Dick had 'that tone' -- The Dick Fege Memorial Message Board

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Subject: Dick had 'that tone'

Author:
Norman Plankey

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Date Posted: 05:07:19 12/30/01 Sun

I met Dick when Dave Howard brought him to a party in Bethany, CT a couple of summers ago. My friend Matt Cartsonis had emailed me as well, saying that Dick would be on the East Coast and we should get together: we tried very hard to get Matt to come out at the same time because Dick and Matt had been playing in CA, Dave and I play in CT (where Dick and Dave had originally played) and Matt and I played wherever we were (but mainly NY). Dave and Matt still have not met, save a brief encounter at Ray Alden's.

But Dick had 'that tone': Bluegrass players will know what I mean -- it's this classic sound that really defines and embodies the spirit of the music. It's elusive and hard-to-define, yet immeadiately recognizable. Playing with anyone who can summon that tone is always a thrill -- playing with Dick was extra special because of his serenity. We played 'Little Rock Getaway' that night and it really got me back into the tune. I have since kept it as part of my repetoire - thanks to Dick.

I wish I had that tone, though...

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[> Subject: Re: Dick had 'that tone'

Author:
Dave Howard
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Date Posted: 09:25:42 12/30/01 Sun

A Little Rock Getaway story.
In 1970, I put together a BG band for a weekly gig in Waterbury, CT with Stacy Phillips, Tom Hagymasi, Robin Kincaid and myself. I ended up being the mandolin player by default, but my mandolin was away for the Summer having the top replaced (another story). I called Dick and he was kind enough to loan me his father's Gibson A for the whole Summer. He came down to my house in New Haven to deliver it on the day we were whipping this band into existence and sat in.
While he was there he asked me to show him Little Rock Getaway on the mandolin. I have no idea why he would think that I knew it, but as it happened I HAD learned it from hearing another friend of ours (Bill Hamilton) play it. It's the only tune I ever had the honor to teach him the fingering for and a point of honor for me to this day. Norman had no knowledge of this history when he suggested we all play it that night.

Dave Howard

[> [> Subject: Re: Dick had 'that tone'
Author: Matt Cartsonis [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 09:44:50 12/30/01 Sun Hey... so we all hang out, thanks to Fegy, here. I'm gonna send some mp3s to NP very soon of some stuff that Dick and I did together... a sort of a stumbling version of "Leavin Home", for one. By the way, the stumbling was me, not him! MC