Clarence white

**Jonathan Peck** · Feb-13-2008, 1:32pm

When I think of bluegrass mandolin, I think of Bill Monroe. Why I love Monroe has as much to do with the fact that if I could play every break note for note, I could still never make the mandolin sound the way Bill did - as it does with the fact that I could never come up with his phrasing, syncopations and his sheer inventiveness on the mandolin on my own.

When I think of bluegrass guitar, I think of Clarence White much the same way. Clarence White left us way to soon, but his musical legacy lives on. Unfortunately, alot of the best music of the Kentucky Colonels is no longer released, but there are some good compilations out there.

I thought I'd start this thread so that everyone who has been influenced by the music of the Colonels and Clarence White can share their experiences.

**Glassweb** · Feb-13-2008, 1:42pm

Clarence heard and played guitar in a very individualistic and soulful way... in other words, he was an artist in the truest sense of the word. He continues to influence all acoustic (and electric) guitarists to this day.

**Bill Van Liere** · Feb-13-2008, 1:48pm

Clarence and Charles Sawtelle are still my favorite after all these years. And man there have been some great players since these guys.

**jjboone101** · Feb-13-2008, 1:56pm

I interviewed Roland White on my radio show a few months ago and he was talkiing about some of the early festivals he did with his brother as the Kentucky Colonels. An amazing talent that indeed left us too soon.

Roland is working on a CD/Tab project of Clarence White guitar tunes. Appears to be delayed but people can sign up on Roland's web site: http://www.rolandwhite.com

**Rick Schmidlin** · Feb-13-2008, 1:56pm

I agree and when I started on mandolin I found at McCabes Music Store in Santa Monica Roland Whites book. Roy Noble is a friend of mine and he was the one who built the guitar that Clarence played from 1967 to #1972 shortly before his sad and tragic death. He played the last two months #a Mark Whitebook guitar who was Roys apprentice luthier. I have also had wonderful conversations with Roland and Roy built me a mahogany dred with a clean neck. Not a copy of the Nobler played by Clarence, but one that he may have like, as his favorite all time guitar was a early 50's D 18 and his other his prized Noble, which is featured on the Mulskiner recording. #Roland is finished a song #book on Clarence tabs. If you have this book and Rolands you might be able to understand Clarence a little more.

Also Greg Boyd resprensents Roy Noble.

**Bill Van Liere** · Feb-13-2008, 2:08pm

Nice info on the guitars Rick. I have an old copy of a Clarence White gutar book at home some where that Russ Barenburg tabed out. Cool picture of Clarence on the cover along with pictures of him with that Whitebrook guitar I believe. I found the notes easy enough to play from that book but I just could not make it sound like Clarence, he had a major timing/phrasing thing going on.

**RichieK** · Feb-13-2008, 2:12pm

Clarence was the coolest..ever.

**Bigtuna** · Feb-13-2008, 2:21pm

A week or so ago I got the "Flatpicking" cd, what a great cd. Roland also has some nice mandolin breaks on it aswell. Does anybody know when Tony Rice got Clarence's guitar (before or after his death)?

**Milan Christi** · Feb-13-2008, 2:30pm

Count me in among his fans - he was born to play the guitar and I'm glad I got to hear him play it. The album "33 Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals" gets a lot of playing time on my iPod.

**mandolirius** · Feb-13-2008, 2:38pm

Probably been posted before, and I can't even remember who to attribute it to, but I love that quote that goes "if a Martin guitar could play itself, it would sound like Clarence White."

**Mark Walker** · Feb-13-2008, 2:40pm

I ran into some old VIDEO FOOTAGE of Clarence in THIS thread - which I posted last year. #

It's sure worth watching the late, great Clarence in action! #

**mandopete** · Feb-13-2008, 2:42pm

...yeah, like I said in the other thread about live recordings, check out Clarence's break on Soldiers Joy from the Colonel's Live in Stereo recording. Scortching!

**Rick Schmidlin** · Feb-13-2008, 2:50pm

Originally Posted by (Bigtuna @ Feb. 13 2008, 15:21)

A week or so ago I got the "Flatpicking" cd, what a great cd. Roland also has some nice mandolin breaks on it aswell. Does anybody know when Tony Rice got Clarence's guitar (before or after his death)?

Tony got it after his death for a great deal because of his style. Clarence much prefered his D 18 which is what he used for recording and the D 28 for live performance's. But it was his favorite guitar by any mean. He loved his Tele that he played with the Byrds and on studio recording. In I believe 1966 the D 18 was stolen from the recording he at. In 67 he got in a trade the Noble and bought a another. He had a Ovation,a standardl late 60's D18 and D 28 also. But it was the Noble that was the real CW acoustic. I always hated when Martin tried to dub the sig, gutars with CWs name.Als they need was recreate a standard 1952 D 18 to recraete the pre 67 recording. And if you want a real CW repro just ask Greg or Roy.

**RichieK** · Feb-13-2008, 3:02pm

Rick is totally correct ..the Noble and D-18 were what Clarence liked for his breaks...His back up stuff is a lot more complex than other players leads!(Check out Live in Sweden.)
Not to mention his genius with Nashville West, pre-bender, and then the Byrds with the B-bender Telecaster.
Lots of CW info on the Clarence White Forum.

**mandopete** · Feb-13-2008, 3:08pm

Doesn't Marty Stuart own the tele' now?

**RichieK** · Feb-13-2008, 3:24pm

Yup, He's got it..and quite a few other famous ones also.

**Glassweb** · Feb-13-2008, 3:52pm

Talk about a master of time and space... unbelievable phrasing on Dark Hollow and I Am a Pilgrim... the best!

**f5loar** · Feb-13-2008, 4:05pm

Marty has the Fender Bbender Tele and his Whitebrook D guitar. Some guy in Japan has the Noble Guitar and the D18. Tony got the '35 Herringbone after he died. He hated the Ovation(they gave the Byrds free Ovations when that was the hot fad of the day). He was the king of tone on the guitar. Marty and David Grier come close his tone.
There is hundreds of hours of live Byrds out there in which you can hear Clarence never hit the same lick twice.
He was always searching for something better. No doubt he was just getting started when it ended way too soon.
And don't forget Clarence was also a pretty good mandolin picker (owned an F2 and a Randy Wood 2 pointer) as well as Roland is a pretty good guitar picker (played guitar with Monroe and Country Gazzette). Roland stuck fast to his 50's F5 and later his Randy Wood No. 2.

**johnhgayjr** · Feb-13-2008, 4:15pm

I got to go to a meet and greet deal with Marty Stuart last summer or fall. #Marty's a great story teller and has been around more historical musical situations than just about anyone. #He turned down a ride on Ricky Nelson's plane a few months before it crashed. #He said the old plane had belonged to Jerry Lee and was shot full of holes!!!

Marty told the story about getting Clarence's guitar(s). #I believe he said he got a call from Clarence's daughter several years after Clarence died saying that she wanted to sell the guitars. #She had them stored in the attic.

I can't remember how much he said he paid but he told her that the e string was worth what she was asking for the guitar but she wouldn't take any more for it/them. # Believe he said he used some of his "Johnny Cash" money to buy those guitars.

John Gay
Memphis

**woodwizard** · Feb-13-2008, 4:25pm

Clarence was awesome. Here's a good bio.

http://www.hairbybruno.at/countryboys.htm

**AlanN** · Feb-13-2008, 4:36pm

That Russ B. book on Clarence solos is good, has the classic photo of Clarence stepping over a drunk guy (with a young David Grier in tow).

**mandopete** · Feb-13-2008, 6:00pm

Yeah, that is a great photo, but we don't use the term "drunk" here on the cafe anymore. It's more PC to say "sobriety challenged". Don't wanna get the moderators hackles up or anything.

**Steve Cantrell** · Feb-13-2008, 6:03pm

I think Clarence--just like Monroe--had an absolutely spooky sense of time. No matter how far away from the melody he got, and typically just when you thought there was no way he could make his line of musical thought work, it always falls right back in, just in time.

**Rick Schmidlin** · Feb-13-2008, 6:25pm

Originally Posted by (f5loar @ Feb. 13 2008, 17:05)

Marty has the Fender Bbender Tele and his Whitebrook D guitar. Some guy in Japan has the Noble Guitar and the D18. Tony got the '35 Herringbone after he died. He hated the Ovation(they gave the Byrds free Ovations when that was the hot fad of the day). He was the king of tone on the guitar. Marty and David Grier come close his tone.
There is hundreds of hours of live Byrds out there in which you can hear Clarence never hit the same lick twice.
He was always searching for something better. No doubt he was just getting started when it ended way too soon.
And don't forget Clarence was also a pretty good mandolin picker (owned an F2 and a Randy Wood 2 pointer) as well as Roland is a pretty good guitar picker (played guitar with Monroe and Country Gazzette). Roland stuck fast to his 50's F5 and later his Randy Wood No. 2.

The D18 is still lost not found, he had a ecound one he hated from the 68/69 period. I was the one who found the owner of the Noble from Japaan and got it featured in Acoustic Guitar with the story by my friend Ben Elder.

**Glassweb** · Feb-13-2008, 6:30pm

Originally Posted by (Steve in SC @ Feb. 13 2008, 19:03)

I think Clarence--just like Monroe--had an absolutely spooky sense of time. No matter how far away from the melody he got, and typically just when you thought there was no way he could make his line of musical thought work, it always falls right back in, just in time.

Beautifully expressed Steve... Django was like that as well.