Re: [Harp-L] dean martin

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Several websites claim that Billy Lee Riley played harmonica on Dean Martin's recordings. Harmonica was also featured on Martin's "Houston" from about the same  period (mid '60s). It may be that Riley played on both.

I've never heard before that Charlie McCoy was Juilliard trained. The feature on him in Kim Field's "Harmonicas, Harps, and Heavy Breathers," which is very well researched, does not mention this. (McCoy does mention spending some time at the University of Miami studying music when Nashville initially didn't know what do with him).

Winslow
 
Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Harmonica Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance


________________________________
 From: Rick Dempster <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> 
Cc: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 4:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] dean martin
 
I suspect this that the producer decided it needed some harp, and said to
the session guys "Anyone blow a little harp?"
I wonder if Charlie McCoy hadn't been able to play umpteen other
instruments and been fairly well trained (he was at Julliard)
whether he would have been able to have the career as a harp player that he
had.