To Jerry Douglas

Tommy Alexander · Post by **Tommy Alexander** » 12 Jan 2003 7:50 am

Jerry, you and the band were sensational!! Even though the fiddler was a little bit unusual with his dress code, no doubt that he is a great player. As a musician, please extend my apologies to him for the booing from the Opry audience, obviously some of them were too far back in the woods.

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Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 12 Jan 2003 10:08 am

The fiddle player's appearance was sloppy and he looked like a bum. An insult to the Opry stage. Back woods people started the Opry.[This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 12 January 2003 at 10:19 AM.]

David Biagini · Post by **David Biagini** » 12 Jan 2003 10:34 am

Back woods people never look sloppy or like bums.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 12 Jan 2003 10:37 am

.[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 14 January 2003 at 10:49 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 12 Jan 2003 11:18 am

I'm glad I don't live where you live, Bob.

I didn't see the show, and I have no idea how that fiddler was dressed, but I do remember reading about the cold reception The Byrds got on the Opry, largely because of their long hair.

I think that the music should define whether an artist is accepted or not by the concert audience. The Opry gets chick singers dressed like hookers and no one boos them. Maybe the Opry isn't really about the music.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6), Roland Handsonic

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 12 Jan 2003 11:31 am

The fiddle player (Gabe Witrum it sounded like) was definitely not in the customary Opry appearance mode but the boy can play. They all could and a lot better than me and probably most of us. That's why they're there and we're commenting about it. It kind of reminds of when I started and how everybody just degraded The Beatles (my heroes at the time) for their appearance and how me and the band were trying to look like them. We just laughed it off and kept going. Mainstream isn't for the twenty-somethings and never was. It's a new day and like it or not these young players are what's happening today. The one that disappointed me most was the first singer on the televised portion. His appearance was sloppy and looked like he just walked in off the street. The fiddle player with JD was only wearing a T-Shirt but he looked to be clean, and he worked a very long time to get that hair to stand up like that. He intended for his appearance to be just what we saw whereas the other kid didn't seem to consider it. Just my two cents.[This message was edited by Frank Parish on 12 January 2003 at 11:39 AM.]

Post by **Joey Ace** » 12 Jan 2003 11:42 am

The fiddler was
Gabe Witcher.

Also see.

He's deservered a lot better.
He might say it's "no big deal", but being booed at the Ryman has gotta hurt. He understands Country Music history more than most.

I guess if you're not wearing a Cowboy Hat or a Nudie Suit some folks think you don't belong on the Opry.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 12 Jan 2003 11:45 am

Frank, I'm in complete agreement with you - at least the fiddle player was a young man who had taken some trouble with his appearance. It's not how I'd choose to present myself, but I recall going out on a 'sartorial limb' once or twice when I was his age! I looked absurd, too, but I fail to see how such fashion statements are offensive. As for the booing, that was simply rude and inexcusable.

The artiste who was disrespectful to the venue was the opening singer - his name escapes me for the moment; he looked as though he'd driven from Canada and didn't have time to change clothes before he went on. He also happened to be an indifferent performer (in my view, anyway) - the fiddle player in question played wonderfully!

Jerry, and all the guys - especially Bryan Sutton - was superb.

We still didn't hear enough of TW.....

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Roger Rettig [This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 12 January 2003 at 11:47 AM.]

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 12 Jan 2003 11:46 am

Pretty good credentials I'd say and not yet 25 years old. How many of us can say that? More power to him, it's the music that counts.

Cliff Waterman · Post by **Cliff Waterman** » 12 Jan 2003 12:00 pm

...Back to the topic. I thought Jerry and his band were fantistic. Anybody that can play with Douglas has arrived as far as I'm concerned. Hair? Who cares? Get a life and get over it. You should have seen some of my hair-do's in the '70's when I first started playing! I didn't have my hair greased down like ET but I played his stuff and loved it.IMHO

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 12 Jan 2003 1:26 pm

I just did a Google search on Gabe Witcher. "Impressive" does not even begin to describe his credentials. Somehow, I don't think he needs to be too worried about how a bunch of old ****s like us feel about his hairdo!

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » 12 Jan 2003 2:18 pm

I too really enjoyed Jerry's performance! Been a big fan for years. Have also been a fan of Gabe's... the new hairdo is pretty recent... Within the last year anyway. I've got several bluegrass albums Witcher is playing on (Laurel Canyon Ramblers). You should hear him play a waltz. It'll make you cry!

Respectfully,

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<marquee><H1>Dave Burr
Remington Sustainmaster SD-10 3x4</marquee>

[This message was edited by Dave Burr on 12 January 2003 at 02:32 PM.]

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 12 Jan 2003 2:24 pm

I've done some session work with Gabe and he is a great player. He's been on the road with EVE6 playing bass, but still does some bluegrass shows with his family band and with others.
The one to watch out for is his younger brother Mike Witcher, he plays Dobro as well as Gabe plays fiddle.[This message was edited by Alvin Blaine on 13 January 2003 at 09:37 PM.]

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 12 Jan 2003 2:32 pm

He looks clean in that first picture Joey linked to...sort of like Josh Groban.

Do we have a sexist double standard? The boys have to look pretty while the girls can dress like hookers and grind to synth pop or screech to rock?

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 12 Jan 2003 2:56 pm

Hey Bob Hoffnar, alternative this (!)[This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 12 January 2003 at 02:57 PM.]

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 12 Jan 2003 3:59 pm

Too bad so much emphasis is put on looks like so many claim is why country acts today in videos in country on CMT sells.
I've always listened to the talent, not how a person looks or dresses.

Gregg Galbraith · Post by **Gregg Galbraith** » 12 Jan 2003 4:27 pm

My first impression of Gabe was "Why!?" The hair sure didn't help his playing.....but then again, it damn sure didn't HURT his playing either!
Then I paused to reflect on my return to the Opry stage in 1968, after a 2-year mandatory stint in the army. I was working with Skeeter Davis, and she encouraged outrageous (for the time) dress and appearance. So I let my hair grow all the way down to my shirt collar(apologies to Lester,Road-Hog Moran!) To say the least, I got more than one dirty look from "Mr. Roy" and the other main-stays, but the more ridicule I was subjected to, the more I adopted a "screw you!-I just gave up 2 of the most productive years of my life, and I'll wear my hair any way I please" attitude.
My guess is that Gabe is going through a phase, and he won't let his own attitude interfere with the develpoment of his incredible talent.Right now he's just testing the waters, and seeing how people react. That's a very efficient method of finding out just who the true music lovers are.
The bottom line is, young players always have, and always will go out of their way to be "outrageous." I, as an old fart, would much rather have my son spend his Saturday night playing on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium with the likes of Jerry Douglas and Bryan Sutton than be out doing drugs and stealing hub-caps(if they still do that).
Cut the kid some slack! What were your sons and daughters doing last night?

Rick Ulrich · Post by **Rick Ulrich** » 12 Jan 2003 4:55 pm

Gabe is one heck of a fiddle player and I used to let hair bother me when I was younger. The first time I saw one of those spike hairdos was late at night on the tube under the streets of London and it scared me to death. Now I look back and laugh at myself for being scared. When Gabe is the age of most of us he will look back and wonder if that was really himself and laugh and remember those were the good times.

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 12 Jan 2003 5:10 pm

Gregg,
You said it all. Most of us was that age once and would give all our equipment to be that age again (the ones over 40 and really the ones over 50)and have the guts to be that ourageous on a big show like that! He appeared calm, collected and sure of himself to play his part no sweat. Sounds like the frame of mind you need to be in when you play a gig like that. What the hell, anytime he wants to, he can go back to having that hair like the guy on the Sopranos. Looking at the way he looked in the picture and the way he on The Opry, which one was country and which one didn't matter? If I heard him on the radio and never seen him he'd sound like he was playing his **s off to me. After a guy plays like that, why would you even think about it?

Donnie Blassl · Post by **Donnie Blassl** » 12 Jan 2003 5:47 pm

At least he has hair, Need I say more???

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 12 Jan 2003 5:56 pm

This hair thing didn't just start. Take yourself back to 1959 and you were 21 and had just joined a rock and roll band with the name The Green Men. Yeah the whole band had their hair died green. In 59 there was a lot of songs that were played on both stations (r&r c&w). Hell I was never home so I wasn't around people that knew me and we made some good money the year that I was with them.

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 12 Jan 2003 7:41 pm

Gregg,

Thanks for your service to our Nation.

As we have seen on the SGF there are some who enjoy just calling names and stirring up sh*t... In the case of those calling Gabe a bum, they have some nerve.

See ya,

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Tim Harr - Carter D-10 8 & 9 - Troy Cook & the Long Haul Band

Kenny Foy · Post by **Kenny Foy** » 12 Jan 2003 7:43 pm

I too saw the GOO and te fiddler shouldn't have been booed.He was invited to the MOTHER CHURCH and was booed. He was there for his talent,which was good and not for his dress,and he was mistreated. Step outside the door at the Ryman or go down on Broadway and listen to the cars go by with young kids drivin and there radios blarin and I'll guarantee it's not the GOO on 95.6 you're hearing. And at his age he was giving up his SAT nite to play country music at the OPRY. Not rap or hip-hop. YEP, he was done wrong. Did you hear the steel player with Daryl Worley. GREAT! I believe it was Eddie Gossien. He sure did stand out. Just my 2o/o and I aien't takin it back.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 12 Jan 2003 7:50 pm

So, Kevin, "BACKWOODS PEOPLE STARTED THE OPRY???" I promise, NOBODY from Amherst, New York had anything to do with it! BACKWOODS PEOPLE???? People like Uncle Dave Macon, then Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe----and the list goes on. BACKWOODS PEOPLE???? I'm sorry to get into this, but you opened the door. You insult me, Kevin, you insult the Opry, you insult country music, and worst of all----you make yourself look like an idiot.

R. L. Jones · Post by **R. L. Jones** » 12 Jan 2003 8:14 pm

I try real hard not to point fingers,, I saw Jerry Douglas Sat. saw the fiddle player They both play very well. I couldnt help but grin at the fiddlers hair do, My grandson done that to his hair once. He`s now in the Air Force , needless to say I am very proud of him. He plays guitar , Has it with him.

I was impressed wlth this fiddler, We all need to go look in the mirror a lot more and point fingers less. Im sure on second thought we are all likely to say something we dont mean the way we say it.

Nuff said

R. L.