Shortly after the recording of the Appalachian Swing! album, Roland and Clarence undertook some session work backing dobroist Tut Taylor on a Dobro-themed album that was released by World Pacific in late 1964 as Dobro Country. Music critic Thom Owens has remarked that White's playing on the album, "helped pioneer a new style in bluegrass namely, he redefined the acoustic guitar as a solo instrument." The Colonels' second album, Appalachian Swing!, was a commercial success and saw White's flatpicking permanently expand the language of bluegrass guitar. Throughout 1964, the Colonels continued to make live appearances at various clubs, concert halls and festivals, as well as recruiting fiddle player Bobby Sloan into their ranks. Between bookings with the Colonels, White also made a guest appearance on Eric Weissberg and Marshall Brickman's New Dimensions in Banjo & Bluegrass album, which would be re-released in 1973 as the soundtrack album to the film Deliverance (with Weissberg and Steve Mandell's version of " Dueling Banjos" added to the album's track listing). The Kentucky Colonels became well known on the bluegrass circuit during this period and made many live appearances throughout California and the United States. His breathtaking speed and virtuosity on the instrument was largely responsible for making the guitar a lead instrument within bluegrass. White soon began to integrate elements of Watson's playing style, including the use of open strings and syncopation, into his own flatpicking guitar technique. At that time, the guitar was largely regarded as a rhythm instrument in bluegrass, with only a few performers, such as Doc Watson, exploring its potential for soloing. After attending a performance by Doc Watson at the Ash Grove folk club in Los Angeles, where he also met the guitarist, Clarence began to explore the possibilities of the acoustic guitar's role in bluegrass music. Īround this time, Clarence's flatpicking guitar style was becoming a much more prominent part of the group's music. The band's album was released by Briar International under the title The New Sound of Bluegrass America in early 1963. The Kentucky Colonels įollowing the recording sessions for the Country Boys' debut album, the band changed its name to the Kentucky Colonels in September 1962, at the suggestion of country guitarist and friend Joe Maphis. Between 19, the group released three singles on the Sundown, Republic and Briar International record labels. That same year, Clarence and other members of the Country Boys appeared on two episodes of The Andy Griffith Show. In 1961, the Country Boys also added Roger Bush on double bass, as a replacement for Eric White, Jr. In 1957, banjoist Billy Ray Latham and Dobro player LeRoy Mack were added to the line-up, with the band renaming themselves the Country Boys soon after. Although they initially started out playing contemporary country music, the group soon switched to a purely bluegrass repertoire, as a result of Roland's burgeoning interest in the genre. (who played mandolin and banjo respectively) in a trio called Three Little Country Boys. In 1954, when Clarence was ten, the White family relocated to Burbank, California and soon after, Clarence joined his brothers Roland and Eric Jr. At such a young age he was barely able to hold the instrument and as a result, he briefly switched to ukulele, awaiting a time when his young hands would be big enough to confidently grapple with the guitar. A child prodigy, Clarence began playing guitar at the age of six. Clarence's father, Eric LeBlanc, Sr., played guitar, banjo, fiddle, and harmonica, ensuring that his offspring grew up surrounded by music. The LeBlanc family, who later changed their surname to White, were of French-Canadian ancestry and hailed from New Brunswick, Canada. 10.2 Tut Taylor, Roland and Clarence WhiteĬlarence Joseph LeBlanc was born on Jin Lewiston, Maine.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |