The Chetboard

Does anyone know who played the Bonanza theme,a friend said it was Joe maphis but I just dont know

thanks Bob

Bob, quite a few players played the theme. Because of union rules, they had to re-record it every year. I think most of the 60's west coast studio players were on the theme music at one time or another.

I don't know about Joe Maphis, though.

Craig

Craig, you got my curiosity up so I Googled and found this interesting article on the music production for Bonanza.

http://ponderosascenery.homestead.com/music.html

They credit Tommy Tedesco as the guitarist.

John

I always thought it should have been Duane Eddy. A song like that would be right down his alley.

John-

I think Tedesco was certainly the first, and I've always heard that he played the theme. I've also read interviews with other session players who said they played on Bonanza.

I was reading Fretboard Journal #6 just the other day, an interview with studio great Bill Pitman:

BP: And oh yes, Tommy Tedesco and I did Bonanza.

FJ: I think you're the fourth or fifth studio guitar player I've interviewed who recorded the Bonanza theme!

BP: Oh right (laughs). And you know why?

FJ: Because the union fixed it so the theme had to be re-recorded every year.

BP: Right!

Anyway, that's my story, but I may not stick to it...

Craig

Tommy Tedesco's Son Denny, has directed a movie about the LA session players of the 60's called "The wrecking Crew." I have not seen this but it looks interesting.

http://wreckingcrewfilm.com/index2.html

I loved Tommy's articles in Guitar Player magazine.

I'd love to see that. I've seen all the clips they released. I used to follow Tommy's column too. I also enjoyed Jeff "Skunk" Baxter's column- you never knew what it was going to be about. One of my favorite titles was something like "Stuff I Used To Have To Do That Now You Can Do Too." He had lots of good maintenance tips.

Craig

Thanks everybody ,Thats interesting about the union,I was giving this some real thught,and back in the early 60;s i did some shows with Joe Maphis and he used to play it, on the shows, and was a west coast studio player,so maybe he did ?,funny I think of Joe everytime I watch show.

Thanks again Bob

Speaking of The Wrecking Crew, here's a really interesting article in September's Premier Guitar Magizine about Carol Kaye.

She was kickin' ass n' takin' names in the studio when most women were home bakin' cupcakes ! ! !

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2012/Sep/Forgotten_Heroes_Carol_Kaye.aspx

John Knowles wrote:Craig, you got my curiosity up so I Googled and found this interesting article on the music production for Bonanza.

http://ponderosascenery.homestead.com/music.html

They credit Tommy Tedesco as the guitarist.

John

The link to the Ponderosa Homestead in John's post just reminded me of the Bonanza theme's co-writer Ray Evans.

We're both from the same small town in upstate NY on the Seneca Indian Reservation.

The link below is to The Ray Evans Theater, that was a movie theater when I was a kid. I used to live there all day Saturdays for a half buck, back when a large popcorn was also a half buck -not 8-bucks like now. (Ooops, I just gave my age away)

It was severely damaged in the flood of June '72, then begun restoration in the 80s until funding ran out. Last I'd heard the interior was so fulla black mold they have it sealed tighter than bull's ass at fly-time . . .

http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=3fc9b102-7af3-450f-a14a-16027af7e6fb&gid=3