I wish I knew what happened to this kit!
Here's Sonny's kit before it left the factory.
[IMG]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x246/dolfan54/George%20Way/CNV00021.jpg[/IMG]
Here's a publicity photo that was used in the George Way catalog.
[IMG]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x246/dolfan54/George%20Way/CNV00022.jpg[/IMG]
And here's an article on Sonny that appeared in Modern Drummer magazine.
[IMG]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x246/dolfan54/George%20Way/SonnyGreerModernDrummer.jpg[/IMG]
Steve - Got one for you... (Couldn't find one of him playing the Geo. Ways...)
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOlpcJhNyDI[/ame]
John
Man, those tubes exude Nostalgia...That bass drum on the B&W pic...Any info on that custom finish?
No info on the custom finish but it's the green sparkle bass drum and one floor tom that have been refinished. If you look at the pic from MD you will notice the snare drum remained unaltered. It looks like he lost a T-Rod at some point and replaced it with a Gretsch T-Rod.
Eagle eye, DolFan54!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Boy! You got an Eagle eye, DolFan54!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Steve - Got one for you... (Couldn't find one of him playing the Geo. Ways...)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOlpcJhNyDIJohn
Good hands on this one John!! After reading this post I jumped into Youtube to check out Sonny's presence.
Great post and thread! These guys, Sonny Greer, Chick Webb,Billy Gladstone, Papa Joe, BUDDY, GENE, Big Sid Cattlet, Davey Tough, Louie, all of 'em, these are the guys who Buddy (and he wouldn't include himself in this company) to quote him, where the "giants" of drumming. The players that made that era and drumming in general pretty much as we know today. As he used to say, "they all had their own style" which is what made them great and unique. It cetainly is less prevelant today than in those days.
And the unfortunate thing is that the people with the first hand knowledge, other than the players themsleves, are dissapearing too fast. It's those people, who were friends and fans of all these players that have great past stories and experiences. Those are the people that we need to hear from and record their times annecdotally with these GIANTS.
It's great to read about guys like Sonny. Strangley enough by most accounts he wasn't a great timekeeper, but, he had great style and showmanship and that certain something that came across the footlights as they used to say.
Keep all the memories of these GIANTS fresh because time flies.
BGT
