Claude Brownell: Master of the long scale Eharp

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 29 Nov 2018 11:07 am

For those interested, I've just added a CD of Eharp Player Claude Brownell's playing. Claude played a steel with a 30.5" scale and the Eharp tuning. His playing will definitely give you an idea of the versatility of the Eharp tuning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MhnfJc ... e=youtu.be

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 29 Nov 2018 2:17 pm

I saw him, once, at a steel show in Florida, probably 20 years ago.

Leon Brannan · Post by **Leon Brannan** » 30 Nov 2018 6:40 am

Bill, Do you have copies available to purchase ? I had one that I wore out and would appreciate a replacement. Thanks Leon

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 30 Nov 2018 6:43 am

No, sorry Leon.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Nov 2018 8:29 am

That's a good example of Claude's playing on the Eharp tuning. It sounds a lot like C6 pedal steel guitar IMO. Many of the same chord voicings.
Many years ago I heard a recording of Claude backing up a rockabilly singer. When he took his solo he sounded just like a 1950s rockabilly guitarist. I've searched the internet for that recording a couple of times since but I can't find it. It's probably lost to the ages.

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 30 Nov 2018 9:15 am

Does anybody have his tuning set-up naming Strings 1-10
individually?
I'm with you Doug, I hear mostly C6th voicings.
Claude was great!!

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 30 Nov 2018 9:26 am

based on past posts by Claude and b0b that he tuned down a 4th, I'm assuming from bottom to top: Ab, B, C, Db, D, Eb, E, Gb, Ab, B. I haven't seen any indication that he changed the intervals but just tuned down a 4th.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 30 Nov 2018 10:29 am

Doug Beaumier wrote:
Many years ago I heard a recording of Claude backing up a rockabilly singer. When he took his solo he sounded just like a 1950s rockabilly guitarist. I've searched the internet for that recording a couple of times since but I can't find it.

Doug:

Do you remember the artist and song title?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Nov 2018 10:59 am

I can't remember, Mitch, unfortunately. I found it by doing a search for "Claude Brownell" about a dozen years ago. There was a link to the song on someone's web site. The singer/band was someone I never heard of. A couple of years later I tried to find it again and it was gone.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 30 Nov 2018 11:02 am

Hmmmm..........

Is that a standard guitar?

From 1962.

https://picosong.com/wjgdH

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Nov 2018 11:14 am

I think that's the one, Mitch. It does sound like a standard guitar. So is Claude Brownell the singer on this record?

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 30 Nov 2018 11:58 am

Doug:

Don't know. I'd guess so, just going by the label.

However, I dug this out of the Stroudsburg PA newspaper from Nov 1, 1969. Apparently he had a group known as The Travelaires, along with his wife Patti.

"Entertainment will be provided by The Travelaires, featuring Claude and Patti Brownell, two of the country's top country music performers. Brownell was formally the steel guitarist for Hawkshaw Hawkins, internationally known country music star."

They backed several groups on the Arcade label out of Philly during the 1960s. See below.

Notice in the pic of The Travelaires--the third guy from the left apparently is "Smokey". Looks like his arms are resting on a steel guitar. He looks like the Claude Brownell in the color pic farther up in this thread might have looked in the 1960s.

Arcade (PA) 45 - 193 : Travelaires - Chopped Liver Part One / Chopped Liver Part Two (1963)

Arcade (PA) 45 - 194 : Jack Howard Accompanied By Travelaires - Heartaches Anonymous / Old Shep (1968)

Arcade (PA) 45 - 195 : Bob Dean Accompanied By The Travelaires - Hot Rod Daddy / Live My Life (1968)

Here's Hot Rod Daddy. Sounds like a steel to me.

https://picosong.com/wjmsJ

Claude Brownell & Travelaires - I Met Her in a Honky Tonk; label and details unknown.

Claude Brownell: Hawaiian Honeymoon/Puppet Dance; Chestnut 211; supposedly from 1959.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 30 Nov 2018 12:07 pm

The Twist and Yodel was the B side. The A side was "Heartache Avenue" . Anyone have a link for that?

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 30 Nov 2018 12:12 pm

On Hot Rod Daddy it sounds to me like Claude is doing the backup work behind the singer. The guitarist takes the break and claude is backing him up, and the vamp at the end is clearly the steel.

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 30 Nov 2018 2:27 pm

If you were backing the yodeling trend in rock, I'd think you were in for an uphill battle.

I really like the CD you linked to. I detect a Hawaiian influence, and I don't just think it's the C6 sound. I wonder if he like many others started out as a kid taking those Oahu or other popular method courses.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 30 Nov 2018 3:24 pm

Scott he studied directly under Eddie Alkire himself in Easton, PA. As Claude said here on the forum, he has played everyting Eddie wrote. eddie wrote a multi volume â€œmethodâ€ on playing the Eharp.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 30 Nov 2018 3:33 pm

Here is what is currently on my music stand. These are from the 30's.

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 30 Nov 2018 3:37 pm

Bill McCloskey wrote:Scott he studied directly under Eddie Alkire himself in Easton, PA. As Claude said here on the forum, he has played everyting Eddie wrote. eddie wrote a multi volume â€œmethodâ€ on playing the Eharp.

Oh right...gothca. I hope there will always be someone around who will carry the torch. That is some beautiful playing.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 30 Nov 2018 3:41 pm

Scott, I run an Eharp Players group on Facebook you are more then welcome to join.

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 30 Nov 2018 4:31 pm

David Cook · Post by **David Cook** » 3 Dec 2018 4:50 pm

I moved from Austin Texas to Clewiston Florida in 1979(culture shock). Claude and Patti lived there or nearby. Claude did not seem interested in my pedal steel and I had never played lap steel so I didn't appreciate his lap playing. But, I did some gigs with him and Patti doing country and some Hawaiian. I played guitar and piano with them and even bought a small vibraphone to accompany the Hawaiian songs.

Later, I saw him at the Florida Folk Festival and he had this older woman standing next to him. I asked if this was his mother. He said no, this was his wife. I have never ever been so embarrrassed!! Patti had died and he had remarried.

Anyway, Claude was a fine gentleman and I regret not knowing enough about lap steel playing to fully appreciate him

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 2 Feb 2019 9:19 pm

More by Claude and The Travelaires:

Chopped Liver part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDmgUccmjcc

Chopped Liver part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxHVjvpC-Z4

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 3 Feb 2019 5:45 pm

I never had the pleasure of meeting Claude in person, merely admired him via cassette tapes. His touch highly reminds me of Bill Stafford's smooth awesome pedal styling. Claude mentioned to me he studied directly with the E-harp "inventor" Eddie Alkire. IMHO he far surpassed Eddie's style. It was a sad day when we lost such a fine talent. I think JB would have loved Claude's version of "Steeling the Blues"

James Flaherty · Post by **James Flaherty** » 3 Feb 2019 6:26 pm

https://soundcloud.com/ionahoopii/claud ... slips-away

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 3 Feb 2019 7:09 pm

found some more Claude Brownell "WAITING FOR MY BABY ( ROCK ROCK) - HAWKSHAW HAWKINS."

https://youtu.be/FMB3AUBrSec

Great solo

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Claude Brownell: Master of the long scale Eharp

Claude Brownell: Master of the long scale Eharp

Claude Brownell

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