LeRoy Bowman

Look what turned up on You Tube!

Foggy by LeRoy Bowman Just click to hear.

The new blues album is really coming along, expect news in the very near future as well as an update on the progress of Down Home - Part Four the final Down Home CD.

Ever wondered about that loud bright slightly off sound that shows itself in some honkytonk piano pieces? Here is an excellent article written by a piano technician.

The sound started up in the late 40s when artists were rediscovering ragtime, apparently they were also rediscovering the original neglected pianos.

Anyhow, somebody thought this might be a cool sound, and by the mid-1950’s, many record companies were producing albums played on pianos made to sound “honky-tonk.”

The author goes on to describe various acts of malice that can be carried out on a piano to give it the right “wrong” sound involving thumbtacks in the hammers, or multiple coats of laquer. The former is definitely not recommended.

There are three common techniques. One is to make the piano hammers harder. I have seen countless tragedies where somebody has inserted thumbtacks into the tips of the poor defenseless hammers. Since a hammer is essentially a piece of felt bent over wood at a tension of over 60 psi, the tack will likely split the felt in a short time, leaving only the wood exposed. Then, either the wood or the still-inserted tack will break the strings due to the hardness.

Use of a mandolin rail is a non-permanent method described in some detail as is a different than normal tuning.

This (alternative tuning) was most commonly used by artists such as Billy Rowland and Dick Hyman (both as “Knuckles” O’Toole), Winifred Atwell and Del Wood.

It should be stated that the author is not a fan of any of the above methods and likes his pianos normal.

A quick update about two ongoing projects:

A fourth CD in the Down Home series is almost ready for release. The artwork is currently being finalized. More information very soon

To hear samples of tracks on the three currently available CDs click on the corresponding link:
1. Down Home - Part One
2. Down Home - Part Two
3. Down Home - Part Three

There is also a blues album in the works. Track selection is where we are at with that one, again more information when we have it.

Here is a real treat:

In the words of the musician:

The music of such a style is called “Ragtime Piano” or “Honky Tonk Piano”.

The original sheet of music is written with straight 4/4 beats, but it is often played in shuffle-style(Triplet).

Also Keith Emerson, Andre Previn, Toshiko Akiyoshi and many other players love this title and recording.

Emerson and Previn play straight-style, Akiyoshi plays shuffle-style

I played shuffle-style. When I took this video, the piano of my studio was out of an interval because I did not tune it. However, the sound was suitable for a honky-tonk piano.

Enjoy!

Fumitaka Anzai

This piece by the staff at roughstock.com provides a really good account.

Perhaps no other style of country music has had a greater influence on today’s artists than the style known as Honky Tonk. Honky Tonk music embodied the spirit of dancing and drinking, and of loving and then losing the one you love.

Paints a great introductory picture and from there the article gives a solid and detailed account and names names, all the greats are in here.