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 The Steel Guitar Forum
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 Fats Kaplan, with Pure Praire League
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Lee Baucum Member From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) - The Final Frontier |
posted 25 June 2006 07:08 PM
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Saturday afternoon (6/24), my wife and I were walking around Gruene, TX and stepped into Texas' Oldest Dancehall, Gruene Hall, to get in out of the heat. A band was just setting up, to do their sound check for their show that night. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that the band was Pure Prairie League. I visited with their steeler/fiddler, Fats Kaplan, after the sound check. What a nice guy. Their first tune caught me by surprise. They played a great arrangement of Haggard's "It's Not Love, But It's Not Bad". Fats is originally from New York. Perhaps Bob Hoffnar or one of you other guys could share some info about this multi-instrumentalist. I understand he's played with quite a few well-known acts. ------------------ Mullen U-12, Excel 8-string Frypan, Evans FET-500, Fender Steel King [This message was edited by Lee Baucum on 25 June 2006 at 07:08 PM.] |
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Steve Hitsman Member From: Waterloo, IL |
posted 26 June 2006 04:47 AM
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I first saw Fats with Tom Russell's band and he played on some of Tom's CD's. I heard that he also had a connection with Manhattan Transfer. His wife is quite a singer though I can't remeber her name. Incidentally, 'Fats' may weigh 150 in a dripping wet peacoat. |
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Al Moss Member From: Kent,OH,USA |
posted 26 June 2006 07:02 AM
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Fats is a real fine multi-instrumentalist. As seen on TV recently as part of the Elvis Costello, Emmy Lou, all star band that performed for a special edition of the Grand Ole Opry Live. |
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Doc Hall Member From: League City, Texas, USA |
posted 26 June 2006 07:05 AM
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I caught the show also. Great band! I talked with Fats for a while and agree - he's a nice guy. I saw the group at the same venue last year and was pleased to hear more from Fats. He was adjusted up in the mix and the steel could be heard better than last year. He plays some tasteful steel. |
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Bob Hoffnar Member From: Brooklyn, NY |
posted 26 June 2006 07:44 AM
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Fats got me started on steel years ago before he moved to Nashville. He is one of my best friends. As far as who he plays with goes the list is too long for me to deal with. He stays as busy as he wants. ------------------ |
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Mark Eaton Member From: Windsor, Sonoma County, CA |
posted 26 June 2006 09:49 AM
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I had no idea Fats plays steel! For those of you not familiar with Fats, he's as thin as a rail. I saw him play fiddle and mandolin with Kevin Welch and Kieran Kane last October at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco. A fine musician, that's for sure! ------------------ |
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Jon Light Member From: Brooklyn, NY |
posted 26 June 2006 12:53 PM
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I took a lesson with Fats in the early 80's in NYC. I was amused at his slenderness when he came to the door. It's the only time I ever met him--the time wasn't right for me to be studying or playing steel and it ended up on the shelf for the next 15 years before the time became right. Which has nothing to do with Fats--he was a nice guy and he showed me some stuff. Kristi Rose is the name Steve is looking for, I think. That's interesting about him with Elvis & Emmylou in Nashville. A local station just aired an outdoor concert of theirs from last summer. Larry Campbell was on steel & guitar. As a total aside, except for Larry's playing which was above reproach, the show was pretty awful. IMO Elvis & Emmylou just didn't mesh well at all. And Steve Nieve (sp) on keyboards, while a fine player as a member of the Attractions doing classic Costello hits, was just plain awful doing more countrified playing. But I'm way way off of the Fats K topic. |
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Bob Hoffnar Member From: Brooklyn, NY |
posted 26 June 2006 02:01 PM
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There is a page about Fats on his wife's site: http://www.pulpcountry.com/ ------------------ |
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Lee Baucum Member From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) - The Final Frontier |
posted 26 June 2006 02:14 PM
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Thanks for the link, Bob. By the way, when I mentioned the Forum, he said he didn't participate, but asked me to tell you hello for him. He did tell me about getting you started on the steel many years ago. I'm glad I got to meet him. Lee |
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Jeff Mead Member From: London, England |
posted 27 June 2006 09:48 AM
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I had the privilege of playing on Sonny George's "Trucking Country" album with Fats a few years back (although my part was an overdub - I was playing six-string bass on that song). I met him a few years ago in Nashville through Sonny. I was looking for one of the old Fender Volume/Tone pedals and he was kind enough to sell me one for a very reasonable price. He played us some old 78's on a "cabinet" style wind up gramaphone (you opened the door to control the volume) and was amazed at gow fantastic those records sounded!!! He's a really nice guy and a fantastic player too (managed to catch him doing a live recording for the Western Beat radio show in Nashville doubling on steel and fiddle). |
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Greg Simmons Member From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
posted 28 June 2006 09:20 PM
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This'd be a cool gig to catch... July 3, 2006 The Incredible Return of Gurf Morlix, Fats Kaplin, Tom Russell, Rick Richards, and Michael Martin FREE concert! Town Pavillion Park ------------------ |
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Nick Reed Member From: Springfield, TN |
posted 28 June 2006 09:58 PM
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I got to meet Fats a few years ago at Bobbe Seymour's store. This was when he was located on Dickerson Rd in Goodlettsville. Fats ended up buying an old Sho-Bud professional from Bobbe. At the time Fats told me he was playing with Manhatten Transfer. |
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