Interesting story: Nashville Cats

[Pilgrim]

I was listening to American Routes on NPR this morning - an excellent show, BTW, and one that always helps me learn something new.

The host interviewed John B. Sebastian, and asked him about the number Nashville Cats.  He asked whether it was irony, or admiration, or poking fun at them...?

Sebastian said the song came from an evening after a gig.  They had played a fairly big gig in Nashville, and headed back to the hotel.  He was sitting in the bar with another band member, and this teen-age kid comes on stage and starts playing guitar.  Within 10 minutes, they knew he was a better guitarist than anyone in their entire band.  They were asking each other "How come we're playing the big hall, and this fantastic kid is playing the Holiday Inn bar?"

From that came the song - which Sebastian said was pure admiration for that guitarist and the musicians they heard there.

Now, here's the kicker.........

...the guitarist was a teenage Danny Gatton!

No wonder. Gatton could play rings around 99% of the guitarists out there!

[Droombolus]

But how was John to know ?   

Great song though with an excellent Zally, even the mistake of putting Sun Records in Nashville is classic .......... but hey, I'm a Spoonful fan. 

[Pilgrim]

John was chuckling when he said it. Talk about writing a song based on an outlying example...!

[uwe]

May I sneak some Blackmore in here? He was always impressed with the prowess of Nashville guitarists and said that technically they were better than any guitarists in Britain in the 60ies which is why British guitarists avoided contact with them! The only guy who could hold his ground was, according to him, Albert Lee.

[slinkp]

John Sebastian is one of the nicest people I've met, and when I've seen him live, he always tells a story or three about some of the musicians that inspired him... he likes to educate people about musical roots.

I remember seeing him do Nashville Cats and he started it with a story contrasting the face-contorting antics of rock guitarists with the stoic immobility of some of the old country guitarists...  and how the latter might, at most, sort of sigh a little if they get really worked up.  I'm not sure but I think he might have mentioned Luther Perkins...

[Pilgrim]

I really like that program American Routes. http://americanroutes.wwno.org/

The interview and program are available at the link.

Every week when i listen, I learn more about musical history. Nick Spitzer has an encyclopedic knowledge of American "popular" music going back prior to the Civil War.

[uwe]

My, you guys have large snails. Texas?

[Pilgrim]

My, you guys have large snails. Texas?

Looks more like a slug.  That's from Mark's country up Seattle way.

[TBird1958]

Looks more like a slug.  That's from Mark's country up Seattle way.

This could have been me......  Not at all that far from the dorky child I was/am still.

[nofi]

a slug is a snail without a shell.

[uwe]

Nofi is always perceptive. "Nacktschnecke", naked snails we call'em here in ze Reich. Their slime has a narcotic effect, put one of them were you have a cut or a scrape and you'll notice immediately. Also helps the healing process.

Is that another European immigrant by the way? You guys didn't have earthworms after all before European settlers brought them with.

[eb2]

They don't like salt.  But I always loved the tune Nashville Cats.  And Pow.  And his harp on the Doors record.  I'd pay to see the guy.

[gweimer]

When I started playing again, and had rekindled my interest in the old G&L basses, I was hanging out at the vintage guitars site, and this exact topic came up.  Someone mentioned a guitar show down in Nashville (this was about 2000 or so), and in a room full of names, this guy comes in to check out a guitar.  As he plays, everyone within about 20 feet stops talking.  He gets up, someone says how great he plays, the guy says something about being a plumber and that all his friends are much better, and then leaves.