Musicians Jan - 01 - Nashville Musicians Association

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18 The Nashville Musician January-March 2009 By WALT TROTT Steelin’ Away . . . that’s what Howard White did so quietly on Oct. 20, when he died in his sleep in what he called The White House, his Gallatin residence. Home with him at the time were wife Ruth and daughter Kathleen. Among those legends who benefitted by White’s steel guitar stylings through the years, were no less than Don Gibson, Cowboy Copas, Hank Snow, Ferlin Husky, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, and a young Hank Williams, Jr. The former sideman, a Lifetime Member of AFM Local 257, was 82. Howard’s widow said he had most recently played his beloved Barney Miller Special steel guitar at a private gathering, marking the release of John Simon’s biography “Cowboy Copas & The Golden Age of Country Music.” White proclaimed great admiration for Copas. It was with Cowboy that he first played WSM’s Grand Ole Opry, and earlier with Don Gibson had performed on WNOX’s Mid-Day Merry-Go-Round, top exponents of country music. “It just killed me when Kathleen called to tell me yesterday,” says singer Kathy Copas Hughes, explaining how she learned of Howard’s death from his daughter. “We had worked the road together (with the Copas band) and when you’re in a car like that with them (band members), I think you really get to know them well. Howard was a genuinely funny person, and I remember that Daddy got a lot of kicks out of him.” “I hate to hear this,” wrote fellow picker Russ Hicks, on the Internet’s Steel Guitar Forum. “Howard seemed to be in such good health, and I’ve been very fortunate to spend some time with him, Ruth and Kat lately . . . time that is now even more precious to me. I’ll sure miss him . . .” Among White’s last professional performances were the 2005 Roxy Regional Theatre production of “A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline” starring Lisa Danes and directed by Tom Thayer, in Clarksville, Tenn.; and a rousing gig at Douglas Corner in Nashville, where his steel supported such artists as Norma Jean, George Riddle, Leona Williams, Dave Kirby and Frankie Miller, during the traditional Fan Fair. Howard’s appeared in three Nashville-based films: Marathon Pictures’ “Country Music On Broadway” with cameos by Hank Snow, Ferlin Husky, Skeeter Davis, George Jones and Audrey Williams; “Second Fiddle To a Steel Guitar,” featuring the old Bowery Boys’ Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall plus guest artists such as Faron Young, Kitty Wells, Homer & Jethro and Dottie West; and “The Girl From Tobacco Row,” with Earl (Snake) Richards and Ralph Emery. White also authored the books: “Every Highway Out of Nashville” (with wife Ruth White, 1990), compiling his road stories; “Mecklenburg: The Life & Times of a Proud People,” a scholarly 1992 historical account of his native Mecklenburg County, N.C.; and a compact, anecdotal book of humor, “Grits, Red- Eye Gravy & Wisdom, Southern Style.” Howard first recorded in 1948, with Shan- Howard stops by to say hello to producer-songwriter Buzz Cason and engineer Joe Funderburk. Howard White’s finale, ‘Steelin’ away’ At the Union, Texas-based promoter Gabe Tucker reunites with fellow member Howard White and wife Ruth. non Grayson’s Golden Valley Boys at King Records in Cincinnati. He later contributed to the records of Cowboy Copas, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper, Canadian diva Lucille Starr and Hank Snow, among others. He’s heard to good advantage on the 1961 Top Five Snow single, “Beggar To a King,” written by The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson). Other examples of his playing can be heard on the Bear Family Records’ 14-track Howard White album “Nashville Sideman With Friends.” White served a year in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Unfortunately, in the Chemical Warfare branch, Howard was exposed to nerve gas during tests. As a result, he developed a neurological condition that troubled him throughout his life. Howard Osmond White, Jr., born March 26, 1926 in Charlotte, N.C., was the elder son of a Presbyterian couple Howard and Eula Mae (Stewart) White. In addition to farming two-and-a-half acres, Howard’s dad was an aide to N.C. Gov. Cameron Morrison, later a U.S. Congressman, prompting the Whites to relocate to Washington, D.C. There young Howard even worked in the House of Representatives’ post office. Once dad gifted him with a $12.50 Kalamazoo guitar, music became his great love. In listening to Jerry Byrd’s unique Hawaiian steel guitar playing on radio and records, however, Howard became enamored of that instrument. “So I watched the ads, earned some money at a service station and bought myself a steel guitar and a Sears & Roebuck amplifier,” he once explained. Knowing Byrd was on WLW-Cincinnati, “I wrote him, asking how he got the sounds he produced. He answered me back, giving me his tunings and advice on string arrangements and guages. Can you imagine anyone doing that now? It would be like stealing secrets from the federal government. From that time on, I was hooked! There was no other instrument for me but the steel.” Howard experienced his first professional let-down in 1947, when Arthur (Guitar Boogie) Smith rejected him during auditions for Smith’s Briar-Hoppers radio band. That only made him more determined. So he worked with Claude Casey at WBT-Charlotte. It was Howard’s stint with Shannon Grayson that led him to Cincinnati, where he got to meet his idol Jerry Byrd face to face. In 1951 in Knoxville, White linked up with young Don Gibson, playing on WNOX’s Mid- Day Merry-Go-Round and The Tennessee Barndance. Next, thanks to guitarist Randy Hughes, Howard was hired to play in star Cowboy Copas’ band, including on the historic Grand Ole Opry. When Copas disbanded, Howard worked in various bands, including Ferlin Husky’s Hush Puppies, Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper’s Clinch Mountain Clan, also backing Las Vegas’ charmer Judy Lynn, and then-newlyweds’ Hawkshaw Hawkins and Jean Shepard. On shorter stints, White worked with Hank Williams, Tex Ritter, Grandpa Jones, Red Sovine, Jim Reeves, Minnie Pearl, Wilf Carter (Montana Slim) and toured with Audrey Williams and her 9-year-old son Hank, Jr., in February 1959. Howard fondly recalled as a highlight, however, an on-stage performance with Jerry Byrd playing twin steels on the Opry’s Prince Albert NBC-TV network portion. Another great memory for White was playing on the original demo by songwriter William Trader for his song “A Fool Such As I,” later recorded by Howard’s boss-to-be Hank Snow and, of course, Elvis Presley. Tiring of the road, White began working behind-the-scenes on Music Row, pitching songs on behalf of firms like Moss Rose, Famous Music, Pamper Music and briefly Tree Music. He worked closely with pioneers such as Hubert Long, Hal Smith and Smiley Wilson. Howard also developed his own Locomotive Music Company with his first copyright being “90 Miles From Nashville,” its demo recorded at Muscle Shoals, Ala., some 90 miles from Music City, hence the title. Some songs White promoted were “Me and You and a Dog Named Boo” for Stonewall Jackson, “The Welfare Check” cut by pop diva Connie Francis, and a novelty number “Her and the Car and the Mobile Home” recorded by Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. When songwriters Glenn Martin and Dave Kirby brought in their co-write “Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone,” he listened and suggested changes, taking no credit. Originally, the writers penned: “Is anybody goin’ to San Antone or Fargo, North Dakota/Any place is all right/ As long as I forget I ever knowed her . . .” White warned, “Boys, you can’t say it like that! You need to think of another city besides Fargo, N.D., to rhyme with, because ‘knowed her’ is such bad English.” The rewrite - “Is anybody goin’ to San Antone or Phoenix, Arizona/Any place is all right/As long as I forget I’ve ever known her.” - became Charley Pride’s third #1 single in 1970. White was indeed a creative person, who, once decided on a project, pursued it relentlessly until it became reality. He produced an album “Music At the Hermitage,” sponsored by the overseers to the national homestead and museum for America’s seventh President Andrew Jackson; and also recently recorded an album of inspirational songs, “Hymns We Used to Sing.” In his book of road recollections, “Every Highway Out of Nashville,” White told it like it was, much to the dismay of fellow travelers, one of whom was the Opry’s Ernie Ashworth. He recalled beginning a tour with Ernie (“Talk Back Trembling Lips”). Howard was taken aback when the troupe drove up for him, writing, “He showed up before our first tour in a white station wagon, with great big lips painted all over it. I said, ‘Oh, no!’ He said, ‘This is what I’ve always wanted.’ . . . I had to drive that car from Florida to California.” Among the instruments White played on during his long career was a Rickenbacker, and a Sho-Bud pedal steel. Ruth explains, “Shot Jackson actually made that one out in Jack Anglin’s chicken house before it was Sho-Bud. Howard wasn’t really that big a fan of the pedal steel, and later enjoyed his Barney Miller Special steel guitar. It’s sitting right here and it is a beautiful instrument.” In his book, too, Howard looked back on decades of performing, remembering the career highs and lows. “There are still old fans that remember me out there and to them I say Bless You! I am proudest though, when a young musician remembers my work. Recently, one such steel guitar player Paul Franklin said he remembered meeting me when he was a little boy. Another steel picker Russ Hicks said he remembers skipping school to buy a record of mine, and then going home and learning to play like I did . . . Just like I did with Jerry Byrd records.” Although Acuff-Rose concluded Howard was talented enough to sign as an artist to Hickory Records back in the 1950s, White himself acknowledged, “I’ve never been a star. I’ve always been a sideman, but there’s satisfaction in a job well done. There’s so many people I have known that are playing at the big matinee-in-the-sky, and they are waiting for the rest of us to join them when the curtain opens up on the evening show. And that will be a really big show! And no one will worry about how many people they can pull in at the box office, or the standing ovations or who broke the attendance record.” Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Ruth (Bland) White, daughter Kathleen, and brothers William W. White of Charlotte, N.C., and Dr. James G. White of Daytona Beach, Fla. A memorial service was conducted Oct. 26, in the Texas Troubadour Theater, courtesy of friend David McCormick. Among those goodnaturedly recalling their associations with White were Harold Bradley, Lloyd Green, Billy Robinson, Henry Strzelecki, Buzz Cason, Les Leverett, Don Jennings, Joe Lee, Howard’s wife Ruth White and yours truly. Howard White plays his favorite instrument.
January-March 2009 The Nashville Musician 19 Reviewed by Walt Trott America’s beloved Texas Troubadour charted Billboard five decades, his last being “Leave them Boys Alone” (#6, 1983), thanks to Hank Williams, Jr. and Waylon Jennings. It marked E.T.’s 60th Top 10 charting, six of which hit the top of the charts. This doesn’t include his million-selling signature song “Walkin’ the Floor Over You” in 1941, three years before Billboard started a country chart. This year would’ve marked Tubb’s 95th birthday (Feb. 9), and the 25th anniversary of his death. In commemoration, the British Archive of Country Music (BACM) has just released a 22-track album “Ernest Tubb: Just Rollin’ On,” all recorded in 1944, as radio transcriptions in Los Angeles. Although he sings in a slightly higher register than on his later Decca hits, there’s no mistaking that distinctive Tubb vocal style. It made him one of the top country balladeers of World War II, scoring in 1944 with a near-charttopper “(Take Me Back And) Try Me One More Time” and his first #1 charter “Soldier’s Last Letter,” co-written by Sgt. Henry (Redd) Stewart, who later found fame with Pee Wee King. That same year - 65 years ago in January - Tubb made these tracks (credited to producer Joe Perry), none were released as singles. These rare recordings, most of which he wrote or cowrote himself, withstand the test of time. Among the BACM standouts are “I Hate To See You Go,” which E.T. co-wrote with Homer Hargrove; “I Wonder Why You Said Goodbye”; and “I’m Glad I Met You After All.” Commendable, too, are his covers on Al Dexter’s “Too Late to Worry, Too Blue To Cry”; Paul Howard’s “With Tears in My Eyes”; and Fred Rose’s evergreen “We Live in Two Different Worlds.” boasting especially strong singalong support by the Texas Troubadours. Reportedly back then his Troubadours included Jimmie Short, electric guitar; Johnny Sapp, fiddle; Butterball Paige, bass; and Melvin Leon Short, rhythm guitar. Among those later Troubadours given a helping hand by Tubb were Jack Greene and Cal Smith, who earned their own stars in the country music firmament. In January 1943, Tubb joined the Grand Ole Opry. Tubb’s hits spanned three wars, and along the way he took “Blue Christmas” into the #1 slot on Jan. 7, 1950, and into the Top 10 during two subsequent yule holidays. Careerwise, Tubb himself was duly recog- nized by a 1965 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, being named a charter member of the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 1970, and voted the 1980 Academy of Country Music’s Pioneer Award. Music City News awarded E.T. its Living Legend trophy in 1984. After a long struggle with emphysema, Tubb succumbed on Sept. 6, 1984, at age 70. Tubb also gave back to fandom in 1947, after hearing people complain they couldn’t find the records of such traditionalists, by initiating his Ernest Tubb Record Shop and its globallypopular mail-order business. That same year, the Opry superstar launched his WSM Midnight Jamboree broadcast, immediately after the Grand Ole Opry’s Saturday night sign-off - and it’s still broadcasting 62 years later, thanks to David McCormick, who carries on the Tubb legacy. “Just Rollin’ On” (available at $15.99) shows once again why they’ve hailed E.T. as “The Daddy of ’em all!” Local 257 guitarist Clay Mills was thrilled to celebrate the success of his song “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” at ASCAP recently with co-writer Darius Rucker, who took it to #1 on the Billboard country chart. The song marks Rucker’s first #1, although he’s also frontman for the rockin’ Hootie & The Blowfish, who have sold some 25 million discs worldwide and won two Grammy awards. The Time Jumpers’ fiddler Kenny Sears enjoys his regular Monday night gigs at The Station Inn in downtown Nashville, and never knows who might stop by, including such artists as Jeannie Seely and Vince Gill, longtime Grand Ole Opry cast members. Of course, both Sears and Gill are Local 257 members in good standing. (See separate story on Gill on page 20.) The next General Membership meeting is scheduled 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, in George W. Cooper Hall at Local 257. Alison Krauss shares in five wins for Grammys Multiple award winning vocalist Alison Krauss just received five Grammys, thanks to her collaboration last year with Led Zeppelin’s original lead singer Robert Plant on the indie Rounder Records CD “Raising Sand.” A member of AFM Local 257, the bluegrass queen’s pairing with the rock superstar earned wins for best pop album. best pop single (“Please Read The Letter”), best pop collaboration (“Rich Woman”), country collaboration (“Killing the Blues”), and best contemporary folk album (“Raising Sand”). This gives her a total of 31 wins, the most of any female artist in any genre. Lady Antebellum’s another Nashville-based act earning a pop nomination, in the best new act category, though new pop diva Adele took the prize. Bela Fleck & The Flecktones garnered a win for best pop instumental album with their Rounder release “Jingle All the Way.” Charlie Louvin received a nod for his “Steps To Heaven” as best country/bluegrass gospel album, but lost to the Gaither Vocal Band; and Emmylou Harris in best contemporary folk division for her CD “All I Intended To Be,” losing to Krauss/Plant. Area rock acts nominated were Kid Rock, The Raconteurs and the Kings of Leon, who won as Best Rock Group for their “Sex On Fire” (See story, page 31.) The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) also honored Brenda Lee with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Grammy. Winners were announced Feb. 8 in THE NASHVILLE NNASHVILLE A S H V I L L E M USICIAN UUSICIAN S I C I A N Official Journal of the American Federation of Musicians AFM Nashville Local 257 -- 1902-2009 FREQUENCY: Published quarterly (January, April, July and October). RATES (Full Color): • Full Page _____________ $880.00 • Half Page _____________ 450.00 • Quarter Page ___________ 230.00 RATES (Black & White): Full Page _____________ $780.00 Half Page ______________ 400.00 Quarter Page ____________ 205.00 2 col. x 5” ______________ 150.00 2 col. x 3” _______________ 90.00 1 col. x 5” _______________ 75.00 2 col. x 2” _______________ 60.00 1 col. x 3” _______________ 45.00 1 col. x 2” _______________ 30.00 2 col. x 1” _______________ 30.00 1 col. x 1” _______________ 15.00 MECHANICALS: One column = 2-1/4” Two columns = 4-3/4” Three columns = 7-1/4” Total page width = 9-3/4” Total page length = 13-3/4” Los Angeles via CBS-TV. Nominees with a Nashville base were, in part, as follows: Female Vocalist Country Performance - Martina McBride, “For These Times”; LeAnn Rimes, “What I Cannot Change”; Lee Ann Womack, “Last Call”; Trisha Yearwood, “This Is Me You’re Talking To”; and Carrie Underwood, “Last Name.” Carrie Underwood won. Male Vocalist Country Performance - Brad Paisley, “Letter To Me”; Trace Adkins, “You’re Gonna Miss This”; George Strait, “Troubadour”; James Otto, “Just Got Started Lovin’ You”; and Jamey Johnson, “In Color.” Brad won. Best Country Instrumental Performance - Cherryholmes, “Sumatra”; Bela Fleck & Flecktones, “Sleigh Ride”; Charlie Haden, Pat Metheny, Jerry Douglas & Bruce Hornsby, “Is This America?”; and Brad Paisley, James Burton, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert & Steve Wariner, “Cluster Pluck.” Brad’s all-star latter disc was the victor. Best Country/Duo Group Performance - Brooks & Dunn, “God Must Be Busy”; Lady Antebellum, “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore”; Rascal Flatts, “Every Day”; SteelDrivers, “Blue Side of the Mountain”; and Sugarland, “Stay,” the winning performance. Best Country Song (writers award) - “Dig (Continued on page 31) MAKEUP: • pdf files. • Camera-ready artwork accepted for scanning. • Copy not fitting space specified will be billed accordingly. • No charge for standard copy or available artwork produced by staff. • Authors’ alterations charged at cost. MAILING INSTRUCTIONS: Address all correspondence and printing materials to: THE NASHVILLE MUSICIAN P. O Box 120399 Nashville, TN 37212-0399 INQUIRIES: Contact Sherri Olson at (615) 244-9514, Ext. 240 or on line: sherri@afm257.org DISCOUNTS: Paying for four issues up-front saves 15%;. AFM 257 members save 10% per issue; or 15% for four issues up-front; 10% discount for non-profits; and 15% educational discount to accredited music schools. (Deadline for April-June 2009 issue ads: March 27, 2009)
Page 1 and 2: AFM Local 257 election ’08 result
Page 3 and 4: January-March 2009 The Nashville Mu
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