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          " C L A R E N C E   W H I T E   C H R O N I C L E S "

                The Online Newsletter of A Guitar Virtuoso
                       April 9, 1997     (Number 7.)

                         Edited by  Etsuo Eito
            Copyright by Bluegrass Workshop "North Field" 1997
****************************************************************************
      To  post notes to this  digest,  send an  E-mail  message  to
          or  
      To subscribe or unsubscribe,  send an  E-mail message  to the
      same address with the appropriate word in the subject field.
      Previous  editions of "CLARENCE WHITE CHRONICLES" are available
      in paper magazine format at Bluegrass Workshop "North Field"
      C/O  Etsuo Eito : 2-13-7,Kitahirano,Himeji,Hyogo, 670 JAPAN

      No part of this newsletter can be reprinted in any format
                without editor's permission.
____________________________________________________________________________
               
                   << Contents  of  This  Issue >>

[E-mail from Subscribers]
      * appreciation!!                    Jeff Dunn 
      * Re CWC online newsletter #6       Jon Sievert 
      * Re:CWC online newsletter #6     LeRoy Mack McNees 
      * Info                              Walter Flint 
      * Re:CWC online newsletter       R.C.Mainfort 
      * cwc #7                            Dan Little 
      * Thanks                     Mark Curtright 
      * Clarence on the Byrds Reissues  R.Baker 

[Special Contribution]
  --"Hong Kong Hillbilly",  the original version of "Nashville West"--

[SPECIAL of this issue]
   * Clarence  White's Biography     -- This Is My Destiny -- (I)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Date: Sat, Mar 22, 1997    08:54:01   -0600
From: Jeff Dunn 
To: Etsuo Eito 
Subject: appreciation!!

 
Dear Etsuo,
        This is just a quick note to let you know how much I appreciate your
Clarence White newsletter.It makes a wonderful and informative addition
to my Byrds and Colonels archieves. God bless you for all the work and
devotion you put in it!

                                                Sincerely,
                                                Jeffery Dunn
                                                jldunn@dave-world.net
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Date: Sat, Mar 22, 1997    10:47:51   -0800
From: Jon Sievert 
To: Etsuo Eito 
Subject: Re CWC online newsletter #6

Dear Etsuo,
Thank you for adding me to your mailing list. It looks terrifc. Is there an
archive of earlier editions?

Jon

                Jon Sievert (jon@humblepress.com)
             humble press, P.O. Box 4322, Daly City, CA 94016
"Concert Photography: How to Shoot and Sell Music-Business Photographs"
             PHONE:(415) 469-8901    FAX: (415) 333-9351
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Date: Mon, Mar 24, 1997    00:11:06   -0500 (EST)
From: LeRoy Mack McNees 
To: Etsuo Eito 
Subject: Re:CWC online newsletter #6

Hello Etsuo;
How are you my friend?
I am sending CWC on Line to a few of my intrested friends.
They like it very much.
Keep up the good work.

LeRoy Mack
http://members.aol.com/dobro91/bluegrass/index.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: WFlint1811@aol.com
Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 17:27:14 -0500 (EST)
To: colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp
Subject: Info

Dear Etsuo
I was wondering if you know what happened to the woman who killed Clarence
White. Did she go to jail? Do you know who she is? I was just curious. I only
found out that it was a women by reading one of the pages you sent. I am
enjoying them very much indeed.. Thank you
 
Walter Flint
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Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 12:03:25 -0600 (CST)
From: "Robert C. Mainfort" 
To: Etsuo Eito 
Subject: Re: CWC online newsletter

Thank you very much for sending me the "back issues" of the Chronicles and
adding me to your mailing list. Your efforts are a fine tribute to a
remarkable individual and a remarkable musician.

Robert Mainfort
University of Arkansas
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 1997 08:25:01 +0100
From: Dan Little 
To: 
Subject: cwc #7

         Thanks for letting me know Etsuo
look forward to recieveing the next issue, I'm a big Clarence fan
from the UK and appreciate your newsletter a great deal.
 Dan

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Date: Fri, 04 Apr 1997 10:12:54 -0600
From: Mark Curtright 
To: colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp
Subject: Thanks!

Etsuo,

   Thanks for all the great issues of the Clarence White Chronicles that
you sent to me, they are great! How many issues are there in all? If
there are more, I would like to get them if possible.
   I also happen to be aquainted with a man who knew Clarence and the
rest of the White family when they were young boys. He played fiddle
with them while they were playing at Knott's Berry Farm. I might be
seeing him within the next month possibly. Would you be interested in me
perhaps asking him some questions and sending you whatever information I
get from him? Let me know. Keep up the great work, it's really fun to
read it all.

sincerely,
Mark Curtright
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 18:02:20 -0300
From: Richard Baker 
To: Etsuo Eito 
Subject: Clarence on the Byrds Reissues


     I hope that you have had the opportunity to hear the 4 Byrds
reissues--Notorious, Sweetheart, Dr. Byrds, and Easy Rider--that Sony
released on March 25.  In addition to the marvelously improved sound, we
actually get to hear "new" Clarence electric licks.  The Sweetheart bonus
tracks are especially awesome--The Christian Life, Life in Prison, You're
Still on my Mind,but most of all the instrumental All I Have are Memories.
Here we are treated to a jam with JayDee Manness trading licks with
Clarence.  I wonder if there are more "warmups" like this sitting in the
vaults.  I agree with Richard Russell that Dr. Byrds has the most improved
sound--the alternate track of Wheel's on Fire is far superior than the
poorly produced fuzz version on the original album.  But even the improved
sound cannot hide the awful production of Bob Johnston on that album.  He
was clearly a mismatch for the Byrds of 1968.  Imagine how Clarence would
have sounded if Gary Usher had produced Dr. Byrds!  Easy Rider continues
our appreciation of "new" Clarence material.  Let's hope that he receives
long overdue recognition as a result of the reissues.  And hurry John
Delgatto with the eagerly awaited Bakersfield to Byrdland so that we get
more Clarence J. White.  In the meantime, enjoy the reissues and look
forward to Nashville West.

Richard Baker
____________________________________________________________________________
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         [Clarence White's Rare Recording During Bakersfield Era]
    
   --"Hong Kong Hillbilly", the original version of "Nashville West"--


                                      Original Text  written by  Koji Kihara
                                      Rewritten & Translated by  Etsuo Eito
                                    

 Clarence White's music career during 1965-68(the period between the Colonels
and the Byrds) is known by quite few. So it could be called "Clarence's Lost
Period" among the fans. Gary Paxton is the key person who had a big influence
on the latter half of Clarence's life. He has a key to solve the mystery of
Clarence's Lost Period. I will talk a little bit about Gary Paxton, before
going into the subject.

 In the mid-1950's, Gary Paxton teamed up with Clyde "Skip" Battin, a college
classmate, in a group called the "Pledges", and they released an EP.  Then
they changed their group name to "Gary & Clyde" in 1957. They changed their
name again to "Skip & Flip" in 1959. Their release of "It Was I"  became a
hit, going #11 in Billboard.  After six single record releases on the Brent
label, Gary Paxton became a solo singer, and set up his own label called
"Garpax".  He released several single records on Liberty, Felsted, Capitol
and others. We can hear some hot dobro playing by Clarence White with Gary
shouting "All Right, Clarence!" on Gary's Capitol EP(Capitol-P-5975) "Miles
and Cities / Mother In Law".

 Gary Paxton then set up his "Bakersfield International" label  and began to
work as a producer, finding young talented players such as Gib Guilbeau,
Gene Parsons,the Gosdin brothers, Wayne Moore and Clarence White. We can see
Clarence's footprints from his Bakersfield period in his several single EPs,
many session recordings,and the only album of the legedary country rock band,
Nashville West. Clarence White was scouted by Gary Paxton, and he became a
studio musician at Bakersfield International, where he became friends with
Gene Parsons, Gib Guilbeau, Wayne Moore and the Gosdin brothers. The Gosdin
Brothers made a big hit in 1967, and the four guys teamed up to form the
band called Nashville West.

 It is said that several electric guitar instrumentals which Clarence White
had recorded for an album were lost when Bakersfield International went out
of business.  But recently we came across a very rare omnibus guitar album
titled "GUITAR COUNTRY  featuring  Bakersfield Big Guitars" (JASICO RECORDS
J-1001), which seems to have been recorded at some time during Clarence's
Lost Period.

 This album, probably, might not have ever been mentioned before. I guess it
could have been released  while Clarence worked as a studio musician at
Bakersfield International. The original version of "Tuff and Stringly" and
two other instrumentals can be heard in this album. One of them is titled
"Hong Kong Hillbilly" which sounds entirely just like "Nashville West". What
a big surprise!

 Clarence White and Gene Parsons might have already composed this tune before
they teamed up the Nashville West band. This tune may sound a little
"oriental", so they might have titled it "Hong Kong Hillbilly" at first. And
years later, this instumental revived as a fine country rock guitar
instrumental retitled "Nashville West" in the Sierra album of the same title.


     ----------------------------- * ----------------------------------
  About the author: Koji Kihara is a serious fan of Clarence White and has a
  huge record collection of bluegrass and country rock.  He is a practicing
  licenced tax acountant in Fukuyama city,Hirishima,Japan for years.

  Special Courtesy of Sandy Rothman, who kindly corrected my poor English
  translation.  Many thanks to Sandy!  Without your help, this newsletter
  could never be possible.
                                                               E.E  [Editor]
____________________________________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           T H E   M O S T   D E T A I L E D   B I O G R A P H Y
                                 o f
           C L A R E N C E   J O S E P H   W H I T E  (1944-1973)


                                               Data collected by  Harumi Goto
                                               Story composed by  Etsuo Eito

            ****************************************************
            ***    T h i s   I s   M y   D e s t i n y   (I) ***
            ****************************************************
                    

June  7, 1944    Born in Lewiston,Maine between French Canadian parents;
                 Eric Sr.and Mildred. Their original family name is LeBlanc.
                 Clarence's father plays guitar,mandolin,fiddle & harmonica,
                 his mother loved Grand Ole Opry, and his uncle and grandpa
                 played the fiddle.

         1950    Clarence played the guitar for the first time when he was
                 six years old.
December 1950    His father presented a ukulele to him for a Christmas gift.

         1952    Clarence & his brothers appeared at the Grange Hall,
                 Chinalake,Maine as the White Brothers for the first time.
                 Clarence began to play instrumentals such as "Rubber Dolly"
                 and "Golden Slippers" on his guitar.

         1954    Soon after the White family moved from Madawaska, Maine to
                 Burbank,CA.,the White brothers appeared on a Sunday morning
                 radio program "COUNTRY SHOW" on KXLA, Pasadena,CA. And they
                 began to appeared on many local radio & TV shows such as
                 "Squeskin' Deacon's Show","The Old Riverside Rancho Show",
                 "Cal's Corral" and etc.

                 Three Little Country Boys (Roland on mandolin, Clarence on
                 guitar, Eric Jr on tenor banjo, and Joanna on bass & vocal)
                 won the first prize at a talent contest held by KXLA.
                 They became acquainted with Mac Wiseman, Speedy West, Tex
                 Williams and Lefty Frizzell through the music business.
                 Three Little Country Boys covered the 1940's & 50's popular
                 country music and also the Louvin Brothers' songs.

         1955    Roland's purchase of Bill Monroe's "Pike County Breakdown"
                 record made them know bluegrass music,and their father
                 bought them a tape recorder to tape Bill Monroe's Christmas
                 Eve Concert on the TV. Thus, bluegrass became their main
                 repatoire.

         1957    Three Little Country Boys appeared regularly on a local
                 radio station. They got acquainted with Joe & Rose Maphis
                 there. Joe Maphis gave some tapes of Django Reinhardt and
                 Charlie Christian to Clarence, and also Joe taught him
                 basic idea of various guitar playing.

         1958    One day Roland got acquainted with Billy Ray Lathum,who had
                 just come to L.A. from his hometown Cave City,Arkansas, at
                 a music shop. This was the origin of The Country Boys.
                 Roland White on mandolin, Clarence White on guitar,
                 Eric White Jr. on bass, Billy Ray Lathum on banjo.

                 Soon later, LeRoy Mack McNees joined the group on dobro.
                 They regularly appeared at FRONTIER CLUB in Pomona,CA. two
                 nights in every week. Around this time they lived together
                 in the house of Mr & Mrs White out in a place called  Mont
                 Clare,CA.

         1959    The Ash Grove club opened in Hollywood,CA. The Country Boys
                 became acquainted with Ed Pearl, manager of the Ash Grove,
                 through the New Lost City Ramblers who was the first group
                 for the Ash Grove. The Country Boys could made a contract
                 of one week appearance at the Ash Grove with Ed Pearl.

                 Thier first single record was released on Sundown label.
                  (SD45-131) "I'm Head Over Heals in Love With You"
                             "Kentucky Hills"

                 Clarence began to play straight lead break on his guitar,
                 and was fascinated with Don Reno's "Country Boy Rock'n Roll"
                 guitar break.

         1960    Clarence bought the 1934 Martin D-28(Serial #58957) at the
                 McCabe's music shop in Santa Monica,CA.
                 He composed his own lead guitar break of "Journey's End".
                 Met with 9 aged Tony Rice.

Feb 13,  1961   The Country Boys appeared on "Andy Griffith Show" of NBC-TV
                network. Steve Stebbins of Americana Corporation (Woodland
                Hills,CA.) arranged them to appear on that famours TV show.

April    1961   The Country Boys recorded "On The Mountain", "The Valley
                Below" for Republic label (Republic 2013).

summer   1961   The Country Boys's first rael road work was a tour to
                Missouri in the summer of 1961. Roland got a news of draft
                from his wife on the road. It made their tour shorter than
                they had planned, and they returened to L.A.
                Eric Jr. married and left the group. In place of him, Roger
                Bush joined the group on bass.

Sept 19, 1961   The Country Boys appeared at the Ash Grove. Clarence played
                lead guitar break of "Journey's End". It was his first lead
                guitar playing onstage in public. We can hear it in "Livin'
                in The Past" album (Sierra/Briar SBR-8202).

Sept 25, 1961   Appeared at the Ash Grove. "Memphis Special" for the Sierra
                albm "Livin' In The Past" was originally recorded-live on
                September 25, 1961.

November 1961   An omnibus album of "Song,Themes & Laughs From The Andy
                Griffith Show" was released on Capitol label(Capitol T-1611).
                It contains four songs by the Country Boys.
                

                Clarence often woodsheded for lead guitar with Skip Connover.


        
          @@@@@@@@@@      To be continued       @@@@@@@@@@@@@
                

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                       *** End of The Mail ***
____________________________________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              _________________________________________
             |  The desk of CLARENCE WHITE CHRONICLES  |
             |    Bluegrass Workshop   "North Field"   |
             |       C/O  Etsuo Eito                   |
             |            2-13-7,Kitahirano,           |
             |            Himeji,Hyogo, 670   JAPAN    |
             |                                         |
             |    PHONE/FAX: +81-792-82-0821           |
             |    E-MAIL : colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp       |
             |             CQL00071@niftyserve.or.jp   |
             |_____    _______________________    _____|
                   |   |                      |   |
                   |   |                      |   |
                   |   |                      |   |
                   |   |                      |   |       See You Later.....
   ________________|   |______________________|   |_________________________
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   



   
      ***************************
       CLARENCE WHITE CHRONICLES
           online newsletter
      ***************************
      Editor: Etsuo Eito
      E-Mail: colonels@ac.mbn.or.jp
      FAX   : +81-792-82-082
_________________________________________ from the foot of the Hiromine Mountain, in the northern suburb of Himeji,JAPAN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clarence White Chronicles 8

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