Date:   Sun, 16 May 1999
From:  JOHN BELAND / Flyingb@aol.com
To:      koa7@urban.ne.jp


Koji

"MEMORIES OF CLARENCE WHITE"

I first saw Clarence play when I was playing with One Mans Family (Spanky & 

Our Gang), at Chicago's Arigon Ballroom in 1968. We were on the bill with The 

BYRDS. I had heard ABOUT Clarence, but now I had a chance to really see him 

right from the side of the stage. He was incredible. The first thing I 

noticed was how cool he dressed. He wore all these great western cloths that 

he bought at NUDIES RODEO TAILORS in North Hollywood...all custom made for 

him by the famed tailor, Manuel. Clarence stood perfectly still on 

stage..never smiling with his face hidden behind a shag beatle haircut and a 

beard & mustach. He played that old Tele which Marty Stewart now owns. I 

remember The Byrds being VERY loud...but Clarences playing that night changed 

the way I played forever.

A year later, when I formed Swampwater with Gib Guilbeau, I became good 

friends with all the Byrds..Roger, Clarence, Gene, and Skip. We ran with them 

both in town and on tour together. Clarence often stopped by my house in 

Hollywood when he was in the neighborhood..and we had a great time during 

those years. We played a number of practical jokes on each other as well. 

Clarence also threw some of his session work my way. Like the Katie Taylor 

album "SISTER KATE." Katie was James Taylor's sister. I got to work on that 

with Carol King & Bernie Leadon. Also, Swampwater and Clarence & Gene used to 

jam alot. When we were off the road we used to get together at a club in 

Palmdale California called THE JACK OF DIAMONDS and play solid country music 

all night. Sometime the Musicians Union would fine us..but we continued. WE 

also played together at the Asgrove in Los Angelse. At that club one night, 

we all got on stage together..Ronstadt, Clarence, Gene and Swampwater. I have 

a picture of it hanging in my studio today. You can see part of that picture 

in the next issue of RELIX MAGAZINE in a feature they're doing on me. You'll 

see me, Linda, and part of Clarence behind me.

Clarence was a very special guy. A wonderful person to be with..a great sense 

of humore, and a great great guitarist. It was Clarence who introduced me to 

GRAM PARSONS at a session back in '72. An ironic meeting.

I remember when he died..he was loading a REEM AMPLIFIER that I had been 

using with Swampwater into a car after working at a club in Palmdale with 

Gib. I couldnt believe he was gone..It was a big funeral..I can still hear 

everyone singing FARTHER ALONG at the cemetary

Everyone was there..KRISTOFFERSON, RITA COOLIGE, BERNIE LEADON, GENE, GIB, 

ERIC, ROLAND,  as well as GRAM PARSONS. In a twist of fate, Gram died shortly 

after.

Those are my memories of Clarence. Hope you liked them.

Stay in touch!

JOHN BELAND /
FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS







Date:  Sat, 15 May 1999
From:  Flyingb@aol.com
To:     koa7@urban.ne.jp


> Did Clarence play on the great Swampwater album(King label) ?

No, Clarence did not play on the Swampwater King LP. That was just the four 
of us. However, he, GENE PARSONS and Linda Ronstadt did write the liner notes 
for that album. By the way, that album has been re-released through ONE WAY 
RECORDS out of New York.
Thanks Koji. Stay in touch.

Your Friend
John Beland /
FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS







Date: Mon, 03 May 1999
From: Jason Odd 

My name is Jason Odd and I am an Australian based writer currently working on a book
about country-rock and the more alternative offshoots of country and folk music. 
A healthy part of this will be about the Californian music scene, notably Bakersfield and 
related scenes like that of Las Vegas. Especially artists who worked those areas. 
I have some information that may be of interest to you. 

After talking to Hap Arnold, who was Wynn Stewart's bass player and band leader 
for the Tourists. 

He told me who played on the Yours Forever (ST-324) album, 
released: 1969 Producer: Ken Nelson, Earl Ball was the P & R man and sitting in 
the control room, Were guests Glen Cambell, Bonnie Owens,Cliffy Stone who owned 
central Songs at the time. The Musicians playing on the album: Tourists members 
Hap Arnold on bass guitar, Kenny Sanderson on drums, Jimmy pierce on piano and 
the groups guitarist and newest member Hap Arnold only sang harmony vocals to 
Wynn's lead. The recordings were augmented with: Clarence White and James Burton 
on lead guitar, Al Bruno on rythum guitar and lead guitar, Earl Ball and on piano. 

It took me a while, but there you go. Clarence playing sessions for Capitol Records, 
hope this is of some interest. 

All the best, 

Jason. 









From: Jason Odd 
Date:  07 May 1999



Dear Koji Kihara,

Oh I made a small mistake, near the end I wrote that Hap Arnold was the
newest member, not true!
It was Jody Payne, who was the newest, an old friend of Hap's who was
drafted into the Tourists as lead and rythm guitarist, although he only
got to sing backing harmony vocals for the sessions, as there was plenty
of top rate guitarists already there CLARECE, JAMES and AL.


Also of interest, German label 'Bear Family' are planning to release a
box set of Wynn Stewart's coplete sessions from 1954-1985, which will
include these 1969 sessions with Clarence White.


All the best

Jason







Date: Sun, 09 May 1999
From: Jason Odd 



Hi Koji, 

It's Jason Odd again, further Clarence White sessions: 

JOHNNY DARRELL California Stop Over {1970 } United Artists. 

Johnny was born Eddie Ray White, 1940 in Hopewell, Alabama. 
By 1964 a country performer in Nashville and signed to United Artists. 
He recorded in a country pop style and before recording this album in L.A he
had already recorded six albums for United Artists between 1966 and 1969, in Nashville. 
This album, recorded circa 1969 in L.A, definately featured Clarence White on guitar, 
while future Swampwater member John Beland observed in the studio. He had been 
invited to the session by Larry Murray who co-produced the album with Dick Rosmini. 
For this project Darrell recorded songs by Californian songwriters like Jackson Browne,
Larry Murray and Lowell George. 
 

All the best

Jason