man, your strings are heavy as cables! Move to a lighter gauge!" I would say what brand would you suggest? ... you get the picture.

However, being 66 years old and having written a few songs, I have some advice for songwriters. I know lots of them ... young and old and there is a procedure one may follow that will lead to a good solid piece of music, Ready? Here goes! .... FIRST...GET A TITLE! Most amatuer songwriters will just start writing ... maybe about a girl ... they will ramble on and get off on some tangent and before long ... they forgot what they wanted to say in the beginning!

As you write, keep centered on the title ... directly or indirectly. If your title is: "Possum up a gum stump NO I will not go out with you" it makes for a real effort to keep focused without going insane.

I have had more than one songwriter tell me it sure made a difference in their results. Take a shot at it and remember to write lines that are only concerned with your title.

Truck Drivin' Man
"I stopped at a roadhouse in Texas
A little place called hamburger Dan's
I dropped a nickle in the jukebox and
played that truck driving man"

Line one says this guy is a travellin' man
#2 details line #1
#3 he is a music lover
#4 He either is, or would love to be, a truck driver,
He is pointing at the title with every line ... directly or indirectly.

Don't stop writing! As you finish one song, you will have gotten an idea for another song from the one just finished.

Try very hard to find a different melody line from the one just finished...go minor or slow ballad, etc.

Chord progressions nowadays are pretty sophisticated ... but remember, don't write a symphonic progression for your country song. Tell the story in it's own habitat. Did you get that rhyming dictionary yet? It will really expand your vocabulary.

I talked via e-mail with my good friend Paul Garrett ... sax player who went on the road with the 2nd or 3rd edition of The Sparkletones. He is a flute-man, guitar-man and sax man and still playing in the Myrtle Beach/Columbia area. That means he still has his chops and sooooooo ... it is jam session time in Caroline! I hope to see Paul and lovely wife Linda real soon. She is an ex-marine! OK Paul, Hup, two-up, three-up four-up to the supper table! (Just kidding, Paul and Linda).

If you are a visitor to Myrtle Beach, you will have found out by now that the Pavilion, which is next door to the Bowery, is soon to be removed. Many of the old cats will remember the great times we all had there ... packed houses and tons of couples dancing. Hey, beach music will always have a place in my heart. We played with so many of the old doo-wop groups like The Flamingos, Lee Andrews and the Harts, The Clovers, Drifters ... and on.

Come on guys, lets figure a way to do it ONE MORE TIME!

Here is wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...

Stay Safe...
Joe Bennett






November, 2006

Translating "Black Slacks"

Over the years, many have recorded our old song "Black Slacks" and some amusing things have arisen from the lyrics. I belileve it is because we didn't enunciate too well or the southern accents weren't comprehendable in the English language.

For example: A lady came to the stage entrance to the Royal Nevada Hotel where we played in Vegas( Now the parking lot for The Stardust) and complained about the suggestive lyrics to our song ... "Young man, I didn't like the words 'Black Slacks with the crotch hanging down to the knees"! We explained the that the words are "Black Slacks with a CAT CHAIN DOWN TO MY KNEES". She was satisfied with that.

Another problem incurred in the translation is: "Black Slacks, I wear a rainbow tie..." .... well, once on a trip to Hartford, CT we bought some red ties and derbies which were what we called a Golfers Cap back then ... now they are called "Pieback" hats I believe. At any rate, the ties were Bow Ties because of the lyrics of the song. "Black Slacks, I wear a red BOWTIE" ... not Rainbow tie. but just judging by the sound, that was an easy mistake to make.

Here is a real goodie. "Black Slacks, 'A' 14, Black Slacks, Really are keen ...", etc. Well, some of our terminology here is entirely different than that in other places. Some folks don't know how we used to carve up our slacks and sometimes, shirts. The first thing we would do after purchasing a pair of slacks was to have them narrowed at the cuff. A 15 inch cuff was kind of standard but if you were REAL cool, maybe a 14 inch cuff! Some cats even had a zipper sewn into the lower leg so they could put the pants on!

We called the process of narrowing the lower leg cuff "Pegging" .... so ...."Black Slacks, pegged 14, etc.

Please don't think we get upset about wrong lyrics some of you have recorded. It is a total HONOR to have our songs recorded by you, but I thought you might get a kick outta some of the translations!

It is all a fun thing and here's hoping you continue to enjoy your music! When you see fotos of Rockabilly Cats and those big smiles on their faces as they stand with their arms about each other and then see the "Others" with sour, mean looks on their faces, you can tell the difference that the music makes. My friend Paul Riddle of the Marshall Tucker band says, "What's everybody so MAD about?."

The City of Spartanburg is having a little party on the square in a couple of weeks and the old man is gonna get to play. Bobby Gaines (Lead guitarist for David Ball) and I are going to team up for a couple of numbers ... "Sugarfoot Rag" (a tribute to Hank Garland) and of course, Black Slacks. Ya'll come on down on Nov. 12 ... high noon!

Keep smiling and don't drop that pick in front of about 5000 like I did once!

Happy Thanksgiving,
Joe






September, 2006

Sounds of Music

"Well, I like it when that guitar hits them low strings...DOW, DOW, DOW".  " It's pretty good but how about when he grabs those clips, "DOIT, Dew, dew! That gits my coffee to perkin! Where did he get that technique?"

You have just been allowed into a portion of some musician's conversation. I am sure you have heard them before if you have spent any time at all around them. The language ranges from ba ba ba baaaa bap to deet deet deet...and beyond. They say that music is the universal language and I believe it....especially when you are discussing romantical things.

But, us macho boys, we need to discuss "Man" things...like, did Stevie Ray use a tube screamer or a big muff?...was it a tube amp he played through?...how did he get BOW BOW BOWBOW BOW (Like SOW...Mama hawg)? Now, that is some REAL musicicans talk...CHEWEE BOW BOW...oh Yeah!

Drummers are the epitome of musicians talk...I can't even figure out how to type out that stuff they say! Get one going on double-bass licks and he will drive himself crazy trying to put the snare, toms and  cymbals in to illustrate the lick! Too much going on at one time, if you ask me! Horns? Easy...VAH VAH VAH VOOM with feeling!

CHICKA CHICKA CHANG CHANG...BOW BOW...what a lick!

Our old partner Rick Dunnn was in town for a short visit last week What a pleasure to see him and talk about old times. When Sparkie quit the tones, Gene Brown came aboard to fill his shoes. Then Jimmy quit (The Drummer)...so Gene bounced over to the drums and we brought Rick on board to do rythym/lead/ vocals. He is a WEST COAST transplant who plays GREAT steel guitar and to tell the truth, was the group clown...When we had tough times on the road, Rick would come up with something to make us Hee Haw!...I mean the side-splitting type.

Well, I am what we call a "Ticket-puller" now...on social security and medicare...trying to figure a way to actually retire! I have done some background tracks for pageants  and a few local albums. I have one brewing so maybe I'll get a few sessions and just MAYBE I'll  be able to drop that teaching job at Music and Arts.

Dandy Don Seay gave me a Yamaha 16 track recorder (AW15 I believe) and I have a guy coming over every week to show me how use it...it is amazing the things it will do. There is just NO excuse for us Rockabillies NOT putting out a CD nowadays.

So get all the pieces plugged in, get the balances set and then let 'er rip!...CHANGA CHANGA BIM BOP...CH, CH,CH,CH!

Ya'll take care til next time...
Joe B






August, 2006

Boogie-Woogie Time

In a ticket-line movin' down Henry St
On about a Saturday night
For the rockabilly cats and rockabilly dolls
It's a dancin' time tonight
Spartanburg town is 'a rockin' and a' rollin'
Sweethearts holdin' hands and a' strollin'
When out on the stage he walks stage center
Everybody knows THIS cat's a Winner!
Let's boogie!
(And man does he BOOGIE!)
(From "Carolina Boogie Man" by Joe Bennett)

I have tried to figure it out for years! What is it about a boogie that just pulls you up outta your seat and puts you out there on that slick floor? I mean, where did that stuff come from anyway? ... maybe some piano man playing those staggered octaves with his left hand while he drops little staccato short forms in a syncopated style ... who was that guy?

1,3,5,6,flat 7 and back-track using standard 12 bar blues format. It is so simple but yet, ....

Remember Jim Dorsey's Boogie Woogie? Man, he packed the floor! To me there is no greater compliment to a musician than to have people irresistibly charge the dance floor when you and your group start playing. How about my man Ray Benson and Asleep at The Wheel? ... how do you fight the feeling of,"Hey, Ray! ... how about letting me sit in ... just one boogie?"

By the way, I had a student who was learning to jam the blues and he went to New Orleans and he would ask the club bands if he could sit in! And THEY LET HIM! See? ... all you have to do is ask!

Arthur "Guitar boogie" Smith's biggest hit was Guitar Boogie of course and we all have our own versions of that song. The Boogies just keep on coming!

If you hear the original Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", you will notice the drummer in the orchestra gets to kickin' that bass and slappin' that snare a little harder than usual ... I personnally believe he was getting the hang of the back-beat and just couldn't keep it under control!
But let's get back to rockabilly.

A 4 piece band playing a boogie woogie in the rockabilly style is just untouchable! With the bass playing the boogie line and every chord played a 7th, you have got yourself a winner.

So, if your little group lacks luster, and  you want to soup it up a little, spend a little time on some boogie tunes. Notice they are strong either slow or fast and the club manager is going to thank you for heating up those dancers so they'll be thirsty when break time rolls around! It's the Boogie Woogie that does it!

HERE'S HOPING YOU HAVE GOOD ROCKIN' ... boogie woogie style!
Joe






July, 2006

Sorry for delay folks

... my Mother died a week ago today (July 24) at 94. She was a treasure and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

I'll be leaving at noon today to go to Salt Lake ... youngest son getting married at age 21 ... folks call him Little Joe ... he is marrying the lovely Rachel Randall of Monticello, Utah on the 28th.

This area is getting pretty good crowds for the rockabilly bands coming through. Appreciation for the genre is improving. You can't cheat on rockabilly ... either the voice is good or it isn't ... the lead man is good or he isn't.

Listeners are more sophisticated than ever before ... most everyone plays SOME guitar nowadays, or their neighbor does, so familiarity with chord progressions is a fairly common thing. One must keep one's technique honed to a greater degree ... mustn't one!? If one doesn't ... someone else will!

Just got a look at our performance in Green Bay ... need to correct one thing (Several things, actually)! I made a slightly derogatory remark about my home town , Spartanburg, S.C. ... it IS a great little town and I love it ... much of the very music we love comes from here, not to mention the musicians ... sorry, Spartanburg.

Doris, my wife, jumped all over me for saying something about, "knuckle draggin' so-and-so's" in last month's blurb .. .sorry all you knuckle-draggers! .. man, this is the month for apologies!

I'll try to do better in August with some real goodies ... ya'll have a great summer!

I'm sorry!
Joe






June, 2006

I'll take the fifties anytime

Ol' Santy brought me a little ol' box-kinda thing that looks kinda wierd ... too small to be worth much. It had two small earplugs attached and a string so you can hang it on your neck. It has a small window that lights up with writing in it. Well, you probably guessed by now that it is a music player. You have to load it with music from your computer and just listen all you want to to music YOU like to hear ... no more force feeding that bing-bang , foghorn music that comes on the air waves these days played by some knuckle-draggin' dude with stomp boxes and a 500 watt amp. Just wait ... I'll show the kids what REAL music sounds like.

Well, my daughter showed me how to harness that mighty-mite monster to the computer, put me on the right web site with my "Shopping basket" and turned me loose to pick and choose. Man, I had a ball! ... just wait'll they hear this!

My son, little Joe, was the first one to be exposed to the real thing ... "What's that, Dad?" as he listened to Spike Jone's version of Old Black Magic ... What does he mean, what's that? Talk about something that will crack you up, make you lose your breath you laugh so much! I kept watching for a smile if not a knee-slappin' bellower! He didn't get it, my friend. "It would be better if you could see that cartoon as well as hear it." says he ... didn't crack a smile.

"What!?"

Let me tell you, those old songs and singers don't make it these days. I played some real Les Paul ... many of my old favorites that I just knew would knock their socks off ... "What's that?" My man, Little Jimmy, Chet, Louis Prima and Keely, even Herb A. and The TJB ... "Old stuff, Dad".

What in the world has gotten into these kids nowadays?! I mean, good is still good, isn't it?

Well, I tell you what. I'll just take my mini-jukebox. plug in both ears and fade off into the sunset with a "Do Not Disturb" sign taped on my back. Yeah, I know that one hand clapping isn't too much noise but I'll make my share, might even shag a little as I meander down that unpaved dirt road from yesterday. Oh, heck! My AAA battery just went dead and I didn't bring any extras ...

Well, guess I'll have to turn around and face THEIR world again ...

But just so you'll know. ... I'll take the fifties anytime. The generations come and go with each having it's own culture and the change is so subtle ... like from a G7 to a G9 ... it sneaks up on you and before you know it, you're diggin' some far out metal band and that is YOUR long hair you just drug through the gravy! Tell me it is just a nightmare!

Hang in there, gang.
Joe







May, 2006

Play By The Rules

Once in New York City, we had a session for ABC Paramount . All instruments were tuned, everything set to go EXCEPT I decided my mike was a little high ... so-o-o-o- I proceeded to lower it, ala Carolina -flatbed-truck-on saturday style. "Whoa! ... Hold it! ... DON"T TOUCH THAT MIKE !!! I don't need to tell you what I almost did! Good Grief! What in the heck was wrong with these guys? All I wanted was to adjust my mike! Their sole duty is to lower or raise the mikes or other adio equipment.

Let me tell you, if you are not a member of THAT particular union ... you are in deep kimchee (?) If you are not certified, you may NOT TOUCH THE MERCHANDISE! I knew better next time.

My favorite union story involves the fine city of Chattanooga, Tenn. I do believe. I have lots of friends in Chattanooga and some relatives, so please don't take offense at what I am going to say ... it was just one of those things.

We came into this fine town amidst all the hoopla and advertisement for our gig to be done that night. Soon after arrival, a local musician's union official came on the scene (The scene being the small narrow stage of the movie theater we were to perform in) and advised our manager, Bob Cox, that there was a 8 man minimum rule in effect for that town. Now, this means if you only have 4 guys in your group, you have to fill in the empty slots with four from the local chapter ... at going union rate. Feel sorry for the Kingston Trio! Can you believe it!?

Our manager was a very inovative cat and said, "Send down a clarinet, drummer, bass and accordion." Well, they did send and we did employ ... but they played on the sidewalk under the marque ... Bob wouldn't let them on the stage with us ... we were card carrying members of the AF of M and we got sued! We were all just kids and didn't understand about those kinda things but at any rate, we got it smoothed over and everything was OK afterward.

It was a close one...too close for me.

So, just remember that the union man is eyeballing 'round the corner! ... DON'T touch that mike or try to play with less than an octet ... wonder where they got the number 8?

Joe






February, 2006

Tellin' the Story

This past week I phone the Smith Offices in Charlotte to get permission to record a couple of my old songs. I talked to Clay Smith, son of the owner and then he said," Hey Joe, your hero just walked in ... you wanna talk to him?" "Man yeah," says I ... what a treat! Well, Arthur Smith, at 84, got on the phone and we talked of music, guitars, publishing and such for a while. I used to produce sessions up there in his studio for locals who wanted to put together a demo or jingles.

Arthur's "Clay Music" has published a few of my songs. We didn't have a publishing company then so as a matter of convenience, we just penned them over to him and with no regrets. He has always been so helpful to me.

I wrote some historical songs about our local area. One, "Carolina Clay" was a commissioned piece about the role played by pioneers in the Spartanburg-Cowpens area during the revolutionary War.

Another about "Trottin' Sally", who was a legendary figure around the turn of the century. He was an old black man who had a fiddle named "Rosa-lee" and ran everywhere he went . On occasion he would snort like a stud hoss. He would play that fiddle around the streets of Spartanburg or other villages in the area, hoping for pennies or nickles to be tossed to him. When work was available in the construction industry, he would work pushing a wheelbarrow. It was told to me ,by an aged man who knew, that he could outwork any 3 men on the job.

Here is the kicker ... he outran a train from Chesnee to Spartanburg after it took on coal at Chesnee. Some folks say it was from Inman to Spartanburg but ... either way, it was quite a feat!

David Pearson, a local hero they nicknamed the "Silver Fox" while driving the NASCAR circuit, was the subject of one of the songs ... it was called "Little David." It tells of his background , beginnings and successes. David had a redhot mercury (#21) owned by The Woods Brothers and together they were a real winning team. Of course, David's driving skills and sly thought processes caused him to win the World 600 his first time out ... he was Rookie Of The Year that year ... He still resides here in the area where everyone is real proud of him.

Every town or city has a story to tell. With a little research, one can find all sorts of info that may lend itself to being written about. I would encourage everyone in music to find yourself a good subject concerning an area and write a song about it ... remember,"In 1814 we took a little trip?" Tales of history, love stories or just plain strange ones like "Trottin' Sally" ... not to make fun of anyone but to tell the story. Truth is stranger than fiction they say.

Sorry for the delays but my Mom is having a struggle right now with health issues ... you may know she is 93! She is strong and hanging on ... it appears she is on the road to limited recovery at the present time. She is very special for many reasons ... piano teacher, kindergarten teacher, composer and a very extra-special Mom and wife ... on top of that, she named "The Sparkletones"! and has been one of our biggest fans.
I love you, Sweetheart!
Have a great February...
Joe







January, 2006

Sparkletones' Equipment

"What kind of guitars did you all use?" "Amps?" "How did you get that sound?" plus many other questions about style, equipment , age, etc. Tell you what....I really feel embarassed at times because I don't know the answers! I know that seems crazy but it's true!

For what it's worth, here goes on equipment.

In '55/56 my Dad said if I would finish the Gibson course on guitar, he would buy any guitar and amp that I wanted. Well, I did and he did and what a great day it was for both of us. It was time to go shopping!

I drooled over Arthur Smith's Stratocaster every day after school when his show was on WBT TV in Charlotte. On Sundays after church, we drove by Smith Music to let me look in the show window at Arthur's Strat's twin brother. It was a 55 or 56 Strat because in '57 we were on the road. I filed the 3rd string groove a little too deep at the nut so out came the handy-dandy silver chewing gum paper ... just a very little ... to stick underneath the string and raise it beyound the buzz. Can you tell me why "Silver" paper? Did I think it had electronic qualities or what? Who knows? Anyway, I grooved the neck on that puppy but kept on playing it.

The amp was a Fender deluxe ... NO reverb! That is how we got that sound! The reverb on the recordings came from Bell Sound Studio in NYC. The speakers were Jensens and we were very happy to have them ... Sparkie's mom and dad followed suit and we had twin-packs.

Jimmy played a set of blue-sparkle Slingerlands with hand matched hi-hats and hand-picked Ziljians with cases ... bought at the factory. After we stopped playing, Jim sold his beloved Slingerlands only to repurchase them a few years ago ... he won't tell what it cost to get them back! They were the originals ... Sullivan, Bandstand, Nat King Cole, etc!

Wayne played a fat-cat Kay bass red-brown trimmed in white. That bass is still around but we don't know where.

There you have the equipment list of The Sparkletones in the early years. The name was thought up by my mom who is now 93 and in a nursing home after a stroke. She said, "Why don't I make you a vest with a sequined treble clef over the heart and a few notes and you call yourselves The Sparkletones?" So, all the other moms did the same and there you have it ... voila!

Some of our music was written on the front porch of our house ... Black Slacks for one. We practiced there and music was written there along a few at Wayne's.

Sparkies "Cotton Pickin' Rocker" and " Late Again" were written in Clifton at his house. We practiced at the other guys houses also where cookies and coolaid were the going refreshment at the time.

Sometimes I would experiment with Gibson strings and flat wound strings ... even Black Diamond strings. They were cheap and not too bad on the tone.

I hope this has answered questions you may have ... if not ... fire me an e-mail at joebennettguitar@yahoo.com and I'll be glad to give you any info I may have.

Thank ya'll for reading this little monthly blurb. Have a great month!

Joe







December, 2005

'Tis the Season

Well, it looks like the last one of the year for this little blurb and, by George, it has been a real quickie - (Not the blurb - the year). I hope it has been a goodie for you and yours as it has been for me and mine. Sure do have a lot to be thankful for.

However, someone told me the other day that I am starting to get words mixed up. I asked what in the world he was balking atout. Se haid, "You are pronouncing wour yords backwards, clou yown! "Tomesimes I deckin I ro, but pot to the noint where I'm upsetting banyody - lat east not moo tany pomclain. I would certainly try to correct it if I did. Wonder what would make bomesody thoo dat? It could be the music ple way - bockarilly. "Just In Time To Be Too Late" - I never could hat a gindle on that one - how about "Looking Sack To Bee if You were Booking Lack to See -er" ... you've pot the gicture, right? I mean some of those titles will mow your blind. So, I say, come on boys, let's keep these sings thimple. If you're going to site a wrong, let's deep it kown on my intellectual level. Them francy phases and buckle-knustin' chords are rown-dight over my head.

The colors are practically all gone down here in Dixie so brown is the going hue. Folks are dragging out those green Christmas trees, colored lights and giant candy canes to put the color all back in.

Before long, they will drag out a ham from the smokehouse and maybe cook a turkey too. Walk down by the pond and hatchet down a pretty little cedar tree to put in the den by the fireplace and let the kids put on the lights, balls and popcorn strings. Uncle John tries to find the cider jug so a close watch has to be kept on him! We don't want him to fall!

It's nice to keep two or three ponies in the pasture for the kindred kids to ride when they come to visit. When I was a kid, many of the neighborhood kids had ponies and we'd ride til the cows came home. Just out of curiosity, I asked one of my students if he was getting a pony for Christmas. He looked totally shocked and said, "No. I am getting some video games". I said,"What!? You'd rather be sittin' on the sofa pushin' buttons and thumb-triggers than riding a pony over hill and dale and playing Lone Ranger?"

He said,"You mean you actually did that when you were a kid?" Well, one thing we do have in common with kids is music. Some of these kids can REALLY play and they have fun jamming' on a good ol' boogie rhythm. I read somewhere where John Mayer has given up those fat jazz chords for the blues on his new album. Heck, 12 bar blues is what we play - with a boppin' beat. There are probably a million ways to play the blues - some minor, some major, some slow, some quick, some happy, some sad, etc. If you check your band's song list, I'll bet you are playing a buncha blues changes.

There are 3 main kinds of changes - maybe you can use this.
Chords to use:
Straight 12 bar - G7, C7, and D7.
City blues - G7,C7, D7, Am7, Bm7, Bflat m7, Am7, Eflat9, D9, etc.
// // // //// // //
River Blues - G7, C7, D7, G7-Gflat7th -F7 -E7, A7, D7, G, etc.
// / / //// //// //// //
Not to mention Minor 7th ala "Summer Time" - Am7, Dm7, E7 with a short "Relative major" C ... thrown in.

Here's hopin' you have the very best holiday ever -
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Joe







November, 2005

Teaching

"Yodel-leedle-ladeeeee! I want my son to be a shore-nuff rockabilly picker that can fry a set of strings off of a geetar. How about this one fer $39.95 (With warranty). Shucks!... ya'll awtuh throw in about a dozen picks and a month's worth of free lessons ... thats a lotta bread tou're talkin' there!

How many hours a day should he practice? He's ten now and old enough to buckle down and git with it. Do you mind if I sit in on the lesson and eat my boiled egg? Do ya'? ... yeah I know it's a small room but we're men and can handle it, right?"

Being a guitar teacher ain't easy.

A student needs a place to practice where it is quiet and no distracting sights and sounds are present. My dad bought an old school bus, threw out the seats and set it down on the ground (No wheels) behind some bushes at our house. Many's the time they would call me from the back door and tell me to, "get in and go to bed ... school tomorrow!" A drop chord furnished the power for the light and amp. A music stand, chair and small desk were the furnishings. I painted the windows to keep it private.

Really, to practice or teach, all you need is a small space, light bulb and music stand. Anything else is distracting.

How many hours a day? First of all, allow for 2-3 weeks of sore fingers. You can't expect too much during that period. I say practice each item in your lesson 3 times daily. It's the number of reps, man! As hand-strength increases and degree of difficulty rises, more reps will be required.

After school, I would get a nanner sandwich and a glass of apple juice and head for the bus to practice. Sometimes I would stay there for 4-5 hours til I was called in to go to bed.

The guitar? ... you will be one lucky dude if you find a reasonably good playing guitar for $39 bucks! ... more like $139 ... why, Chet himself couldn't play some of those student models! Get a good sounding guitar with the strings low and close to the fret board ... not high.

Now, the teacher needs to be someone who'll get down in the trenches and hammer it out with the student ... share his experiences and keep him motivated ...n ot just string a student along for an extended period of time ... get him going QUICK! ... first lesson he gets the "Cat's in the Cradle" ... 5 chords and a short pick drill!

No, he won't be able to get much continuity but he will be able to HEAR the changes and can tell,"Hey, there is something in there!"

Then comes recital! The best time of the year when we get to show our skills and get bit by the "Showboat Bug." This year it is on Dec. 3rd and everyone around here is excited. I am really proud of all of them...for example, one 11 year old is playing "Sleigh Ride" for his solo. And I mean up to speed, leaving nothing out! They never cease to amaze me ... that's what makes it "worth it all" for the teacher.

I'll confess I do enjoy making the background tracks for each student in my little studio on my Yamaha stuff. It makes for so much more fun for them to play along with a band instead of a metronome.

So, if you have a yen to pass along what you know to someone else, brush up on your patience, go back and check your basics , and hang your shingle out in the local music store. You'll have some great experiences seeing another person recieve joy from being able to play music! What a great feeling!

Meanwhile, get that ax out and tune it up, call your buds and set up a jam session, and  keep on rocking ... it is good for the soul!

Joe






October, 2005

On Stage Antics

In the old R&R days, choreography used to be a part of the performance. Either you did a "Leg-roll" like Ol' Elvis leading into the guitar break, or some pre-designed steps in step with each other (Group like the Rockettes)) or everybody just did their own random thang! With someone like Ol' Ricky, the band just laid back and played and HE did the fancy steps. Another scenario would be everyone just stood there and did nothing because it was too hard to keep up with the chords or bass and be Fred Astair at the same time!

Now, Ol' Sparkie, from our group, could do it all!. He could wiggle, giggle and hip-shake and never miss a lick! ... just like he'd been practicing that move for a month! I just laid back and let him carry on...just like a miniature tornado. My dad would say,"Boy, get out there and do your stuff! ... Don't hide on the back row! ... Get up there!" Well, I was just seventeen and that ain't the age for that stuff ... you know how self conscious you are that age - zits and all! No Way!

Well, Sparkie went his separate ways which left a big hole in the band - I mean BIG hole! Soooo - we added a kid from Beaumont, S.C. named Gene Brown. Gene was the most talented of all the people who were called Sparkletone - guitar, drums, sang harmony and could boogie dance all over the place - 15 years old!

After a while, Ol' Jimmy decided it was time to move on and we moved Gene to drums and brought in a kid from Boiling Springs, S.C. named Rick Dunn on Guitar and vocal support. Rick worked hard at perfecting his stage movements and guitar work - a real super sideman (16 Yrs. Old!) He was the clown of the group, keeping us in stitches with his Snuffy Smith impersonations among other things.

One fine day we drove down to Rome, Ga. For a one-nighter following Jerry Lee who had been there the week before. I don't remember the name of the theater but they had a large, rockin' crowd and along about mid-set we were all cookin' pretty good. I believe they were dancing in the aisles when all of a sudden a loud crash sounded behind us. We thought the roof was caving in!

We turned to see and were greatly shocked to not see RICK! - All we saw were a pair of white bucks sticking up over my amp and a cymbal stand laying sideways!

Yep - Ol' Rick had gotten tangled up in his ditty-boppin' routine and went you-know-what over teakettle.!

Well, he got mounted up again while we finished the song and we continued making music til everyone had rocked til they dropped.!

Did you see American Bandstand the day Paul Revere's drummer went backwards off the platform? I am sure that every group has had similar instances of embarrassment - they are to be kept in our store house of memories for giggles when things aren't going too good.

Personally, at my age, I'll leave those boogaloo steps to the Rockettes and bubble-gummers! - Say - do they dance these days?!

I just heard a dynamite CD by The Shy - that thing rocks! Good work, men!

Gotta go get my oil changed (Ouch!) and fix Mom's well pump - same well I used to draw water out of as a kid!

Time is sure flying by, guys -
See ya' next time -
Joe






September, 2005

"Never Give UP"

Hope your summer was good...here goes.

I feel like I'been hit below the belt by Muhammed Ali ... and him not wearing boxing gloves. I'm sure that all Americans feel that way after Katrina's demolition of the gulf coast. It is hard to smile, to be the slightest bit happy about anything, or to even want to think about rockabilly. What do you write about?

As musicians, we are constantly searching for and learning new things. Well, this week, we, as a nation,have learned many new things. For example, a guitar man checks his strings frequently. When he senses that the end is near for his high "E" string, he changes it before the next gig ... I broke one once in front of a lot of people and it was a disaster.

Maybe we learned to check the levees or to make our city structures even stronger and to have plan A and B in tune and in place at all times.

How about those places not protected by levees, like Biloxi my old stomping grounds in the 60's where I took military training? Or Gulfport where we used to go flounder fishing on the trestle at night?

Rockabillies care about people and I don't know just how many may have been affected by the storm but I did see "Fats" being assisted from a flooded house in New Orleans. Surely our hearts and prayers go out to the victims. God bless them to become re-established quickly that they will find stability in their lives once again.

As far as I know, there are no rockabilly songs about hurricanes and such ... no poems of natural tragedies. But I do know that I speak for a large portion of the rockabilly culture when I say our hearts go out to all who are suffering from the wrath of Katrina. "Never give up, never give up!", said Sir Winston Churchill during England's days of terrible destruction in WWII.

May those words be the rallying cry when hope starts to sag and darkness comes on to close out the sun for another long night. May the warm rays of friendship and charity light your paths ...

Joe Bennett






June, 2005

June Jabber

Man, you talk about a web site? I found one! It is called drummerworld.com. I don't know about you but I have real joy in witnessing a master at work. Like Chet, he made it look easy yet was awesome to watch and hear.

My all-time drum hero is Buddy Rich. There was only ONE and when he kicked in on a solo you knew you were getting his best effort - just for you. This guy played the snare drum STAND! Anything within reach was his instrument. He even played the sticks - if you don't believe it just tune in and check it out.

Mel Torme was his best friend and he wrote a neat biography on Buddy. If you want a good read on a slow day, pick it up at your local library - but best of all, home in on drummerworld.com and see a phenomenal musician at the top of his trade - the one, the only - Buddy Rich.

There are a couple of rockabilly groups making a name for themselves around here that I haven't seen yet but from all I hear, they are super musicians and showmen. The Cigar Store Indians and Southern Culture on the Skids (Hilarious comedy in their show). I, for one, am glad to see more action on the rockabilly scene from new groups.

Aside from The Sparkletones, I also perform with Boots and Saddles, a cowboy group that does old western songs - Tumbling Tumbleweeds, Ghost Riders in the Sky, etc. We do rodeos and private shindigs where something a little unique is called for. 3 guitars, drums and bass and plenty of vocal harmony are the fare of the day when we pick and grin. Wayne Pugh on drums, Big Mike Harper on bass and vocals and Don Seay, Louis Solesbee and I make up the guitar and harmony vocal section. We love doing that stuff!

The Sparkletones bassman/vocalist, Wayne Arthur, plays in a blue grass gospel group called The Campground Boys and they stay pretty busy. Jimmy Denton, Sparkletones drummer, plays in a Dixieland/Jazz band called The WindJammers. They are a crackerjack group with good musicians who play on key and know how to swing!

A wise man once told me, "There are 2 kinds of music - GOOD and BAD!" Whether it is big band, country, blue grass or whatever - the cream always rises to the top. I once recommended 2 musicians to a guy who was putting a group together. He said, "You crazy? These guys are much better than me - they'll make me look sick!" He wanted guys who were just adequate enough to get by.

That same old wise man also said, "Surround yourself with the best talent you can find and you'll succeed. That applies to business as well as music or any other field!"

I have been told that there are a few copies of "Well Dressed Man" floating around somewhere. I can't believe it. The music just won't die!

I have a new e-mail address: joebennettguitar@yahoo.com and will be plum trickled to chat with anyone who wants to.

Ya'll take it easy and have a great summer!
Joe






May, 2005

Green Bay Fest

We shook hands with Hank Thompson and Franny Beecher along with the other comets! ... how about Glen Glenn? ... Clarence Frogman Henry? We met tons of people and saw great musicians performing or just hanging out in Green Bay. I felt totally lost not knowing who some were ... rockabilly giants actually. I found out how little I really do know about the very genre of music I am involved in! I hope you all will forgive us for the deer-in-the-headlight look. Some made us feel right at home. They knew our situation and explained the setup and introduced us to some folks.

Our special friends, The Halls (Ginny and John), were just great and helped us move around the area and were great baby-sitters for us. John and I communicate frequently on the web which helped when we got together in person. John, thanks for all the great info and snazzy pics you and Ginny made. Folks should check out your foto shots in RHOF ... good stuff!

We are really grateful that Marc Mencher invited us to come and it was a treat to meet his family and especially Shaun, his brother, who just eats up a guitar in the western swing style. You must make it a point to see and hear this man play. Yeah, I'll admit that western swing makes me weak in the knees if it is done right ... and Shaun does it right!

I was amazed at the number of new, young players who are on the scene and man, do they get the job done! Guys like Deke Dickerson...good grief! ... I have enough trouble handling one neck on a guitar much less two! To see Dave and Deke together was a special thing ... man they jell together! How about Cave katt Sammy! ... neat looking kids and play great ... I know I am leaving many out but these are just samples ... all that I saw were just flat out great.

There was this guy there who is a superb entertainer and kept us in stitches ... gasping for breath and I found out later a very gifted photographer. He played and sang a couple of rockabilly tunes and darn if he wasn't really good at that too! He has the Elvis moves PLUS a few more. He just floated from group to group, person to person with his handy-dandy little palm-sized camera...every shot was a classic, I am sure ... fella by the name of Allan Clark. He is a riot! Thanks for keeping the tension low, Allan! ... we hope to see you again soon.

I am sure all of the players feel a debt of gratitude to Bob Timmers for firing up the market for rockabilly music. Yeah, Bob, I know ... but ... someone had to have the dream and drive to follow that dream. Sure there was help along the way from others but you were the one who was tenacious as a bulldog ... not letting go and plowing straight ahead towards your goal ... apparently these festivals are popping up all over the world allowing us to market our wares and meet others from different countries.

I, for one, say "Thanks" a million. And to all who had some kind words about our little group, we say "Thanks a million" also. Here's hoping we get to see you all again real soon.

Joe Bennett
(Sparkletones)






April, 2005

Cars ... Guitars

Dad was a front end man ... the best. Folks would drive all the way from North Carolina to get him to do their repairs and alignments. The preachers got it free. They would pile into the garage next to our house and talk as they sat around the pot-bellied stove ... talk about machinery. Cars, trucks, combines, tractors, fishing and baseball were on the on the daily menu for intellectual consumption.

When I was ten or so, Dad would take me to the midget car races at the airport track on Sunday after church. Now that was the place where us guys outta be! It was loud, dusty and smelly and lots of heroics done by the drivers. Now, mother didn't like it too much cause Sunday afternoon racing wasn't exactly keeping the sabbath holy. So, after a few "discussions" (They must have had them when I was asleep cause I never heard them argue) Dad decided we would go to the dirt track races on Saturday nights over at Cowpens. Man was it loud! ... just what us guys like! ... loud, dusty and smelly with lots of speed and heroics. Everyone had their favorite driver and they cheered for them accordingly.

Now between races there would be discussions about carburators, ball-joints, toe-end alignments, etc. I just stood there with Dad, listened and nodded my head in agreement. Of course, us eleven-year-olds weren't expected to contribute to the conversation in a verbal way ... just nodding was enough, thank you.

It may shock some of you but ... to tell the truth I was bored stiff. I didn't give a rat's about chrome headers, cut-outs or glass pacs. All I ever wanted was to be able to get from point A to point B with no problem. Our old '49 Plymouth was just fine for dating and getting around (gas 13 cents per gallon!).

I drove a school bus in high school and had to know certain mechanical things about the vehicle. I learned only what I had to know like how to gas up and do an oil check ... that's it! To this day I only know what I have to about tractors, trucks and other pieces of machinery.

Those things kind of spill over into other parts of your life ... you know. ... let's take ... GUITARS!

There are those who know everything about their axe ... I mean everything! "Humbuckers", Grover tuning keys, Seymour-Duncans, Texas specials ... you know the routine. Man, there are more boxes, pedals, gimmicks than you can shake a stick at! (I know ... never end with "at"). Some folks can cuss and DIScuss all kinds of features and nomenclatures concerning a guitar ... I mean it boggles the mind! Please know that I envy you guys that can do that! I mean, I have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast this morning! Believe me I have tried to remember certain things about guitar features but the truth is, I just want to know two things ... does it play good and does it sound good.

When we go out to play ... maybe twice a year (Too old to stroll!) guys always ask me about equipment. "I'll bet you own 20 guitars!" (One Takemine electric acoustic) or, "Do you play a Twin Reverb?" (Fender 112 ... I think I got that right! Way too many buttons for me). It is hard for some of them to believe we didn't have reverb in the old days much less all those pedals and buttons available today ... When it comes to guitars I like mine kinda simple like that old '49 Plymouth. It felt good to sit in and you could do almost anything with it when you learned how to drive it! Equipment? ... I'll take what's out there on the end of that arm to determine how good it is.

"What's in my gig bag? " you ask ...

The truth is ... a 5 year old Squire ... made in China ... belongs to the store where I work.

We had the greatest time in Rye, England with Jerry Chatabox and his crew at the Rockabilly Rave a few weeks back. We connected with Eddie Bond, Barbara Pittman, Huelyn Duvall and Billy Lee Riley. It was also great fun talking to Roy Thompson and The Royal Acadians. Everyone was so nice and they know how to rock ... let me tell you! That is one GREAT venue ... the sound and stage were awesome ... not to mention the great crowd. Lots of acquaintances from previous gigs showed up and it was a real treat seeing them again! Thanks Jerry for a wonderful experience that we will never forget! Continued best of luck to you!

We hope to see you all in Green Bay for the Rockin' 50's Fest II starting Apr. 11th. Have you seen the line-up!? We will be following Link Wray on the 16th and will be followed by The Comets ... how great it will be to meet some of our heroes! Thanks Marc for having us over for this gig! Hope to see you all there!

Joe






March, 2005

Hoping, Writing and Wishing

No sir ... we didn't have an appointment nor did we know to whom we were going to talk. We only knew we would be at the King Edward hotel where we usually stayed when in the Big Apple. Wayne and I had boarded the train a day earlier in Spartanburg and headed north with guitars, hopes and a few originals ... "Boys Do Cry", "What the Heck", "Bayou Rock" and a few others. We were all that was left of the original Sparkletones. I believe it was in the fall of '59. We tried to write a few more on the train and I believe we managed a couple as we smoked our Dutch Masters panatellas (Real Big Shots!) and thumped out chords and melody lines.

We didn't carry much in the way of dreams. In our late teens we were already road toughened and had some savvy in the way the REAL music business game was played. We had started on the road at the ages of 13 to 17. In those days we had a manager, legal guardian and all of the business stuff was taken care of. All we had to do was play and have fun. Man, was it different now!

When we hit New York, we got a cab down to the King Edward where the Ray Charles road car was parked by the door ... ships that pass in the night. We checked in, went to the room and promptly opened the phone book to the yellow pages ... Recording Companies. We made a short list of 3 or 4, took a well needed shower and started on our journey.
Not too keen on exact dates and times or events, I think we got turned down by a couple but when we walked into Paris Records and sang our songs for Jack Gold and Barbara (The secretary). We got excited about their reaction. They had just had a big hit with "See You in September" and were optimistic about life in general, it seemed. Soon we were in a session doing what we really loved. We got in on the tailend of a Nelson Riddle orchestra session and got to use the Anita Kerr singers on one song (Beautiful One). Mundel Lowe did the lead work on "Bayou Rock" and some others. We were walking on air.

All recording sessions start out with high hopes and optimistic attitudes. "Man, this is gonna be really something!"

Then came the waiting part ... how long tail it is out? ... months.
Br> You try to remember the details of the session and how it sounded. Of course nowadays you can get a dub of your song and take it home to listen to anytime. Not in those days! ... it was wait, wait, wait!

Well, it finally arrives and you hear it played on the local station. Folks smile at you and want to talk about your new record. It is a pretty hot topic in your home town but how about Philly or Kansas City? Wayne and had trained our way back south with a contract in hand and some cut records in the can at Paris Records. In the days that followed we had a considerable amount of action on Boys Do Cry and were hoping for good times ahead. The good news never came.

BY golly, I'll show 'em! (Sometime in '60)... I joined the Air Force! That'll fix 'em, by Ned! As I got up at 4:30 am at Lackland AFB, Texas I thought about how they were really hurtin' now! Boy, I had 'em where I wanted 'em! I'll get away from that dirty rotten bidness (That's what they call it here}. I was gettin' my licks in left and right and I could tell they were hurt by the way they didn't write! Stationed in Spain, I wrote Dad to send my Strat and Deluxe. He did and soon I was playing again down at the Airmen's Club. We took our GI band down to Madrid's Record Company "Hispavox" and cut a demo. The Engineer called the president and told him about us. They signed us up and ...

There it was all over again ... hoping, writing and wishing ... Man! You can never get away from it! I just turned 65 and just so happened to have a neat little 8-track outfit right here in my house!. I've got some fresh new stuff that just might kick a little you-know-what out there ... what goes round comes round, you know!

Good Grief!
Joe
joebennettguitar@yahoo.com






February, 2005

A Mill-Hill Boy's Musical Impact

Lawson's fork creek runs through the little village of Glendale here in the foothills of South Carolina. It used to power the cotton mill which was the reason folks lived here ... to have a job. The textile industry flourished here among the rivers and creeks where dams could be built. Mill houses dotted the lush green hillsides along the rivers and families were raised beside fireplaces and woodstoves.

My great-grandfather on my Mom's side came over from Ireland and settled in Glendale where he fell in love, got married and raised a family. The majority of jobs were either textile or farm related. Here they grew cotton, turned it into thread and milled it into cloth.

There was and still is a certain "Feeling" between the gentry and the mill-hill people who were also called "Lint-heads"...a putdown for sure. The mill workers were humble, loyal and kind people. Mother was from a mill-hill family, Dad a farmer who once worked in Glendale mill where he met my mom (Thank goodness).

In the very early years electricity and radios were not common much less telephones. I am 65 and remember when we got our first phone. The fact that these conveniences were not available caused people to talk at the table or around the fireplace ... relating stories of the old days or just "philosophizing" about the current events or ... listening to some picking and singing. People want to know why so much musical history is connected to the cotton mill culture ... well, there you have it. It was kind of a big deal if someone had a guitar, banjo or mandolin and could play it. Not many could afford private lessons on instruments so it was a tradition to teach the kids who wanted to learn in the family ... a pass-it-on thing. That is why, to this day, there are so many musicians in this area ... you can trace most of them back through the mill villages here and in  other parts of the country.

Out of this background came a mill-hill boy who played hookey to stay home from school so he could practice his guitar. He bugged Mr. Fowler to show him more chords and licks. Mr. Fowler would say,"Boy! You had better get back to school." He had a knack and he knew it. In the late 40's a country band from Tennessee came through Spartanburg and this kid went to the theater looking for a job. He was 15. The band was reluctant to even listen to him play because of his age but he persisted and they let him unpack and play backstage. He blew them away and they said if his mom and dad would sign that he had their permission to go with them, it would be OK. The rest is history.

His name was Hank Garland ... one of the greatest modern guitarists ... from Jazz to Country he did it all ... raised right here in a mill village. You know those little kickin' licks on Jingle Bell Rock? Hank Garland ... How about "Little Sister" by Elvis?. Hank again and again ... he backed up the best 'cause he was the best. He could come up with hooks that would blow your hat in the river! His picking skills and speed were phenomenal.

Hank died recently in Florida after a long battle with strokes. He came by to see me about 3 years ago at the store. We sat down and I handed him my old Squire and he hit a lick or two. What a feeling to be in the presence of a living legend! You see, Hank was our idol around here in those old days and once you entered THAT arena you never got rid of that good ol' feeling ... mill-hill boy made good!

So, go ahead ... call me a lint-head with mill-hill mentality ... see if I care ... but I'll bet YOU never sat down knee-to-knee with Hank Garland!

Rockabilly was born in part from that mill-hill culture. Marriages were made, families raised and happiness inspired by the sounds of strings and harmonies wafting  across the green valleys of the Carolinas at twilight ... like grandma's apple pies.

My sincere condolences and sympathies go out to Hank's family.

We hope to see ya'll n Rye, England the 2nd week in March or Green Bay in mid-April ...

Keep Kool,
Joe





January, 2005

Playing Outside of the Dots

Happy New Year to all ... hope the Holidays went well for everyone. Sorry 'bout December ... not enough time to spit! Eddie Davis was a friend of mine down here in the Cowpens, Glendale, Clifton, Converse, Cannon's Campground area of South Carolina. He was a jolly boy,if ever there was one, who liked a good laugh and was very creative in the humor department. He was generous in bodily proportions weighing in at well over 2oo lbs. He had a Gretsch White Falcon which was his pride and joy and played at that level ... he deserved a Gretsch White Falcon! He had that handy-dandy little gift called "Double-jointed finger-tips" which allowed him to easily make chords that we lesser mortals had to struggle with.

We practiced together each Saturday and rotated from his house to mine. Sometimes our Moms would make a cake for us to snack on and after the initial mixing was done, we each were handed a spoon to clean that bowl! ... mmm ... mmm ... mmm! But, they always left SO LITTLE! One day we decided we were tired of getting short changed in that the bowl never provided enough cake batter to suit our needs! So ... we pooled our financial resources and went shopping at Sam's store upon the hill for a box of Yellow Cake Mix. Having completed our mission, we dashed back home and proceeded to read instructions on the box and whip up a cake batter extraordinaire! I am convinced to this day that it would have been a great cake if we had only cooked it! Mom said," I wouldn't do that boys!" Why didn't we listen? Why?

We hoisted giant spoonfuls of that heavenly batter to our mouths and sat there like pigs in chairs occasionally giving a soft grunt of satisfaction not caring what was going on in the rest of the world...totally forgetting about minor pentatonics or diminished chords.

The soft grunts of delight soon changed to soft moans of misery. The "Rising" characteristic of the batter soon took effect in our stomachs and I think the term "Bloated" is appropriate when describing our condition.

Now this just goes to show how musicians are willing to experiment or play around outside of the dots. Sure, pain and misery accompany the process at times but oh, how sweet it is when you get it right. If we had settled for a couple of healthy spoonfuls and baked the rest, it would have a been a totally successful operation. But NO! Don't fence us in and limit us to a reasonable amount! We little piggie-wiggies want it all! NOW!

Did you ever find a sweet lick that you just played over and over ... maybe tried some variations on it ... and every time you jammed you played that lick just because it sounded good to you? Every time you picked up you axe you played that lick first thing. "Uh-oh! Here comes old Hot Lick (Singular) Joe." I remember when I picked up a Danny Gatton lick ... it sounded kind of jazzy and I thought it was hot ... someone said,"You played that lick at least 4 times last set!"
Me."Did not!"
He, "Did Too!"
All 3 other guys."Did too!."
You get the picture.
Too much of a good thing can bloat up your jammin' ... right? We all know how hard it is to make each lead break sound different. If we know all our scales perfectly we can put the listener on a real roller-coaster ride ... low to high, change the phrasing, find new intervals. How dull it would be to ride a coaster on a level track with no ups and downs (Whole bowl of batter). That cake would have been better with a couple of spoonfuls of raw, then bake some cup cakes or a layer cake and add a little frosting! Oh, Yeah!

Same with jammin' ... take flight! ... go for the cupcakes with frosting!

The Tones are going to England to perform on Mar. 11 and then to Green Bay, Wis. on Apr. 16th ... hope ya'll can make it!

Joe





November, 2004

My Rockabilly Roots

Cousin Bud's radio show came on around 4:30-5:00 PM on weekdays ... he would catch the goin' home traffic ... his name was and is Grover Golightly.

Our little kid band played on his show about once or twice a month. We played those country songs as right as we knew how and I believe they were mostly correct. In those days you didn't hear too many diminished or augmented chords in country so G, C, D7 with a A7 in the bridge would usually get the job done.

Somehow the music was more melodic then ... simple tunes you could whistle or hum with simple chords and you could always tell one song from another! ... which, to tell the truth, was pretty amazing since there are only 8 notes plus accidentals in the scales! How many different combinations of these notes are there?

Those were lazy, hazy, crazy summer days of youth for us. In my personal case, that was the true rockabilly roots time when I could consider all the musical and rythmic things going on around me ... easy to do with no bills to pay ... right?  My environment had lots of music in it. Mother was a pianist and teacher and at 92 can still tickle those ivories. I am so proud of her.

My Dad could "Ham-bone" up a storm ... I mean he had rythym and could convey it by the thigh-slappin', chest pattin' patterns he played when he ham-boned. I learned how by watching him and trying to immulate the syncopated beats ... something akin to a marching band drum cadence with a funky little kick to it ... dropping those bass drum beats in wierd places ... like Carver High School Band here in Spartanburg at Christmas parade time. Man, they were great! If you could keep from patting your foot  when they came by you had to be dead!

Another element of my rockabilly roots was on a UNC public TV show I saw today called " Carolina Calling" ... My friend Arthur Smith and his son Clay were entertaining. I always watched  his show, "Arthur Smith and The Crackerjacks",in the 50's after school every day on WBTV in Charlotte ... couldn't wait to get home ... probably age 10-11. They were super entertainers with comedy, tons of instrumentals with Arthur just taking flight on "Fingers on Fire" or "Dill Pickle Rag" and always good vocalists and harmonies ... no drums.

I once again have to mention the gospel quartets which were, and still are, very prominent in this neck of the woods ... there again you have the syncopated patterns and harmony which, when exposed to a child, paints an indelible sound-garden in his mind of happy, melodic, rythmic sounds.

When I think back over the ingredients poured into my bowl of impressions, it is as if I can almost remember the first day our Sparkletones band practiced ... my house, in winter ... sometime around '55-'56 ... Sparkie was aboiut 10 or 11, Wayne, Jim and I 15-16 ... awkward and shy about playing but in the end extremely excited about the two or three songs we worked up. I thought," Man at the stuff we can do later! ... Hank Williams with a beat ... Carver High with a country feel ... Bayou Rock with a ham-bone touch! Hey, throw in a Arthur Smith lick and just rock on out!

We all have a bowl of ingredients. So, pour it out, mix it up and serve it up YOUR way, Man!

Ol' Black Slacks.





October, 2004

Sharing a Secret

If you ever shake my hand it may feel a little strange ... but because I have had about 60 years practice at covering it up, you may NOT notice anything different ... the little finger on my right hand is deformed. No, it doesn't affect my playing but it has given me some interesting experiences.

The Air Force, for example.

One day while in basic training I was walking along from the BX to the barracks when around the corner came a brand new, young 2nd Louie ... bright shiney brass and all! I popped a snappy salute, bent finger and all, and he popped a snappy salute ... then I saw his eyebrows fly up into his hairline!

"Hey, airman!," spouts he ... "what kind of a salute was that?" and he chewed and chewed and chewed ... after the dissertation was over with, I says,"Sorry sir, I have a deformed finger."

Well sir, his jaw dropped like the trap door on grandpa's long johns! He was really embarrassed so he said, " At ease", said something about ... "sorry" and then walked off. I felt sorry for him too.

The kids at school knew about it. Since everfyone here had a nickname, mine was "Nubbie" because of that little finger. To this day they still say,"Hey, Nubbie! How's it going?"

My mom used to teach piano and she kind of wanted me to play one. Since we had one for me to practice on, she took me to Mrs. Hottel in Glendale for a lesson ... little red book ... "Thompson's" I believe. She felt like someone other than Mom would work better but the little finger was going to be a problem ... that ended my piano career ... I always felt like the Good Lord didn't want me to be a piano player but I can still bang out some chords ala Mr Gilley.

Once in California I was invited to join a Ouija board game but my little finger would not extend far enough for a connect ... so I was out (Thank Goodness!).

Anyway, I was crazy bout music so Mom found Uncle Lawrence's old Gibson up in Aunt Lottie's attic, tuned it up and showed my 4 chords ... G, C, D7 and A7 and that launched my musical career. I couldn't put it down. Dad said he would buy me any guitar if I finished the Gibson course for guitar taught by Mr. Fowler. I did and He did and I had a new Strat (Circa 1956) so I proceeded to copy all the Les Paul runs I could pick out and set my goal to be as fast as HE was! ... little did I know that he recorded slow and played back fast to get that effect! ... I kept on plugging away ... old dummy me! Broke my heart when I found out!

Back when I was 17-18, I could pretty well smoke a guitar, I guess.

Folks used to tell me how good I was (They had never heard any REAL good ones) and I would be tempted to start believing all that stuff ... then, I would notice my little finger. As I checked it over, it reminded me just how human I was ... it kept me from getting "Upitty".

Now, most of you aren't  lucky enough to have one of these things so I have to forewarn you ... don't EVER believe your own publicity! It could be a long, slow, mind-blowing slide to the bottom. Remember, we are all JUST humans who are on this space ship together...all of equal value... Well, you could always IMAGINE you had one!

What a great treat for me this past week ... I got to swap E-mails with Albert Lee my guitar hero. We might get to hook up with him in March at Rye ... I sincerely hope so ... what a killer player he is ... thanks Albert!

Here's hopin' you have Good Rockin"...
Joe





September, 2004

The story ... a song for every mood

His arms were the size of a broomstick ... holes in the knees of his pants at times. At about 10 or 11 he was just the right size to be bullied by the "Big Boys" ... and some did it. His dad was killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor ... his uncles and other relatives were all he had except for his buddies. He was one of my best buddies and kind of a hero to me. You see, Ned had other ways of being big and kicking sand in the bullies faces.

He was deadly with a toy (A special marble that you used for shooting). His pants pockets were always full of marbles ... OUR marbles!  He could knock your hat in the river with that "Toy" of his. Some of the big boys thought they could take him so they brought their bag of treasure down to the McKinny's house where we drew a good sized circle in the sand and everyone ante'd up ... I believe it was 10 each ... to get in the game.

One thing you should know is that "Playing for keeps" was generally forbidden by most parents in Cannons Campground ... too much like real gambling. Most all of these marble games were on the sly.

When Ned's shot came, he cleaned the circle and went home.

No one ... I repeat no one could beat Ned. Everyone wanted to be his friend because of his unusual skill shooting marbles. He was a really neat kid.

Ned grew older but, by gum, he never did put on weight ... just grew tall. He outgrew marbles and grew interested in baseball through some uncles and one day he discovered he could throw a baseball so fast it looked like the size an aspirin! He would throw it at your head, you would step in the water bucket trying to get outta the way, and the ball would curve over the plate for a strike!

"I'll bet I can hit him," said the big boys.

Well, they got their chance. Ned whiffed every last one of them! He would flat-out embarrass you, that kid ... with the skinny arms and lack of physique. He was the hero of many-a-kid ... like me.

Ned could sing a pretty mean song when he took a notion. At times he would come down to the jamboree and sing one or two with the band. I paid him to run my snowball stand.

A lot of us guys who weren't athletes took a different direction ... our strengths were in other areas ... some mechanics, musicians, artists ... one is now a recognized brain surgeon. Our life experiences form and shape the music we play. We write and sing about times of our lives ... good and bad. If we don't, we had better change. A good story is what everyone wants to hear or see. Why do folks go to movies? To see a story. Why do they read books or newspapers?. The story, man! The story!

The stories of people like Ned effects the songs I write and sing. You see, I don't know anything else, only what I've seen and experienced in my life. I believe that there is a melody for every story ... a beat to every situation. ... a riff for every scene ... a song for every mood.

True rockabilly music is genuine and raw ... full of life's experiences with a back-beat. The simpler the better.

You've got a pocket full of life's tales that you need to throw in the ring ... wear the knees outta your pants hustling up a tune created by you ... get your toy out and give it a shot!

We are looking forward to another trip to England in March then on to Green Bay for a rockin' time on April 15th ... I still can't believe us old dudes are still getting the chance to Rock and Roll with friends and fans of the fifties music. It is such a blast for us ... it should be against the law.

Thanks for kind words and sincere encouragement. Have a great September!

Joe





August, 2004

The Producer

The producer is a VIP ... at least it sounds like he/she is ... Producer ... yep sounds mighty important. In the old days (50's) we always called them the "A&R Man" ... stands for artists and repertoire.

A good one will let you use your own ideas and creativity in a session ... he will generally sit back behind the glass and let HIS creative juices flow in a very gentle and diplomatic way ... "Let's change the hook slightly ... maybe more mid-range ... what do you think?" ... suggestions like that. And he asks for your opinion.

Not to say anything bad about any personnel involved in our old sessions, but man! ... what I would have given to have Don Costa on ALL of our sessions! ... he did "Diana" with Mr. Anka one night and our's the next over at Bell Sound in NYC. He did Goerge the 4th's stuff and I remember there was one little progression he used in "Why Don't They Understand?" ... and I would bug the daylights out of him to show me ... finally exasperated, we paused in the session and he showed me those moves. Don was the greatest. He made a couple of recordings on his own as Muvva Guitar Hubbard ... (Raunchy) ... later was the conductor for Mr. Sinatra's orchestra plus I don't know how many more great things he did.

We were goofing around in the studio while the engineer set the levels and someone blurted out ... "B-B-B-'B ... Black Slacks" and he heard it ... "Hey, what was that?" he asked  and you know the rest.

He acted like one of the boys laughing and cutting up ... he knew how to put us at ease ... Of course, we, being country boys, didn't have too many concerns anyway ... we didn't feel that much pressure! We didn't know any better! I was so laid back I left my Strat at the CBS studio after the first Sullivan show! They sent it to me in S.C. on a Greyhound bus.

I heard someone say the other day that a good producer would cost in the vicinity of $50,000 just for starters ... and that doesn't come with a guarantee that it's gonna "Hit" either.

A good producer uses the strengths and minimizes the weaknesses of a group/soloist. He figures out ways to make you sound like star materiel. He looks for hooks and gimmicks, punches , licks and kicks. He is the fairy godmother and with a wave of his wand he makes the magic happen.

As Chet once said,"It is now possible to make the PERFECT recording ... a vowel from track 42, a word from track 16 patched in, the lead lick from track 26 ..." You get the picture.

Well, now, that's going too far! I mean, come on! ... let's not get so sterile that it doesn't have character! How about a little flaw here and there? We are only HUMAN you know ... we need to let that show through!

And don't load it up with violins and sopranos in the back ground! We are talking Rockabilly here! Down-home, foot-stompin', big-beat, back-beat music with a glitch or two (Human or otherwise). Come on! If you correct every little thing it is like too much sugar in your java!

Now, Old Don C. wouldn't do that ... he'd leave a little rough edge or two ... he knew that rockabilly is maverick music ... not pure bred. If you don't believe it, listen to the thumps I made on the leads in some of our old stuff ... including 'Slacks".

Rockabilly is the best! IT is good old raw, unadulterated, fun music that is nice and uncomplicated ... and it won't give you a headache to listen to it!

Hold it in the road ...
Joe





July, 2004

Summer Nights

Remember those hot summer nights? ... when the days seemed like they would never end and turn to dark? ... when the mystery of the night settled in and it brought fresh courage with it ... courage to call HER up? (What you didn't know was that SHE was a shy as you were).

You did it! Finger in the spin-dial, the whirr of the phone as it gobbled up those numbers ... Man! That thing spins too fast ... I need time to think! What if her DAD answers? ... oh, man! I'm not up to this! I CAN'T DO IT! Slam! I'll do the next best thing!

In our town there was a drive-in restaurant called "The Steeple "where everyone went at night to socialize and listen to the music amidst the sounds of the city ... SH-H-H-H of airbrakes, beep-honk of horns, ba-lop, ba-lop of those muscle cars dragging through the drive-in and away in the background a DeeJay dedicating songs for the chicken-hearted big-boys ... "And here is "Dream Lover " dedicated to Norma from Billy, to Sally from Robert" ... and on and on ...

You can almost smell those hotdogs (Chili and onions we called 'all the way') and see the pegged pants and rolled-up Bobbie Sox, hair combed back with the help of Vaseline or Suave, some couples smoochin' in a car. It was a simpler time ... believe me.

On top of the Steeple's main building was a small glass booth where the DeeJay broadcast originated. You could go inside the main restaurant and make your call (for a dime) to the Deejay and make your request. What!? ME? Talk to the Deejay?!

"Could you play 'I Want You, I need You, I love you' from Danny to Joyce?" Now she'll know how I really feel!

Next day everyone says, "Heard that dedication last night ... Joyce heard it too!" ... OH NO!! How could I do such a stupid thing ... now she KNOWS!

Joyce and Danny got married, had a large family and lived happily ever after ... with a little help from THE Rockabilly.

Our sock hops were good matchmakers too. But, to tell the truth, if it weren't for Ladie's Choices, they wouldn't have been so successful. One of the greatest inventions ever was the Ladies' Choice dance. What a great feeling when your band started playing "Sleep Walk" or "One Night With You " and the crowd rushed to the dance floor and the words you sang were the words they wanted to say to each other.

Yeah, you can't disregard the powerful influence the music had/has on us all.

Want to spice up things around your house? ... how about a call to the Deejay and have him play your wife's favorite old song and dedicate it to her ... then make sure she's listening . You'll learn just how powerful lyrics set to music REALLY is!

Rockabilly has to be included in the story of marriages made by music. Even the fast movers with non-sense lyrics had an effect mostly because of the beat and familiar little hooks that went with the songs. It was like a secret code that went among the teens and fans ... a little something that tied us together as a separate family.

Hey! Don't know how to sweet talk your chick? Put on Bobby Helms' "You Are My Special Angel" and give Sweetie Pie a turn around the dining room ... he'll take care of it for you!

Keep on rockin', Cats!

Joe
Sparkletonesjoe@yahoo.com





June, 2004

John D. Brooks

John D. Brooks was home from the army and he had picked up a ton of licks ... on drums. He naturally fell in with some of his old buds and they started a group. Practice was held down on the Drayton Mill Hill at John's grandpa's house and various folks would stop by to listen.

A little red-headed boy was constantly watching' John D. When everyone else left he was still there talking to John, asking questions and maybe even getting a tap in on the snare drum. If he maneuvered himself around just right, maybe a punch on the bass drum. John D. was his hero. His name was, and is, Paul Riddle of the Marshall Tucker Band...one of the finest drummers anywhere, who came up with licks and kicks that were outta this world.

John D. moved on to various other local groups, started playing guitar and bass. He came by the store the other day and we reminisced a little about the old days. John D. is one of my all-time favorite drummers. He did a gig with us at an Old 50's thing years ago ... Bo Diddly was there ... he told me, "I want that drummer." Ol' John wouldn't go though. He had a family to raise.

He had the wildest foot I ever saw. He would put bombs in the craziest places ... I mean down-right nasty. It made you want to go take a shower. He played with authority and when he played, HE was the drummer YOU marched to. Don't get me wrong...not a loud banger but when he meant to "stick it" you knew it. He would just pull you outta your seat and give you the "Have to's" and the "Can't help its" ... you just had to dance! It is hard to get that effect from an instrument you can't play a "G" chord on!

In those days, everyone copied and played like John D. How is it that one guy can have that much influence on others? What causes us to say, "I want to be like him(Or her)." ?

John D. is a quiet man not given to loud laughter or boisterous behavior but man is he assertive behind a set of drums!

Well, I guess you know by now that here stands a real John D. Brooks fan ... dyed-in-the-wool! We guitar players have our own Clayton DeLaneys and I am sure that all instrumentalists have one who stands out to them.

There is one thing about music people which I like ... they are usually very generous with compliments and encouragement. An arm around the shoulder with, "Man, that was great!" does wonders for someone who is getting started or struggling with those times when his "Putter just isn't working today".

We are getting all geared up for summer ... new kids and adults coming in for lessons. It is always exciting to see their faces when they walk in with a acoustic guitar (Usually), a notebook and a fistful of picks. They can't believe I have pictures of Smarty Jones on my wall! "Do you bet on horses?" they ask. "Heck No" says I..."Just like horses!"...it kind of relaxes them.

I explain the guitar and how to read chord charts and we finally get through "The Cats in The Cradle" and a pick drill ... basic first lesson. Then out they go with their dreams and hopes. They are very fragile and vulnerable at that point. It sure helps to have someone like John D. in the mix to tell them that they can do it ... like John D. told that little red-headed boy.

Drop a line to: Sparkletonesjoe@yahoo.com (New)
Ya'll have a good 'un!
Joe





May, 2004

The once-in-a-lifetime pick

I think I found it on the floor at the music store. Someone probably dropped it while reaching for their car keys. Anyway, there it was in my hand as a gift that came from heaven. It had a small round hole in the middle with a very thin layer of cork around the hole...I'd say about a light medium...you've seen 'em.

I stuck that little booger in my pocket with the remainder of my collection and upon arrival at the homestead, I proceeded to uncase the old Strat and see how it worked. That pick almost played by it's self...I mean, it was magic! It fit better than a glove and was just perfect for pickin', strummin' and boogie-bars!

Back to the store only to find that they didn,t sell that kind...every store in town didn't have those picks!..I mean, there was only ONE in the world.

Well, sir, that pick made the rounds...for about 6 months...it never offered to split or break. The cork did start to wear off slightly but, hey!...it still was the best pick in the world. When we went on stage (Me and that pick), we had great confidence...we could do anything!...look out folks!...here comes a stream of 16th chromatics! Dig those down/up strokes...how about a couple of ruffs to enhance that run. Man! That baby could do it all! I always checked my pockets when going ANYWHERE! There it was! That little rim of cork in the middle...I could feel it in my pocket and always checked every 5 minutes or so just to make sure.

Then one morning, it happened. I reached for my little plastic security blanket, my pacifier, my Rock of Gibraltar...my special Heaven-made pick and...!!! It felt like a bowling ball in the gut!.. A low blow from Muhammad Ali!..A kick in the face from Secretariat!..Not there!...NO WHERE! Did you hear me!? It was NO WHERE to be found! Down to the car...check in the cracks!...under the seat..(What a mess there!)...down to the Chicken Shack where we played last night! Yeah! Of course it was...NOT ON THE STAGE! "No!..I am NOT crying!!

The community search and rescue team helped out that Ne'er-to-be-forgotten afternoon but to no avail. GONE! My heart was broken and I was scared to pick...I mean those other peaces of plastic weren't picks! They were medium, light or heavy GARBAGE!...scraps from some toy factory or something.