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My goodness he's just choppin away on that mandolin, did they ever let him take a break? I mean every video I've ever seen he's just playing rythym and back-up either on the guitar or on the ole Gibson F-4. I just wonder any of you bluegrass historians wanna http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2uySMDE2L4chime in on this? I was just curious
By the way what a great video and piece if history.....just look at those fancy white suits!
I seem to remember Curly taking some pretty basic breaks but mostly I remember him for his singing.
He does take a break every now and then on the show. He could pick fine and was a great singer.
They were trying to separate themselves from Monroe.
I never heard even pick once....I looked to see if their were any videos any old videos but couldn't find a one.
He got paid the same, solo or no solo....
Good point Steve....Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Ostrander
Nice to hear that old American DR332 ribbon mic in action...
I recently found one in mint condition, and never really tried it out before selling it...
The deal with Curly is: Curly was and still is one of the best tenor singers in Bluegrass. Curly was exactly what Flatt & Scruggs needed to complete there sound. The mandolin in the Foggy Mountain Boys would take a back seat until the split.
To my recollection, he played a lot in 2-note chords with tremolo when he did get to play. The break that comes to mind is on "Thinking About You".
Spencer
Chopping, favoring the bass strings on an oval! Very interesting!
Yes, Flatt and Scruggs did for the mandolin what the Tony Rice Unit did for the banjo.
When Lester would introduce him he used to say,"Curley don`t pick the mandolin very much but he sure holds it nice"...But he did take some tremolo breaks on quite a few songs...
Curley has a great website with some wonderful photos from his incredibly long career.
http://www.curlyseckler.net/scrapbook.htm#
He's 94, and still recording... just cut some tracks with Larry Sparks!
It looks like Curly's top scroll had a 'Monroe-ectomy' at some time. The 'solos' of his that i've heard were all 'tremolo' style with no individual strings picked - but he did have a great voice for sure,
Ivan
Curiously, the headstock inlay on Curly's F-2 is a modern "Gibson". Perhaps he sent it back to Gibson at the same time that Earl's Granada banjo neck got the bowtie inlays.
Yeah I noticed that as well....I'd like to hear the story behind that,.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall
One of Seckler's few breaks with Flatt & Scruggs, on Foggy Mountain Special, recorded 1954:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall
Everyone gets into the act, even "Jake" Tullock on bass, and there's a guitar break -- Flatt (probably), or session guitarist Louis Innis...
you gotta click on the first video , down the road, and finish itand then watch pig in a pen, pretty cool little clip, Martha white ad and all
Yeah I enjoy these old videos....and I love those old white suits. When they walked in a room, heads turned for sure!
...I'm afraid the record will show that Curly's singing outshone his picking !...Curly was mostly a 'tremolo' picker...as opposed to someone who picks the individual notes that make up a melody !Quote:
Originally Posted by Denny Gies
Personally I can find no fault with Flatt and Scruggs as a bluegrass band. Alot of non musician singers use an instrument as a stage prop. Curly was one of those. He could chunk along on some chords and contribute a great deal to the band with his singing.
Curly's prewar F2 suffered like many of a prewar that got shipped back to the factory for repairs after the war and got new parts on it! I'd say in his case the neck was busted and it got a new short neck early '48/50's F12 neck in it. It was later customized by Mike Longworth, who later would work for Martin guitars.Quote:
Originally Posted by Givson
Lester and Earl were taking heat from Monroe for playing bluegrass, his music, after leaving his band. Having Curly play mandolin probably exacerbated the lack of love between them. So they played his mandolin playing down. There is a good book about all of this, Foggy Mountain Troubadour, that provides some insights but this was a long time situation that finally lead the Foggy Mountain Boys to use a dobro and lose the mandolin.