Rest in peace - Joe Carr

[Scott Tichenor]

South Plains College instructor of bluegrass and prominent Mel Bay author Joe Carr passed away today. Joe was a beautiful guy and an important figure in the history of bluegrass and early country music. We hosted an interview with Joe in 2013 and it's particularly sad for my wife and myself as we met in Levelland at Alan Munde's house late 1993 and Joe was always someone we enjoyed seeing and visiting with over the years.

On behalf of the Mandolin Cafe and our community we extend our condolences to Joe's family and friends.

[sgarrity]

RIP in Joe. You left a legacy of beautiful music and your dedication to musical education will not soon be forgotten!

[Scott Tichenor]

Pulled this off of Alan Munde's Facebook page, posted by Katy Daley.

I'm saddened to tell you that we have lost a great friend today. Joe Carr suffered a stroke this afternoon in Levellland, Texas and died in the arms of his beloved wife, Paula. Plans for a memorial service have not been finalized. Paula hopes people will remember Joe for his wonderful sense of humor.

Joe Carr had all the musical bases covered–musician, teacher, writer. He joined Country Gazette in 1977. Joe appeared on three group albums, a solo album and numerous other recorded projects during his seven-year tenure with the band. In the 1990s, Joe and Alan Munde formed a duo that toured extensively throughout the U.S., Canada and England and recorded two albums for Flying Fish/Rounder Records.
Since 1985 he was a music instructor, specializing in bluegrass, western swing and Irish music at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. Joe also served as the director of Camp Bluegrass. He developed and appeared in over thirty instructional music videos for Mel Bay Publications and Texas Music and Video. Joe was a regular columnist for Flatpicking Guitar Magazine and Mandolin Magazine and a periodic contributor to Fiddler Magazine. He also edited Mel Bay’s webzine Mandolin Sessions. He was an IBMA Distinguished Award recipient. Rest in Peace, Joe.

[GRW3]

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

With an illness that would have made most helpless, Joe continued to make a difference. He taught. He wrote. He inspired. I met him first at Camp Blugrass in 2002. He only needed a cane then but he had been diagnosed and knew there was worse to come. But he was always positive and in good humor.

[Joe Mendel]

I met Joe in 1993 when he picked me up at the airport in Lubbock when I went to check out the Fretted Instrument Building and Repair program at South Plains College. He immediately made me feel like we had known each other for years, and we did become friends during my time at the school, and we have stayed in touch ever since. I owe him a great deal.

Joe is the first guy that trusted me to work on his instruments while I was there and I continued to do work for him after I returned to St. Louis. Joe is the guy that pushed me into building instruments by placing an order for an octave mandolin, after I had worked on one that he had. Joe asked me to interview mandolin builders when Mel Bay started their mandolinsessions website and later to interview uke builders too. He was a great guy to work with and had confidence in me when I didn't. I took lessons from Joe and have used his instructional material for years. He was truly "one of the good guys." He had a great sense of humor as well.

I was always amazed by his positve attitude, when he couldn't play the octave mandolin I built for him, he traded it back for ukuleles, when he couldn't play those he told me that he could still play button box, so he could still make music. I admired that so much, even as my heart broke for him.

There are tears in my eyes as I type. Rest in Peace, Joe, you will be greatly missed. You touched many, many lives.

It was also at South Plains College that I met Annie Austin, and soon after her boyfriend, Scott Tichenor. I have a lot of great memories of SPC and all the folks I met there.

[flynyrdskynyrd]

Such a sweet, funny man and brilliant musician. Check out this track, where Joe plays mandolin: http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Dream...highland+dream

Joe and Roland White switched instruments for this tune (Roland is on guitar). I always loved Joe's guitar playing, but was floored by his mandolin playing when this record came out back in the early 80s. I'm so grateful I got to see Country Gazette perform so many times while I was growing up---many great memories.

[Tiderider]

So sad. I've learned so much through his instruction. Prayers and thoughts to the Carr family and friends.

[pickit007]

So sad, I met Joe in 1981 or '82 In Belle Plaine, Kansas, the Country Gazzette were doing a show Saturday night in the High School auditorium and in the afternoon Joe held a seminar on guitar, the session was held that afternoon in a hallway of the High School. It was one of those crazy cold February days but very sunny, and in the hallway the sound of music and the feel of warm sun coming in the large hallway windows seemed unearthly, I guess looking back that it was. I was two steps below a beginner and as the session was ending Joe had us play Blackberry Blossom and wanted everyone to take a break, when Joe nodded at me I know my heart stopped and I didn't breath until my turn was over, disaster, I knew I had complete embarassed myself and didn't look up for a bit, when I did Joe was still looking at me, made eye contact smiled and nodded...he knew how I felt and made a point of bailing me out...a priceless moment, I have told this story many times and it feels good to write it here...may God bless Joe, his family and friends!!! Strange, I had no tears then, why now...

[almeriastrings]

Incredibly sad, and a huge loss to bluegrass music and musicians. A wonderful player and a great teacher who has left up and coming players of the future a lasting legacy.

R.I.P and condolences to family and friends.

[B. T. Walker]

Joe had one of the keenest senses of humor I've ever seen. His timing on jokes was impeccable, heightened by his difficulty speaking. Often self-deprecating, he encouraged people to step out of their comfort zones and perform.

In a Q&A session at Camp Bluegrass, Joe discussed being in a band, and told how his first tour was also the first trip in his life outside Texas. He dozed off as they drove north past Amarillo, and when he awoke, they were in Kansas. Joe amused the others remarking that the cars all had different license plates.

He summed up saying that touring was very instructive, but the big lesson was inconsequential things like that remark could provide literally decades of comic relief to your companions. Alan Munde must've been in the car, too, because he was in stitches as the tale unfolded.

So, follow Mr. Carr's advice. Join a band, play the music you love, and make the world a happier place. Joe made his career doing just that. Rest in peace.

[Dagger Gordon]

I'm sorry to hear this.

Joe was on the first bluegrass album I bought - Somewhere over the rainbow, by Dave Ferguson - which I got in Evergreen, Colorado on my first trip to the States in the 70's.

[Ivan Kelsall]

That is a real shock !. I had the fortune to meet Joe when he toured the UK with Alan Munde several years ago. I'd met Alan before a few times,but had never met Joe of course. He was a thoroughly nice person & i'f i'd been playing mandolin at the time,i'd have bent his ear with more than a few questions. I'm sure that he'll be greatly missed by his fellow musicians & the admirers of his playing.
Very,very sad indeed - R.I.P. Joe Carr.

[AlanN]

Truly saddened to read this. Joe's picking, music, books and his whole thing with the mandolin were a constant companion for years. I corresponded with him when I saw an ad in the back of MWN for his tabs to the breaks he took on Jazzgrass. He sent me xerox copies of those handwritten tabs, and a copy of the chord charts to Gravy Waltz (that Slim had written on a napkin!) He accepted no payment. I met him twice. The first time at the Delaware Valley festival in the early 90's when he was playing as a duo with Alan Munde. I gave him a pick. I saw him a few years later and he remembered me (and was still using that pick.)

Prayers to his family.

[Timbofood]

I met Joe about 1978, one of the funniest guys I have ever had the pleasure to get to know even a little. I think of some of the things he said and either laugh out loud or just smile to myself. He will be missed by so many.
May light perpetual shine upon him.

[Skip Kelley]

I met Joe through an ad he posted in Bluegrass Unlimited. He was selling his Merlin's Magical Mandolin Method tab book. I called him to order the book and get more information. He seemed so excited that someone was interested in his book. It was xerox copies that were stapled together with a tape. I still have that. It was so helpful in my learning! He was a very humble, gentle spirit. He will be greatly missed! I pray for peace, comfort and grace for his family.

[PsychoMando]

Joe was a wonderful human being. His terrific sense of humor will be sorely missed. His personal instruction and published writings have been a gateway for thousands of players who have discovered the pure joy of playing music. My wife and I just got married 6 weeks ago. We fell in love at Camp Bluegrass in the summer of 2013. Joe, Paula, and the whole gang have such a fond place in our hearts. Truly, his was a life well-lived and he leaves a tremendous legacy of dear friends and having made the world a better place. God's peace to Joe and God's comfort to Paula.
Paul "Doc" Simpson

[tburcham]

My sympathies and prayers to the Carr family.

[AlanN]

I met Joe through an ad he posted in Bluegrass Unlimited. He was selling his Merlin's Magical Mandolin Method tab book. I called him to order the book and get more information. He seemed so excited that someone was interested in his book. It was xerox copies that were stapled together with a tape. I still have that. It was so helpful in my learning! He was a very humble, gentle spirit. He will be greatly missed! I pray for peace, comfort and grace for his family.

Yes, Skip. Merlin's was very cool. It had some funny photos and I learned every solo in there. Another one he did back then was Texas Fiddle Favorites, or something. Same deal, xerox sheets stapled together. That one was officially re-packaged and released by Mel Bay, and included a chord thing to Durang's Hornpipe. Another thing he put out back then was 50 Licks, in a variety of keys. Learned a lot from that, too. All tab, all great.

[MikeyG]

There are tears in my eyes as I type. Rest in Peace, Joe, you will be greatly missed. You touched many, many lives.

Indeed, mine was one of those lives. Although we never met in person, we exchanged hundreds of emails during the years we wrote our book on Irish mandolin. Published by Mel Bay (of course!) in 2009, I believe it is the only book Joe wrote with a co-author. His encouragement was almost never-ending.

Joe also loved dogs. His trio of canines is mighty sad today. What Joe Mendel said (about Joe Carr touching MANY, MANY lives) is so meaningful. What more can a man do?

We'll miss you, Joe.

MikeyG

[f5joe]

Met Joe in '82 at the World's Fair. A very positive, humorous guy to say the least. Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences. Peace to him and his family.

[Paul Duff]

This is incredibly sad news. Joe was a lovely guy who offered so much with his teaching and his musicianship. My thoughts go out to Paula and the rest of his family.
RIP Joe, you'll be sorely missed.

[RichieK]

Yes, Skip. Merlin's was very cool. It had some funny photos and I learned every solo in there. Another one he did back then was Texas Fiddle Favorites, or something. Same deal, xerox sheets stapled together. That one was officially re-packaged and released by Mel Bay, and included a chord thing to Durang's Hornpipe. Another thing he put out back then was 50 Licks, in a variety of keys. Learned a lot from that, too. All tab, all great.

I had the exact same experience with Joe! I met him in 1978 and got to play a bunch of those JazzGrass tunes with him. He was surprised just how popular his materials were. Country Gazette came to NY when I was there in dental school and I worked the door one night. Hanging with him and Roland was a treat. Joe was really encouraging and just a really special person.

[Grommet]

Joe had a wonderful way of teaching musical concepts in plain language. I found it really fun and exiting to learn standard notation from his site, and his instruction books. I hope many future mandolin learners will discover his great teaching resources. Job well done Joe, Rest in Peace.

Scott

[ElJefe]

He was my mandolin teacher at Camp Bluegrass a few years ago.

His Yahoo group "mandonotes" was how I learned to read music for mandolin.

He will be missed.

[mikeyes]

My sympathy to the family, Joe was a great guy. I never met him personally, but he and I wrote each other a lot during his tenure as the mandolin editor for Mel Bay mandolinsessions. I had the opportunity to write for him and he encouraged me to write as often as I could. In addition he encouraged others to write about Irish music on the mandolin to the point that a book was produced with Michael Gregory. You could not ask for a better editor and that was only one of his talents. Others I know have the same impression: he was a quality person who would help you in any way.

Mike Keyes