Date: Thu, 06 May 1999 11:34:05 -0400
From: Harry Hopkins
To: Etsuo Eito
Subject: clarence white guitar
Hello Etsuo,
thank you for the email ans. As for doing an article for your mag, I would
reather pass on that, i,m not very good at that sort of thing, but I will
tell you how I came about getting the guitar for your knowledge.
After Clarence was killed Susie came back home to Pike County, KY. that
is also where i,m from, anyway she loaned the guitar to a band teacher from
the local high school and he moved out of town and took the guitar with him,
she ask me if I could get it back for her and I did , she gave me the
guitar for some money owed to me. basically that is how I got the guitar. I,m
getting to old to play much, so I'm going to put it on the market.The
guitar is
in great shape and sounds awesome, send me a list of your tapes and i,ll do
the same.
Yours
Harry Hopkins
----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Steve Pottier
Subject: Danny & Harry Hopkins with the Roy Noble guitar
To: colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp (Etsuo Eito)
Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 14:40:23 -0700 (PDT)
Hi Etsuo,
Danny Hopkins is the son of Harry Hopkins. I've met him and he is a good
guitar player and seems like a nice guy. I've only talked to Harry on the
phone. Danny is probably the same age as Michele.
I have no idea about who legally owns the Roy Noble. I am surprised that
Harry would sell it, rather than give it to Danny. Danny likes the guitar,
and he is a good enough guitar player to deserve owning it- that is, he is
someone who likes Clarence, and would make good use of it himself, much
like Tony Rice has made use of the D28.
Bye for now,
Steve
-------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Meridian Green and Gene Parsons
To: Etsuo Eito
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 18:09:55 -0800
Subject: New at StringBender!
Dear Etsuo,
Gene and I have made some changes at our website, and
we'd like you to visit!
http://www.stringbender.com
My most exciting news is that you can buy my new CD, In
the Heart of this Town, from our new secure music page.
You can buy all of Gene's CDs there, too, and our Birds
of a Feather. You can get there quickly by clicking on
http://www.stringbender.com/store
Gene's been working on his book, Sweet Desert Childhood,
and he's posted an excerpt, Ride On, Easy Rider, in our
brand-new online Parsons Green Gazette at
http://www.stringbender.com/music/Gazette.htm
The Gazette also has news and reviews of our CDs.
For the latest on our upcoming UK and US Tours, keep
checking in at
http://www.stringbender.com/events/
We've been updating the StringBender discography, and
we've worked a deal with CDNow so you can even get the music
we've listed. As always, if you've cut a track with cool
StringBender licks, we want to hear about it! Check the
discography out at
http://www.stringbender.com/store/discography.htm
There's plenty more to explore at our website, and so
we'd like you to drop by. Sign the guestbook, and if you've
got a cool site you think we should know about, tell us.
(Our links page is getting better every day.)
We sure do like this new way of staying in touch with
our musical friends. We'd like to hear from you again soon!
And if you know anyone who should know about us, please
forward this message to them.
Thank you!
- Meridian ;>
---------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 16:31:55 -0700
To: colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp
From: Sandy Rothman
Subject: Fwd.
Dear Etsuo:
Just rec'd this from John Delgatto. I seem to recall something about a D-18
in Japan that was supposedly owned by Clarence. This isn't "the" D-18, is it?
As usual, I don't recall the details!
Best wishes,
Sandy
=============
>One of the links in Japan is this page of instruments and one of them shows
>what is claim to be Clarence's D-18!!! Here is the internet address to
>check this out. Roland, Roger, Billy and you are about the only ones that
>would recognize it anyway in person. Do you know anything about this??
>
>Here is the address:
>
>http://www.bekkoame.or.jp/~blr/instrumt/photogry.htm
>
>JD
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 14:47:18 -0700
To: Etsuo Eito
From: Sandy Rothman
Subject: Re: The D-18, and so on ......
Dear Etsuo,
..... another reason that Clarence didn't play his D-18 at Newport is that
he had left it at Herb David's repair shop in Ann Arbor on their way to the
East Coast. I don't know exactly when he got it back from Herb, but I
believe it was when they came back to California, whenever that was (late
summer of '64?). Somebody should probably talk to Herb David about it, if
they want more information on that guitar.
Briefly for now,
Sandy
---------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 07:01:30 -0700
To: Etsuo Eito
From: Sierra Records
Subject: Re: Just a quick & brief reply
Hi Etsuo:
Thank you for the information, I really do appreciate it.
Sandy forwarded on to me the D-18 story. I will be seeing Gene Parsons
tomorrow! I will ask him in person about it. The story seems a bit
confusing, some truths mixed with other things. It would be good to get
this straight.
I was at the Kindling sessions and do not remember seeing a D-18. Gene had
the Martin guitar you see printed on the disc of the Kindling Collection,
Clarence was using the Roy Noble Guitar. Clarence was also playing his
Randy Wood mandolin which Roland has now. I was there for the recording of
"Drunkard's Dream" with John Kaparakis. We had a great time. I brought
Clarence copies of "New Sound of Bluegrass America" He did not have any.
He called me later to tell me he left them at the studio!!! But they were
gone by the time he went back!!!!! The funniest thing I remember about the
sessions was Clarence was late (that was usual for him) and he had all
these keys on a key ring attached to his pants like a janitor would have.
I mean a lot of keys! It just seem weird to see Clarence with all these
keys!
The rest of that session is documented in the Kindling notes.
Thank you again, Etsuo, your a friend. Once again, I forwarded on to
Michelle you emails from Harry Hopkins. I have also received emails from
Roy Nobel via his assistant about their contacts with Mr. Hopkins.
Michelle was 15 at the time so her memory is a bit fogged about this but I
have to let her decide how she wants to proceed. I believe Roland knew
Hopkins or knows of him.
Warm regards,
John Delgatto
-----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 18:21:49 -0700
To: Sandy Rothman
From: Sierra Records
Subject: Re: The D-18, and so on ......
Cc: colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp
Dear Sandy and Etsuo:
The mystery of the D-18 is somewhat cleared up. I am afraid to tell you
but that gentlemen in Japan that has that D-18 is one that Clarence had for
a very short time! It is not the famous D-18 that he recorded Appl Swing
or the other great albums. Gene Parsons explained it all to me in person.
Clarence got the guitar hoping to replace his stolen one (see below). He
really did not like it but he and Gene used it off and on in the early
70's. Gene said Clarence played it maybe once or twice and it was a piece
of junk. It too was repaired a number of times. Gene finally bought it
from Clarence and ended up selling it to someone or a store in Marin
County. David Grisman bought it and kept bugging Gene about it as he
thought it was THE D-18. Gene told it was not. David still wanted Gene to
write a letter saying that it was once owned by Clarence with the obvious
implication that it was the famous D-18. Gene refused! Grisman then let
Red Allen use it and somehow it was sold to a store again in Marin County.
I guess from there it ended in Japan with the gentleman there. I hate to
be the bearer of bad news to the fine collectors in Japan but that's the
truth!
The famous D-18 was stolen at a Byrds recording session but here in LA not
London. Clarence had his suspicions who did it but could never prove it.
He did not tell me directly. ,on purpose I would think, but from the
conversation before and after one could probably figure out those
suspicions. So for now, someone has it. I told you before someone from
Santa Barbara called me back in the late 70's claiming he had it. If you
add that to Clarence's suspicions it is very possible it is with this guy.
I don't remember who it was.
Gene confirmed that Clarence had a rather new D-28 that he used on tour
especially the last tour in Europe with the Byrds (see French video).
Otherwise he used the Roy Nobel exclusively. On the Midnight Special,
Muleskinner, Guitar Workshop, Banjoman-Clarence is playing the Roy Nobel.
The Newport Folk Festival 64 is mostly the D-28 Herringbone; Appl Swing
cover only. The Farmers Other Daughter film, cover of Livin' in The Past,
it is the D-18. From mid April 1973, up until his death Clarence used
only the Mark Whitebook Guitar.
Further, the Stratocaster that was used for parts on the Telecaster was not
once owned by Buddy Holly which Susie sold to Marty Stuart who sol it to
George Gruhn and he claimed it was when he sold it to a guy in Florida for
thousands of dollars!! Gene said it was a brand new Strato that some old
guy in Palmdale had under his bed and Gene and Clarence bought it for
cheap!!!!
Don't you just love these stories???? It would be great to document all
this in the booklet for the box set. Gene said he'd help and hopefully
along with Roland and Roger and Billy maybe the truth will be known. On
the facing page from a text page would be a full color page of each one of
the guitars, mandolin and the Spanish Dobro. Michelle has Clarence's first
instrument ever, an ukulele!!!!! It's got to be in the booklet! I noticed
that gentlemen in Japan with the web page with the Clarence material uses a
cover photo of the Clarence with the Byrds with the guitar Clarence hated
the most-the Ovation. They were trying to get him to endorse it--all it
capable of doing was float on water!
John Delgatto
---------------------------------------------------------------
From: russellp@bhip.infi.net
To: colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp
Subject: clarence
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 19:15:38 -0800
Hi Etsuo,
Hi are you? I hope life is returning to normal there!
I am particularly trying to find someone who has these records
or excellent tapes of them:
various: "The Bakersfield Five' (Alshire S-5123);
various: "The Modern Country Friends" (Alshire S-5124);
various: "Hit Songs of the Country Ladies' (Alshire 5256);
various artists: "Country & Western Songs Volume 2'
(Alshire SF 303);
Rusty Dean: "Wailin' Time' (Alshire 5122);
Rusty Dean and others: "Country Hits of Today' (Alshire S-5125);
Rusty Dean: "A Country Bouquet of Hits';
Maybe you have some or all of these! I'm also looking
for 45s or tapes of these:
Gary Paxton 45s:
Miles and Cities (Capitol 5975)
Mother-in-Law
Goin' Through the Motions (Capitol 5707)
You Got to Do the Best You Can
It's My Way (Capitol 5467)
My Heart Won't Let My Lips Say Goodbye
Guilbeau and Parsons 45
Sweet Rosie (BIP 1007)
Your gentle ways of loving me
Wayne Moore 45
Hey Juliana (BIP 1004)
Rocks in my head
Bruce Oakes 45s
The lineman song / Don't play love (Boomer 102)
I'll live today / On pins and needles (Boomer 103)
Let me know if you have any of these (or tapes of them) and if
you want to trade!
Best wishes,
Richard
---------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 1999 07:53:19 -0700
To: Etsuo Eito
From: Sierra Records
Subject: web site
SIERRA RECORDS IS BACK ON LINE - MORE TO FOLLOW AT
http://www.sierra-records.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Michael Ryoyu Allen"
To:
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 00:01:44 -0700
Hi: I see that you have a very extensive knowledge of the Kentucky Colonels
and Clarence White. I was a neighbor of Roger Bush and a friend of his
younger brother Sherman. I met Clarence in 1963 and he was my teacher for
a couple of years before I went to Viet Nam. I also have lived in Japan for
about 12 years of my life. I am going to be in Japan next January and would
like to give you some pictures of Clarence taken before he was killed and
the original (no label) recording of Apalchian Swing that Roger Bush gave me
in 1963. I am hoping to hear from you and perhaps meet you in Jan.
Mike Allen
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 13:34:40 -0700
To: Etsuo Eito
From: Sierra Records
Subject: Kentucky Colonels
The following is for public knowledge:
Several years ago, Billy Ray Lathum signed a written agreement and he was
paid a substantial amount giving Sierra Records the rights to release the
live recordings of the Kentucky Colonels from Canada!
Sierra's rights will be enforced.
John Delgatto
President
Sierra Records, Books & Home Video
P.O. Box 5853
Pasadena, CA 91117
626-355-4065 (fax)
sierra1@jps.net (email)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Michael Ryoyu Allen"
To: "Etsuo Eito"
Subject: Re: Great to hear from you !!!!!!
Date: Sat, 9 Oct 1999 20:44:56 -0700
I enjoyed your email. It was indeed very ineresting for me at age 14 to
meet the Kentucky Colonels who were just changing their name from the
country boys. Leroy Mack had just left the band and Roland White was just
returning from the Army. Eric White got married and quit the band as base
player so Roger Bush joined them. It was my first exposure to blusgrass
music. The other players were Bobby Sloan and Billy Ray Latham. Clarence
sold me a herring bone D-28 for $250 U.S. during the summer of 1963 that the
Colonels went on tour back to the East Coast of America. The band used that
money for buying gasoline. I had worked all summer to get the money to pay
for the guitar. I used to hear them practice every Wednesday in Roger's
room. The Whites, Roland and Clarence drove to El Monte California from Sun
Valley. I got a lesson from Clarence before the band practiced. It was
quite wonderful. I recall those days as a very good time in my life. I
want to pass on some of those good things to others too. I hope we can meet
in Japan next year. I am now a Zen buddhist priest in L.A.
Best regards
Ryoyu Allen
------------------------------------------------------------------
From: JDuke00000@zzz.xxx
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 01:06:23 EDT
Subject: Clarence White
To: colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp
Etsuo Eito,
I was given your name from a fan of Clarence that was bidding on some of
the Clarence White items that I have on ebay. My name is Jimmi Seiter and I
managed the Byrds when Clarence was a member. He was my dearest friend
and neighbor.
I was told that you might be interested in talking to me by the fan that I
met.
Sincerely,
Jimmi Seiter
--------------------------------------------------------------------
[Editor's Note]
I soon wrote back to him to ask for his memory on Clarence White, and he
asked me back again the dealine of the article and so on. I didn't specified
he deadline. And I've heard nothing from him yet by now. Hope he'll write
something for the next issue. I believe his story must be great.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1999 09:26:44 -0700
To: Etsuo Eito
From: Sierra Records
Subject: Re: The Vancouver Show CD project
Dear Etsuo:
I just sent a certified letter to Keishi Shikata of SHIKATA RECORDS informing
him that any rights to the Vancouver Show are owned by Sierra. Further, any
rights in regards to Clarence White are also controlled and administered by
Sierra Records on behalf of Michelle White Bledsoe. He must stop production
but we need to discuss what can be done to resolve the issue amacably on all
sides.
I am sure Roland and Roger have no idea that this is also happening!
If you hear any more from your side, please let me know. I have been unable
so far to determine if there was a date set for such a release.
Regards,
John Delgatto
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1999 11:00:52 -0700
To: colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp
From: Sierra Records
Subject: IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
The release of a Compact Disc of the Kentucky Colonels "The Vancouver Show"
is a violation of a written agreement between Sierra Records and Billy Ray
Lathum. Further, any such release does not have the verbal and/or written
approval of Michelle White Bledsoe, the Administratrix of the Estate of
Clarence White which this office is representing in this particular
matter. Any use of recordings, likeness, music publishing and the name
"Kentucky Colonels" is strictly prohibited without the express written
consent of Sierra Records. We will exercise any and all means to enforce
these rights. Any person or persons or any entity manufacturing,
promoting, advertising, distributing, marketing and/or selling this
unauthorized and illegal compact disc, will be held liable.
Our lawyers are in the process of obtain from the appropriate courts a
cease and desist order upon Mr. Lathum and Shikata Records which issued the
compact disc.
Sincerely,
SIERRA RECORDS, BOOKS & HOME VIDEO
John M. Delgatto
President
cc: S.D. Ashley, Esq.
Joel R. Strote, Esq.
Michelle White Bledsoe, Administratrix of the Estate of Clarence White
Roland White
Roger Bush
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[From Editor]
In spite of SIERRA RECORDS' alert, they (Billy Ray Lathum and Shikata
Records in Nashville,TN) seemed to have ignored the contract with Sierra
Records which had been done several years earlier. I've just received the
Shikata Records SRCD-1002 "The Kentucky Colonels Live in Stereo" from
B.O.M Service in Takarazuka, Japan. The music business scene seems to
be so complex for the amateurs like us.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1999 02:03:17 -0800
To: Etsuo Eito
From: Sandy Rothman
Subject: Dave Cohen
Dear Etsuo,
Have you ever heard of an L.A. session guitarist named Dave Cohen? (Not
David Cohen, Fish guitarist/keyboardist of the same name from New York.)
Dave was a friend of Al Ross and Scott Hambly. I always heard that he,
along with James Burton, helped Clarence get started in studio work. He
played great acoustic guitar too, and could play in Clarence's style. I have
no idea what he's up to -- would like to find out, if any CWC readers are
aware of him. Thanks,
Sandy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for reading long newsletter. Have a joyful holiday season.
=================================================================
** End of the mail **
_________________________________________
from the foot of the Hiromine Mountain,
in the northern suburb of Himeji,JAPAN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your Always Kentucky Colonelly,
Etsuo Eito
************************************************
* Snail-Mail Address: 2-13-7,Kitahirano, *
* Himeji,Hyogo, 670-0893 *
* JAPAN *
* E-Mail Address : colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp *
* PHONE / FAX : +81-792-82-0821 *
************************************************
Dear subscribers,
We have received many inquiries on "the Kentucky Colonels
Live in Stereo CD" bootlegly released by Billy Ray Lathum
and Double Barrel Records from our readers during last two
days. Here's an additional information where this CD is
avalable in U.S and Japan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DBR-1001 CD The Kentucky Colonels Live in Stereo
is available at the following addresses.
Double Barrel Records SHIKATA RECORDS
P.O.Box 290621 Shikata International
Nashville, TN. 372229 4921 Leesa Ann Lane
Hemitage, TN. 37076
FAX 1-615-889-5304
Dan Miller's
FLATPICKIN GUITAR MAGAZINE
E-Mail to: Dan Miller
Phone call at 800-413-8296.
Disc Union
1-8,Kanda-Surugadai
Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 101-0062
JAPAN
Phone call at 81-3-3294-2648
B.O.M. Service Ltd.
6-5-18,Kawamo,
Takarazuka,Hyogo, 665-0842
JAPAN
FAX 81-797-86-5184
E-Mail to: bluegras@kh.rim.or.jp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm NOT a salesman for these music dealers. I just help you
getting this CD.
I'm sorry to say that there were some errors in the setlist of
the Vancouver show that I made and emailed you last time.
Sandy Rothman kindly enough corrected these careless errors.
Here's a reviced setlist.
------------------------------------------------------
THE COMPLETE SETLIST
of
the Kentucky Colonels
Live at the Ark
Vancouver, Canada
January 15, 1965
(Set-1)
* Train 45
* Hot Corn Cold Corn
* Shuckin' The Corn
* Dark Hollow
* Salt Creek
* All the Good Times Are Past and Gone
* Soldier's Joy
* You Won't Be Satisfied That Way
* Alabama Jubilee
* Howdy Hoss
* Columbus Stockade
* Mockin' Banjo
* If I Lose
* Wicked Path of Sin
* I'm Working On A Building
* Prisoner's Song
* Shady Grove
* Mountain Dew (Encore)
(Set-2)
* Fire on the Mountain
* Ain't Gonna Rain No More
* Johnson's Old Gray Mule
* Fair And Tender Ladies
* Bluegrass Breakdown
* Long Journey Home
* Wildwood Flower
* Chug a Lug
* Julius Finkbine's Rag
* May You Never Be Alone Like Me
* Sally Ann
* Earl's Breakdown
* White House Blues
* In The Pines
* Get Down On Your Knee and Pray
* Rawhide
* Black Eyed Susie (Encore)
(Set-3)
* Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me
* Train 45
* Salty Dog Blues
* Flint Hill Special
* When You're Smiling
* Dixie Breakdown
* Nine Pound Hummer
* Petticoat Junction
* Blue Ridge Mountain Blues
* Barefoot Nellie
* Sunny Side of the Mountain
* Shiek of Araby
* Dang Me
* Stoney Creek
* Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
* I Wonder How The Old Folks Are At Home
* Amazing Grace
(183 minutes in total)
-------------------------------------------------
Sincerely,
E.Eito
CWC Editor
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