Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown * A Musician''s Story with a Shocking End!!
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown was a singer, guitarist and fiddler. He was an influence to many. This is a short story about his life and career with a shocking ending. He could play in many styles including blues, boogie, cajun, country bluegrass and rock & roll. He was a world traveled musician of over 50 years..
Photo Credits : Leon Morris, Cricchio Studio, Toshiya Suzuki, Huey Meaux
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Scott Threlkeld
#guitarist #bluesguitar #documentaryvideo
Gatemouth Brown played at Clancy's Road House S of Fort Collins May 1, 1967, my birthday with friends, Not a big crowd, but a big incredible sound that tapped the roots and the grooves he played like a bird flying. Never forgot that. We'd go out there to hear him, He was alive an well on stage, contagious and you could get lost in his music, particularly his fiddle, with bow hairs flying. Wonderful times and music. Electric performer who made you feel like part of the music.
I met gstemouth brown in Salina Kansas performing at a nightclub called Little Richards I had the opportunity to actually sit down and talk with about music and I remember him telling me that he was on his way to zoo bar in Lincoln Nebraska after his gig there in Salina Kansas. He said he played what he felt. And then he said that was seeking a real good organ player for one night. I remember how it really made me want to say ? I'm a keyboard player. But I didn't because I mainly play bass guitar at least during that time. That was back in the 80s. Today I am very grateful to have met and talked with Mr gstemouth brown. Because I learned more in 20 minutes from him than I learned in a year about various music styles. So to his close friends and family .. I give thanks and much respect . I don't really think that I'd be the musical artist that I am today in 2024 if not for that very special moment I shared talking with gstemouth brown. There will never be another like him... Joseph Alan Fears (JAFF RECORDS USA)
One of the best musicians ever
I had to stop watching momentarily, but posted my first comment below. Now that I've had the time to watch the rest, I gotta say this was one of the most heart-felt documentaries of a musical artist that I have ever enjoyed. My first recollection of Gatemouth was way back in the Hee Haw days with Roy Clark.......and then of course catching him on shows like Austin City Limits years later. As an accomplished guitarist, singer, and blues harp player myself ( local gigs ), I'm here to say Clarence Gatemouth Brown was the real deal. Of all the people that know him & his music, I can't think of a single person who doesn't love him.......always and forever. I never knew about his heart-wrenching loss just before his death. That saddens me deeply. But at least he left this world surrounded by close family. THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING DOCUMENTARY!!!
You're very welcome. Like you, I know of nobody who didn't love Gate! He was a one of a kind for sure. Glad you enjoyed the video. Hope you subscribe to the channel. I have many more videos on here to choose from. Sure you can find a couple to your liking!
I've been subscribed to your channel for quite a little while now.........ever since I first discovered your body of work! As a matter of fact, I'm going to binge watch a few of your videos tonight. I've already watched well over 15 of them.......and counting. I love your approach. It's very personal & down to earth. Best channel of it's kind. @@RiverDocs
My family has been in the dry cleaning business in Slidell La for over 50 years. Gate Mouth was a customer of ours for years before his passing after hurricane Katrina. Thanks for the documentary!
Very cool. You're welcome. Thank you for watching!
It was back in 1967..
I walked into a Cowboy Bar near Longmont, CO.
Went to the bar and ordered a beer.
Looked up at the Bandstand.
OMG! It was a tall thin Black Guy. And he was bending those guitar strings!
That was my introduction to Gatemouth.
Chatted with him during a break. Fan for life.
The next time I saw him was in Vegas. He opened for Roy Clark.
Last time was at Madrid, NM.
Unfortunately, he had a medical situation and couldn’t play.
Good Guy, Great Player!
I saw him at the Palamino in Los Angeles. It was literally a life changing experience. I arrived early and met him. What you said about his playing was exactly correct. He would say things like, he received a song from a far away galaxy that he knew the name and coordinates of and then played in a way that you believed him. I also have a too long for comment story that happened that night. Thanks for the great bio doc
Cool story. Thanks for sharing. Yeah old Gate was a piece of work that's for sure. Thank you for watching!
A huge inspiration and a lifetime favourite, truly a musical giant for many decades he'll be in my heart forever.
I met Gatemouth and his manager in the early 90s and had the opportunity to speak with him while discussing a possible upcoming New Years Eve show. In spite of being a living legend he was very down to Earth and a perfect gentleman. Although it was our fist meeting he seemed as if he was an old friend. RIP Gatemouth.
I got to see him twice, once in Boston around 1979. Then again in the early 2000s in Texas. He was great both times!
grand old gentleman that made a great life from his music.
I saw him at a blues festival in Kentucky, early 90s. Loved his picking and fiddling. Seemed like a great guy.
JUST AS OF LATE 2023 THAT I NOTICED CLARENCE GATEMOUTH BROWN. JUST ONE TIME
FINGURING THAT GUITAR AND PLAYING HIS FIDDLE TOLD ME INSTANTLY THIS IS A MAN
OF SOUL, HE TRULY FELT MUSIC, WAS EXTREMELY VERSATILE AND IF ANYONE COULD
MOVE ME IN MUSIC IT WAS HIM. EVERY EXTRA NOTE HE ADDED TO TUNES I COULD FEEL
CAME FROM HIS PERSONAL FEELINGS. AMAZING ARTIST.
Wonderful Documentary! Always loved Gatemouth, he was one of the reasons I really took learning guitar seriously growing up. When I heard him play “Okie Dokie Stomp” on the lesser known Martin Scorcese Documentary “Lightning in a Bottle” in 2004, he really captivated me and as one of my biggest influences. He is he reason I still play he same non-reverse Firebird ☺️
Well thank you. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you much for this great tribute of this incredibly musician. Love his music 🎶 🎵 ❤️
My pleasure!
Gatemouth came into our little cafe and music hall in Nacogdoches, Texas one night in the late 90’s. The house was full, and he came dancing in with a lady on each arm. The opening act announced his presence, and everyone applauded, and me and my band were in the kitchen/green room going no way, that can’t be him, etc … I’m not sure I could’ve played had I known just who Gatemouth was and that it really was him. He actually stood up and applauded after one of my guitar solos, and got the crowd to dancing. ❤
And he was the most unique player ive ever seen his swing and sway was unmatched and yes he was a great drummer watch his shoulders when he plays , ges a living metronome!
I was first introduced to his music in the late 50s when he played at the Step Inn Club in Lawtell, Louisiana. I was no my way to return to college in Lafayette, LA when I stopped at the club. I always remember when he played Okey Dokey Stomp behind his back. Trust me, I was impressed. I have seen him play in other venues, the last being the Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, LA, My beloved wife, Mary, went up to him with a blank check and got his signature. I truly enjoyed the man and his music. May he rest in peace.,
Thanks for your comment Benny! Appreciate it.
I met Gatemouth Brown in the late 70's in Slidell, LA. He pulled up into the shopping center fire lane in front of the record shop I was opening for Roy Shaw (The Music Centers) on Pontchartrain Dr /Hwy 11. He was driving an older station wagon with what seemed to be a dozen small children and his wife inside. I'm embarrassed to say I didn't recognize him or know much about him, but we made fast friends. I remember how much he reminded me of my father. Unassuming, a big smiler and talker, one you could not help but enjoy being around. I ordered every one of his albums I could find. He came back to see me several times and I even went by his modest house on the lakefront to visit. He wasn't playing much then and I never was able to see him play in-person. We hired a store manager and I moved on to Baton Rouge. At some point I lost track of him and his contact number (this was well before mobile phones were the norm). Times weren't so good for Gatemouth, it seemed to me. When I hit some rough times myself in the 80's I sold all my albums including the ones by him. At my age one regrets letting such chance relationships go. The records I might recover, the friendships, not so much.
Thank you for sharing your story.
I saw him play in the 70s in Huntsville, a small
East Texas town, at a club called Guaranteed Wholesome (it wasn’t!). couldn’t have been more than 100 people in the club. Anyway, since that day, I’ve always told everyone that it was the best show I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a bunch of them… Thank you Mr. Brown!
Wonderful short documentary and touching to read the comments. He is one of my hero! Thanks you !
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it!
I know a little bit about Gatemouth now, thanks to you. I had previously seen him play with Roy Clarke and enjoyed his obvious talents, and the fact that he was a great visual juxtaposition to Roy. What a talented and interesting man. Your docs are so good. Ive left a comment or two before, but I'll say again that your voice, cadence, and the feeling with which you deliver the material, are a great pleasure to sit back and enjoy. To have such interesting subject matter delivered with such a pleasant, warm, voice, and obvious sincerity, is a real pleasure to listen to. Thanks for your great docs and please, keep up the good work. Thank you.
I appreciate that JH. I really enjoy sitting around and talking about music and players. I like to hear other's stories also. I also wanted to have a channel that talked about some of the lesser known players too, not just the stars. Guys like Gatemouth, Danny Gatton and so on...I mix it up and try to just tell it like I would if I was talking in person. Thanks for watching and your comment.
@@RiverDocs Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan. Maryland’s finest. 😌
@@Jackalope40 Yes they were. In case you haven't seen it I got a video I did on Danny Gatton on the channel. He is one of my favorites!! Check it out when you get a chance. Danny Gatton ruclips.net/video/9ZggyEPSReY/видео.html
Great tribute to a great artists!
Thank you.
Great Musician ! Thanks Docs ...he was wonderful playing country fiddle too,
You're welcome. Yes he was. Just a good all around musician and entertainer. I hope more people find out about him. Thanks for watching.
📻🎸🥁🎻🎶🎤🎵👍🏽👌🏽👏🏽👏🏽Thank You - RIP Gate☺🤗😃💯 Yup❗ G-G.
In the late 60s...he actually lived in Denver. Used to play at a club on Colorado Blvd..when he left...he returned to Louisiana.
Great documentary! What an incredible musician and humble soul.
Was blessed to do sound and get know Gate a bit in the 90s when he played a music festival in Alaska. Must say I idolized Gate and when I got the contract to do sound for the festival I was hyped.
First night of the he festival Gate did a two set show. I was just getting started in the sound biz and was nervous as all getout. After the first set the festivals production manager walked up the board and informed me Gate wanted to talk with me. My heart sank, thought of God here we go..gonna get a tongue lashing from my favorite musician on the planet. I took a notepad and pen and followed her to the green room. Gate looked me right in the eyes and said "I want to talk to my sound man alone".. So everyone leaves, and Gate looks me right in n the eyes. As my heart sank Gate says...do you know where I can get some of that Matanuska Thunderf**k.. referring to the legendary bud of Alaska..After a moments pause I said, "don't know if that stuff even exists, but the sax player in my band sure as hell has got some good smoke, and he's here in the audience. So I go and get him and he gives Gate a few choice buds, which Gate sticks in his pipe, then stuffs some tobacco onto top fires er up and takes to the stage
Next night was a blues cruise with Gate, where of course I helped him again. After the gig I headed to my gig fronting a r&b band in a dive bar. Towards the end of the 2nd set in walks gate with the festivals driver. He listens to a couple songs and tells the driver to go get his band..so she does. Now my idol Gate and his band sans keyboard is sitting in the front row waking me. At the break I go to their table and ask them if I can get them anything, and of course the sax player gives him a few buds which he puts in his pipe and fires up.
As I take the stage two local cops come in...this being a dive bar and all. They stop dead in their tracks and make a beeline for Gates table where he's puffing away on his pipe loaded with good bud. My heart sinks...we haven't started playing again and my musical idol is getting busted and how do I explain this to the festival organizers?
The two cops are Gates table just stare for a minute and then one says...hey are you Gatemouth Brown?? Gate says yes, then one cop says..can I get your autograph?
So Gate gives him his autograph, his band winds up sitting in with us for the entire last set, and I had the best night of my musical career. RIP Gate, you were the coolest cat and gentleman I ever met, not to mention my favorite musician. I will never be one tenth of the musician you were.
Great story. Thanks so much for taking time to share it on my channel!!
Thank you very much for this video. I am so glad I came across it. Quality. One class musician.
You're very welcome! Thanks for watching.
I was helping out on a program named RadioVisions in Fort Payne, AL and we had Gatemouth on it back in early to mid 80's.... He was a hoot for sure..... Enjoyed getting to meet and talk with the man....
I have heard tell he was a blast to talk with. Thanks for watching and your comment.
I once met Gatemouth one night in a bar in Monroe, Louisiana. real nice guy.
I've heard he was a great guy. Sure wish I could have got to meet him.
@@RiverDocs
I was actually at the bar to get another drink when he walked up beside me. so I told him that I had played guitar for some time and that he had impressed me with his playing. he told me, "well, hold on, I'm gonna show ya some more." and he did !!!
@@brentwallace7096 That's very cool. I just figured he was that kind of guy. Really down to earth and you know he had to have a boat load of stories to tell with all the traveling he did throughout his career.
Just found him, but I feel I've known him all my life. It took a cyclone to kill him and another to bring him up for an encore, RIP Mr Brown and thanks for the inspiration....
Well said!! Gatemouth was one of a kind for sure and an inspiration to many. Thanks for watching!
Saw his gig at the Gluepot mid 80s. ❤
One of the guys who inspired me to use the capo most of the time with my guitar playing!!
I have seen him on the show called The Beat!!!! With the host Hoss Allen.
I saw Gatemouth at the Fly By Night Club in Anchorage, AK back in the mid 80’s. Incredible entertainer and musician. Don’t know what was in his pipe but it was in his mouth most of the show. Then again back then Alaskan Mary Jane was da kine. Still is I reckon.
Saw him jam with Roy Clark on TV what a talent
Probably the 1st firebird I saw , Hee Haw and A.C.L. At that time like many, it was Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals etc. You know how us young players were back then. Thanks R/D
Gatemouth
One of my favorites
Gate told that story about how he got the nickname…. I was lucky enough to get to work with him.
Mister, you talking about my favorites American guitarist , Clarence gatemouth Brown, Roy Clarke, Jerry Reed, Jeff Healey...
Thanks. Don't know if you like his playing or not but I got one on Glan Campbell coming up in a few days here.
@@RiverDocs
I like Glen Campbell during his period when he wore a beard.
@@guillaumedestrebecq6821 I just liked his guitar playing for the most part. I didn't know it until I looked it up...he has won 10 Grammy awards..pretty amazing to me.
Saw him at Antone's on Guadalupe here in Austin..
I saw him a few times in Atlanta back in the 90’s. Amazing musician!!
Yea he was a good one!
This is my grandfather’s brother, my grandfather bobby brown(ironic as hell because he’s the untalented one) a bitter man who raised my mother wrong who did me the same. Rest in peace great unk, deserved better than hollywood cemetery in orange tx
Another great one RD! I do love your bio documenteries. Refreshing to hear someone pronouncing the name "Loosiana" properly as I was schooled by an old Navy buddy from Baton Rouge! Looked to me like Gatemouth's number one guitar was a non-reverse Gibson Firebird. At least that was the guitar in most of the pics in this bio. Pretty sure my first exposure to Mr Brown was in a Hee Haw appearance, as the selection of music TV in those days was limited to 3 channels. We got cable fairly early in the '70s as I recall and it was then that I discovered Austin City Limits. Keep rockin' brother!
Thanks Ferd. I talk kind of old school if I don't watch myself. Some habits or pronunciations are hard to break. That Firebird you spoke of is a 1966 I do believe. Not sure what happened to it. Hopefully it wasn't at his home when Katrina hit. Thanks for watching.
Another excellent episode. Thank you.
You're welcome Charles. Appreciate your support!
I had never heard of him. What a talented man.
Oh Gatemouth was very good. Do a search here on youtube. Search for Gatemouth Brown Austin City Limits....he did some great shows on there. He was really good performing live! Thanks for watching my video. I appreciate it!
he is awesome in so many ways.
He sure was. Thanks for watching!
thanks for making my morning better! a very odd way to play with a capo! and his fingers looked 10" long! great for the guitar!
You're welcome Ted. Thanks for watching!
Great video, thank you!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
🤠
Hung out with him Many times at Muddy Waters in New Orleans , he carried a pistol and smoked a pipe with tabacco and weed mixed , this was in the 80s , he showed me a few riffs , cos i played a non reverse gibson Firebird just like his , i still play this desending line he showed me , true story , The Sullivans owned Muddy Waters , my band was Concrete Buddha !
Yes sir. Gatemouth was a one of a kind for sure! Thanks for watching and your comment!
I knew Gate well he was the real deal!,he said this "A lot of guitar players want to play too many notes ,it's not how many notes you can play,it's what notes and how you play them"'I even saw him tell a guitar player that and when that guitar player got back up and played ,Gate shook his head and said"see what I mean?"and we left the place ,Gate was the coolest,Biscuits and gravy anytime of day or night was one his favorite choices
Great story. Thanks for sharing it.
I live in Orange. Great memorial to this native of Orange.
I have a video coming out today or tomorrow on Albert Collins and it talks a little about Gatemouth in it. He was one of Albert's influences.
Awesome documentary. I always loved Gatemouth. So WHY did Clarence sometimes play with his thumb BEHIND the capo on his guitar? The reason is simple: Notice how far up the guitar neck Clarence would sometimes attach his capo for certain tunes. There's your answer, notice how close the frets are to each other that far up the neck. To play ANY chords "down low" (such as an E chord or G chord, etc. ) ya really don't have any room for your thumb ( unless ya have tiny hands )..........so it makes perfect sense to simply anchor your thumb BEHIND the capo. VOILA!!! Ya now have room to play those chords any time you're using a capo that far up the neck. Especially if ya have large hands. ME: 62 yr old accomplished guitarist/singer/blues harp.......I've been playing guitar for 50 yrs now. I sort of "retired" from the club/lounge scene back in 2005.........having performed all over east/central Florida for many years.
Thanks so much for your comment and watching the video!!
Thank YOU for creating such fine content about our great guitarists!!! LOVE your channel !!!!@@RiverDocs
You're welcome. Appreciate it.
At Montreux , just incredible
Agree!
Nicely done RD, nicely done.
Thank you!
Liked to Catfish. Cajun food 👍👍👍👍
This guy was amazing , why he wasn’t as media big as BBKing ect
thank u
You're welcome. Thank you for watching!
Worried life blues
Did you ever hear the story about him being a deputy sheriff??
I read a little about it but the info was kind of sketchy. Feel free to tell the story here if you like. Stories are always welcome.
@@RiverDocs I’m not sure, but he told me this:
We were on a short (two months or so) tour and I wasn’t acquainted with him or his band prior to the first date. My job was such that we both kinda took our time becoming friends, but after about a month or so I observed Gate with a little revolver on the bus one night. It was after the show and we were heading somewhere to play tomorrow so I asked one of his band members if it was real (the gun)…
Now, I’m not shy about things like that: I was raised around firearms and this is work so I had to ask even thou I’m not there for that…
My concerns were business related and general curiosity. Gate was in the back lounge, where he slept on this bus, and invited me to come back and discussing it. And, it turned out that he was a deputy sheriff in Texas where he was living in Orange. As he told it, he was getting some aggression from a couple of good-ol’-boys where he was living in Louisiana and the sheriff over the line in Texas offered to “make him a deputy” “so’s to help out”!
Well, I was satisfied. We weren’t going to all get arrested and neither was he, so I said good night and went to my bunk. :)
(Feel free to ask if I’ve left a gap.)
@Kook-a-mal Hey that's a great story and though I have never met the man from what I have read and heard about him, it sounds just like a story he would tell. Now if Gate's story true or not, who knows? But stories like this went on with so many of these old road dawg musicians and are just gold to hear. Thanks for sharing it.
He told me he was a Police Officer when he lived in San Antonio, don't recall the year. I met Gate in 1993. A friend of mine from Slidell High School, Debbie Grice, worked for Gate selling his merchandise when he was on tour. She had an All Access pass for his 75th birthday celebration at the House of Blues New Orleans. She needed a ride so I drove us to HOB in The French Quarter. They dedicated a booth to Gate in their restaurant that night. I would run into him here and there in Slidell over the years. One evening in 2002 I went to eat at M&M's BBQ on Front St in Slidell and there he was. I sat a couple of chairs near him and we started chatting and there's where our friendship began. He invited me over to his house and we hung out together after that for many years until his passing. From 2002 until he crossed over we were tight buddies. He liked my playing as I play with my fingers as well, and he came to many of my shows locally. My band at that time was called AUDIO BEACH. One evening March 13, 2003 he calls me to come play on Louisiana Jukebox with him. He was booked with a pianist and asked me to comp him so he would have fun. He wasn't very favorable to the piano man ( formerly in Gate's band for a short while, as Gate said the boy doesn't know when to stop playing ) and told me when we played music together we always had fun. On the way to New Orleans I asked Gate what we songs we are playing, his reply was "I don't know" I said GATE you gave me a couple of CD's and I learned most of those songs so let's pick a few of those." He told me Stop worrying yourself getting all worked up, I've heard you and seen you play many times you will do just fine! I played the first 2 songs with him before, Unchained Melody and Strange Things Are Happening. The next two I'd never heard so I'm winging it. In both songs he nodded to me to make a statement as he called it (Take a solo) Well the Holy Spirit was with us and I laid down nice solos in each song getting a nice hoot and hollering applause after the 2nd one. Well that encore song hit the editing room floor and wasn't on the TV show. I got in touch with COX PRODUCTIONS of New Orleans and got the unedited DVD of the whole show. I'm still honored to this day that he called me to comp him. I miss that rascal so much. If you've seen him at the Montreaux Jazz Fest playing Mojo and he sings "He's going down to Louisiana and get him a MoJOANNA" That's my wife Joanna, he love us both like family, and shared many meals and good times together up until his final moments here on Earth. I found his Merlin robe after Katrina in the marsh grass near his front yard, Joanna washed it 5 times to get it really clean, and 11 years later his daughter Renee was working at a Slidell Boogaloo Festival. When I saw her I ran home, got it, drove back to the fest and gave it to her and we both shared some tears of joy. There y'all have it. The ETrue Slidell Story! I'm on Facebook with a personal and a band page. Mario Sperandeo and AUDIO BEACH. Love, Peace and Chicken Grease!
ƤＲＯ𝓂Ｏ𝕤ᗰ
Gate liked to smoke his pipe !
Yes he did!!!
I saw him and Chattanooga at the Bessie Smith strut, blues festival. He was awesome.