Not blues, but nostalgic...

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Blindboy
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Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:34 pm

Not blues, but nostalgic...

Post by Blindboy »

One of my Dads college buddys wanted to learn guitar... He, and my father, and a man named Baxter Taylor went on to form the Wayfairers Trio. Later, my Dads friend, Mason, worked as head writer for the Smothers Brothers TV show. Mason had written a song, and he asked my father, who was a gifted luthier by then, to make him a visually notable guitar to debut it on television. Dad made this acrylic guitar, fully playable, but not especially toneworthy, and Mason won a Grammy for the song "Classical Gas". I don't know what became of the guitar, last I heard our friend John Hartford owned it, but he is dead now. I do know where the life sized poster of the Greyhound bus from Masons first album is... It's in my attic.
https://youtu.be/MCxuKo1WZRs
"Throw yo' big leg over me Mama, I might not feel this good again!"
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12bar
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Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:05 pm

Re: Not blues, but nostalgic...

Post by 12bar »

:yikes: Now that's a story! :thumbsup:
I love this song (who doesn't), but didn't know the story behind the guitar. Thanks! :dance:

PS- found this on Wikipedia:
In 1970, Williams made a television appearance on a variety show, Just Friends, which reunited regulars of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. To create a visual element for his performance, he used a special playable classical plexiglass guitar built for him by Billy Cheatwood and a prop designer for ABC. For the performance, Williams filled the guitar with water and added a couple of goldfish. He then used the plexiglass guitar to finger-sync his hit version of "Classical Gas".[10]
MikeL
Posts: 65
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2010 8:44 pm

Re: Not blues, but nostalgic...

Post by MikeL »

Very cool story and roots. I've heard that song dozens of times and didn't know a thing about it. Nice photo montage on the YouTube vid. 1968 was a year filled with triumphs and tragedies. Thanks for posting.
Cheers!
Mike

"A broken angel sings
From a guitar"
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