Rare interview with master guitarist, James Burton, Elvis Presley's sidekick

James Burton

This is a major, and rare, interview, with James Burton. He has been a principal guitarist for Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Nelson, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnnie Ray and others. This is a don't miss opportunity, the first and only time this interview has been provided for the public.

Burton was not one of the "Memphis Mafia," or at least not one of the members who were closely associated with Elvis and may have participated in the drinking, gambling, women and drugs that often enter into the world of music.  This guitarist is a family man with the same wife he had when he worked with Elvis.  He is one of the people in the sense that despite his fame, he is delightfully accessible.

In front of the Music Hall of Fame in Shreveport, a statue of James Burton stands across one of Elvis. Burton's office is across the street in a modest building that offers the same down home style evidenced by this simple and simply wonderful musician.

Enjoy the experience of listening to Burton speak of his music experiences as he did in a live two-hour interview.  It was a heart-warming experience for this reporter to learn directly from someone who literally was at the right hand of Elvis Presley, but lacks the arrogance of many people who hang onto the memories in a way that brings them fame in a self-centered fashion.  Burton is the very definition of generous in manner, personality and character, and the interview where this character is displayed follows.








International collaboration brings music magic to the world of love

[caption id="attachment_16692" align="alignleft" width="180"] Robin Rendell, songwriter[/caption]

Carol Forsloff — The poet/playright Shakespeare told us, "If music be the fruit of love, play on," and he must have been thinking of how that love can be found in many ways, as it does in collaborations that take place in international music communities.  The Internet, for all of his faults and and fanciful things, has serious elements of virtue, and that is the collaboration that can take place among musicians of different nationalities, including one today.

Fandalism is that international music community, set up originally to shine a light on the best of the world's music and to allow musicians from different areas of the world to meet one another and bring for each other musical harmony and support. An example has recently taken place, something that sharing may make your day. It surely made mine.

Remco Heemskerk is from Holland. Folks who have heard him know he has significant skill in playing the guitar. He plays in the "James Burton" way, of finding unique delivery styles and capitalizing on these styles by interacting with all sorts of musicians. In other words, Remco can do country, blues, jazz, semi-classical, and folk. It is that view of many, and the learning from others, that brings quality to his performances. It is  his interest in supporting other musicians and finding talent in them that helps make his music magic when he offers one of these performances that brings out the best in everyone.

[caption id="attachment_16693" align="alignleft" width="300"] Remco Heemskerk[/caption]

Robin Rendell is a master storyteller in words and music. His is the kind of music that can endure forever. He writes of the common and the uncommon, but in a fashion with which we might all relate. Rendell is from France, but he might as well be your next-door neighbor when it comes to building relationships and learning to appreciate the music and culture of others. Peter Paul and Mary and the Topic Folk Club in Bradford were his musical influences, but he has a way of infusing the old and the new in ways other musicians find especially entertaining.

Lee-Zette has a range of vocal abilities, from ballad to Bach and back. She is originally from South Africa and lives now in Texas. Nine years of musical training in the classics has brought a high level of skill to someone, who open-hearted  and talented as she is, offers music magic in collaborations with musicians from around the globe.

[caption id="attachment_16694" align="alignleft" width="180"] Lee-Zette, Vocalist[/caption]

Today is a day to enjoy, a day that some would simply say, "that God has made" and that poets extol when music is in the air, as Shakespeare wrote, that brings love. And here is an example of that kind of music, from three of Fandalism's finest.

http://fandalism.com/brems/bu94

The Netherlands has the 'Blues'

Carol Forsloff — American music has made its way around the globe, and one of the vehicles has been blues music, a genre specific to the United States with its roots in African American expressions and songs. A musician in Denmark is an example of how the blues has made an impact everywhere.

Remco Heemskerk is a guitar player with a difference. He can produce many of the rips and twinkles of master guitarists, reminiscent in many ways of the great James Burton, who had been the guitarist for Elvis Presley for most of the entertainer's music career. But Heemskerk does not set out to emulate anyone. He is his own person on his instrument, and he can make the listener pay attention to his melodies by the strong and sensitive style he uses to convey the sounds. That is especially true with his blues style.

The motivating factor for Heemskerk in his music offerings came from very early experiences. He began like many young people do, with a school band. A friend taught him a few chords, and later Heemskerk learned more on his own. Peter Frampton was very popular at the time and Heemskerk tells us he became an admirer of Frampton's music.

But blues isn't Heemskerk's only interest. He explains, "I don't have a favorite genre of music; it depends on the day and how I feel; I can listen to almost every genre of music. But there was always that little extra in me to especially like the Blues.

The following interview provides more insights from a musician who brings entertainment to many people on a site called Fandalism as well as places within his own country and on other websites.

Q: You play the guitar. Why did you select the guitar as your instrument? How long have you played this instrument?

A: I had a lot of records that time and there were records from the Ventures and they had electric guitars, I  thought that would be cool to play, I have played the guitar now almost 35 years.

Q: Recently you sang in one of your videos. What type of singing do you most enjoy?

A: The one I did last on the video cover of the Beatles, I like to sing a lot of Beatle songs and Paul McCartney as well, also like to sing a few Eagles songs, but I'm not really a singer so I like singing the backing harmonies more.

Q: What opportunities are there for musicians in your country? What are the limitations?

A: I think in my country there are enough opportunities, there are a lot of contests just like in other countries. I can't think of any limitations for musicians.

Q: What type of music is most popular where you live?

A: Well there is not really one type of music which is most popular, since there was MTV, other music programs and especially internet people could follow music from all over the world, and also the type of music which is popular at the time depends on the season also.

Q: What do you believe is the future of the music industry? What do you see as barriers for up and coming musicians?

A: The future of the music industry is totally different from what we had when there were EP's and LP's. It changed a bit when we had the beginning of the CD and now with all the MP3's I think it is totally different, also with YouTube now there are too many uploads I think and people will be saturated at one moment.

Q: What do you want for your own future in music? How can sites like Fandalism help the growth of new musicians?

A: 25 years ago I wanted to be famous but now I'm almost 51 and just play music for a hobby and I still like it. I think Fandalism is a very good start to see if your music is accepted by a special group or audience, Fandalism is I think very early and will be better all the time, so I think the site will help the growth of musicians young and old.

Q: How do you personally benefit from interaction with other musicians?

A: Well I like the comments they give me and some also via private email, and it's always nice to interact with other musicians, especially when they come from another country, we can learn a lot from each other. I sometimes see other guitarists on Fandalism play and think,  hmmm... how is he doing that!!

Q:  What suggestions would you give some young person just starting out with the guitar?

A: Just start with a simple cheap guitar. After you find one you like, learn a lot of chords and scales and don't try to play too long on one day at the time. I have also had times that I didn't touch my guitar for weeks or even months, but blood is thicker than water so....... I picked it up after a while...

Music is "in the blood" for Heemskerk, as it is with many musicians. He is part of that world of music that makes good entertainment for the rest of us. And whether it is the blues or some other genre, Heemskerk remains one of those folks who offers his best in a universe of music that continues to grow and flourish.

Natchitoches Jazz Festival: Headliners and Legends

[caption id="attachment_6815" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Natchitoches, Louisiana"][/caption]

Natchitoches’ annual jazz festival on April 15 and 16 brought the sun out along with a crowd of appreciative fans who lined the riverbank and spread across the lawns and sidewalks of the downtown Natchitoches area. The music could be heard bouncing off the riverbank through Friday evening into the late night of Saturday, with music headliners and legends.

James Burton, whose guitar genius backed some notables as Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, George Harrison, Elvis Costello and Willie Nelson, was the special guest of Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs. Burton not only shared his great music with the fans but presented the Boys and Girls Club with a donation of 20 guitars to help young people in the area learn to play music and to serve as a symbol of the need to continue music as an important domain for young people for entertainment and learning.

A Jimmy Buffet-style performance from Jimmy Bluffet and his Coral Reef Band paid tribute to Jimmy Buffet in true sound-alike strains that made folks imagine the real Buffet on stage. Lee Wilder transforms himself Buffet-style in a way that is more than flattery but sincere talent in what would be stand-alone style as well.

Numerous other groups, including headliners LeRoux, a group that was established in 1977 and best known for “New Orleans Ladies,” gave evidence that Natchitoches is no small player in bringing out Louisiana’s best musical traditions.