The Three Kings

Posted on April 15, 2012 by sixstrstories

Once upon a time, there were three kings: Albert, B.B. and Freddie.

From the 1960’s into the early 1970’s, these three men reigned throughout the land as masters in the realm of Electric Blues Guitar.

Freddie was the youngest.

Born in Gilmer, Texas on September 3, 1934, he also had the shortest career, spanning  19 years from his first recording released in 1957 until his death in 1976. He left his mark on popular music starting with the 1961 release of the instrumental “Hide Away.” This was the first of a string of up-tempo Blues/Rock instrumentals that became not only hit records, but were almost instantly added to the performance repertoire of countless guitarists and cover bands.

In terms of influence, it is safe to say that, directly or indirectly, there’s at least a little Freddie King in every Blues and/or Rock electric guitar player everywhere.

On Saturday, April 14, 2012, Freddie King was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, entering under the category of “Early Influences.” Fellow Texans Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill from the band ZZ Top, served as presenters. Freddie joins B.B. King (inducted in 1987), but not Albert, in the Hall.

Here’s a video of Freddie King playing “Hide Away” in 1966 on a show called The Beat.

How much more “1960’s” can you get?

Freddie King got his sound in part, by the way he picked the strings of his Gibson guitar. He played “fingerstyle,” meaning that he used both his thumb and first finger to pluck the strings – instead of picking with a flatpick held by the thumb and first finger, as B.B. does. He increased the brightness of his fingerstyle tone by wearing a plastic thumb pick on his thumb and a banjo-style metal fingerpick on his index finger.

Finally, he amplified his guitar with a pair of large Fender guitar amps turned up to 10.

That’s playing really, really loud.

Freddie King once said: “You can’t get to Rock & Roll unless you can play the Blues, baby.”

Congratulations, Freddie. 

Long live the Kings.

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“You’re The One”

Posted on April 7, 2012 by sixstrstories

I wrote “You’re The One” towards the end of 1982, with the finished lyrics dated 12/15/82 in my first, large-format, black-covered songwriting journal.

This love song (true then, true now) became track #2 of my cassette album Anytime, recorded and released in 1988. Besides my acoustic guitar and vocals, this “studio” recording features Anne Black on viola.

(For more on Anytime – the album and the song – see my post of April 1, 2012.)

Here’s the song! (Click on the blue link below to listen.)

“You’re The One” – words, music, guitar & vocals by Eric Sinclair

Several years later, I revisited and reworked “You’re The One,” transposing it from the key of A to the key of G and using a “Folk” fingerpicking guitar technique rather than the more “Rock” strumming patterns of the original.

In the spring of 1992, having put together a quartet for a concert at Phillips Exeter Academy, I finally treated “You’re The One” to the full Folk/Rock treatment.

“You’re The One (Live ’92)” – the Eric Sinclair Quartet

The other three members of the quartet were: Les Harris, Jr. on drums; Andy Inzenga on bass guitar and backup vocals; Laura Jackson on violin.

This previously-unreleased recording was made on Tuesday, May 23, 1992.

I hope you enjoyed both versions of the song!

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A “This Historic Day In Music” Quiz

Posted on April 4, 2012 by sixstrstories

On April 4, in the year of 1915, McKinley Morganfield was born in Rolling Fork, Mississippi.

By what name did McKinley come to be known as when he grew up?

Hint: Little McKinley grew up to be one of the greatest Blues musicians of all time.

To answer, leave a comment!

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This Historic Day In Music: Richard Thompson

Posted on April 3, 2012 by sixstrstories

As a guitarist, Richard Thompson is without peer.

Nobody plays the acoustic guitar or the electric guitar – and he once said in an interview I read that he approaches them as different instruments – like he does.

When you add his incredible talents as a songwriter and a singer to his abilities as a guitarist, I believe that it’s safe to say that he is one of the most talented (amazing, phenomenal, brilliant, mind-boggling, jaw-dropping, unbelievably gifted… there is no adjective that really does him justice) musicians on the planet. (Can you tell I’m a big fan?!)

And today is his birthday.

Richard Thompson was born on April 3, 1949 in Ladbroke Crescent, Notting Hill, West London, England.

In 1967, he helped found the premiere British Folk-Rock band, Fairport Convention, and played on five albums with them.

In 1971, he left Fairport for a solo career, releasing the album Henry the Human Fly in 1972.

From 1974-1982, Richard and his wife, Linda (Peters) Thompson, recorded and released six wonderful albums. I discovered the Thompsons when I bought their landmark 1982 album Shoot Out The Lights. (Very Highly Recommended)

In 1983, Richard and Linda went their separate ways and Richard resumed his solo career with the equally-wonderful and also very-highly-recommended LP Hand Of Kindness.

Since then, Richard Thompson has added another eleven studio albums to his discography, along with numerous live albums, compilations and boxed sets.

Thanks to the folks at youtube, I had many videos to choose from to embed in this post. I chose two: one that highlights his acoustic guitar playing in a solo setting and one that features his electric guitar playing with a full band accompaniment.

The two songs also happen to be high on my long list of favorites from Richard’s extensive catalogue of original songs. I strongly encourage you to take the time to watch and listen (got headphones?) to both films.

First, electric Richard Thompson.

And now, acoustic Richard Thompson.

Happy Birthday, Richard Thompson.

Thank you for some of the best concerts I’ve ever been to and the most thrilling live music I’ve ever heard.

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Anytime

Posted on April 1, 2012 by sixstrstories

On Friday, September 9, 1988, I recorded my first album.

The recording session started at 6:00 pm and was held in Mayer Auditorium on the campus of Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH.

I had the help of a trio of gifted and very generous friends.

Frank Cunningham was the recording engineer. He brought all of the recording equipment including a brand new digital audio tape deck that he’d acquired on a recent trip to Japan. (They were not available in the US at that time.)

Anne Black, violist, and Jim Howe, Jazz bass violinist were the “guest artists.” They added their distinct and beautiful musical voices to the proceedings, each of them playing on two songs.

I brought three guitars, a harmonica, my voice and 12 original songs.

The guitars I used were a sunburst Ovation Legend acoustic, a mahogany-bodied Harmony acoustic (my first guitar) and a Gibson ES-125 archtop electric that I amplified with a Polytone amp.

Since we were recording live to stereo – no over-dubbing, multi-tracking or editing allowed – the plan was to get as many songs captured in the “first take” as possible. As it turned out, the plan only worked for one song: “Anytime.”

“Anytime,” soon to become the album’s title track,  had been a standard of my performance repertoire since its completion in July of 1983. To this day, I introduce the song with the story that the initial inspiration for the lyrics came during the week in between the predicted due date and actual birth of my daughter.

“Anytime that you like would be nice, any day that you say will be all right. But if it’s all the same to you, I was hopin’ we could make it soon, but either way, it’s ok, anytime.”

However, looking through my songwriting journal, the first entry with those lines is on the page following an entry dated December, 1982. My daughter was born in February of 1982.

Well, even though the math makes it seem unlikely, I like the story and I’m sticking to it.

For your listening pleasure, here it is!

“Anytime” – words, music, guitar & vocals by Eric Sinclair

A few final notes: Frank mastered the album using the Lexicon Opus Audio Production System.  Anytime was released on cassettes that were duplicated in real time on chrome tape with Dolby B noise reduction.  

My plan – it’s always good to have a plan – is to eventually post all of the songs from the album.

I’ve already, however,  included one of these songs in a past post. “The Ladies of Fairburn,” featuring Anne Black’s gorgeous viola playing, was included in “This Historic Day… My Mother,” that I published on March 8, 2011. I hope you’ll take a few minutes and give “The Ladies…” a listen, as well.

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This Historic Day In Music: Parlophone LP (Mono) – PMC 1201

Posted on March 22, 2012 by sixstrstories

It was released 49 years ago today, in Great Britain.

It contained 14 songs: 8 originals (including the hit singles “Love Me Do” and “Please Please Me”) and 6 covers (including “Chains” by Gerry Goffin & Carole King and “Twist And Shout” by The Isley Brothers.)

It was the result of several recording sessions, all held at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios in London, England. The first was a three hour session on Sept. 14, 1962 and the last was a marathon 585-minute long session on February 11, 1963 during which the final 10 songs for the album were recorded.

It was produced by George Martin and featured an eye-catching album cover photograph by Angus McBean.

It was Please Please Me, the first album by The Beatles

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This Historic Day In Music: Columbia Records CL 1779 / CS 8579

Posted on March 19, 2012 by sixstrstories

It was an album of Folk music.

It premiered the work of a 20-year-old musician that the LP’s liner notes proclaimed to be “one of the most compelling white blues singers ever recorded,” “a songwriter of exceptional facility and cleverness,” “an uncommonly skillful guitar player and harmonica player” and “the most unusual new talent in American folk music.”

It was released by Columbia Records 50 years ago today, on March 19, 1962.

It was the result of two, 3-hour recording sessions held the previous November at Columbia’s Studio A in New York City. The total cost to Columbia Records for these recording sessions was $402.

It contained 13 songs: six “traditional” songs (including “Man Of Constant Sorrow,” “Pretty Peggy-O” and “House Of The Rising Sun”), five “cover” songs (including the album opening “You’re No Good” by Jesse Fuller and the album closing “See That Me Grave Is Kept Clean” by Blind Lemon Jefferson) and two original songs: “Talkin’ New York” and “Song To Woody.” 

It was produced by John Hammond (Columbia’s esteemed director of talent acquisition) and featured liner notes by New York Times music critic Robert Shelton, writing under the pseudonym “Stacey Williams.”

It sold only 5,000 copies in the first year after its release, causing one Columbia Records executive to refer to the young musician as “Hammond’s Folly.”

It was Bob Dylan’s first album.

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This Historic Day In Music: Lightnin’ Hopkins

Posted on March 15, 2012 by sixstrstories

Blues musician Sam “Lightnin'” Hopkins was born in Centerville, Texas on this day, March 15, in 1912.

Two of my favorite stories about Lightnin’ come from an article written by Jas Obrecht and published in a book edited by Mr. Obrecht called: “Rollin’ and Tumblin’ – The Postwar Blues Guitarists.”

One story was told to Mr. Obrecht by Billy Gibbons, guitarist and singer for the Texas-born Blues-Rock band ZZ Top. Mr. Gibbons recalled an experience the band had once while accompanying  Lightnin’ Hopkins.

“We were playing a traditional blues and we all went to the second change, but Lightnin’ was still in the first change. He stopped and looked at us. Our bass player said, ‘Well, Lightnin’, that’s where the second change is supposed to be, isn’t it?’ Lightnin’ looked back and said, ‘Lightnin’ change when Lightnin’ want to change.'”

The other story was told by record producer Chris Strachwitz and explains Lightnin’ Hopkins’ prolific recording career in Houston, Texas from the late 1940’s through the early 1950’s.

“Lightnin’ liked to make records,” said Mr. Strachwitz, “and no wonder, when he could sit down a few minutes, make up a number, and collect $100 in cash. And local recording producer Bill Quinn had Lightnin’ doing just that. Whenever Lightnin’ needed some money he would go over to Telegraph Road and walk into the Gold Star studios to ‘make’ some numbers. And he had a fantastic talent to come up with an endless supply of these ‘numbers.’ Many were based on traditional tunes he had heard in the past, but all of the songs received his personal treatment and they came out as very personal poetry.”

These “numbers” were collected and released by Arhoolie Records in 1991 on two CDs: Lightning Hopkins – The Gold Star Sessions – Vol. 1 & Vol. 2. The producer of these excellent CDs was Chris Strachwitz.

Last year, when I wrote my two-days-belated post in honor of Lightnin’ Hopkins’ birthday  – “The Day Before Yesterday In Music History: Lightnin’ Hopkins” – I didn’t know how to embed video with my text.

But now that I do, here’s a clip of Lighnin’ Hopkins that was filmed in 1969 and released on the Vestapol Video: Lightnin’ Hopkins – Rare Performances/1960-1979.

“When I play a guitar,” Lightnin’ once said, “I play from my heart and soul and I play my own, own music.”

He also used to say: “I had the one thing you need to be a blues singer. I was born with the blues.”

Sam “Lightnin'” Hopkins passed away on January 30, 1982 in Houston, Texas.

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A Song Full Of Asking

Posted on March 13, 2012 by sixstrstories

I haven’t posted a song in quite some time, let alone one that asks so many questions…

Do you say “isn’t” or do you say “ain’t?”

Do you say “fine” or “can’t complain?”

Do you say “Charlie” or do you say “Chuck?”

Do you say “dollars” or do you say “bucks?”

What do you say?

Well, I always say: why say it, when you can sing it?

(Click on the link below to give a listen and, when you catch on to the chorus, sing along!)

“What Do You Say” – words, music, guitar & vocals by: Eric Sinclair

That incredible clarinet was played by my friend and colleague Charlie (not Chuck) Jennison.

So, what do you say?

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This Historic Day… My Mother

Posted on March 8, 2012 by sixstrstories

Avis Louise Foss Sinclair, my Mother, was born 98 years ago today on March 8, 1914.

My Mother loved music.

She played the piano – I wish I’d found out the name of that one piece she knew by heart and always played whenever she sat down at the keyboard – and she sang.

The song she loved to sing I remember well: “Down By The Old Mill Stream.”

This song, written by Tell Taylor in 1908 and published in 1910, is considered one of the most popular songs of the early 20th century. The first recording of it by Harry Macdonough and Chorus was a #1 hit in 1911.

Over the years, there have been dozens of recordings by a host of other artists including Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Mitch Miller and The Crew-Cuts.

Mr. Taylor wrote the original song with two verses and a chorus. My Mother only sang the chorus, but she added a phrase to the end of each line that was a humorous sort of answer or clarification to the original text.

Of all of the recordings I found that perform the song this way, I’ve chosen the one below to share with you. I can hear the sound of my Mother’s laughter if I could be sharing this with her today, too.

Nothing like a good campfire sing-along.

If you’d like to read a bit more about my Mother, please go back into the blog archives to my post of March 8, 2011.

My Mother passed away on August 5, 2001.

Miss her.

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