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Thread: Vern Williams info please...

  1. #1
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    Is he still around? What type of Gibson is on his recordings?
    Any good stories about him? I really like the two cd's I have of his, and I am a former Marine, as is he. I feel he is apart of the top 1% of Bluegrass music...thanks, dy.

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    I have a couple of his CDs too. just know whats on the CD covers. Great Band!

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    I was just pickin' this past weekend with Keith Little. I first saw him playing banjo in the Vern Williams Band back in the 80's.
    Arhoolie put out a CD a coupla years ago of that 80's band. Keith is currently in Grisman's Bluegrass Experience & will be touring
    with him this Summer, as well as a few other Bay Area bands. He does duet gigs with Jim Nunnally, from Reischmann's Jaybirds as well as Grisman's BG band. Keith usually play banjo or guitar.......but he was tearing up the mandolin this past weekend.

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    Registered User Brian Ray's Avatar
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    I've been pickin' with Vern's granddaughter, Jenny Lynn... so I was able to get some answers for y'all. Vern is living in Valley Springs, CA and plays a '26 Gibson Fern... (not a Loar).

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    I am Grateful (pun intended ) to see Vern mentioned here. Brought back some great memories. What a superb player, really made the mandolin talk, lots of tremolo technique - and even a more formidable singer! Cabin in the Mountains is one of the all time great bluegrass songs!

    He taught a LOT of folks in California what bluegrass is all about. He really did some great stuff - I absolutely love those CD's of his and was lucky enough to see him back in the 70's (with most of what became High Country including Keith Little). He really could keep it in the road.

    Makes my hair stand up just thinking about it!
    Leo R
    Burnsville, Mn

    10 Gibson MM
    08 Weber Coyote
    46, 58 D-28
    45 D-18
    27 RB-3

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    Registered User swampstomper's Avatar
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    Oh man, when I want a real bluegrass high, when I need a real kick in the pants, it's an iPod playlist with Vern Williams, Red Allen and Buzz Busby. I have learned several of his sparse but effective mandolin breaks. The intro to Little Annie in E is a classic.

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    Registered User ellisppi's Avatar
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    Hair raising. It don't get no better.
    Tom H. Ellis
    Ellis Mandolins
    Austin, TX
    http://www.ellismandolins.com

  8. #8
    Registered User swampstomper's Avatar
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    If you want hair-raising, if you can handle high lonesome and raw country together, an absolute MUST are "This is Rose Maddox" (1982) and especially "A Beautiful Bouquet" (1983) with Vern (and Keith Little) backing up the one and only Rose Maddox. These two Arhoolie LPs have been combined into Rose Maddox “Rose Of The West Coast Country”
    Arhoolie CD/CASS 314 (Arhoolie catalog listing). Philadelphia Lawyer, Take Me in your Lifeboat... man this is good stuff. Not for the faint of heart! I talked with Keith Little once about these sessions and he said that Rose and Vern worked together as if they had been partners for years... a natural fit.

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    I think he is pictured in Tottle's How To Play Mandolin book from years ago.

  10. #10
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    Now we're getting somewhere...any info on articles, any old Frets or MWN? Thanks, dy.

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