I've listened to Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Irv Fazolla, Buddy DeFranco, "Peanuts" Hucko, Anat Cohen, Ken Peplowski and many others; they're all great. But Pete Fountain was in a category all his own. He had a distinctive, melodious tone that just exuded joy. If Pete was playing, you'd find your toes tapping and your spirit lifted. Sad that he's gone, but glad for the years we had him. Listen and enjoy this music... what a gift!
My dad grew up around the corner from Pete on St. Ann St. Pete would play outside a bar on the conner to the jukebox playing inside he was about 12 years old. He would tell that story all his life. A New Orleans original.....
My Dad was a big Pete Fountain fan, and that meant I always had good gifts for birthdays, Christmas, etc. And I always remember seeing the credit line: Charles "Bud" Dant. Amazing that they worked together for so many years and so many albums.
Being a clarinet player and having played clarinet professionally most my life- I listened to alot of really good clarinet players and like them all. I always thought Pete was on his own plateau - above the rest! He was a natural player gifted by God! Loved his tone on the lower register- when ever I heard it I would say - thats Pete! Nobody sounded like him. I never heard anyone play upper register clarinet like this what you are hearing on this performance on the tonite show- he cuts through the whole tonite show brass and stays on top! Incredible- Love and Miss you Pete! - Bill Shine
Bill - you're so spot on regarding the lower register. Artie Shaw might have been more technically gifted and better in the upper register, but no one has ever sounded like Pete down low. His rendition of Strangers on the Shore stays down there for the entire song and it's so good.
My dad grew up around the corner from Pete on St. Ann St. Pete would play outside a bar on the conner to the jukebox playing inside he was about 12 years old. He would tell that story all his life.
The highlight of my life was going to Pete’s Half Fast Walking Club. Many times there was another major musician sitting at the bar waiting to accompany Pete! I sat beside Henry Mancini who went on to play! I have an autographed poster fully framed!
Nice add. I do not think anyone else has ever had the ability to sing a song with a clarinet like Pete did. Vocals and words add so much color, to match that instrumentally is a gift.
I'm just in awe that Carson and the Band had such continuity, keeping Shaugnessy, Newsom for 30 years. I literally just saw a video of Pete Fountain in a video with Johnny Carson from 25 years before this and the same guys were in it.
It was the best big band job in the business ... you played with the best musicians, great audiences, high visibility and you got to stay in one place! ........... who the h*ll would leave?
Yeah, I think Shaughnessy joined the show in '63, Carl "Doc" Severinsen from the inception in '53 while Steve Allen still hosted it, Newsom, though, I don't know, but yeah, what a job...that's the kind of plum gig musicians far and wide dream of.
I am so Thankful I was in my early 20's and beyond to see Pete on Johnnys show.....because it was THEE show to see every night.....and he had the best Talent night in and night out.....and seeing Pete Fountain was always a Special treat
What you're seeing here is precisely why Pete quit the Lawrence Welk Show. As Christmas 1959 approached, Pete wanted to jive up a carol, but for some reason, Welk wouldn't hear of it. So Mr. Fountain bid him an unceremonious adieu.
I too was a clarinet player. Although I might call myself a "semi-gifted" amateur, at best. Pete was my hero. I tried to do everything just like him - including buying a crystal mouthpiece like his because of his fantastic tone. That was way back during the late '50s & 60's when I graduated from high school and after. What a musical genius he was on the clarinet!!!
I love Goodman, Shaw, DeFranco, Bigard, and others, but Pete is my favorite. His 'Half-Fast' (a pun on half-@ssed) marching band was a staple of Mardi Gras parades when I was a kid in New Orleans. His stuff with Al Hirt was legendary. Some idiot hit Al with a brick to the head one Mardi Gras. No respect, as Dangerfield used to say. Some people just can't get it right.
I have so MANY tapes from the Tonight show with Pete Foutain and other Musicians such as Ray Charles, Buddy Rich and to many to list. When NBC started to broadcast in Stereo I went out back then and Bought a Fisher VCR that recorded in Stereo, Again No Disrespect if I don’t have 200 Tapes I have NONE. I just don’t know how to transfer.
Always fabulous. Carson loved is talent. The Tonight Show is Carson. Jay Leno was ok. And David Letterman as well. After them, down the hill. David Letterman was ok as well.
@@martygras378 I put that darn thing where I could be sure I would find it and you know what happens when you do that. I'll keep looking but I believe it was Obrien. I remember it does have $12 price on top.
I read that in the Leno era he contacted the tonight show people telling them when he would be available, as he had under the Carson administration. A youngish person replied, yeah, send us a tape. They had no idea who he was. It's easy to see why he wouldn't fit in with late night "entertainment" now. Too much MELODY. His music can be hummed. Whistled. Music for grown ups, not 12 year olds. That includes 12 year old in their 60's whos musical taste hasn't reached 13.
"Send us a tape." Yeah. His response should've been, "Go to the nearest record store and take your pick of any of my dozens of albums." That reminds me of those clueless dipwads at that radio station that sent Annie Lennox a letter saying they'd be delighted to give her a chance at airplay if she'd be kind enough to send them an example of her work so they could hear what she sounded like. Guess they've never heard of the Eurythmics? That letter went viral and made colossal fools of those kids.
He should have sent in a tape of a dozen or so Tonight Show appearances with a note: "Is this good enough?"" ... wonder if he ever contacted the Letterman show? ... Paul Shaffer would have loved to play with him I'm sure.
I've listened to Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Irv Fazolla, Buddy DeFranco, "Peanuts" Hucko, Anat Cohen, Ken Peplowski and many others; they're all great. But Pete Fountain was in a category all his own. He had a distinctive, melodious tone that just exuded joy. If Pete was playing, you'd find your toes tapping and your spirit lifted. Sad that he's gone, but glad for the years we had him. Listen and enjoy this music... what a gift!
My dad grew up around the corner from Pete on St. Ann St. Pete would play outside a bar on the conner to the jukebox playing inside he was about 12 years old. He would tell that story all his life. A New Orleans original.....
my father, Charles "Bud" Dant produced most of Pete's albumns on Decca Records...a huge hit!!!
My Dad was a big Pete Fountain fan, and that meant I always had good gifts for birthdays, Christmas, etc. And I always remember seeing the credit line: Charles "Bud" Dant. Amazing that they worked together for so many years and so many albums.
Being a clarinet player and having played clarinet professionally most my life- I listened to alot of really good clarinet players and like them all. I always thought Pete was on his own plateau - above the rest! He was a natural player gifted by God! Loved his tone on the lower register- when ever I heard it I would say - thats Pete! Nobody sounded like him. I never heard anyone play upper register clarinet like this what you are hearing on this performance on the tonite show- he cuts through the whole tonite show brass and stays on top! Incredible- Love and Miss you Pete!
- Bill Shine
Bill - you're so spot on regarding the lower register. Artie Shaw might have been more technically gifted and better in the upper register, but no one has ever sounded like Pete down low. His rendition of Strangers on the Shore stays down there for the entire song and it's so good.
My dad grew up around the corner from Pete on St. Ann St. Pete would play outside a bar on the conner to the jukebox playing inside he was about 12 years old. He would tell that story all his life.
The highlight of my life was going to Pete’s Half Fast Walking Club. Many times there was another major musician sitting at the bar waiting to accompany Pete! I sat beside Henry Mancini who went on to play! I have an autographed poster fully framed!
I've seen him live before and it was pure magic. Just awesome
Nice add. I do not think anyone else has ever had the ability to sing a song with a clarinet like Pete did. Vocals and words add so much color, to match that instrumentally is a gift.
I'm just in awe that Carson and the Band had such continuity, keeping Shaugnessy, Newsom for 30 years. I literally just saw a video of Pete Fountain in a video with Johnny Carson from 25 years before this and the same guys were in it.
It was the best big band job in the business ... you played with the best musicians, great audiences, high visibility and you got to stay in one place! ........... who the h*ll would leave?
Yeah, I think Shaughnessy joined the show in '63, Carl "Doc" Severinsen from the inception in '53 while Steve Allen still hosted it, Newsom, though, I don't know, but yeah, what a job...that's the kind of plum gig musicians far and wide dream of.
I am so Thankful I was in my early 20's and beyond to see Pete on Johnnys show.....because it was THEE show to see every night.....and he had the best Talent night in and night out.....and seeing Pete Fountain was always a Special treat
What you're seeing here is precisely why Pete quit the Lawrence Welk Show. As Christmas 1959 approached, Pete wanted to jive up a carol, but for some reason, Welk wouldn't hear of it. So Mr. Fountain bid him an unceremonious adieu.
When asked why he left Welk, he replied: Well you know champagne and bourbon don't mix.
@@Araconox Yup...that sounds just like something he'd say. A diplomatic gentleman, he was.
I too was a clarinet player. Although I might call myself a "semi-gifted" amateur, at best. Pete was my hero. I tried to do everything just like him - including buying a crystal mouthpiece like his because of his fantastic tone. That was way back during the late '50s & 60's when I graduated from high school and after. What a musical genius he was on the clarinet!!!
Pete Fountain The greatest of all time !
Always fantastic...
I love Goodman, Shaw, DeFranco, Bigard, and others, but Pete is my favorite. His 'Half-Fast' (a pun on half-@ssed) marching band was a staple of Mardi Gras parades when I was a kid in New Orleans. His stuff with Al Hirt was legendary. Some idiot hit Al with a brick to the head one Mardi Gras. No respect, as Dangerfield used to say. Some people just can't get it right.
That's a blast from the past -- Al "the hit man" Hirt -- with his unmistakable tone. Cheers.
Thanks so much for sharing! Love that man!
I have so MANY tapes from the Tonight show with Pete Foutain and other Musicians such as Ray Charles, Buddy Rich and to many to list. When NBC started to broadcast in Stereo I went out back then and Bought a Fisher VCR that recorded in Stereo, Again No Disrespect if I don’t have 200 Tapes I have NONE. I just don’t know how to transfer.
Always fabulous.
Carson loved is talent.
The Tonight Show is Carson.
Jay Leno was ok. And David Letterman as well.
After them, down the hill.
David Letterman was ok as well.
By the way, I still have that very mouthpiece box 60+ years later !
What is the brand on that ?
@@martygras378 I put that darn thing where I could be sure I would find it and you know what happens when you do that. I'll keep looking but I believe it was Obrien. I remember it does have $12 price on top.
@@martygras378 I played in stage shows in the early 60s and pictures show I was using it then.
"I saw mama kissing Santa Clause....."
Bravo !!!
I read that in the Leno era he contacted the tonight show people telling them when he would be available, as he had under the Carson administration. A youngish person replied, yeah, send us a tape. They had no idea who he was. It's easy to see why he wouldn't fit in with late night "entertainment" now. Too much MELODY. His music can be hummed. Whistled. Music for grown ups, not 12 year olds. That includes 12 year old in their 60's whos musical taste hasn't reached 13.
"Send us a tape." Yeah. His response should've been, "Go to the nearest record store and take your pick of any of my dozens of albums." That reminds me of those clueless dipwads at that radio station that sent Annie Lennox a letter saying they'd be delighted to give her a chance at airplay if she'd be kind enough to send them an example of her work so they could hear what she sounded like. Guess they've never heard of the Eurythmics? That letter went viral and made colossal fools of those kids.
He should have sent in a tape of a dozen or so Tonight Show appearances with a note: "Is this good enough?""
... wonder if he ever contacted the Letterman show? ... Paul Shaffer would have loved to play with him I'm sure.
Id like to meat the 1 person who didnt like this ?