2nd anniversary of losing Buster
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 4:30 pm
Hello Everyone!
Along with much of the MidWest, Michigan was paralyzed with a blizzard last night that shut down all local schools and much of my town of Battle Creek. Being one of the last in modern civilization to shovel snow by hand, I spent 2 & 1/2 hours out in my driveway today doing this while contemplating and reflecting on my life in general. For some reason I distinctly remember that we lost Buster B. Jones on Ground Hog Day of 2009. Today would be the 2nd anniversary of our losing him. I first knew him as "Brad" in about 1991. I'll never forget an afternoon I spent with him in 1995 at CAAS in the lounge area of the Sheraton, which he referred to as his "office" and though I don't drink, I continued to purchase cans of beer for him while he allowed me to record him on my Sony DAT recorder for quite a while. That was his required form of payment. I came home with a priceless tangible memory of that experience. His right hand technique was nearly supernatural and I've never seen it duplicated nor could I ever personally hope to myself. It was a genetic physical gift. He may have been limited in many other ways in life, but he really found his "niche" with the way he handled the guitar. His ability to create "grooves" and build on them has been a huge inspiration to me. I don't mean to discount the ability of Brooks Robertson, but there was a degree of "fluidity" that always struck me. Buster would begin to develop a high speed groove and then seemingly effortlessly he would cross his legs while sitting back and "settling in". With Chet, Jerry, Tommy Jones, and Buster all being gone, it feels like a much different world.
Rande
Along with much of the MidWest, Michigan was paralyzed with a blizzard last night that shut down all local schools and much of my town of Battle Creek. Being one of the last in modern civilization to shovel snow by hand, I spent 2 & 1/2 hours out in my driveway today doing this while contemplating and reflecting on my life in general. For some reason I distinctly remember that we lost Buster B. Jones on Ground Hog Day of 2009. Today would be the 2nd anniversary of our losing him. I first knew him as "Brad" in about 1991. I'll never forget an afternoon I spent with him in 1995 at CAAS in the lounge area of the Sheraton, which he referred to as his "office" and though I don't drink, I continued to purchase cans of beer for him while he allowed me to record him on my Sony DAT recorder for quite a while. That was his required form of payment. I came home with a priceless tangible memory of that experience. His right hand technique was nearly supernatural and I've never seen it duplicated nor could I ever personally hope to myself. It was a genetic physical gift. He may have been limited in many other ways in life, but he really found his "niche" with the way he handled the guitar. His ability to create "grooves" and build on them has been a huge inspiration to me. I don't mean to discount the ability of Brooks Robertson, but there was a degree of "fluidity" that always struck me. Buster would begin to develop a high speed groove and then seemingly effortlessly he would cross his legs while sitting back and "settling in". With Chet, Jerry, Tommy Jones, and Buster all being gone, it feels like a much different world.
Rande