MetaFilter posts tagged with eddie

Early Paul Simon

RussHy — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 10:09:38 -0800

SLYT: Paul Simon and his brother play Davy Graham's 'Anji'.

Hey, one string's all you really need.

flapjax at midnite — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:09:09 -0800

One fine old day in old LA, in the year of nineteen and sixty, one Frederick Usher met Eddie "One String" Jones, heard him lay down some deep blues on his diddley bow, and was so taken with Jones' monochord masterpieces that he ran home, grabbed his tape recorder and recorded Jones in the alley. One other recording session ensued soon thereafter, which was released as an LP in 1964. By that time, however, the mysterious Eddie Jones (if that was even his real name) was long gone, and was never heard from again. [NOTE: see hoverovers for link descriptions] In case you didn't read the hoverover accompanying the released link in the FPP, I'd like to reiterate here: the Amazon.com page is linked to because of the reader comments, and one in particular, that includes a wealth of diddley bow-related links. And yes, those links are also to Amazon pages, but anyone really interested in this stuff will appreciate the pointers, I think. Eddie "One String" Jones also appears on this compilation. Here's a blog from a fellow who put the liner notes from the release One String Blues at the top position in his list of the Greatest Liner Notes Of All Time. A monochord player is part of this charming junk-instrument band in Malawi. In this clip, Alan Lomax makes mention of the African origins of the diddley bow, and takes a look at bluesman Lonnie Pitchford, another one-string plucker. Here's a fellow calls himself Seasick Steve, playing an instrument virtually identical to that of Eddie "One String" Jones, except that Steve has his running through an amp. And here you'll find One String Willie's replica of Eddie Jones' diddley bow. Here's his instructions on building a BIG diddley bow, like that made famous by Joe Willie Duncan. Finally, I should note that the man who purportedly recorded Eddie Jones, that is Mr. Frederick Usher, is shrouded in even more mystery than Jones himself. I could find absolutely nothing about him. I think he might've been a fictional character...

Do not mistake their cuteness for weakness.

phaedon — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 16:57:38 -0800

Grambling State's Eddie Robinson has passed away. "It was almost like a marriage... Grambling needed him. They met just at the right time, and when they met, they both grew." [popup player, be patient] Over the course of a 50-year tenure, Robinson amassed over 400 wins and sent over 200 players to the NFL. His philosophy? Develop players who are winners both on and off the field. GSU is also known for its world famous marching band. You may recall their performance in this year's Rose Bowl Parade.

...But I Went Out and Achieved Anyway!

billysumday — Tue, 24 May 2005 10:31:57 -0800

Jim Abbott probably shouldn't have been a professional athlete. Born without a right hand, he defied the odds and grew up to be a major league pitcher. In 1991 he won 18 games for the Angels while posting a 2.89 ERA, in 1992 he pitched a no-hitter against Cleveland, and in 23 career at-bats, he amazingly got two hits (while playing for the Brewers). But Abbott (now a motivational speaker) wasn't the first handicapped professional baseball player. Pete Gray lost his entire right arm in a childhood truck accident and, due to the shortage of major league players during WWII, became an outfielder with the St. Louis Browns. His fielding, naturally, was unorthodox: After catching a fly ball, Gray would tuck his thinly padded glove under his stump, roll the ball across his chest, and throw, all in one fluid motion. But if those guys don't impress you, then what about Bert Shepard, who had his right leg amputated after his fighter plane crashed in Germany? The gutsy left-hander from Dana, Indiana taught himself to walk and then to pitch with an artificial leg -- all within the confines of a POW camp in Germany. The length of his major league career consisted of pitching five innings in one game for the Washington Senators. Then of course there was Lou Brissie, the only survivor of his WWII infantry unit, which was wiped out in battle. An exploding shell shattered Brissie's left leg, causing him to wear a brace during his pitching career. The 6'4" southpaw went 16-11 in 1949 for the Athletics and helped himself by batting .267. So...who's your favorite handicapped ballplayer? Eddie Gaedel?