hey guys I have some interest in playing a little with my cousins country band. Iv never been into country much, so what are some good example of country harp playing i could listen to for a little inspiration?
Check out Willie Nelson's Greatest Hits CD and listen to his harp player. His name is Mickey Raphael. George Jones had a good harp player in his band too, but I don't recall his name. Unfortunately these are old guys with old songs. There are not alot of good country harp players standing out these days.
Jamie Garner springs to mind as one of the new guys.
Agree with Preston ie check out Mickey Raphael who is Willie Nelsons Harp player & has been for decades. Mickey is my favourite harp player as I am a fan of country.
With Country its often a case of 'less is more' ie most people, not Harp players, wouldn't know there was a Harp player backing up Willie although everyone knows Willies music. A subtle but huge difference Mickey adds to the sound.
On Garth Brookes Double Live Album there is a lot of harp work going on 'Ain't Going Down Til The Sun Comes Up'. Don't know who the harp player is but its pretty full on solid stuff ie country rock.
The song Aussisucker is refering to was the subject of another thread a couple of months ago. The harp player's name was Terry McMillan. He passed away awhile back.
The only song I am familiar Huey Lewis playing for Garth is Garth's remake of Huey's "Working For a Living."
That is a very good assesment of Mickey Raph's playing. It is very subtle, yet adds so much to the song. There is one song that springs to mind where he starts leaning to Chicago amplified style, and that is "Whiskey River".
Last Edited by on Jun 04, 2009 5:18 AM
Charles "Charlie" Ray McCoy (born March 28, 1941 in Oak Hill, West Virginia) is an American musician noted for his harmonica playing. In his career, McCoy has backed several notable musicians including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. He has also recorded eighteen studio albums, including fourteen for Monument Records. Thirteen of his singles have entered the Billboard country charts. He was a member of Area Code 615 and Barefoot Jerry.
Born Charles Ray McCoy, his family left West Virginia when he was a boy to live in Miami, Florida. At age eight, he began playing the harmonica, developing his skills to where he decided to pursue a career in music. In 1959, the eighteen-year-old McCoy moved to Nashville, Tennessee. When he could not find work as a musician, he returned to his hometown and took vocal lessons. His first cut as a haromica player was on Roy Orbison's 1961 song "Candy Man". From there, he went on to play harmonica for other acts, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Paul Simon, Ringo Starr, Barefoot Jerry and Ween. [1]
He also played guitar on Dylan's "Desolation Row", from the album Highway 61 Revisited, and "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands", from the album Blonde on Blonde,) bass guitar (on all the tracks from Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding,) keyboards, and drums plus on several wind and brass instruments. For 19 years McCoy worked as music director for the popular television show, Hee Haw, and was a member of the Million Dollar Band. In 1973 he won the Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance for his album "Charlie McCoy/The Real McCoy."[2] His solo career also produced several chart singles, including "Today I Started Loving You Again", a #16 on the Billboard country charts.[1]
On February 4, 2009, it was announced that Charlie will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame along with Roy Clark and Barbara Mandrell.[3]
I have been a Country fan since I could remember, and I am obviously a harmonica fan. For some reason I have never liked Charlie McCoy's playing. I recognize it as great and professional playing, but I just don't care to listen to it, or try to copy it.
Preston : I might agree with you on Charlie McCoy. I have a CD the best of Charlie McCoy which is, I guess, directed to sell to everybody ie not just harp players. The only tunes on the CD I like are Orange Blossom Special (a true classic) & the traditional Shenandoah.
Would love to be able to play Orange Blossom Special at the lip blistering speed and accuracy that Charlie has.
He is undoubtedly a great player but not my 'cup of tea'.
