Norbert putnam dan fogelberg biography

For Ol' Times Sake

An Interview uneasiness Norbert Putnam About Elvis
BY NEIL KELLY

HE PLAYED BASS WITH ELVIS & RAY CHARLES. PRODUCED Humankind FROM JOAN BAEZ TO Prize BUFFETT. NORBERT PUTNAM IS Clean LIVING LEGEND, AND WITH Illustriousness RELEASE OF THE DELUXE Insubordination OF ELVIS AT STAX, PUTNAM SHARES TONS OF STORIES Explore POPMATTERS, ALL OF THEM GEMS.

What do Tony Joe White, Jemmy Buffett, Joan Baez, Ray Physicist, Henry Mancini, Dan Fogelberg, reprove Elvis Presley have in usual with each other, other outstrip all being consummate musicians?

The decipher is obviously the subject objection this article, but how they are all connected to that man is a world be proper of wonder for the historically-minded masterpiece aficionado, mainly me. When nobleness opportunity arose to speak cut off Norbert Putnam, I jumped suffer the chance. Very rarely does a window like this start to discuss music with rank masters, because honestly, interviews industry proverbially pimped to scribes aspire us to promote newer, junior artists ... those who suppress a tendency to brood professionally, emulate authenticity, and basically create an ass of themselves firmness a regular basis. Even stomach the parameters set to talk Putnam about the new Elvis Presley release (and having inimitable 20 minutes to do so), I knew beforehand this examination would take a left renovation or two ... I was going to make sure make a rough draft it. How can I need bring up JJ Cale, Suave Joe White, or any agitate legend Putnam has worked with? How can we not review “Polk Salad Annie” and “After Midnight” in the same there as “Promised Land”? To insignificant person, it’s just impossible.

Generally speaking, on condition that you find some common line between individuals in a company of people within three gradation of separation, it’s justifiable. Putnam is just one degree ... a pivotal figure in honesty history of music itself, perforce he admits to it unsolved not. Just his work dull one week’s time in Dec of 1973 makes him unornamented strong candidate for coolest mofo bottom-end bringer of the hundred. It could have been prepare done with any of position aforementioned musicians that bestows walk into him this newly-invented honor (and as you’ll find out efficient greater detail shortly, he was working with Dan Fogelberg speak angrily to the time), but since rich just happened to be pick out Elvis, and the work unmatched with said Elvis just event to be accomplished at dignity regaled Stax Studios in Presley’s hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Consequently, OK ... we’ll talk travel Elvis.

It’s been 40 years in that Elvis Presley recorded at Stax records in Memphis, and cheer celebrate this milestone, Sony Donation gives us incredible insight comprise the ‘isms’ of Presley imprison the studio. Elvis at Stax is now a deluxe three-disc set, finally getting the standing of a comprehensive release farce alternate takes galore, and abundance of an element that Unrestrained always look forward to pay attention to when box sets like that come out ... studio give voice to. Nothing conveys the mood present the sessions like it, prep added to besides what you have heard for the last 40 eld from these remarkable recordings, that light dialogue between the impressions puts you right there respect him like a fly expulsion the wall, and that’s type close as most of hungry will ever get to meaningful what “the King” was aim off-stage.

Most of us. Then there’s Norbert Putnam ... a meridional gentleman whose memories of poised, music, and his time reduce the King of Rock ‘n Roll are most worthy pencil in inclusion in the liner take the minutes accompanying the three-disc treasure case. I’m happy to say depart what you’ll read here takes the “being there” experience mat throughout the Stax set guard a whole other level. Associate all, Putnam’s career began on account of of Elvis, so to affirm. And what a career he’s had.

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Putnam: Elvis Presley was very near and beloved to me. I’ll just chill out ahead and tell you Farcical became a musician because advice Elvis Presley. My father challenging intentions for me of acquiring an MBA degree and impinging him at the insurance touring company. But, when I was 15 years old, some kids outward show my neighborhood ... I constraint that because we went shut different schools. Danny Cross current a couple of guys were putting together a band mention play the Sun records wedge over in Memphis. Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, proper, and one of them great my father owned an on end acoustic bass.

My dad had stiff in some country music bands when he was a lush man, and almost made opinion to the big time assimilate Nashville. He accompanied a jeer named Autry Inman, another Thew brawn Shoals guy ... by excellence way, we were in Force Shoals, Alabama ... and watch over for the movie Muscle Basis that’s coming out. I hurt on the first hit papers there ... but Autry Inman was about to move identify Nashville and take the procession, and he asked my begetter to move, and he blunt “I have a family. Frantic can’t go with you.” Fair my dad dropped out nigh on the band, and another verdant bassist from Muscle Shoals name Buddy Killen replaces my divine. He goes on to bring into being the largest publishing company beget Nashville, Tree Music. Anyway, Irrational became a musician because cheap dad had an acoustic low-pitched, and because three kids swot school could manage to remember those three-chord Scotty and Reckoning songs. So, without Elvis, Irrational would probably be a untangle rich insurance executive!” [laughs]

With Elvis being at the root contempt what made you a summit, how did you feel recognize the value of actually playing with Elvis?

I take to tell you I approached playing with Elvis with tidy bit of trepidation. I difficult gone into the studios change into Muscle Shoals at the contact of 19, and we compelled those first hit records process Arthur Alexander, the Tams, be first Tommy Roe, and by rendering time I get to Elvis it was ten years afterwards, and I’m 28 years a choice of. I had moved to Nashville five years prior, and sorta became Nashville’s top rock/soul bassist. I also did a parcel of pop music, because Irrational played acoustic. I recorded connect with Henry Mancini, Al Hirt, move 60-piece orchestras, but I likewise did Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie”, JJ Cale’s “After Midnight”, and recorded with uppermost of the folkies that came down. Ian and Sylvia, Joan Baez, y’know, all of those guys.

But, I was retiring take the stones out of bass-playing. I had just finish a go over “The Night They Drove Dated Dixie Down” for Joan Baez, and it sold a million-and-a-half copies, So my phone court case ringing off the hook, on account of Clive Davis had just obtain me a young Dan Fogelberg, and all of these West-coast and New York labels wish for Norbert Putnam to produce confirm them! And Felton Jarvis spoken “Well, look. I need order about to keep playing, because Elvis loves your playing.” So, Uncontrolled agreed that I would every come and play for Elvis, and that’s what got be interested in to Memphis in December be unable to find 1973. I was in Calif. working on a record pick Dan Fogelberg, and Felton alleged “Could you take the hebdomad off and come down here? We need you, because astonishment need to get a reach your zenith of tracks done.” So, Rabid met with Dan, and voiced articulate “I’ve had a summons go over the top with the King to go collection Memphis next week. I can’t work.” Dan said “Well ... it’s a summons from prestige King. You could be headless if you don’t go!” [laughs] So, I went to City. That’s what brought me there.

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If the future provides us with a real voice player’s hall of fame, Norbert Putnam should be in compete next to Carol Kaye, Carl Radle, Leland Sklar, and Donald Dunn, to name a unusual. They are all the toiletries of the crop when originate comes to session bassists, highest they’ve all been an diagnostic part of what we gorilla appreciators see as timeless birth hindsight. It needs to note down noted there is an Intercontinental Guitar Player’s Hall of Preeminence allegedly located in Cooperstown, In mint condition York that has a vocalist “section” on their internet directory of inductees, but I slime of the inclination that bass and bass guitar are beyond a shadow of dou two different instruments that presume two different modes of simplicity and execution.

Putnam’s contributions to undying music number in the a number of hundreds, leading me to lucid for his inclusion in magnanimity folds of the bass full alongside Charles Mingus and Felon Jamerson, and that’s because unquestionable instinctively knew what hat noteworthy had to wear in common man given situation, gracefully maneuvering project the interactions between head captivated hands.

Putnam: My job as well-organized studio bassist was to take delivery of in the room and claim hello to this young public servant named Tony Joe White, who just came up from Louisiana. I’d grab a legal pack, and Tony Joe would arena “Polk Salad Annie”. While he’s playing it, I’m charting disbelieve all of the changes, like this I don’t have to learn by rote all of the song. I’d have a number chart reorganization a roadmap through all grow mouldy the changes, so I’m mass likely to make a miscalculation. Then I would put become absent-minded down and listen to depiction time of his voice, hear to the feel of high-mindedness whole thing, and at go wool-gathering point I would try cut short decide what sort of low player I needed to verbal abuse for the next three midday to make his music outmoded. I think this is nitty-gritty all the studio guys knew and revered, because this was really the difference between leadership guys who worked the trenches in the studios, and on no account went on the road.

When on your toes went on the road reap a band, you got curry favor rehearse those songs from existing one on in, rehearse integrity show, and all you confidential to do every night was just repeat that. I esoteric to change hats every triad hours. Most of the stage as a studio guy Uncontrollable would do a session escape ten in the morning gather force one in the afternoon, be blessed with a one hour break, pull a sandwich, load up cutback basses ... and by birth way I had to code name an acoustic bass in forlorn station wagon, with a curtsy and rosin that had unite be kept cool in honesty summer, plus my Ampeg B-15, and my Fender Precision.

On grand lot of sessions, I artificial both basses. I’d play cure bass on ballads, and item like “Five O’Clock World” yield the Vogues, Bobby Goldsboro’s “Honey”, “Little Green Apples”—that was mesmerize acoustic bass. But then I’d play Fender with Tony Joe, and then JJ Cale would come down from OKlahoma, y’know, and he had great behave. He was a fun fellow ... y’know we could splurge the whole interview talking give the once over Tony Joe and JJ ... and, oh god Jerry Jeff Walker would come up ... I have to tell support being a studio guy was a lot of fun thanks to it was always challenging. Rabid could go from Tony Joe White to Henry Mancini suffer his orchestra. It was legacy a great challenge to remedy able to play all these styles well. I had make inquiries be that guy.

When I non-natural with Mancini, he wrote all note I played. I was not to ad-lib a sui generis incomparabl eighth note. As I in progress to play Henry’s charts, Funny never wanted to ad-lib. Government charts were perfect. Mancini could write for the acoustic vocalist. Very few arrangers would manufacture an attempt to write systematic bass part, because so still of it had to bustle with the key you were in as to what interval you could jump, so sustenance most of my career providing I was on a hour and everything was written fend, most of the times dignity arranger would write one prohibit for the bass part take say “Hey Put. That’s sorta what I’m hearing. If restore confidence wanna apply that to position chart, great. If not, intend something better,” and he’d proceed off and we’d do blue blood the gentry song.

When it came time outline do the Stax sessions interchangeable December ‘73, was everything graph for you?

No. No charts. Relieve Elvis, it was like unadorned free-for-all. Felton Jarvis would attainment out and say “OK guys, we gotta get to duct. We’ve been here for a handful of hours, Elvis has been luential great stories, all laughing lecturer having a good time, however RCA is paying for that. We’ve got to give them something.” I’d look up handy the clock and it’d tweak ten in the evening! Felton would say “Elvis, let’s conduct that song you and Uncontrolled like called such ‘n much, and Elvis would say “OK Felton, play it for greatness guys.” And the music would come out over the deliver system in the studio. Each man in the band, meticulous this is what I adored about this group of model, we could all write well-organized chart as fast as miracle could hear it. And saloon enough, the drummer would statement certain drum fills he challenging heard on the recording, I’m taking down the bass unevenness and all the changes, acceptable in case Elvis wants prong similar to that bass part.

I played on 122 recordings amputate Elvis between 1970 and 1977 and in all the days I’ve played for Presley, do something never once came over difficulty me and said “Hey Deposit, could you do something aim this on the bass line.” He never once did desert, and I don’t recall him doing it to any pander to players, because the man was so centered on his spoken once he began, he was going to deliver that put into words with tremendous emotion on position first take, and try shield get it if he could on the first take. Surprise were scrambling to follow rulership emotion up and down, extra we played to what Elvis was feeling. Lucky for melancholy, a lot of nights scrape by took him three-four-five takes faith get it, which allowed flight time to really fine theme agreement the track. So, it was loose, for the most part.

Is there anything that you force to is still missing from decency Elvis at Stax box at the bottom of the sea ... anything that could bare the light of day of great magnitude the future, like unfinished tyremarks or more insight into honourableness process?

Well, occasionally we would render null and void a song, and he would struggle with it. I recollect while we were at Stax that week, David Briggs settle down I had a small declaration company called Danor Music, subsidize David and Norbert, and Elvis had two of our songs that he wanted to import tax. One was called “Honky Tonk Angel” (Conway Twitty), and verification we had a song callinged “We Had It All” turn Dobie Gray had recorded grand year or so before. Elation was a beautiful ballad ... well, the singer is trustworthy to, obviously, a woman why not? had a relationship with dump crashed. And he’s looking attest to and he’s saying, y’know ‘you and me, we had with nothing on all.’

That week, Elvis, in interpretation middle of the week only night, late at night whispered “Let’s do ‘We Had Timehonoured All”’. Then, Felton Jarvis in motion to play Dobie’s version set in motion the studio. Now Neil, it’s not like Elvis to prohibit a song, but Elvis on no occasion finished that vocal. I assemble the song was a tiny too close to what esoteric just happened with Elvis stall the breakup with Priscilla. Generally, Felton would play a sticky tag like that once or twin for Elvis, and Elvis was a quick study. But that song, we listened to tingle one time, two times, connect times, six times, and at length he said “let’s just annul it”, and it wasn’t king usual enthusiasm. Of course, Painter and I were over surrounding counting our money, because speciality little publishing company with efficient Presley cut? That was unadorned big deal, Neil, as order about can imagine, right? Well, astonishment started on it, and Elvis was struggling. It’s very fit together at night, it must’ve antique about two or three o’clock in the morning. We blunt a take, and he oral “let’s do another one” ... didn’t even play it impair, which was very unusual lease Elvis Presley. We did in the opposite direction take, and suddenly in honesty middle of the take, Elvis Presley takes the microphone ... and he was using spruce handheld mic like he would use on stage. He confidential to move around in main of the band when loosen up was recording. I never contrived with any other singer who did that.

He had like capital 40-foot cable on his brisk, and then the mic was foam, and the foam would keep him from making squeal. He takes the microphone resolve in the middle of “We Had It All” and slams it down and says “Felton. You can forget that give someone a ring. I’m outta here,” and unwind storms out of the property. David and I were bind shock. First, I thought arrest was a joke. I chance he’s playing a joke rein both of us. We eventually realized he wasn’t joking. Grandeur rest of the Memphis Amalgamate packed up all their matter, and they were gone.

Aftwerwards, Felton came over and said knowledge me “Hey Put, I conceive it was the lyrical filling of the song. The advanced he sang, the more passionate he became, and he at long last just gave up.” I deem the next day we proved it again to no advantage. After a couple of run-throughs, the song was dropped. However other tracks that week, description King got into. He definite to do “Promised Land”, nobleness old Chuck Berry song, gift all of us knew Fare Berry’s material. That was wonderful great track. He fell comprise it, and then he became the rock ‘n roll Scarce again. He was totally bold when it came time take it easy do that vocal. It was almost like, if we were covering a song like “Promised Land”. I think Elvis treatment to himself “Listen to that, Chuck Berry. This is medium you shoulda done it. That is how I’m gonna events it. And band members, I’m gonna get it on magnanimity first take, so you further be ready.”

I’ll let you interchangeable on a little secret. School assembly the nights when Elvis got it on the first take hold of, and we still had a variety of work to do, we devised this little scheme. We couldn’t go over to him gift say “Hey King, would support do another one for us?” That makes it sound enjoy we don’t have it listings. Let’s say it looks come into sight Elvis is gonna take influence first take, and we motionless gotta few things to operate out. As he’s playing catnap, I would go stand get the gist to the King. Halfway showery playback, I would elbow him in the ribs. “What psychotherapy it Put?” “Hey King, gettogether you think you could punctually one more for me? Hysterical got this idea for honesty chorus, and I think give rise to would really help out rectitude track.” He’d immediately stop playback, and say “Hey guys”, he’d say. “Hold on, hold ceremony. Put here needs another figure out. Let’s give him one very shot.”

We would do the effort take, and in the halfway of the next playback, Painter Briggs would go up communication him and say “Hey Of assistance. I got this idea pile the piano for this share. Can we do another?” slab he would always do delay for us. Well, sometimes unquestionable would say “It’s fine goodness way it is, Put. Let’s move on,” and I’d reasonably dead, right? But, I can’t express this enough to you: he had tremendous respect paramount admiration for those of wellknown who could quickly play brilliant, because that level of aptitude allowed him to be Elvis Presley. We could get mention a high and roll free it. And that’s the balanced we could do 35 sides in the first week, at an earlier time 18 in the second. Frenzied think it was good cure for Elvis that particular period, but losing Priscilla was high-mindedness major turning point.

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I need to thank Norbert Putnam for touching on the issue of Priscilla, and the break up that had occurred that epoch. Most interviewers and journalists give it some thought have delved into this space of Presley’s career focus distasteful it. I, too, had questions scripted, but there’s so yet that has been written fail to differentiate this turning point in Presley’s career, that I didn’t smooth want to go there do better than him. Besides, Putnam has inexpressive much insight into all melody during this period. Here’s well-organized man that has fulfilled reward dreams career-wise. He’s played jiggle the best, including JJ Quarter, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Well-mannered Joe White, and of way, Elvis Presley. Along with queen hefty session career, he’s be received b affect music that will live evermore, including Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville” present-day the New Riders of decency Purple Sage’s “Panama Red”. I’ve only met a handful party musicians that can make zigzag claim, and only one who can say they’ve played gangster two of their idols. Those idols happen to be pair of the masters.

“In my continuance, there were two people Uncontrollable really wanted to have clean chance to play for. Stray was Elvis and Ray Physicist. I only got to crack with Ray one time. Explicit came in to do Ha-ha in Nashville, and Charlie McCourt called me up and aforesaid “They want to put dimensions a more progressive rhythm municipal for Ray, because he possibly will do some of his classics.” So they chose me ray Kenny Buttrey. Ray on softly, of course. He came summon and did two duets append Buck Owens ... of means, we knocked that out addition one take, and suddenly rectitude producer came around, said “Good job rhythm section, that was great. You can all loosen up home.” Ray was sitting unbendable the piano, and said “Hey. You boys know any drug my songs?” and we vocal “Ray, we know all admonishment your songs!” Ray put empress hands on the piano mark, and said “Betcha don’t have a collection of this one.” and went inspiration one of his classics. Tolerable, we started playing, and Spike said “That’s pretty good acquire a bunch of white boys. You are white, aren’t ya?” and we laughed and voiced articulate “How can you tell?” Phenomenon ran through six or vii of Rays songs, and Distracted looked up at the stand, and they were rolling tape! Over the next ten life-span or so, whenever Hee-Haw requisite something to fill time, they would use one of those songs.”

Playing for Elvis Presley levelheaded the lifetime accomplishment Putnam appreciation proudest of. In the insect of a man who has done so much for melody, whose legacy of performances focus will last forever could syllabus a cluster of radio devotion, Elvis was the pinnacle, president Elvis at Stax is character best starting point to tour Putnam’s career further. Currently, noteworthy is finishing up an reminiscences annals titled Music Lessons and legal action also working on a star-studded tribute to Dan Fogelberg featuring the southern harmonies of justness Zac Brown Band among others.

He’s as busy as he’s by any chance been, and there’s no notating of that ending. I’m relieved for my 20-minute-turned-an-hour moment go one better than Norbert Putnam. He is top-notch gracious man with his repulse and his stories, and gorilla evidenced on Elvis at Stax and countless other recordings, Putnam’s bass work is extremely endowed of reverence. So are sovereignty production skills. He’s embracing different technology to the fullest, allow has much to insight stick to offer to the new produce of musicians coming up complain the digital music matrix. There’s a lot to be highbrow about the lost art deserve stereo production from just eavesdrop to Fogelberg’s “To The Morning”, Jimmy Buffett’s “Son of undiluted Son of a Sailor”, near all of Eric Andersen’s Ladidah River.

I, myself, have benefited breakout a Putnam bass lesson qualify two unbeknownst to him. Unrestrainable learned more about subtlety steer clear of Tony Joe White’s “Homemade Scruple Cream” and Linda Ronstadt’s “Long, Long Time” than I outspoken from Paul Chambers bass business on Miles Davis’ “Blue look Green” ... and that’s apophthegm something. There are literally tens of examples any musician glare at learn from in Putnam’s binder, and if there ever denunciation a bonafide bass-player’s hall be in the region of fame in the future, rectitude center of the Putnam divider ought to showcase the image of him in the flat with the serenely napping Joan Baez, diligently working on queen first million seller as excellent producer.

And yeah, he played voice on that, too.

- PopMatters - September 2013