WORLD GUITAR DAY: CARLOS SANTANA'S GUITARS AND EFFECTS

Carlos Santana's Yamaha SG2000

Santana played a red Gibson SG Special with P-90 pickups at the Woodstock festival. In the time of Abraxas and Santana III (1970–1972), He used different Gibson Les Pauls and a Black Gibson SG Special.

From 1976 until 1982, his main guitar was a Yamaha SG 175B and sometimes a white Gibson SG Custom with 3 single coil pick-ups. In 1982 he started to use a custom made PRS Custom 24 guitar, in 1988 he made his first Signature model PRS Santana I. In 1999 Carlos Santana and PRS Guitars come with the most expensive, high-end PRS Santana II model also known as "Supernatural". Some of the changes were the materials, Santana II was built from the best materials available.

Though it was an extraordinarily high-priced instrument, Santana II guitar was offered for nearly nine years, until 2007. Because the second edition was so expensive, reduction of the cost was needed which helped to spur the introduction of the next model in the series, the Santana III in 2001.

In 2008, Carlos along with Paul Reed Smith has developed a Santana Signature model which combines some of the best features of all the previous models, called PRS Santana MD "The Multidimensional".

Santana's Yamaha SG2000 Devadip (1976, with inlay) on exhibit in the Berlin Musical Instrument Museum

Santana currently uses a Santana II model guitar using PRS Santana III pickups with nickel covers and a tremolo, with .009-.042 gauge D'Addario strings and PRS Santana MD Guitar Santana's guitar necks and fretboards are constructed out of a single solid piece of Brazilian Rosewood; this helps create the smooth, singing, glass-like tone for which he is known.

Santana Signature Models:

PRS Santana I "The Yellow"(1988)
PRS Santana II "Supernatural" (1999)
PRS Santana III (2001)
PRS Santana SE (2001)
PRS Santana SE II (2003)
PRS Santana Shaman SE-Limited Edition (2003)
PRS Santana MD "The Multidimensional" (2008)
PRS Santana Abraxas SE-Limited Edition (2009)
PRS Santana SE "The Multidimensional" (2011)

Santana also uses a classical guitar, the Alvarez Yairi CY127CE with Alvarez tension nylon strings.

Santana does not use many effects pedals. His PRS guitar is connected to a Mu-Tron wah wah pedal (or, more recently, a Dunlop 535Q wah) and a T-Rex Replica delay pedal.[16][17] then through a customized Jim Dunlop amp switcher which in turn is connected to the different amps or cabinets.

Previous setups include an Ibanez Tube Screamer[18] right after the guitar. He is also to have been known to use an Electro Harmonix Big Muff distortion for his famous sustain. In the song "Stand Up" from the album Marathon, Santana uses a Heil talk box in the guitar solo.

Amplifiers

Carlos Santana's distinctive guitar tone is produced by PRS Santana signature guitars plugged into multiple amplifiers. The amps consist of a Mesa Boogie Mark I, Dumble Overdrive Reverb and more recently a Bludotone amplifier. Carlos Santana attributes the tonal qualities of each amplifier to that of a singer producing head/nasal tones, chest tones, and belly tones. A three-way amp switcher is employed on Carlos's pedal board to enable him to switch between amps. Often the unique tones of each amplifier are blended together, complimenting each other producing a richer tone.

He also put the "Boogie" in Mesa Boogie: "Santana exclaimed to "That little thing really Boogies!"

Specifically, Santana combines a Mesa/Boogie Mark I head running through a Boogie cabinet with Altec 417-8H (or recently JBL E120s) speakers, and a Dumble Overdrive Reverb and/or a Dumble Overdrive Special running through a Brown or Marshall 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12M "Greenback" speakers, depending on the desired sound. Shure KSM-32 microphones are used to pick up the sound, going to the PA. Additionally, a Fender Cyber-Twin Amp is mostly used at home.

During his early career Santana used a GMT transistor amplifier stack and a silverface Fender Twin. The GMT 226A rig was used at the legendary Woodstock concert as well as during recording the Santana's debut album. During this era Santana had also began to use the Fender Twin, which was as well used on the debut and proceedingly at the recording sessions of Abraxas.

FULL STORY ON WIKI

KIMMER AT THE 2012 DETROIT MUSIC AWARDS!

COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS

What an amazing night! I was invited to attend the Detroit Music Awards this year and of course I wanted to be there. Have never been to one of these gigs before so I had no idea what to expect. I got there early and walked right inside. The ladies at the door were so charming and busy!

The Legendary Drummer Muruga and Kimmer

It was especially exciting to see my dear friend Muruga and the Quatro Sisters being honored. Notice the button I am wearing? I took Stanley T. Madhatter with me last night in spirit. A lot of people asked who Stan was and a lot toasted his memory. He would have been so happy to be in this crowd.

Joe Leone and Frank Pettis

We ran into Joe Leone from the School of Rock and one of the very finest Rock photographers of all time Frank Pettis. Frank really helped me with names and band information. Frank knows everyone!

What a vibe in that theater last night...I felt such warmth from my friends and met a bunch of RK readers too. The staff were all happy and there was not one negative ion anywhere.. Got to chat with all the vendors and charities before the show.

Linda Lexy and Allan Goode

My favorite spot for the evening was at the corner of the main bar. It definitely was where all the action was. I ran into Allan Goode and Jack Ashton... Hung out most of the night with these guys. Jack was busy working the room so Allan and I talked to all the glitterati walking by.

Nina Friday Andrea Edwards and Queen Bee (Karen Neal)

To be perfectly honest...I barely saw this show! It was so crazy busy seeing and photographing people that I barely noticed the bands. I did see Amy Gore with Her Valentines, she looked fabulous and her new band is great! Didn't get to see her after their performance.

Tino Gross and Rick Ruiner

Had my back to the stage for a minute and suddenly I hear the booming voice of Dennis "Machinegun" Thompson coming out of the speakers! He was in the trailer for the Grande Ballroom documentary. The audience cheered for him and the MC5.

 Lynne Serridge Patti Quatro Nancy Quatro and Nancy Rogers

Speaking of cheering....The Detroit audience completely loved the Quatro Sisters tonight. They were fantastic... I was so excited for them... It meant so much to them to be honored by their hometown. The room was full of love for the girls and it was so touching to witness.

Patti Quatro wrote: "Nancy Rogers played with both PS and Cradle.....awesome inventive drummer. Darline was with PS. Lynne took over bass for Suzi in 1971, an awesome talent, playing keys and bass, and still active with her own band today."

Johnny "Bee" Badanjek and Albert Freud

THE HOWLING DIABLOS WIN BIG

After the Pleasure Seekers/Cradle set the show was over. I had been there from 5:30 until 11pm. Gratefully Muruga and his friends gave me a lift back to my car which was pretty far away. We had a fabulous night and now I plan to sleep! xxooK

Marq Speck of Sweet Crystal

Allan Goode and his best pal Jack Ashton

Such a great crowd and with such cool Detroit attire!

Loved the table goodies... I wanted to peek in the bags...

Introduced myself to Steve Galli. He is a great photographer and I am a huge fan... Google Steve and see how great he is..

Photographer Steve Galli

Special Thanks to these folks for bringing us all together...Howard Hertz, Kent Agee, Terri Koggenhop, Al Wilson, Joe Bellanca, Gary Graff, Jim Edelman, Darrell Garrett, Kathy Vargo, Jean Mason, Jayson Richards, & that Drumbeater Matt Lee....for all your hard work making this happen.

NEW BOOK ABOUT MARINE CITY, MICHIGAN BY SCOTT BUEL

Marine City (Images of America)
By Gene Buel, Scott Buel

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com
The Arcadia book by Gene Buel and Scott Buel!
Product Description

Marine City is nestled on the banks of the beautiful St. Clair River, half a mile away from Sombra, Ontario, Canada. Today, it is a small town with strong American values, much like it always has been. Full of industrious people who keep America running, this town has a long history of hard work and skilled labor that is reflected in its rich heritage of shipbuilders, sailors, farmers, factory workers, and enterprising businesspeople.

Their stories are shared throughout this book in rare and seldom seen photographs from the 1870s through the 1930s. From the perspectives of the people who lived and worked here, Images of America: Marine City shows a tradition of shipbuilding and sailing, as well as life around town, documenting the important role Marine City played in the early development of the entire Great Lakes shipping industry.

Gene Buel is a lifelong resident of Marine City. A Rotarian for over 40 years, he has contributed to local publications, such as A Short History of Marine City Michigan and the River District Bicentennial Photo Collection. His grandson Scott inherited his love of history, boats, trains, and old photographs from his grandfather. Together, they operate the website Scenes from the Past.

DARK SHADOWS STAR JONATHAN FRID HAS DIED

Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins

Dark Shadows star Jonathan Frid has died in Canada. The 87-year-old actor reportedly passed away peacefully of natural causes at Juravinski Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. Frid was best known for playing vampire Barnabas Collins on gothic television soap opera Dark Shadows. The series originally aired on ABC in the US between June 1966 and April 2, 1971.

John Herbert Frid (December 2, 1924 - April 14, 2012) was a theater, television, and film actor, best known for playing the role of vampire Barnabas Collins on the gothic television soap opera Dark Shadows.

Jonathan Frid did such a great job in the part of Barnabas Collins. His character kept the entire show moving forward. Strangely Barnabas never frightened me but Angelique sure did....

Lara Parker as Angelique

Johnny Depp previously admitted to being "obsessed" as a child with Frid's performance as the 200-year-old vampire. My cousin was totally obsessed with this Vamp Soap as well back in the late 60's. She got me to watch with her after school.

There was only one character that really got to me and that was Angelique who was played beautifully scary by Lara Parker... Her character really scared me! As I look back at the old footage of Dark Shadows, I realize how hokey it was...of course we are so desensitized to violence onscreen now days...but back then, Dark Shadows was really scary!

In 1994, having spent 40 years based in New York City, Frid retired and returned again to Canada. He continued to do one-man shows for charities in both Canada and the United States. In 2000, he co-starred in Mass Appeal which enjoyed a successful, limited run in Hamilton and at the Stirling Theater Festival in Canada.

Frid attended Dark Shadows conventions in New York in August 2007, Burbank, California in July 2008, and Elizabeth, New Jersey in August 2009. In 2010, he returned to the role of Barnabas for the first time in 39 years in a Dark Shadows audio drama, The Night Whispers.

Along with former Dark Shadows castmates Lara Parker, David Selby and Kathryn Leigh Scott, Frid spent three days at Pinewood Studios in June 2011 filming a cameo appearance for the upcoming Tim Burton film Dark Shadows...

AMERICAN BANDSTAND HOST DICK CLARK HAS DIED...

Conway Twitty Chubby Checker and Dick Clark Doing the Twist

My very first memory of rock n roll was watching Chubby Checker doing the Twist on American Bandstand. This was probably 1959-60. I was about 3 years old and I remember "teaching" my mother how to do the "Twist". I still love that song and Chubby Checker too. Dick Clark was probably more familiar to me than most of my family! I felt like I "knew" Dick... am sure I was not the only fan to feel that way...

My Mom was young and loved to dance too. Watching Dick and American Bandstand with my Mom is one of my very happiest memories. Thank you Dick Clark...

News just in.... (CBS/AP) Host and TV producer Dick Clark has died. He was 82. TMZ first reported the news Wednesday afternoon. A rep told the site that Clark underwent surgery Tuesday night and suffered a "massive" heart attack following the procedure.

Clark started his career as a radio announcer at WRUN in Utica, N.Y., when he was 17. His long-running show, "American Bandstand," was on the air from 1957-1989. "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" began in 1972 and continues to this day with Ryan Seacrest. Clark launched the American Music Awards in 1973. He became a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee in 1993.Clark suffered a stroke in December 2004. He continued performing even after the stroke, even though it had affected his ability to speak and walk.

Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark (November 30, 1929 – April 18, 2012) was an American game-show host, radio and television personality, and businessman. He served as chairman and chief executive officer of Dick Clark Productions, which he sold part of in recent years. Clark is best known for hosting long-running television shows such as American Bandstand, five versions of the game show Pyramid, and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

Clark was long known for his departing catchphrase, "For now, Dick Clark...so long," delivered with a military salute, and for his youthful appearance, earning the moniker "America's Oldest Teenager."

Clark suffered a significant stroke in late 2004. With speech ability still impaired, Clark returned to his New Year's Rockin' Eve show on December 31, 2005/January 1, 2006. Subsequently, he appeared at the Emmy Awards on August 27, 2006, and every New Year's Rockin' Eve show through the 2011/2012 show.

American Bandstand was an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer. The show featured teenagers dancing to Top 40 music introduced by Clark; at least one popular musical act—over the decades, running the gamut from Jerry Lee Lewis to Run DMC—would usually appear in person to lip-sync one of their latest singles. Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon holds the record for most appearances at 110.

The show's popularity helped Dick Clark become an American media mogul and inspired similar long-running music programs, such as Soul Train and Top of the Pops. Clark eventually assumed ownership of the program through his Dick Clark Productions company.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2012

STATEMENT FROM ‘THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN EARS,’ KAL RUDMAN, PUBLISHER OF THE FRIDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK, BIBLE OF THE BROADCAST AND MUSIC INDUSTRIES, ON THE DEATH OF HIS CLOSE FRIEND AND MENTOR, DICK CLARK

CHERRY HILL, NJ - “The passing of Dick Clark removes one of the largest foundation stones of the entire pop music industry for the latter half of the 20th century. Starting with ‘Bandstand,’ his shows absolutely made most of the hits from the beginning.

Others in radio might aspire to the title, but they had to follow what Dick Clark played - especially, and obviously, dance music. I mourn his death. He took me under his wing and became my guide in reaching the tastemakers of the record and radio industries.

On behalf of the staff of the Friday Morning Quarterback, we send our deep condolences to Dicks’s wife, Kari, and the entire Clark family.

SADLY..THE LAST WALTZ FOR ACTOR/MUSICIAN LEVON HELM

Levon Helm passed away April 19 the day after I ran this story... He was 71.

Steven Davis, with whom Helm wrote his biography, ‘This Wheel’s on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band,’ told the Boston Globe that there will be a New Orleans-style brass band procession through the streets of Woodstock. However, Helm’s manager, Barbara O’Brien, on her Facebook page, has said that there is no official word about that.

However, O’Brien did say that Helm will be buried in the Woodstock Cemetery in the grave next to Rick Danko, the Band’s bassist. Danko died in 1999 due to a drug-related heart failure.

Levon Helm RIP

It is so sad to hear about Levon Helm's battle with cancer. Levon was one of the most talented artists in acting and American music history. He played drums, mandolin guitar, and sang on many of The Band's most famous songs such as "The Weight". This video is from the fantastic Rock film "The Last Waltz" directed by Martin Scorsese.

Levon is best known as the singer/drummer of The Band, the rock group featured in Martin Scorsese's 1978 documentary, "The Last Waltz", Levon Helm went on to deliver a handful of strong portrayals in film and TV.

The Arkansas native began his musical career as a the drummer for the rockabilly band Ronnie Hawkins' Hawks. By 1963, Helm and fellow musicians Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson and Rick Danko had left to form their own group variously known as Levon and the Hawks, the Crackers and the Canadian Squires.

In 1964, singer John Hammond Jr had heard them and asked them to join him on tour. In NYC, Helm and Robertson caught the attention of singer Bob Dylan who hired them to perform with his electrified band at his now famous Forest Hills (NY) concert.

Helm and Dylan had a disagreement and the group toured for a year without Helm. By late 1966, the rift had been healed and Helm joined in the recording session which were eventually released in 1975 as "The Basement Tapes".

Around this same time, the musicians began working on their own material and they renamed their group The Band. For the next decade, The Band recorded six albums and toured. In 1976, The Band played its last concert at Winterland in San Francisco (where the group had played its first concert in 1969) which Scorsese captured in "The Last Waltz". Helm continued his music career but added acting to his resume.

Hired by director Michael Apted to play Ted Webb, Loretta Lynn's father, in "Coal Miner's Daughter" (1980), Helm surprised many with his strong characterization. He subsequently appeared to good effect in Philip Kaufman's "The Right Stuff" (1980), Joyce Chopra's "Smooth Talk" (1985) and "End of the Line" (1987).

On TV, in addition to making appearances as a musical performer ("Live From the Lone Star", "Farm Aid VI") or in documentaries ("The History of Rock 'n' Roll", "The Band"), Helm offered strong support as Jane Fonda's mechanic husband in "The Dollmaker" (ABC, 1984) and won praise for his turn as an ex-convict in a 1990 episode of the NBC drama series "Midnight Caller"

Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm (born May 26, 1940), rock multi-instrumentalist and actor who achieved fame as the drummer and frequent lead and backing vocalist for The Band.

Helm is known for his deeply soulful, country-accented voice, and creative drumming style highlighted on many of The Band's recordings, such as "The Weight", "Up on Cripple Creek", "Ophelia" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down".

His 2007 comeback album Dirt Farmer earned the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album in February 2008, and in November of that year, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him #91 in the list of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

In 2010, Electric Dirt, his 2009 follow-up to Dirt Farmer, won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Americana Album, an inaugural category in 2010. In 2011, his live album Ramble at the Ryman was nominated for the Grammy in the same category and won.

Helm was born in Marvell, Arkansas, and grew up in Turkey Scratch, a hamlet west of Helena, Arkansas, the son of Nell and Diamond Helm, who were cotton farmers and also great lovers of music who encouraged their children to play and sing. Young Lavon (as he was christened) began playing the guitar at the age of eight and also played drums during his formative years. He saw Bill Monroe & his Blue Grass Boys at the age of six and decided then and there to become a musician. Levon Helm Wiki Page

From LevonHelm.Com

Dear Friends,

Levon is in the final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey.

Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration... he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage...

We appreciate all the love and support and concern.

From his daughter Amy, and wife Sandy

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE RAMONES?

THE RAMONES

 Johnny (John Cummings), Tommy (Thomas Erdelyi), Joey (Jeffrey Hyman), and Dee Dee (Douglas Colvin).

On July 20, 1999, Dee Dee, Johnny, Joey, Tommy, Marky, and C.J. appeared together at the Virgin Megastore in New York City for an autograph signing. This was the last occasion on which the original four members of the group appeared together. Joey, who had been diagnosed with lymphoma in 1995, died of the illness on April 15, 2001, in New York.

In 2002, the Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which specifically named Dee Dee, Johnny, Joey, Tommy, and Marky. At the ceremony, the surviving inductees spoke on behalf of the band. Tommy spoke first, saying how honored the band felt, but how much it would have meant for Joey.

Johnny thanked the band's fans and blessed George W. Bush and his presidency, Dee Dee humorously congratulated and thanked himself, while Marky thanked Tommy for influencing his drum style. Green Day played "Teenage Lobotomy" and "Blitzkrieg Bop" as a tribute, demonstrating the Ramones' continuing influence on later rock musicians. The ceremony was one of Dee Dee's last public appearances; on June 5, 2002, two months later, he was found at his Hollywood home, dead from a heroin overdose.

The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group. Despite achieving only limited commercial success, the band was a major influence on the punk rock movement both in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Tommy Ramone, also known as Thomas Erdelyi (born Erdélyi Tamás; January 29, 1952), is a Hungarian American record producer and musician. He was the drummer of the influential punk rock band Ramones, and is the last surviving original member of the group.

READ MORE ABOUT THE RAMONES