Old Stranger's Instrumental Album?

Bill Nauman · Post by **Bill Nauman** » 17 May 2002 12:37 pm

I just got all my Reel to Reel Tapes back from storage,ran across a tape that is labeled Stranger's. Starts with Caravan that sounds like Roy Nichols...also a vocal on it called California on my Mind and a few really good steel tunes...have not heard back from Norm Hamlet yet...any bells ringing out there? Lots of Chicken Pickin' too ...Bill in Vegas

Bob Tuttle · Post by **Bob Tuttle** » 17 May 2002 2:56 pm

Bill, This album is called "Getting to Know Merle Haggard's Strangers". I have the original LP on Capitol. It features Roy Nichols, Norm Hamlet, Biff Adams, Bobby Wayne, and Dennis Hromek. It's a great album.

Bill Nauman · Post by **Bill Nauman** » 17 May 2002 3:02 pm

Ok,Thanks a bunch...now if you will email me,ill send the cut back to you in compressed mp3 so you can let me know what the name of the tune is ..my guess is the its the last tune on the album..Bill in Vegas

Dave Alfstad · Post by **Dave Alfstad** » 18 May 2002 2:35 am

Funny you should mention this at this time. I just converted this recording along with 2 other Strangers albums the day before yesterday. I converted them from LP to cd and they came out excellent! The 3 albums that I have are: Getting To Know Strangers, My Friends The Strangers, and The Instrumental Sounds Of Merle Haggard's Strangers. All 3 are GREAT albums. I have them all in mp3 format too.
The song titles are:
1. Caravan
2. Ham Boogie
3. Stay With A Happy Indian
4. Walin' Through My Heart
5. Day Happy
6. Scramble
7. Every Fool Has A Rainbow
8. California On My Mind
9. Comin' Home
10. Skippin'

If I can be of any help to you, let me know.

Dave Alfstad[This message was edited by Dave Alfstad on 18 May 2002 at 03:38 AM.]

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 18 May 2002 2:45 am

Roy Nichols is one of my favorite 6 string pickers. After listening to a couple of the Strangers LP's, I can hardly believe he's no longer with us.
(I'm going to have to put mine on CD, too.!)
------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com[This message was edited by Ernie Renn on 18 May 2002 at 03:46 AM.]

Roger Miller · Post by **Roger Miller** » 19 May 2002 4:43 pm

Ernie, I played some gigs with Marsha Nichols(Roys' Ex) and she was on that album also I believe. She'd played just like Roy only had a womans smoothness. I am not for sure but I believe she was on that album also.

Kim Miller · Post by **Kim Miller** » 19 May 2002 5:07 pm

Are these albums still available anywhere? I sure would like to know where I could get these. Thanks.

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 20 May 2002 2:58 am

Kim, I've been searching for years, if you have any luck, let me know!!!!!

Kim Miller · Post by **Kim Miller** » 20 May 2002 3:36 pm

I remember listening to one of their instrumental albums at the base library when I was stationed at Kunson Air Base in Korea. But that was back in 1977. I've always wanted to find a copy of it.

Dave Alfstad · Post by **Dave Alfstad** » 20 May 2002 7:01 pm

As I said in my earlier post, I have just converted three Strangers' LP's to cd. I am very particular when it comes to this task. After recording the LP to my computer I declick it to take out the pops and clicks. Then I edit each song so that there is no extraneous noise between tracks. I put 1/3 of a second immediately before the first note of the song and I put 3 seconds of dead silence immediately following the last note. This way when you listen, between songs you hear nothing but absolute silence. I normalize each song individually so the volume is appropriate for a cd. I am VERY pleased with the way these three Strangers' LP's came out. The LP's were in good shpe to begin with so that helps a lot. I wish I could share them with EVERYONE who wants them since they are no longer in print and are getting harder to find. Unfortunately that is just not feasible. I use a file-sharing program called Direct Connect from time to time and would share with anyone who wanted to get them from me there. Otherwise I have agreed to copy my cd's for three other people that have contacted me. Maybe if those people could each share with one or two people and so on...then most of the people here that want copies can have them. I will not give names of the people I am sending them to. They know who they are and if they want to share, let it be of their own free will. I am giving them the copies with no strings attached, I just think that this music is so good that it is worth sharing. It saddens me to think that in just a few years, these CLASSIC recordings could be lost forever. The music is too great to let it be lost.

Dave Alfstad
Indianola, Iowa

Jim Whitaker · Post by **Jim Whitaker** » 20 May 2002 7:23 pm

Hey Dave what software are you using to do this>????

------------------
JIM
"Carter SD10" "73" MSA S10, "74" LTD & NASHVILLE 400, Profex II "55" Esquire, "63 Epiphone, "63" Precision,
"71" Jazz

Dave Alfstad · Post by **Dave Alfstad** » 21 May 2002 4:34 am

Jim,
I use a few different programs depending onwhat I want to do with the sound files but mainly I use Cool Edit 2000 with the Audio Cleanup plug-in, or if I don't get good results with that I bought another declicking program by Michael Parr that runs in Cool Edit. And for some things I have to declick manually. I do most of my editing with Cool Edit. I use CDWav to split the tracks up. Then if I am going to convert to mp3 I use CDex for that task. I am in the process of converting over 300 LP's right now that a friend of mine has in his collection...this is where the Strangers LP's came from. There is also a TON of steel guitar music in this collection. I know that most of this stuff is no longer available so I'm trying to preserve it as well as I can.

Dave Alfstad[This message was edited by Dave Alfstad on 21 May 2002 at 05:35 AM.]

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 21 May 2002 6:26 am

I would like to be on the list of those with copies who may be willing to make copies for me. I in turn would be more than happy to make copies for three more people. If I get copies and you put your name on this thread I'll e-mail you to see if I can hook you up (that is if I get hooked!!). I just reread my post, hmmm, does it make sense? Let me try again...... Someone please make me copies and I in turn will make others copies.

Howard Kalish · Post by **Howard Kalish** » 21 May 2002 8:27 am

I would be forever grateful if someone made copies of these for me. I'd, in turn, burn copies for 3 more folks. I have "Meet the Strangers" on a cassette tape, but CDs are preferrable. Send me an e-mail at howard.kalish@amd.com.

Thanks,
HK

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 21 May 2002 9:06 am

I think the Strangers cut 5 albums...
I've got them, and plan to convert them to CD when I get the right software for my Mac. Anyone know the best one to get?

The last one they cut is called 'Strictly Instrumental (With One Exception!)' and this is the one that features Mrs. Roy Nichols.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 23 May 2002 8:33 pm

Yeah that album from 1973 was their last, except for the one that's being done now.
Hey, it's only a 19 year gap so far.

I'm looking forward to the new one.
Anyway, not long after the '73 release 'Strictly Instrumental' Marcia got the boot from the group and Dennis Hromek and Bobby Wayne didn't make the year out either. Great version of the Strangers, but I would be hard pressed to name a fave version of the group.

Terry Downs · Post by **Terry Downs** » 23 May 2002 9:22 pm

I am the greatest fan of Roy Nichols. He changed my life. My favorite part of the "Getting to Know the Strangers" album was Roy's solo in "Every Fool has a Rainbow". Haggard's live album in Philadelphia featuring "The Fighting Side of Me" circa 1970 has a nice verson of that song too, but the instrumental album solo Roy colored way outside the lines.

I think the Indian song is funny.

[This message was edited by Terry Downs on 23 May 2002 at 10:25 PM.]

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 25 May 2002 2:51 am

I've always liked "Stealin' Corn" from the Introducing... LP! Great twin guitar stuff by Roy Nichols and Norm Hamlet!

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Tony Harris · Post by **Tony Harris** » 25 May 2002 5:45 am

I've been trying to track down a couple of albums that I have only on cassette. I was hoping to find them on CD - better quality, more convenient. I'm still looking, but in the meantime I've copied them onto CD. I don't have any 'clean-up'software, but I thought I'd do it before the tapes chew up - they're probably 25 years old! But what are the copyright implications of this? Anyone in the record industry care to comment? I'd buy them if they were available, and I wouldn't want to deprive my musical heroes of a few cents that they're owed....but?

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 25 May 2002 5:42 pm

Well, it's a questionable topic, obviously if someone burns copies and distributes them between friends it's not going to be an issue.
If someone was going to burn copies, print up sleeves and sold them, now that would result in a court case.
I would assume that there is a possibility that this albums will get a reissue.

Most of Haggard's 1960s material in out on CD, and quite a few of his albums are getting a decent reissue. (1981's Big City for example).
It might be a case of a 'Strangers' reissue.
After all Don Rich has had a comp out on his Buckaroos sides and the Strangers have a new one on the way. These things may generate a reissue or two.
I have also heard that there's been a reissue of Haggard's first live album, I was listening to some of it on the radio last week and the deejay mentioned that the 'Okie' set had been reissued. All these things could lead to a reissue program.

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 26 May 2002 3:53 am

Man, that would be a beautiful thing. This is also the first I've heard of a new Strangers album, it's about dang time! Will Redd be on this album? I keep hearing he's in the band, he's not in the band, he's in the band again, he's not in the band etc etc.

Redd V · Post by **Redd V** » 26 May 2002 8:00 am

I'm back on the band since March, so far so good!

We've cut 6 or 8 tunes for the new album, when its done or released, who knows!?!

Its sure fun pickin' in that band with the great Norm Hamlet and his "sound" also TRY'N

to catch up to Roys legacy (not)

and of course, gettin' to hear the "MAN" sing between our fills is pretty cool too!!

Sorry for the rant, Redd V

Bill Nauman · Post by **Bill Nauman** » 26 May 2002 8:20 am

Well Hello there you old catbird, nice to hear you are still kickin down there in Austin. Speaking of tapes,Wish I had a tape of Your Dad and I playing that casual in Vancouver metro area back in the mid 70s.You all take care...I have some files that you need to hear from the past..Crossroads in Blaine,Sumas Maple Leaf Tavern and Whitehorse. Please drop me a line..your buddy in Sin City Bill in Vegas

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 26 May 2002 9:23 am

Why bother trying to catch up to Roy's legacy? I feel you're well on the way to establishing a distinctive one of your own. I enjoyed your pickin' at the Twangbangers show at the Birchmere. Hope to see you again with either the 'Bangers, Merle, or Dale. [This message was edited by Chris Forbes on 26 May 2002 at 10:27 AM.]