Library - In Memoriam
Remembering oral history interviewees who have passed away.
Johnny Thompson had the distinction of being the very first music student of a young steel guitar player named Ernie ball.
Tom T. Hall loved telling a good old country story, you know the ones with a twist at the end and plenty of references to beer and fishin’. When he set those stories to music he helped launch a new era in country music. Beginning with “Harper Valley P. T. A.” in the late 1960s, Tom T. wrote and sang about believable and often beloved characters.
Dan Slick grew up in Johnstown, PA playing the family’s upright piano but soon switched his focus to the organ.
Mike Finnigan was a leading Hammond B3 performer who recorded with many of the top performers in pop, rock, and jazz for nearly 60 years, although his soul had always been rooted in rhythm and blues. In the late 60s, he recorded with Jimi Hendrix and Joe Cocker.
Roy Gaines, like his brother, Grady, who played saxophone for Little Richard, made his mark in the early days of rock and roll. As a blues guitarist, Roy recorded a number of songs for RCA, which have become popular rockabilly tunes such as "Skippy is a Sissy" in 1958.
Charles Connor was a pioneer in the early beat of rock and roll. As a drummer in New Orleans in the early 1950s, he played with Professor Longhair and became the original drummer for Little Richard.
Hillel Resner wrote for Mix Magazine for several years before the idea of creating a special award for audio engineering came into existence. Hillel worked alongside David Schwartz, the founder of Mix, to establish what is now known as the TEC Awards.
Luis Miranda often visited the Palladium Theater as a teenager to dance. During one visit, Luis was asked by a member of the band if he played the congas since their conga player was out sick. This was the beginning of a 70 plus year career as a Latin percussionist!
Byron Berline established the Double Stop Fiddle Shop in Oklahoma back in 1995. The store became a major hub for musicians which bought and sold a great number of both vintage and new instruments.
Morris “Arnie” Lang played percussion for the New York Philharmonic for over 40 years and wrote the book on percussive technique -- literally.