[Harp-L] Re: Pat Ramsey

[jag...@bresnan.net]

dang! Pat Ramsey is gone! one of my top 3 or 4 alltime favorite harp
players...he was a monster harp player on so many levels.. technical
excecution, fabulous incisive rock/blues tone, originality, distinctiveness
and just pleasing to the ears and the sensibilities always which to me is
the (rare) mark of a true professional level harmonica player. many years
ago (70's) while in my blues band in madison,wisconsin we did a number of
johnny winter songs off ( i believe) red, hot and blue. on that album pat
ramsey did a 2 verse solo on Honest I Do , first position on an A-harp, then
switches to 2nd position on a D-harp and just knocks you on your ass with
the harp change which basically takes on an abrupt amplified-style no
apologies rock harp approach upon switching from 1st to 2nd position with
one of those classic pat ramsey riffs that sound so simple but are
deceptively clever . he was a monster so way way above the others. r.i.p.

cletus white

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[Reach Mann]

So sad ! Thanks for sending the post Jason. I had the pleasure of meeting and hanging with Pat at the Kansas City SPAH. We got along well and liked each other, he was a cool guy. I then had the chance to help him by doing the fundraiser to get him through his Katrina hurricane loss and then finally took a drive to a Pennsylvania gig of his (I'm in Jersey) where we got to hang out a little more. Also hung with his drummer Steve and Jason is right, he's a good guy too. The message, life is short and a gift to be appreciated, so what are you going to do with the gift? Try to help our human race and love your family and friends. Maybe a little tune on our friend the harmonica will bring a smile to their faces. Pat knew that and did that. Glad our paths crossed.
Goodbye Pat Ramsey, your music lives on.

With
Respect,
Reach

[fjm]

The first time I met Pat was in the early 80's in Tallahassee. What I
remember about that was him playing the keyboard part that Bill Payne of
Little Feat played on the opening to the song Skin it Back. Changed my
world. I met him again many years later, also in Tallahassee. He
played around with my brass comb Filisko and showed me how to play
Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White ala Jerry Portnoy. Thanks to Bobbie
G for that. She dragged me kicking and screaming to that club. Then
there's the White Hot and Blue stuff With Johnny Winter. Anybody of a
certain age played that version of Honest I do over and over again. fjm

[sw...@charter.net]

Jason... that was one of the most heartfelt tributes I have ever read.
I had the chance to meet Pat at SPAH in Kansas City. My main memory of him, other than his superb playing, was that he was so open to learning something new.
One night in KC, I found him in the hotel lobby with a young kid, about 16 years old. This young man's only exposure to harmonica before he came to SPAH was his John Popper recordings and the boy had spent a lot of time and had learned much of Popper's style.
So there the two of them were, the young kid showing the veteran how to play some of those fast licks. I just thought that was very cool.
You were lucky, Jason, to have met someone like that who helped change your life. We harmonica players have been lucky to have guys like Pat and Gary Primich, despite their early departures from this world.
My sincere condolences.
Steve Webb in Minnesota

[David Brown]

If anyone reading this has never heard Pat Ramsey's playing on Johnny
Winter's "Red Hot and Blue" album.....shame on you.

Cletus mentioned Ramsey's playing on "Honest I Do". Just listen to the first
notes on that song. The tone that Pat has on that song is clean, pure, and
soooooo warm... even on the 7-10 blows.

There is a lightning fast run on "Last Night" that still pops my ears today
(at this very moment as a matter of fact) and slaps Popper down almost
twenty years prior.

And Johnny must have known it too since he (to my knowledge) never gave
anyone as much presence on his albums as Pat had on that album (OK, maybe
Johnny's brother Edgar, but that's family so it jez don' count).

The top three albums that turned me from a rock drumming teenager to blues
harper were Big Walter "Fine Cuts", Magic Dick on J Geils "Full House", and
Pat Ramsey on "Red Hot & Blue".

I consider Pat Ramsey one of the true greats, and I'll miss him.

On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 8:58 PM, <jag...@bresnan.net> wrote:

> dang! Pat Ramsey is gone! one of my top 3 or 4 alltime favorite harp
> players...he was a monster harp player on so many levels.. technical
> excecution, fabulous incisive rock/blues tone, originality, distinctiveness
> and just pleasing to the ears and the sensibilities always which to me is

> the10 (rare) mark of a true professional level harmonica player. many years

[Rubben Emmanuelli]

A friend of mine gave me a cassette with White, Hot and Blue from an
Lp he has. He said to me: You have to hear the harmonica man,he just
riff like nobody before and trade solos with Johhny... He did not tell
who he was.. I was stunned!. I still have the cassette and now like
today i discover who the guy was. I search over compilations of cd
from JW, no info...nothing to tell me who was the awesome harp player.

Never to late to learn even on sad and early departure of a master of his skills
--
Comuna de Santos
www.santificate.net
www.myspace.com/comunadesantos

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[Reach Mann]

. . . so I did a web search for Steve Howell, Pats drummer and came up with his myspace page. There is a link there to a u-tube video that was shot at Pats fundraiser.
Pat showed up like the trooper he was and sang a song. He had to sit down as he was very sick and his son played the harp part. If you want to get a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye watch Pat sing "Can You Lend Me A Dime". Very moving. There are other videos on u-tube also that you can watch as we all say goodbye.

Reach

[Hal Iwan]

With a heavy heart I offer my condolences to Jason and all associated with Pat.

Hal Iwan

[Icem...@aol.com]

Condolences on the passing of Pat Ramsey and a kudos to Steve Howell, who
was an active participant in the hospice. I know what it is like to watch/help
someone die, having had the experience with my wife (ovarian cancer) and
Vicki's mother (diabetes). There is nothing harder for the living to do.

The Iceman


In a message dated 11/18/2008 5:45:47 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
imr...@yahoo.com writes:

Steve Howell, Pats drummer

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[Hal Iwan]

With a heavy heart I offer my condolences to Jason and all connected with Pat.

Hal Iwan

[SONN...@aol.com]

I true tragedy and he will be missed. For all of us with Hep C it is a scary
time. Most of us have tried Interpheron, the only drug approved, only to
have severe side effects or it didn't work. I am getting close to the point of
no return which is why my amps are the price they are, what I paid to have
them built. I need to clean up everything before I go. Pierre Laquote of
Mississippi Heat bought a Cruncher and is endorsing it in Chicago, in my opinion it
is one of my best and last efforts. My dreams of seminars to pass along what
Sonny Terry showed me for 2 years may not become reality, but I remain
positive and if you have talked or emailed me, know I have changed. I believe I
will leave many people with joy from my amps, at least I hope so. That was my
goal. I have not made any money at it. Seriously look at the reviews of the
cruncher, I know there are other amps, but this is in its own right as strong as
the 410 and more compact. Pat will be missed and Jason summed it up best. We
all did this to ourselves and now are having to face our fate. The Cruncher
is only 1395 and the 410 is only 1595, that is what they cost me to have
built with my unique parts. Maybe a couple of issues with an amp in my 15 years
of production of the 4 amps. The Cruncher is my best effort for just right out
of the box rip your socks off. I have them ready to ship within days. Once I
am gone, it will be over. For those that were at the tone seminar with Dave,
thank you for such respect. Not many people in clubs know what I am doing as
they never heard of Sonny. My friends who have contacted me with Hep C are
welcome to email me if they feel like getting anything off their chest. For
many the disease will not progress, I am at stage 3.8, once I hit stage 4 that
is when the cirrhoses makes its journey. I need my other knee replaced but I
am scared to go through with 16 weeks and having a body part sawed out , the
pain is being managed. I want to thank EVERYONE who has bought an amp from
me, trusted me, and hopefully is happy. I may write my story of how the amps
came to fruition but for now hope I can move my stock I paid for already. May
you all be well and thank you. Gary Sonny Jr Onofrio

In a message dated 11/18/2008 8:35:03 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
harp-l-...@harp-l.org writes:

glca...@gmail.com

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[harper]

Im so sorry to hear about Pat's passing. We used to run into each other on
the road from time to time. He was always very positive and full of
encouragement. Pat also freely gave advice on how to improve my sound. We
shared the stage many times and had a lot of laughs. I always respected Pat
as a decent person with extraordinary musical ability. I wish Pat all the
best on his next journey and I send my love to his family and friends around
the world.

Harper

[Shawn Williams]

i am now sitting at work with tears on my cheeks. i heard about Pat from Jason's website years ago. when i heard his playing AND singing, i bought a cd immediately. it is one of my most treasured.
i never got to meet him, but a little part of him will live on through my harp, and i'm sure anyone else who has been influenced by him.
my condolences and heart go to Jason and Pat's family and friends.Shawnhttp://code29band.comhttp://www.myspace.com/bosqueblues_______________________________________________

[John Balding]

fjm wrote: "Anybody of a certain age played that version of Honest I do
over and over again."

My wife and I live in Tallahassee. Pat's son Clyde is a great friend of
mine, as was his dad.

My wife and I owned a pastry shop for years and we made the cake for
Clyde and Carly's wedding. Pat and his guitarist came to the wedding and
played "Honest I Do". Just Pat, his harp and that National guitar under
the gazebo on a beautiful day in a shady park surrounded by flowers,
friends and love.

Of all the times I have ever heard that song, I finally "heard" it that
day.

That's how I will always remember Pat Ramsey and Honest I Do.

John Balding
Tallahassee, FL