Re: [Harp-L] DeFord Bailey

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 11, 2005, at 2:00 PM, Stephen Seifert wrote:

> Mr. Leone, do you have any stories about Deford Bailey that you could 
> pass
> along? Where was his shoeshine store? What's his son's playing like? 
> Where
> can we go in Nashville to hear good harp playing?
>
> Stephen Seifert
> Nashville, TN
> www.stephenseifert.com
Dear Steve, I'm afraid you may have me mixed up with someone else. 
While I did hobo around the south for a year (60-61), and heard many of 
the old great harpers, I never got to Nashville until 78. I had been on 
a telethon  in Pittsburgh and was invited to go there for a show. I was 
to do ONE number solo, the rest back-up. I was invited back several 
times, but my state job wouldn't permit it. I only went back a couple 
times. My back-up was Al Petty, a terrific pedal steel man from Tyler 
Texas.
 I never had the pleasure of meeting DeFord but know his stuff. He is 
before my time (I am 62). The only thing we share in common is that 
when I was small and we lived in Bensonhurst (Brooklyn), I shined shoes 
on the Staten Island Fy (Illegal), but they didn't bother you as long 
as you didn't hassle the passengers. As I have only been to Nashville a 
couple times, I can't tell you much. There is a guitar player down here 
John (Jackie Lee) Morgan, who WAS a studio musician up there. He tells 
me Nashville is just a mere shadow of it's former self, as all the 
"happenings" are now in Branson, Mo. btw, Charlie McCoy ALSO lives here 
now.
 Sorry I couldn't help.

smo-joe   (p.s. what's with the "Mr."?  :) just cal me jojo)