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Thread: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

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    Default John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    Hey There,

    I've read over the years that sometimes John Duffey could be...um,...controversial on stage. I'm wondering if anyone who had the pleasure of seeing him in person could share some stories of what he was like.

    Thanks,

    Kirk

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    I don't know that the word "controversial" would be an appropriate description. It has been said that he did not suffer fools lightly, but I recall only quick witted retorts to audience members, sometimes with a hint of sarcasm, but they always struck me as having a humorous tone. I should say, however, that I only saw him perform in person 12 or 15 times, and I have heard rumors that he could be a bit caustic.

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    He could come out with some audacious stuff sometimes, from some of the stories I've heard, but I think my favorite was at an outdoor concert, probably around 1980. There was an area where a group of people was "dancing", actually more like drunkenly stomping the ground. One particularly drunk and sloppy guy climbed the steps onto the stage, stepped right up to the mic and slurred to the audience: "I wanna know why all of you are sitting on your asses and not up here dancing!!". John Duffy said to him: "Why, are you Arthur Murry?". John went on to say to him "Maybe they just want to sit there and listen."
    The guy was quickly, and rather roughly removed from the stage by the uniformed officers in attendance.

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    I had the pleasure of seeing John quite a number of times over the years. He was a big guy! Got to see the Scene at the Birchmere once. Different atmosphere as it was a club rather than a festival stage. It was also their weekly home base. There seemed to be some interesting exchanges between John and one or two of the band members - that was entertaining.
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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    I was a Birchmere regular 30 years ago and I loved the Seldom Scene. John Duffey was a powerhouse musically, both on the mandolin and vocally. His sense of humor was his own.

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    I saw him with Seldom Scene several times, always at festivals. Never thought of him as controversial. Apart from a tendency toward corny jokes (some of them were real groaners), the most egregious part of his stage presence was his choice in clothes, particularly pants. The ones in jim's photo are pretty tame for him. If the BGPD want to take issue with that, for being not in keeping with classic bluegrass dress codes - well, can't argue with that, but don't care either. Didn't seem to affect his playing a bit.
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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    Believe he was heard to say once, to a talky audience: "Lotta chit-chat here tonight; let's cut the chit out."

    I found an ibluegrass.com article that references Duffey's "outrageous stage antics" without being specific. Perhaps we can get some more anecdotal evidence...?
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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    This photo's hanging in the Bluegrass Museum in Owensboro.
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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    To a randy couple at a show:

    You squirm much more like that, you're gonna cause a problem.

    I met JD once, at the Waterloo festival in Stanhope, NJ, 1981. I had my A-40 with me, sheepishly went up to him at a break and handed it to him. He put down his *cup* just long enough to whack on it a bit, then handed it back. I slinked away.

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    When comparing John to the traditional BG front-man, he would seem controversial. Definitely, a large, over-the-top, personality. He was an entertainer and often, to keep the audience entertained, he may have offended some audience members, used to the calm, humble demeanor of the typical bluegrass band member! He was unique - and that's a good thing! His talents - his creative mandolin playing and his tremendous tenor voice - are missed...at least by me!

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    He was the Clown Prince of bluegrass. I seriously doubt anyone else could get away with what he did there with Bill Monroe's hat! And rbvintage sums him up very well - he was an entertainer as well as a fine musician, one of the best front men in the history of bluegrass.
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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    Was it John D. who had the wry quote:

    "We don't have much fun playing this bluegrass music but we sure do make a lot of money!"

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    His schtick on stage was hard to take, at times, particularly as he got older. But, in the studio and on record - even the early live CG shows where he wasn't quite the sarcastic/ornery showman, yet -, he was the man. The Scene albums, all of them so very great, displayed his musical breadth and talent to no end. ACT II I think is the ultimate, for perfect vocal harmony, tune selection/arranging and low-key styling. Reason For Being is a magnificent (Hi, John...) number.

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    Quote Originally Posted by Perry View Post
    Was it John D. who had the wry quote:

    "We don't have much fun playing this bluegrass music but we sure do make a lot of money!"
    I think that was Charlie Waller, who also said; "I'd like to say that this is one of my favorite songs... but... I can't say that...".

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    He would make some comment like, "we're going to take a break now 'cause the drugs are wearing off." It just seemed so out of character, 'cause nobody would have considered them as pot heads or drug users, but the audience would usually respond to such a comment.

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    Allen-The "chit-chat" remark was generally said by Eddie Adcock...,John was not what you could call "politically correct". A good part of his repartee consisted of "gay" spoofs.
    e.g. Big Bad Bruce...
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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    I found an ibluegrass.com article that references Duffey's "outrageous stage antics" without being specific. Perhaps we can get some more anecdotal evidence...?
    That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. I've run across the same sort of statement in Bluegrass Unlimited...

    Thanks for the stories and please keep them coming.

    Kirk

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    The best front man in bluegrass.....prior to Steve Martin. Duffey was 'Johnny Carson with a mandolin.' His humor was usually up to date with what was going on in the world, plus he was more quick-witted than any of the Hee Haw hecklers in the front row of any venue. He had unbelievable energy in his voice and stage presence, and, as Jethro Burns said, "....muscles in his pick." The man commanded attention. Today, at her few rare appearances, Alison Krauss will silence a crowd when she starts to sing some beautiful slow ballad. It was the same when Duffey stepped up to the mike......speaking or singing.

    A memorable story: Many yrs ago, after the Jimmy Swaggart story, Duffey closed out a show at a festival by saying, "we'll close with this gospel selection. We asked Jimmy Swaggart to sing along, but he said, no thanks, I'll just watch." (If you don't remember the incident, google Swaggart)

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    I think there was a time in John's early life when there was some calling to sing opera. He had a voice!

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    He was an opera singer's son, but I don't think he ever "got the call".

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    I knew John real well and a lot of stories about him, like any star, were not always quoted properely......John came across as a concieted person, and on stage that is what he wanted but in real life away from bluegrass he was a down to earth as anyone I ever knew...In his early playing years he sought perfection from other band members and when he became more of a star he just loved to have fun, sometimes at others expense but it was all in good fun and most people knew that, if he really got anyones goat it is because they didn`t know him real well, people that followed him through the years knew his demeanor and took it all as good fun..

    I told one of his short jokes at a show that my band did last year and some lady got all bent out of shape and I really had a tough time explaining the punch line to her....I still use the line about not having any fun playing the music but making a lot of money...I guess I picked that up from the Country Gents somewhere along the way...

    To sum it up, John was a pussy cat in lions clothes.... I miss him as much as anyone...What a great loss to the bluegrass field........

    Willie

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    Some good stuff here from band members and others...

    http://www.seldomscene.com/fr_johnduffey.cfm

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    I saw the Scene many times over the Duffey years. I do remember once when the band was delayed for their portion of a festival show, I am fairly sure they were the evening's closing act (GreyFox in the old hillside location?? 1982?? memory is fading....) so they were about an hour later than scheduled. The band came on and Duffey checked out his mike, and said to the audience something like "Well, I hope this goes OK because we took our uppers right on time... y'all will forgive us if we go catatonic about half-way through".

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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

    I stayed over in Alexandria for 2 nights prior to flying back to the UK in '92.The Birchmere was close to where i was staying & so it was a 'must see'. Tony Rice was guesting that evening & i got to talk to all the SS & with TR as well. Apart from JD's 'PJ pants',there was nothing unusual about him that i can remember noticing.On stage it seemed to me that he was the driving force behind the band & boy did they need it. He said that they'd been playing the Birchmere for 13 years - it showed. I have to say with all due respect,that they sounded tired.They must have played the same songs etc.until they got sick of them.However,they were consumately professional & i'll never forget seeing them. I still have a Birchmere menu in my desk drawer,
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    Default Re: John Duffey - controversial stage persona?

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