[Harp-L] Norton/ American Treasure

[Grant Walters <grant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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


On Oct 30, 2009, at 8:40 PM, michael rubin wrote:

> I went to college in Sonoma and saw Norton countless times.  I can
> clearly remember telling friends he was "the best harmonica player in
> the world".  He was always nice to a 18 year old hanger on.  As Rob
> said, I am sure he influenced me to learn both diatonic and chromatic
> harps.
>
> This year I got to know him as a friend.  We taught the Kerrville Folk
> Festival Harmonica Workshop together.  He was a great guy, teacher and
> player.
>
> I am looking at a picture I have of Norton, Rob Roy Parnell (the third
> teacher) and myself.
> We have no harps, but Norton is U blocking, of which he was certainly
> the most famous of the style, I am tongue blocking and RobRoy is
> puckering.  I have another with me on bass and Brad Trainham on Chord
> and Norton on chrome.
>
> I am saddened but happy to have known him and shared the planet for  
> a bit.
> Michael Rubin
> Michaelrubinharmonica.com
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l