[Harp-L] RE: Norton Buffalo got no respect!

["Klein, Steven \(DSCP\)" <Steven.Klein@xxxxxxx>]

Dear Fellow HARP-Lers,
Here is Norton's reply.

Steve Klein
-----Original Message-----
From: Norton Buffalo [mailto:Buffharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 3:05 PM
To: Klein, Steven (DSCP)
Subject: Re: Norton Buffalo got no respect!
Importance: High

Steve,
	Thanks for your note. My ears were burning ... now I know why
....  
good to know that the Harp L room is buzzing ...  and that my name  
pops up now and then. I'll have some more new music for you all to  
put your ears and harps to later this year. Meanwhile, as to your  
inquiry ... here's my take on it.
	After playing with Steve Miller for over thirty years, I have
been  
introduced in so many ways, often different from night to night.  
There are evenings when I play harmonica on a big pile of tunes and  
other nights when I play on only a couple. Whereas I am most know  
around the world for my harmonica playing, both live and in  
recordings, with Steve, I have always considered that my most  
important job is my vocals. What can I say ... "I get no respect!!!".  
Usually during the course of our live show, he mentions my name  
either before or after each tune I play on, which ends up being a lot  
of mentions by the time the show is over, so I don't get bent  
regarding how he introduces me at the end of the show. Apparently  
those other introductions didn't reach the final cut on the DVD. I do  
know that we had a lot of fun doing the show that night! Especially  
the antics of my good pal, George Thorogood ... he was in rare form  
that night, as was the band, Satriani and Steve.

	It is, at times, frustrating juggling both my own career,
recordings  
and performances alongside my touring with Steve. With my new  
recordings underway, I look forward to the time when my tours take  
precedence. As a long standing member of Steve's band, I still have a  
ball doing those shows and try like heck to make the two careers work  
well together. The past couple years, I have been much busier  
performing with Steve. I am hoping that with some new releases this  
year, that in the next year or so, you will see me out there a bunch  
more with my acoustic group, Norton & Friends, as well as with my  
band, The Knockouts.

	The Steve Miller Band is performing tomorrow (Sat Jan 13) at the
New  
Orleans Superdome for a Saints playoff game. I will, however, be  
performing in Antioch, California with my duet with Roy Rogers and  
will not make Steve's show ... It was a short notice booking for  
Steve, and there was no way I could cancel my show to be there. Ah  
the "business" of it all ... if we didn't have to worry about  
that ... it would all be fun!!!!!
	Give my regards to all the Harp L folks ... Unfortunately, I
just  
don't have the time to hang out in the chat zone. As you can imagine,  
when I show my head in places like that, the questions and notes can  
get overwhelming. Thanks again for your note and for your kind words  
and concerns.
				harmonically,
						Norton
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Klein, Steven (DSCP) 
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 7:08 AM
To: 'harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: Re: Norton Buffalo got no respect!

 Dear Fellow HARP-Lers,
I have emailed Norton about this and will post his reply.

Steve Klein

Message: 6
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:54:29 -0600
From: "Suave Blues Man" <res6k2zt@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Norton Buffalo got no respect!
To: "Lenny M" <lennythetunesmith@xxxxxxxxx>, <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <001d01c73616$829e47a0$5b256147@nad966f33f1b66>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1;
	reply-type=original

..... Any person on stage is there for the audience and should be
recognized 
by the band leader. (Musician's Rules of Order? ASCAP? Musician's Union 
Rules?) And if Norton is called a conga player, it may have been that he
DID 
play conga on THAT number.
     The Steve Miller sound is a trademark as much as the name Norton 
Buffalo is synonymous with the epitome of crafted harmonica play.
     If you want to know Norton's opinion about all this you can reach
him 
through his fan club e-mail @: bufffanclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx .

   

Suave Blues Man

>
> "Klein, Steven (DSCP)" wrote:
> I recently purchased the "Fly Like an Eagle:30th Anniversary edition
of
> the Steve Miller classic" which contains a 22 song concert DVD (along
> with the CD). I highly recommend this collection; however, although
> Norton Buffalo played some great harp on it, when Steve Miller
> introduced the band, he credited Norton for his vocals and Conga
> playing, but made no mention of his harp playing. I felt that this was
a
> big disrespect, considering that Norton is a highly respected harp
> player who is also known for his instructional DVD's. I know that most
> of Steve Miller's songs do not have harp on them, so Norton wants to
add
> musical value in other ways, but I would doubt that he would mainly
want
> to be known as a vocalist/percussionist.
>
> Steve Klein