Re: [Harp-L] The Bernie Bray Harmonica Player of the Year Award

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have the last tape Don made. He had a heart attack that same day. I was told to never let anyone have it. So I keep it safe.
It may have some of the same tunes as the one I gave you but it's not the same tape. 

Possibly George's CD is a compendium of Don's work, and may also contain some of the same tunes. Don was known to 
re tape around 20 of his favorite tunes. I have his version of my version of Ricky Nelson's 'fools rush in'. lol, it's better than mine (weeping). 

Since Don didn't drive and I usually came to spah (or Buckeye) with a car, George Miklas, Don, I, and sometimes a fourth 
person would find an all night diner and sit there chewing the fat. Don loved glazed donuts. He would drink coffee with about
5 heaping spoons of sugar, and down about 4 to 5 glazed donuts. 

He could tell some hair raising stories. What an treasure. Don and George were good friends. 

smo-joe (if he were to mispronounce your name, you would feel compelled to change your pronunciation to His), Yes, he is the most unforgettable character you will ever meet. 

  

On Aug 21, 2015, at 4:04 PM, Ron Burton wrote:

> I have cassette tape recording of Don Les given to me by Smo-Joe ten years ago.  Whenever I get the "big-head" 'cause I hit some lick I'd been practicing for.....I just play that tape and get humbled...over and over.  Thank you Smokey.....
> 
> Ron Burton--just west of the 'Glades and far South of where I would like to play
> 
>> From: madcat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] The Bernie Bray Harmonica Player of the Year Award
>> Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2015 12:06:51 -0400
>> To: harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>> CC: 
>> 
>> I believe that Don Les won the Bernie Bray award due to the fact he was an excellent bass harmonica player who was a member of the worlds most popular harmonica trio.
>> His diatonic harmonica playing was amazing, and he was also was outrageously great at playing the 4 hole Little Lady, but both of those endeavors were considered novelties at that time.
>> 
>> Peter Madcat Ruth
>> Musician - Grammy Award Winner
>>     madcat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> www.madcatmusic.net
>> www.youtube.com/user/petermadcatruth
>> 
>>> On Aug 21, 2015, at 10:37 AM, robert <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I was about to say that Madcat was the first diatonic player to win this award, then I thought about Don Les in 1991. Question for Madcat and other long-time SPAH members: Did Don Les win because of his bass harmonica playing? Did his diatonic playing factor in his win?
>>> WVa Bob 
>>> 
>>>> 
>> 
>