[Harp-L] Re:Norton/American Treasure

[Rubben Emmanuelli <comunadesantos@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for posting this...


Message: 11
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:54:07 -0700
From: Grant Walters <grant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Norton/ American Treasure
To: michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>, harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <16201E05-B311-4565-8341-24C1F73AFA6A@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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Enjoy hearing about Norton from someone who knew him.
His passing is not easy to take.

I Knew him as a kid when I carried his equipment into  the back of the
club so I could watch the first set.
Next I was the bartender at the Clubs he played in on the San Mateo
County Coast.
He is one of the reasons I play harp today.
It was a thriving scene at the Miramar Beach Inn at the time and
Norton was a favorite.
Later, he just owned the crowd in Chico, California  and eventually he
did shows I produced here on the coast.
This is the ultimate great soul and showman.
One of kind. One of a kind. Never let me down...I went to many shows.


He always seemed happy to be playing and his humor was the key.
I seem to remember him having his own clothing line (did he make it)
and he was always so nice to
me.  When I would bring someone new to see his show, it would seem
like they were old friends.
Is that not the best kind of performer.  The best.

The various mic setups always captivated me.
One for singing, one for harping and one for dirty amp sound.
Powerful yet accurate beyond compare.
The great sound out of a little Chromatic...I thought those were toys
until I heard him play through one with a delay on it.
Talk about fast.

He did fiddle licks alongside Pedal Steel Greats and guitar masters
with Commander Cody as they just
calmly put together one of the best roadhouse bands of all time...and
recorded one of the best records of all time.
What a riot.  "We got a live one here".
Did these guys invent Americana Music?

Of course he was best at being Norton...the Knockouts...How tight is
that.

The albums will not do him justice..but he did play with everybody...I
mean everybody.
Do listen to :
       "Loving in the Valley of the Moon & Desert
       'Horizon"

I think I will break out my old Lp's and try again, , So much to learn
here,  his speed, tone and licks.  Wow.
Original.
.

I never did go see the Steve Miller gigs...too big for me but I'm sure
he had fun there too.

Saw him at the SF Blues Festival..Roy Rogers...seem to be having fun.

At the Dream Machines Festival we opened for him and it rained...
He kept playing ( back then, on a old  flat bed)  he was a big star
and here he was
playing for almost nothing out in the rain
and he did this gig because I told him the Charity we were playing for
had helped my mother.

When the gig was over I saw his band member stuck in the mud...what a
mess.
I ran over to find Norton with his great big chain, attached to his
four wheel jeep
pulling the guy out of the mud.
As I helped unhook his big rusty chain,  I thought he would be pissed.
Not at all.  He was grinning from ear to ear wearing his macho guy big
leather gloves
and covered in mud...This guy is the best.

As I always say....See them live (our great harp players)...while you
can.

Thanks Norton....for everything

Grant

-- 
Comuna de Santos

www.myspace.com/comunadesantos

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