Roy Clark & Gatemouth Brown

ICTGoober

ICTGoober

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The great Roy Clark and Gatemouth Brown once won a Grammy for their album Making Music, which was cut live in a Tulsa studio - mostly first takes. Gatemouth was on Hee-Haw frequently with Roy and here they are playing the Duke Ellington classic Take the A Train.

Roy Clark & Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown with Leon Rhodes - YouTube

Believe it or not, I got to play that Firebird once - still tuned in open D. His band was playing here in Wichita and a pal was running sound. He invited me along since he knew I love Gatemouth. So while he was setting levels at the board, I was onstage strumming that old Gibson. Gatemouth and the band told us to do the soundcheck while they went to get supper before the show. Small, cheap thrill for me to play a hero's axe!
 
Everyone on that stage was a monster. Leon Rhodes (the 3rd guitarist) played with the Texas Troubadours for many years - as well as with many other country and jazz artists. He played 4 or 5 instruments, and was even a guitar maker with 2 different companies.

If you can find it on YT, listen to the whole album - it's a real treat.
 
That was cool. I hear more notes coming out of Gatemouth than it looks like his hands are playing. Still can't figure out how he does it.

(These days I could do without the phasor on all the guitars, but I also recall the groovy 70's pretty well, so, there it is.)
 
He had an MXR Phase 90 running all the time in the chain right ahead of his Fender Twin. One cord - he switched between his Firebird, a Gibson mandolin, and a beat up old violin. He even played harmonica. Sounded fantastic singlng or playing. He had a long history of playing jazz, blues, and country.
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Wikipedia
 
I saw Gate up close at a blues show in a tent in the sticks near Tallahasse. The man just lived, breathed and oozed music.

My favorite Blues player period ever. Not that he liked being called that.
 
My favorite Blues player period ever. Not that he liked being called that.
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Gate considered himself a jazz musician overall - at least I get that impression from reading and hearing many of his interviews.

My Dad loved Gatemouth and T-Bone Walker, and turned me onto both of them in my teen years. I turned him onto Howlin Wolf, John Lee Hooker - and later, Danny Gatton.
 
Mincer said:
That was one hell of a pedal steel solo!
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Or as they used to say in Nashville at the Bluegrass Inn and still do at Roberts Western World ........"A Tuesday Night" lol


It really is true that your server can out sing you, and your busboy can out play you in Nashville.
 
When I saw Gate, him and the sax player were just riffing in parallel, and trading/matching licks. I was super cool. He has a pretty wide ranging catalogue - Blues, jazz, swing, band...lots of stuff
 
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