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From Morgan Cowin, President, International Musical Saw Association:
I am saddened to inform you of the passing of a GIANT in the world-wide musical saw community... Charlie Blacklock died early Friday morning, April 18th, 2008 at the age of 91. Charlie’s grandson and IMSA Secretary Treasurer Kenny Blacklock called me this morning to tell me. I have talked also with Art Peterson, our IMSA Vice President and major contributor who was a VERY close friend and musical associate of Charlie’s for MANY years – and he is as devastated as Charlie’s family, myself, and his many friends in the musical saw, fiddlers, bluegrass and harmonica communities.
In case you don’t know the history, Charlie was an excellent saw player, who in 1991 started the California Saw Players Association (CSPA), and produced the annual Saw Festivals in and around Santa Cruz until his health began to fail at the end of 2002, when I (as Vice President) took over. With Charlie’s approval, we changed the name to the International Musical Saw Association in early 2003. Charlie (with Viola’s help) also designed, produced and sold his own line of musical saws – the C. Blacklock Special saws (still available through Lark in The Morning & Elderly Instruments.
Charlie was inducted into the American Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame on September 5, 1999 and attended many music festivals around the U.S. including the annual fiddler’s gathering in Weiser, Idaho.
I will be putting a brief announcement in the upcoming issue of the Saw Player News, and a major article about Charlie and his lovely wife Viola in the following issue (after the Saw Festival).
Our hearts go out to Charlie’s family, including his sons Rodney, Kenneth & Paul, and his many grand children and great grand children.
He will be fondly remembered and missed.
Morgan
I am saddened to inform you of the passing of a GIANT in the world-wide musical saw community... Charlie Blacklock died early Friday morning, April 18th, 2008 at the age of 91. Charlie’s grandson and IMSA Secretary Treasurer Kenny Blacklock called me this morning to tell me. I have talked also with Art Peterson, our IMSA Vice President and major contributor who was a VERY close friend and musical associate of Charlie’s for MANY years – and he is as devastated as Charlie’s family, myself, and his many friends in the musical saw, fiddlers, bluegrass and harmonica communities.
In case you don’t know the history, Charlie was an excellent saw player, who in 1991 started the California Saw Players Association (CSPA), and produced the annual Saw Festivals in and around Santa Cruz until his health began to fail at the end of 2002, when I (as Vice President) took over. With Charlie’s approval, we changed the name to the International Musical Saw Association in early 2003. Charlie (with Viola’s help) also designed, produced and sold his own line of musical saws – the C. Blacklock Special saws (still available through Lark in The Morning & Elderly Instruments.
Charlie was inducted into the American Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame on September 5, 1999 and attended many music festivals around the U.S. including the annual fiddler’s gathering in Weiser, Idaho.
I will be putting a brief announcement in the upcoming issue of the Saw Player News, and a major article about Charlie and his lovely wife Viola in the following issue (after the Saw Festival).
Our hearts go out to Charlie’s family, including his sons Rodney, Kenneth & Paul, and his many grand children and great grand children.
He will be fondly remembered and missed.
Morgan
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Re: Charlie Blacklock
Sun, May 4, 2008 - 9:21 PMbooo death.
anyone have some video of this maestro?
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Re: Charlie Blacklock
Sun, May 4, 2008 - 9:53 PMThe first Youtube hit gave me this:
www.youtube.com/watch
Now, there's several things to notice in this clip.
1. Charlie is playing saw and harmonica at the same time. Incredible. I read one of his eulogies that explained how he made his first harmonica-holder (I am sure there is a term for that) so that he could play harmonica while driving a tractor on his father's farm. Details like that make you realize how how ingenious he was, and how much he loved music.
2. The accordion player is Art Peterson, of the Polka Cowboys. He's a terrific musician and one of the sweetest guys I've ever met.
3. Playing fiddle is none other than Charlie's grandson, Kenny Blacklock. Kenny is also a sweetheart and incredibly humble about his amazing talent.
4. Not about the clip itself, but about the main photo for the tribe right now: the first year Kelly and I went to the Saw Festival, we were greeted with open arms. I don't know if all music festivals are this generous and accepting, but everyone went out of their way to make us feel welcome, to meet us and greet us and get to know us and find out what we were all about. Hanging around the camp ground the first night, Kelly got the opportunity to jam with Charlie Blacklock playing fiddle. I think Charlie wanted to find out what the tall young man with the ukulele could do, on the fly. They had a great time, and I only wish the photograph was more clear.
I only hope that Charlie knew how much he touched all of our lives. I think that he did.
