Red Rector

**baptist mando55** · Sep-14-2011, 9:27pm

Does anybody rember Red I saw him at a festival probably about 30 years ago. He was absoulutly one of the most mind blowing players that I have ever seen.Any clips pictures stories etc.

**barry k** · Sep-14-2011, 9:38pm

Didnt they call him the King of tremelo or something along those lines? One of my favorite players of all time for sure.

**Bill Foss** · Sep-14-2011, 9:47pm

Originally Posted by barry k

Didnt they call him the King of tremelo or something along those lines? One of my favorite players of all time for sure.

This looks like the only youtube clip on the internet. Two of my favorite players, Red and Don Stover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFW6iYriDQs

**mandolirius** · Sep-14-2011, 9:54pm

One of Jethro's favourite players. They did a fantastic duo album, on County I think. Also, his Old Homestead release "Apaloosa", with Vassar and Jack Hicks is sensational. Another great oval hole player!

**rnjl** · Sep-14-2011, 10:16pm

Somewhere I have a 25 year old cassette tape of the last show Red and Jethro did together- must have been 86 or 87, I guess, at the University of Chicago Folk Festival, which I helped put on as a college student.

I made dinner for Red in my shared college house and he played mandolin in my kitchen !

If anybody wants to help me digitize and share the old tapes, drop me a line and let's talk.

Neal

**almeriastrings** · Sep-14-2011, 11:53pm

I saw him live with Bill Clifton many, many years ago, and he also did a great album with Norman Blake. He was a really fine player. There is an old interview (from 1981) with him here:

http://www.btinternet.com/~john.bald...do/rector.html

**Mandolin Mick** · Sep-15-2011, 1:22am

He was one of the great Bluegrassers that defied the rules in that he played without a strap and played a 1922 Gibson A-4 round hole model! But, he made it sound like an F-5. One of my favorite Bluegrassers, especially his work with Carl Story.

**almeriastrings** · Sep-15-2011, 2:29am

That's right. His work with Don Reno was not too shabby either....

More biography here:

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/red-r...1465/biography

**Ivan Kelsall** · Sep-15-2011, 3:48am

I also saw him with Bill Clifton many years back when they toured the UK together.I wasn't playing Mandolin then,indeed,i'd never held one & really only went along to meet up with Bill Clifton with whom i'd played Banjo many times when he lived in the UK. I was totally blown away by Red's playing & amazed that he could play without needing a strap. He & Bill were a perfect blend,
Ivan

**baptist mando55** · Sep-16-2011, 8:10am

In glad someone mentions Carl Story I saw Red at a festival put on by Bruce Jones. Bruce replaced Red in Carls band I guess this is how he got Red to Play .Bruce is a icon in the carolinas he put on many shows that brought out many stars such as Red Rector,Don Reno,Carl story.Josh Graves,Jesse Mcreynolds,Mac Wisman and many more.

**Mandolin Mick** · Sep-16-2011, 5:55pm

Here's Red in a rare moment ... playing an F-5! I get uncomfortable just looking at him playing without a strap ... Bill Clifton's also in this photo.

**Ivan Kelsall** · Sep-17-2011, 1:24am

Mick - The guy on the Banjo is Richard (Rick) Townend. It was Rick's brother Andrew who became one of the first 'top' UK Mandolin players back in the '60's. Unfortunately Andy passed away in 1998 at the age of 46. It was around Rick & Andy that Bill Clifton formed the first Bluegrass band of any note in the UK,"The Echo Mt.Boys". I think that Red would have loved playing with those guys.Incidentally,Rick's also a terrific Mandolin & Guitar player,He's no slouch on the Fiddle either !
Ivan
http://www.ricktownend.co.uk/Rick-BillClifton.htm
http://youtu.be/vmm76bf5leI

**Matteo** · Sep-17-2011, 2:04pm

Originally Posted by Smiley Pockets

This looks like the only youtube clip on the internet. Two of my favorite players, Red and Don Stover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFW6iYriDQs

That is POWERFUL! Best rendition of "Down In Union County" ever, if you ask me...Stover is at the top of my fave banjo players list.

Glad to read a discussion on Red Rector, one of the overlooked bluegrass mandolin greats. I love the tone he got from that A4...I have a video somewhere of Red and Bill Monroe playing "Red Wing" at the 1969 Bean Blossom.
Unfortunately, quality is terrible, and both video and audio skip continuosly...
Matt.

**Ken Feil** · Sep-17-2011, 9:50pm

I seem to recall that Jethro called Red Rector "the flash".

Ken

**Lynn Dudenbostel** · Sep-17-2011, 10:00pm

When I was in high school, "BC" (before cable) the only thing on TV early in the morning was the Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour. This is Knoxville in the 1970's. "Red and Fred" were regulars on there... Red Rector and Fred Smith. They did some Homer and Jethro type comedy, and lots of great playing. Red was a fine singer as well. I have some photos I took back about that time of Red at the Renfro Valley bluegrass festival in KY. I need to dig those up, also a couple of great albums by Red. He was a fine guitar player too. Got to see Red and Jethro do a mandolin workshop at the 1982 Worlds Fair in Knoxville!
Lynn

**baptist mando55** · Sep-17-2011, 10:02pm

Anybody have any idea what happened to his A4?

**Mandolin Mick** · Sep-18-2011, 8:04am

http://books.google.com/books?id=nWz...gibson&f=false

This is an excellent article based on an interview with Red's wife. Lots of info on Red and his mandolin, playing and life, etc. Happy reading!

**maj34** · Sep-18-2011, 9:09am

I just finished listening to the great Red Rector & Fred Smith LP "Songs From the Heart" from 1969 this morning, and it's nice to see Cafe folks talking about Red. This album is full of great mandolin playing and duet singing, with the added benefit of some sparkling fiddle work by Kenny Baker.

**mando-tech** · Jan-14-2013, 12:50pm

Don't forget his work with Hylo Brown, one of my favs is in the song PUT MY LILTTLE SHOES AWAY. They are in Bb, and the fiddle takes the break up half way, then they modulate to C and the mandolin plays the last half. -Truly GREAT!

**carolinamark** · Jan-14-2013, 7:58pm

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Good stuff.

**baptist mando55** · Jan-14-2013, 8:21pm

Originally Posted by baptist mando55

Anybody have any idea what happened to his A4?

?????????????

**re simmers** · Jan-14-2013, 9:57pm

I saw Red a few times with Stover many yrs ago. The only recording of Red that I have is w/Jethro, Cept Ol Bill, Back Home in Indiana, Laura's Theme, etc. I love his tremelo. Can anyone recommend some recordings that showcase his mandolin??

Thanks

Bob

**rexkemp** · Jan-14-2013, 10:23pm

hi i am new here and i would like to put a post up but dint know how

**oldwave** · Jan-14-2013, 11:01pm

Red played a Festival in Cleveland in the late 1980's that I managed for the National Park in Peninsula Ohio. Perhaps my favorite rememberance was Red and Ted Bogan (from Martin, Bogan, and Armstrong) doing a rendetion of 'My Irish Eyes are Smiling' together in a workshop. Doesn't get any better than that I think.

**almeriastrings** · Jan-15-2013, 1:35am

I knew Carl Story (travelled with him a short while in 1976), and prior to that, had also met Red and Bill Clifton. I always thought Red and Bill were a perfect match. Their styles meshed so well. Very relaxed and always musical. I don't know what happened to Red's mandolin, unfortunately, but I do know what happened to Bill's famous Martin D-35 (the one on the cover of Pickin' Magazine) with him and Red as that now lives here with me and I use it regularly. That's also the same guitar on the cover of their album "Another Happy Day". It has a very unusually figured set of Brazilian. Bill was playing this fine sounding D-35 the very first time I heard him with Red, so it holds quite a lot of memories for me...