A Salute to Travis Edmonson in His Diamond Jubilee Year
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Recollections & Comments 2
LISA FARENTINO has a story about Travis Edmonson's generosity of spirit, and tells of a private concert she enjoyed as a small child.
“My grandparents were involved on the folk scene in Los Angeles. When he died, my grandfather had a big funeral. Apparently Everyone was there. But afterwards, my grandmother was all alone, and almost no one came to visit her. Only Travis Edmonson. He used to stop by frequently, and the rest of her life ,she always spoke of his thoughtfulness, and how much it meant to her.
I remember, once my mother and I were there with her when he made a visit. I was only four or five at the time, and to me, he seemed like a fairy tale prince in sandals. So tall. He played his guitar and sang for us. I'll always remember it.
Lisa Farentino
July 2004
KARL SCOTT had a chance to enjoy multiple Bud & Travis performances in 1965. Check out more of his thoughts on the group in his review of “A Mighty Wind” on the Folk Beat website: http://www.folkbeat.net/mighty_wind.htm .
"We worked together at the Pacific Playhouse in Stockton California. He and Bud performed for the audience and I bussed the dishes. It was 1965. B&T played at both the All Nite Grad Party at Stagg HS and the Pacific Playhouse (aka Pacific Bowl) where I worked and got to see every performance. They were the best. Viva B&T and long live Travis!”
Karl Scott
July 2004
GERALDINE ROUTHER was a habitué of the coffee house circuit in Los Angeles during the sixties, and often heard Travis Edmonson perform, both formally and informally.
“B&T always put on a great show, but given the choice, I think I would have opted for the one that Travis would give when the stage acts were all over. Bud would go home, but Travis would stay on and chat with everyone, sing and play his guitar. He was always interesting to listen to, and even made us feel like we were interesting too. What a talent! What a guy!”
Geraldine Routher
July 2004
Native Arizonan DON DECKER recalls how Travis Edmonson's music influenced him in his teens, and has continued to be an inspiration through the years, in addition to sharing some very special musical moments.
In 1961 or 1962 I saw Travis with Bud Dashiell at Portofino's in Scottsdale for the very first time. Another new comer to the scene at that time was Arizona's own Dolan Ellis who sang that evening as well. Ellis later went on to sing with the New Christy Minstrels.
I was a wet-behind-the-ear San Carlos, Arizona Apache kid of 15 years who never saw beyond the hills of that community until I walked into Portofino's with my high school choral teacher and his wife one evening. I was hooked from then on.
I got my first Martin folk guitar and blazed on the stage of Globe High School talent show singing “Poor Sinnerman'” and “They Call the Wind Mariah'”with two Hispanic classmates who strummed along that year. From there on, the little copper mining town of Globe got its' taste of folk music on a regular basis at school and the local ladies' auxiliary luncheons!
It wasn't until 1967 that I went to the Gate of Horn in Chicago for open-mike (where B&T sang at an earlier date) and sang many of the songs written by this great singing team. In 1968, while I was attending Eastern Illinois University, I played in a folk singing quartet from Charleston, Illinois called the Marcus Kenyon Singers who took first place in an amateur contest at the Illinois State Fair. That same evening we were on the same billboard with Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs (Wooly Bully) and Paul Revere and the Raiders in front of 27,000 people.
In 1975 I attended Travis' alma mater at the UofA in Tucson for graduate school and caught up with Travis at the Cliff Manor Supper Club in north Tucson where Travis allowed me to play his guitar on his stage . I played “Cloudy Summer Afternoon” and “I'm A Drifter.” Travis wanted to know if I could play any of my original songs.
I believe that many of the B&T songs should be adopted into the mainstream K-12 choral music programs in America because these songs speak about the cultures of all Americans. B&T were ahead of their times.
Thank you Travis for broadening those early horizons!
Don Decker
June 2004
ART FISCHMAN, his wife and three daughters have always been very much into all of the music of the 60s and 70s. His special appreciation of Travis Edmonson goes back to that time, and has been rekindled by a visit to this website.“The music of guitars, banjos, zithers, autoharps and wonderful folk singers was always present in our house. That's the time line for us for Bud and Travis.
There were many of Travis' songs that really "took over" our household for quite a few years. Two, particularly, were close to the top of the list ----- “Delia's Gone” and “Malaguena Salerosa.”
The fantastic range of rhythms, melodies, vocals and guitar playing seemed to have no limits. One was excited all the time, waiting to learn what the presentation and the approach of the next song was going to be like.
There were many, many hours of good listening.
Art Fischman
West Orange, New Jersey
June 2004
DON GOLD, now a Field Representative with the Directors Guild of America, is also a part of the vibrant history of folk music in Los Angeles, having worked at one of the many coffee houses which made up the southern California scene during the 1950s and 60s. As such, he had the opportunity to experience repeated performances by Travis Edmonson.
“In 1958 I was fortunate enough to be employed as ticket taker, bouncer, lighting man , etc. at Cosmo Alley in Los Angeles. That was when I first experienced B&T. (I also remember Travis from San Francisco and the Gateway Singers at the Hungry i and Purple Onion in the mid 50's.)Cosmo Alley was a folk music coffee house type of venue, and seated about 75-100. My appreciation of Bud & Travis' music was turned on then, and is still large in my life. I just received the Santa Monica concert CD. it brought back such great memories. I'm thrilled to know about this website.
Whether Travis was with Bud or as a solo performer, he still puts me back in that era of great musical performances.
Long live Travis!"
Don Gold
Los Angeles, California
June 2004
Realtor REBECCA WALTER is the daughter of the wonderful singer Jerry Walter, who passed away in 1979. In the late 50s, her father and Travis Edmonson were both members of the legendary Gateway Singers, and though only a small child in those days, Rebecca has an indelible memory from the time.“My remembrances of Travis were of a gentle & giving artist.
When I was four-and-a-half, our family got to travel from Palo Alto where we lived, to Mt Hood, Oregon for a weeks stay at Timberline Lodge where the Gateway Singers had a gig there! Travis brought his family along too.
I remember that an unfortunate accident occurred while we were there, and I remember how tender-hearted Travis was about it.
I held onto many wonderful memories of him, and named my third son Travis!!”
Rebecca Walter
May 2004
LOUISE CURTIN is one of the many `second generation' fans of Travis Edmonson. Her memories of him in live performance are as sharp today as they were in the 1960s when she was only a child."My parents were dyed-in-the-wool Bud & Travis fans who attended every performance they could. While I was too young to go to B&T shows in the beginning, when they got together for a second time, I was considered old enough to go along. I had always enjoyed hearing their music, but when I saw Travis for the first time, I fell instantly in love.
My parents always put their LPs on tape as soon as they bought them, so I've been able to listen to Travis' beautiful voice all these years. While the preteen crush may have melted away, the love of his voice and susceptibility to his charm could never disappear, only grow greater with time. It's magic that never dims."
Louise Curtin
May 2004
During the second go-round of Bud & Travis, JAN MATTHEWS served as personal manager for Travis Edmonson, and recalls the experience with great warmth.“I never remember seeing Travis when he didn't have a pen, pencil or guitar in hand. He was always composing and writing. Beautiful poetry. Tons of it.
On stage, he had the ability to put each and every member of the audience in touch with him. It was absolutely remarkable!
He is a beautiful, sensitive person, and in all the years I knew him, I never ever heard him make a negative remark about anyone. A wonderful man.”
Jan Matthews
May 2004
TINA BAKER recalls Travis Edmonson from tours he made to the Midwest.Through a guy I was dating at the time, I had the chance to become an occasional member of Travis Edmonson's `entourage' when he was appearing in Chicago. My boyfriend was a musician, and I met a lot of performers, well-known and unknown during our time together. Without hesitation, I can say that Travis was the nicest, warmest, and most genuine of them all - bar none. ….. And certainly one of the funniest too! He always put on a terrific show, and it's wonderful to now have these new CDs available to replace the well-worn LPs!
Tina Baker
May 2004
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For a website featuring over 75 Travis Edmonson music clips go