Links and A Great "It's Odds And Ends"!
"Blue Rodeo" with a beautiful and moving song!
Today, a number of interesting and informative links for guitarists and musicians of all types.
Before this next item, let me reiterate my disclaimer:
Disclaimer: This SubStack is free, always will be, and I receive no compensation or other benefit (except the unsolicited, occasional, and much appreciated shoutout from readers and other SubStackers!) from any of the people or companies I link to or write about.
Michael Acoustic
So, I bought a new guitar, a Zager, it arrived yesterday. If you’re not familiar with the brand, here’s a very brief history:
A Brief History of Zager Guitars:
Zager Guitar is a business run by Denny Zager Sr and his son Denny Zager Jr. Deny Zager Sr was a touring musician who rose to fame in the legendary band ‘Zager & Eans’ who sold millions of records and had a #1 song “In The Year 2525′” Credit: Zager Guitars - MusicalScoop.com
So, first off - there are literally dozens if not hundreds of pro- and anti- Zager Guitars internet articles and posts. I had always heard of them as a somewhat niche manufacturer, but pretty good guitars, even great guitars in the Martin, Gibson and Taylor leagues. The one I purchased was on sale, in part because of their 52nd Anniversary sale, and in part apparently because Mr. Zager (senior, I believe, but not sure) had played this particular guitar in a promotional video. Great! I unboxed it, tuned it and played it. It is a fabulous and very beautiful guitar, and I say that as someone who prefers “plain guitars”. While the Martin D18 and D28 and Gibson Songwriter and a couple of Yamahas I own are all great sounding, for the most part they are unadorned with flashier inlays, bindings and pick/scratch guards. I am much more interested in the sound and electronics and how the guitar “fits in my hand” than I am in appearance, and I don’t mind a little “roadworn”, but not actually damaged guitar (my old Martin DRS2 is a heavy, roadworn workhorse - sapele body and sides - but it sounds great and is my go-to studio guitar for writing, but not so much for recording, other than scratch tracks).
That said, though a little flashier with a bit more bling, this Zager guitar has great sound, great playability, and fits in my hand. The particular model I now have is ZAD900, dreadnought sized, non cutaway model:
Reading through some of the negative internet posts, I’m left unsure as to what the controversy is about, I will only say my experience has been positive, the guitar is exactly as advertised, and I’m happy with it, with one caveat that leads me to today’s conundrum. Let me be clear, this isn’t a negative, it’s just a thing. This particular model doesn’t come with electronics, and although it has a strap button on the “heel” (the sort of brace part behind the fretboard where it connects to the body), it doesn’t have an endpin strap button. I record with my guitars and prefer internal electronics over a series of mics pointed at various parts of the guitar to record. This led me to investigate some alternatives. So, I decided to try something I’m unfamiliar with, a soundhole pickup, because something just told me not to drill a hole in the beautiful woodwork at the base of this guitar. I did a lot of research, and decided on one, which I ordered. It’ll be here next week, and I’ll let you know about my results. Here’s a link to some information about a couple of types:
Ma Rainey - "Mother Of The Blues"
In Memoriam - David Lindley - Link to an Acoustic Guitar Magazine article with David Lindley
It’s Odds And Ends
Today in our ongoing Thursday series, “It’s Odds And Ends”, about bands or artists or others in the music industry who may be a bit obscure or out of the mainstream for whatever reason, we feature the Canadian band “Blue Rodeo” whose music I’ve come to appreciate. Today’s selection was suggested by a member of a social media site I follow who is Canadian, and clearly has an ear for great, interesting music. Make sure to watch the YouTube video for the story behind the lyrics!
If you have a favorite band, artist, musician that maybe is a bit obscure or just not getting the credit or appreciation you think they’re due, please make a suggestion in the comments, or email me: Michael Acoustic
Blue Rodeo
“Blue Rodeo is a Canadian country rock band formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario. They have released 16 full-length studio albums, four live recordings, one greatest hits album, and two video/DVDs, along with multiple solo albums, side projects, and collaborations.[1]
History
High school friends Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor began playing music professionally together after completing university. They put together several bands without commercial success in the late 1970s, releasing a single as Hi-Fi's in 1980.
Cuddy and Keelor moved to New York City in the early 1980s to further their music careers. There they met keyboardist and fellow Canadian Bob Wiseman, who was at that time working as a producer. Upon returning to Toronto in the summer of 1984, the trio decided to form a band. The name "Blue Rodeo" had already been chosen for the new group when they met former David Wilcox drummer Cleave Anderson and asked him to join. Anderson in turn recommended his former bandmate in The Sharks, bassist Bazil Donovan, and the new band's lineup was essentially set.[2] On February 7, 1985, Blue Rodeo played their first show together at The Rivoli in Toronto;[3] one week later, they performed at Handsome Ned's "Honky Tonk Heart".[4]
The band quickly earned a following in Toronto and was subsequently signed to Canadian independent record label Risque Disque. They entered the studio in 1986 with Rush producer Terry Brown and recorded several songs that would comprise Blue Rodeo's debut album, Outskirts. Released in March, 1987, Outskirts met with moderate success in Canada, until "Try" was released as a single in October of that year. The single was an immediate hit, going to number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart and number six on the RPM Top Singles chart, establishing Blue Rodeo as one of Canada's top new bands and carrying Outskirts to 4× Platinum status in sales. The music video for the single featured Keelor's then-girlfriend Michelle McAdorey, who soon had success with her own band, Crash Vegas.
In 1992, the band's song "After the Rain", written by Cuddy and Keelor, was the most-performed song in Canada.[5] By 1999 the band had sold more than two million albums in Canada.[6]
Cuddy, Keelor, Donovan and Cripps have all released solo albums. Glenn Milchem performs his own solo music under the pseudonym "the swallows" and had co-founded, with his twin brother John, the rock duo Starvin Hungry. Keelor has also gone on to produce for other artists, notably alt-country group Cuff the Duke, who have also toured as support for Blue Rodeo.[7]
Blue Rodeo members have collaborated extensively with other notable Canadian artists, including Sarah McLachlan, The Tragically Hip, Burton Cummings, Great Big Sea, Jann Arden, The Sadies, Skydiggers, Cuff the Duke, Crash Vegas, Cowboy Junkies, Sarah Harmer, Jill Barber, and Kathleen Edwards.[8][9][10] They have won many Canadian music awards, including twelve Juno Awards and seven SOCAN awards.[11][12]
On June 16, 2009, it was announced that the band would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. The induction ceremony was held on September 12, 2009. They are the fifth band to receive the honour.[13]
Blue Rodeo was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 41st Juno Awards on April 1, 2012,[14] joining other Canadian music icons including Rush, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, The Band, Oscar Peterson, Bruce Cockburn, Daniel Lanois, Joni Mitchell, Anne Murray and Tom Cochrane.
According to CARAS, on selecting Blue Rodeo as the 2012 inductees, "Spanning nearly three decades, Blue Rodeo has sold in excess of four million records and won an unprecedented 11 JUNO Awards, establishing themselves as one of the premier groups in Canadian music history."[15]
In May 2014, the band received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award (GGPAA) for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts.[16] At the Gala honouring GGPAA recipients on May 10, the band delivered the evening's surprise finale.
On August 5, 2013, former keyboard player James Gray died as the result of a heart attack. He was 52 years old.[17]
Canadian guitarist Colin Cripps joined Blue Rodeo as a full member in 2013, due to Greg Keelor's inability to play electric guitar live any more, caused by hearing issues.” Credit: Wikipedia Link: Blue Rodeo Wikipedia
Ed. Note: This YouTube video is fantastic - great performance and very touching explanation of the inspiration for the song’s lyrics - you won’t want to miss it!!
Regular post tomorrow!
Cheers and keep playing!!
Michael Acoustic