Gregg Galbraith, Fred Ermintrout, and the Rangers
Posted: 11 Nov 2001 8:42 am
Several months ago I opened up a can of worms by criticizing the countrypolitan style of music produced by Chet Atkins and Anita Kerr. At the time I received both a lot of support and criticism. Most of the criticism was here on the forum. Most of the support was private, via E-mail.
One person who totally disagreed with me was Gregg Galbraith, who wrote to me to tell me he thought I was wrong. But rather than call me an (unmentionable body part) or tell me I was full of (brown material), he explained to my WHY he thought I was wrong. He told me things about the scene in Nashville at that time I hadn't known about, and most important, he offered to send me a tape of a record he considered to be an outstanding example of the style. He did so in the hope that I would change my opinion of this music. The record was Don Gibson's "Girls, Guitars, and Gibson."
Of course I accepted his offer, and when the tape arrived I listened to it very carefully. As a matter of personal taste, I didn't care for it, although I did like Chet Atkins' and Jethro Burns' guitar and mandolin work.
When the tape was over, I listened to the other side, and on that side was another recording which I assumed Gregg had put there for my benefit. This recording is fantastic. It epitomizes everything I like about Country Music. Great songs, great singing, and great instrumental work including some fine steel playing, and some of the hottest guitar playing I've ever heard.
However Gregg neglected to tell me who the artist was. I wrote to him and told him how much I liked this material, and how great the guitar player was, and asked who it was. He didn't know. He had just grabbed an old tape, and didn't know what was previously recorded on it.
I gave him the song list, and he told me that it was a record he produced by a singer named Fred Ermintrout, and he was the guitar player. (Doyle Grissom is the steel player BTW.)
So first, I want to call attention to the fact that Gregg acted like a real gentleman in handling our disagreement over the countrypolitan style, and instead of getting angry or abusive, he reached out to me to try to teach me something, and second, I want to tell you all what a great CD this is.
The songs are not rock tunes with steel like so many new songs are. They are real country songs that vary from shuffles to ballads to two steps, Fred Ermintrout is a fine songwriter and even better singer. The production is first rate, and Gregg's guitar playing is absolutely fantastic. This is (IMHO) what country music should sound like all the time.
So Gregg, thanks for being so cool about this, and for reaching out to me the way you did. And to both Gregg and Fred, congratulations on producing such a great CD.
And to everybody else, I recommend this wonderful recording with as much enthusiasm as is possible. I give it thumbs up, as high as they can go.
One person who totally disagreed with me was Gregg Galbraith, who wrote to me to tell me he thought I was wrong. But rather than call me an (unmentionable body part) or tell me I was full of (brown material), he explained to my WHY he thought I was wrong. He told me things about the scene in Nashville at that time I hadn't known about, and most important, he offered to send me a tape of a record he considered to be an outstanding example of the style. He did so in the hope that I would change my opinion of this music. The record was Don Gibson's "Girls, Guitars, and Gibson."
Of course I accepted his offer, and when the tape arrived I listened to it very carefully. As a matter of personal taste, I didn't care for it, although I did like Chet Atkins' and Jethro Burns' guitar and mandolin work.
When the tape was over, I listened to the other side, and on that side was another recording which I assumed Gregg had put there for my benefit. This recording is fantastic. It epitomizes everything I like about Country Music. Great songs, great singing, and great instrumental work including some fine steel playing, and some of the hottest guitar playing I've ever heard.
However Gregg neglected to tell me who the artist was. I wrote to him and told him how much I liked this material, and how great the guitar player was, and asked who it was. He didn't know. He had just grabbed an old tape, and didn't know what was previously recorded on it.
I gave him the song list, and he told me that it was a record he produced by a singer named Fred Ermintrout, and he was the guitar player. (Doyle Grissom is the steel player BTW.)
So first, I want to call attention to the fact that Gregg acted like a real gentleman in handling our disagreement over the countrypolitan style, and instead of getting angry or abusive, he reached out to me to try to teach me something, and second, I want to tell you all what a great CD this is.
The songs are not rock tunes with steel like so many new songs are. They are real country songs that vary from shuffles to ballads to two steps, Fred Ermintrout is a fine songwriter and even better singer. The production is first rate, and Gregg's guitar playing is absolutely fantastic. This is (IMHO) what country music should sound like all the time.
So Gregg, thanks for being so cool about this, and for reaching out to me the way you did. And to both Gregg and Fred, congratulations on producing such a great CD.
And to everybody else, I recommend this wonderful recording with as much enthusiasm as is possible. I give it thumbs up, as high as they can go.