Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown (April 18, 1924 – September 10, 2005) was an American musician from Louisiana and Texas….who was best known for his work as a blues musician…..as well as other styles of music…..as he spent his career fighting purism by synthesizing old blues, country, Cajun music, r & b music and jazz….as seen in this rendition of Count Basie’s “One O’Clock Jump”…..for his work also encompasses rock and roll, rock music, folk music, electric blues, and Texas blues.
He was an acclaimed multi-instrumentalist….who played an array of musical instruments including the guitar, fiddle, mandolin, viola, harmonica and drums. He won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1983 for his album, Alright Again!…..and he is regarded as one of the most influential exponents of blues fiddle….who has had enormous influence in American fiddle circles. Brown’s two biggest musical influences were Louis Jordan and T-Bone Walker.
Roy Clark (April 15, 1933 – November 15, 2018) was an American singer and musician…..who is best known for having hosted Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969 to 1997. Clark was an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and in helping to popularize the genre.
During the 1970’s, Clark frequently guest-hosted for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show and enjoyed a 30-million viewership for Hee Haw. Clark was highly regarded and renowned as a guitarist, banjo player and fiddler…..who was skilled in the traditions of many genres, including classical guitar, country music, Latin music, bluegrass, and pop. He had hit songs as a pop vocalist….e.g., “Yesterday, When I Was Young” and “Thank God and Greyhound”….and his instrumental skill had an enormous effect on generations of bluegrass and country musicians. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1987, and, in 2009, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
We at ImaSportsphile are just happy as can be to have these two masters of music and multiple instruments performing their rendition of Count Basie’s “One O’Clock Jump”….for it is truly a rare jewel in our treasure chest of vintage memories here at ImaSportsphile.
