[Harp-L] Bill Clarke's SM-57

["tomsmics" <tomsmics@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I saw Bill play many times, considered him a friend, and sold him a bunch of mics over the years.  He did play an SM-57 on his last tour, and told me he loved it.  He was able to shape his sound much more because it was smaller and Bill had small hands.

The night he was here, the last time he ever played in Dallas, he was nothing short of incredible.  I had NEVER heard him play like that;  after the first set I almost had a headache from all the remarkable things he was playing that I was trying to etch to memory.  I felt worn out and completely elated at the end of the night.

Bill was a wonderful guy. And his new found sobriety and family life was something that had brought him such joy.  And he was so humble.  He continually asked me if he sounded good, was the band alright....talk about an honor!  That he valued my opinion was so flattering.  That night at the breaks we sat and talked about his band, how much he dug having Rick on bass because Rick had played with Butter. He told me, unsolicited, that he was finally "getting it" about Butterfield and what a great player, singer and bandleader he was.  It was ironic that he was playing a mic so similar to Butter's own.....TOM ELLIS/Tom's Mics