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I enjoyed this article and the surprise at the end with the photo of Sierra Hull and her Eltonesque and silver sparkle ear monitors :grin:
Lots of interesting comments here from tremendous and insightful mando players! I think, though, that the first sentence is disproven by what immediately follows it.
"Back in 1969, the mandolin seemed poised to become a sustaining part of rock 'n roll and popular music. Over the next three years, no lesser lights than the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Band, the Grateful Dead, and Rod Stewart would produce one or more songs that featured the instrument."
They produced "one or more songs," but the mandolin was never part of the core sound of any of those bands or artists. It was simply an occasional addition that enriched a particular song or two of theirs. If you make a list of the top 20 songs of each of those five bands or artists, how many of those songs included a mandolin? I'd guess probably just 1-3.
Sure, "Going to California" would be two-dimensional without JP Jones's mandolin line running through it, but I'm not expecting to find that there were alternate versions of "Stairway to Heaven" or "Black Dog" or ... on which he played mandolin, but the band decided to use the versions with simply guitar, bass, and drums instead.
Surprised there’s no mention of Greensky Bluegrass in this article: the mandolin as “driven” by Paul Hoffman is doing yeoman work in creating a sound that’s quite “rock” like in its’ intensity
I found an online concert video by Railroad Earth featuring a fabulous mandolin duet by John Skehan and the late (great) Andy Goessling playing the Cuban dance tune El Cumbanchero which eventually morphed into St Anne’s Reel. Wish I could have heard it live. I get chills just thinking about it.
Someone asked privately what kind of mandolin Drew Emmitt is playing here. I have no idea. Anyone know? I still had the original photo so grabbed a larger version of it .
Attachment 201135
I believe that is from Ron Oates of Rono Strings. Here's a page mentioning it. https://www.emando.com/players/Emmitt.htmQuote:
Originally Posted by Mandolin Cafe
And here's an image, with either that mando or its twin in the middle.
Attachment 201152
Cheers!
Great perspectives. Thanks for writing!
Thanks for reading and thanks for everyone’s comments. I hope to be back on these pages soon.
Steve Levine
stlevine communications
stl.images
steve@stlcomm.com
A decade is 10 years. The mandolin was not used by those bands "seven decades" ago. Please, I am getting old fast enough on my own.
Noting the anniversary of this feature.
Thanking you for noting!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandolin Cafe
"I'd just as soon play rhythm all night than to play a lead, because it's just so fun when you groove and you get to be part of that pocket," said Hull
exactly!
Heard Adam Steffey say the same thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by tmsweeney
Really interesting question, thanks.