[Harp-L] Tulsa and Memphis

Mick Zaklan mzaklan@xxxxx
Sat Jun 22 12:25:31 EDT 2019


   Browsing vids the other day I was startled to find a recent clip
featuring one of the entertainers listed for this year's SPAH convention in
Tulsa (Lauren Williams) exchanging riffs with a guy who performed as a
preteen at the 1994 convention in Memphis (Brody Buster):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNOFd37k6bo.  I'm guessing Brody would be
around 37 years old now and I'm pleased to see that he stuck with the
harmonica.
   Coincidentally, one of the headliners for that Memphis convention,
Charlie Musselwhite, is also performing for us in Tulsa.  It was a real
kick for me in 1994 to see Charlie walking around our convention and
downtown Memphis with his family, clearly enjoying themselves.
   We give out a Pete Pedersen Lifetime Achievement Award every year and I
recall that Memphis resident Pete was, forgive the pun, instrumental in the
bringing the convention to that city and helping run it.  I even remember
Pete and Charlie Musselwhite playing together onstage.  Memory is a little
fuzzy; but I think the tune was "Cotton Fields".  Anyway, the late Pete
Pedersen was a brilliant player and the greatest emcee I ever saw.  And a
huge inspiration to Buzz Kranz, by the way.
   Sad to think of the superb players walking around that convention 25
years ago who are no longer with us:  Don Les, Stan Harper, Pete Pedersen,
Pat Ramsey, Chris Michalek .....and Lonnie Glosson (who was performing down
the street at the Southern Heritage Fest).  Truly some of the greatest to
ever embrace a tin sandwich.

Mick Zaklan


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