Musings

Dickie “Be-Bop” Harrell, the original drummer of Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps, passed away this morning. Dickie’s constant Facebook presence was a real thrill and a marvel—“Wow, that’s GENE VINCENT’S ORIGINAL DRUMMER who just left a comment on my page!”

After a year and a half of waiting and delays, I finally have a correct lead screw and—almost as important—the matching half nut for cutting outside-in records on my original Scully record lathe that I’ve been working on restoring for thirteen years now.

Many of you know I collect stuff—mostly weird music-related ephemera from the past. This is one of the weirdest (and coolest) things I possess: Harry “The Hipster” Gibson’s mailbox!

Just about everybody knows Tina Turner’s personal story, and her trials and tribulations as part of the Ike and Tina Turner show, where Ike regularly beat her and treated her worse than a dog. That story is one of perseverance and overcoming adversity.

The Whippersnappers and I cut the master disc for our brand new vinyl album, Honky Tonkin’ Rhythm, on my 1940 Scully Record Lathe. Here’s an “educational film” produced by Science Lab Educational Films and Westinghouse demonstrating the process.

RIP to the great Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records. It’s impossible to overstate his importance or his influence in the world of music. That’s a mighty big statement, but it’s true.

Load-in is brutal, that cannot be denied. Especially after driving five hours through the desert. There are a few early-bird Wednesday-night rockabillies already getting their drink on, watching the guy load in carts of guitars and amps.

RIP to Billy “The Kid” Emerson, the oldest living Sun Recording Artist. December 20, 1925-April 25, 2023. The fact that Emerson was still alive until today is mind-blowing enough…

This is a 1965–66 era R.C. Allen electric guitar made by Dick Allen in El Monte, California. This was a model he was trying to mass-produce at the time, although best estimates are that he only made around forty of these.

Spent the afternoon at the Country Music Hall of Fame with Jody Maphis and Kyle Eldridge, getting photos for the Fretboard Journal article that I will be writing about Kyle’s new doubleneck guitar.