[Harp-L] RE: Just my questions

"Hellerman, Steven" <shellerman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> · Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:08:55 -0800

Been playing and singing Willin' for awhile w/ The Professors (one reason I'm Prof. Steve), though we don't play that often anymore. We do that song in G, fun song to harmonize with; I play it mostly straight harp, though I sometimes throw in a little cross in a mid-song solo. 

If they want the intro, I suggest you play it straight. 

Great tune, so many people covered it back in the '70's, always liked the way Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen did it. But if you can find it, very interesting up-tempo version by Seatrain (Peter Rowan's band back in the day; who remembers them?).

SLH

Message: 8
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:04:59 -0500 (EST)
From: burket@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Just my questions
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <8CEA03D6145338C-1F58-9E5A3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

 Hi Steve:

Your post brought back some good memories from one of my old bands in Colorado.  We used to cover "Willin' ", but more like the Lowell George/ Little Feat version.  Slow and kind of bluesy in the key of G.  I used to play the solos on the harp with a rack (while playing guitar and dealing with the vocals).  Crossed up  with a C harp really worked well.

There is no harp on this version, but its a nice live performance, featuring Lowell himself before he passed away. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNqv85coyTw

Another great Little Feat song that sets up nice on a D harp (cross in A) is "Dixie Chicken".

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z-GwdaKrn8&feature=fvwrel

Most of the Lowell George slide guitar solos seem to be right there on the harmonica!  With a good keyboard player, it makes for a great jam!

Good luck with the gig, and feel free to email me off list if you want to hear how I used to play the "Willin" intro.

Cheers-
Burke T.

 Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:58:24 -0500 (EST)From: "steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>Subject: [Harp-L] Just my questionTo: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: <1b5b228.11d203.134cb8f7770.Webtop.47@xxxxxxxxxxx>

So, through a set of circumstances too difficult to explain here, I have
been asked to play harmonica in a show that replicates the well-known
Linda Ronstadt album "Heart Like a Wheel."
I am basically playing on just two songs... "Guess It Doesn't Matter
Anymore" and "Willin".

I'm doing OK with it considering my limited time to be involved.  My
question is: Did they have low F harps back in the 70s, or whenever this
album was recorded?

It appears to me, in Guess It Doesn't Matter,.. that a low F was used.
At least, that is what I am using.

There isn't a lot of harp in either of the songs, so they are happy with
whatever I do, as long as I get the intro to Willin right.
I thought I was done with my playing in front of people, but here I am
again.

And..... a trio that was put together for a local telethon that
is televised all over southern Minn. and northern Iowa, which includes
me on harp....   is now opening for this Heart Like a Wheel show.

All of a sudden, I am practicing and rehearsing a lot. Go figure.
for anyone interested.. I am attaching one of the songs from our trio...
Hopefully..  It's a rough early solo for me, so be kind.

Steve Webb in Minn.
where the sun has been shining and it never snows anymore.

------------------------------

Message: 9
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:34:35 +0100
From: Ben Bouman <fitgo@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Just my questions
To: burket@xxxxxxx
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <C6D16F34-9A97-4015-B4D2-7FCABB383CE7@xxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset=us-ascii

Steve Baker and Chris Jones have this song on of their cd's. I think it is one of the best I've ever heard!!

A friend of mine , Cor Groot , and I played this song during a harpmeeting in Holland as you can see here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqgQla6_SPU&feature=player_embedded

I'm using one of my beta-harps in G, country tuned

Ben Bouman
www.customharmonicashop.nl
www.harmonicainstituut.nl
www.marble-amps.com

Op 13 jan 2012, om 20:04 heeft burket@xxxxxxx het volgende geschreven:

>
> Hi Steve:
>
> Your post brought back some good memories from one of my old bands in Colorado.  We used to cover "Willin' ", but more like the Lowell George/ Little Feat version.  Slow and kind of bluesy in the key of G.  I used to play the solos on the harp with a rack (while playing guitar and dealing with the vocals).  Crossed up  with a C harp really worked well.
>
> There is no harp on this version, but its a nice live performance, featuring Lowell himself before he passed away. 
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNqv85coyTw
>
> Another great Little Feat song that sets up nice on a D harp (cross in A) is "Dixie Chicken".
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z-GwdaKrn8&feature=fvwrel
>
> Most of the Lowell George slide guitar solos seem to be right there on the harmonica!  With a good keyboard player, it makes for a great jam!
>
> Good luck with the gig, and feel free to email me off list if you want to hear how I used to play the "Willin" intro.
>
> Cheers-
> Burke T.
>
> Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:58:24 -0500 (EST)From: "steve@xxxxxxxxxxxx" <swebb@xxxxxxxxxxx>Subject: [Harp-L] Just my questionTo: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: <1b5b228.11d203.134cb8f7770.Webtop.47@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>
>
> So, through a set of circumstances too difficult to explain here, I have
> been asked to play harmonica in a show that replicates the well-known
> Linda Ronstadt album "Heart Like a Wheel."
> I am basically playing on just two songs... "Guess It Doesn't Matter
> Anymore" and "Willin".
>
> I'm doing OK with it considering my limited time to be involved.  My
> question is: Did they have low F harps back in the 70s, or whenever this
> album was recorded?
>
> It appears to me, in Guess It Doesn't Matter,.. that a low F was used.
> At least, that is what I am using.
>
> There isn't a lot of harp in either of the songs, so they are happy with
> whatever I do, as long as I get the intro to Willin right.
> I thought I was done with my playing in front of people, but here I am
> again.
>
> And..... a trio that was put together for a local telethon that
> is televised all over southern Minn. and northern Iowa, which includes
> me on harp....   is now opening for this Heart Like a Wheel show.
>
> All of a sudden, I am practicing and rehearsing a lot. Go figure.
> for anyone interested.. I am attaching one of the songs from our trio...
> Hopefully..  It's a rough early solo for me, so be kind.
>
> Steve Webb in Minn.
> where the sun has been shining and it never snows anymore.