Is this our Nokie????
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:23 pmI think that's him, Palmer! What a great career he's had.
Bill B.
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Is this our Nokie????
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Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:23 pmRe: Is this our Nokie????
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:39 pmRe: Is this our Nokie????
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:40 pmConfirming my old fart status, I believe I remember a couple of those girl dancers! At least they didn't catch a chill!!
Re: Is this our Nokie????
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:51 pmNokie can still pick like that, when he wants to.
One of the few all instrumental groups to make it big.
One of the few all instrumental groups to make it big.
Re: Is this our Nokie????
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:57 pmSeeing how nobody asked - I'll tell one, anyway. lol
Us Ohio folks were lucky enough to have Nokie come play for one of our Pickin' Parties a few years ago when he had come out East to play at some sort of rock n roll reunion up in Cleveland - probably at or for the Hall of Fame. Seeing how he was going to be in the area he gladly drove on down to Columbus.
Well he came with a bunch of his fans in tow, and a small band of some young guys from down in Kentucky. As he started playing he lead off with some of his Ventures favs - and, he could tell within a few bars that "the club" was not too excited to hear WDR or Pipeline... So, after the 2nd or 3rd tune he was fumblin' around on his guitar - and, (most importantly for the youngsters that want to make a living with their guitars) he wasn't looking at his guitar - he was looking at his audience with those piercing eyes of his as he struck a jazz chord or two. He must have seen our approval as the next tune he played (can't remember the name) was an old standard just full of "big chords" and the room lit up like a Christmas tree. The problem was that his band wasn't prepared to play heavier music and fell silent.
I ran over to where his lovely wife, Judy, was sitting in the back and asked her if she thought he would appreciate if I got somebody that knew his "other" stuff to chord for him. She nodded in the affirmative - and, I pushed Charlie Berwinkle (Bullwinkle as Bob Saxton calls him) up beside Nokie and without hesitating a bit or stopping play - Nokie nodded at Charlie - and, OFF THEY WENT!!! What a performance... Slick, smooth, complex, simply high class guitar playing at it's best.... (Charlie ain't no slouch, either.)
Palmer
Us Ohio folks were lucky enough to have Nokie come play for one of our Pickin' Parties a few years ago when he had come out East to play at some sort of rock n roll reunion up in Cleveland - probably at or for the Hall of Fame. Seeing how he was going to be in the area he gladly drove on down to Columbus.
Well he came with a bunch of his fans in tow, and a small band of some young guys from down in Kentucky. As he started playing he lead off with some of his Ventures favs - and, he could tell within a few bars that "the club" was not too excited to hear WDR or Pipeline... So, after the 2nd or 3rd tune he was fumblin' around on his guitar - and, (most importantly for the youngsters that want to make a living with their guitars) he wasn't looking at his guitar - he was looking at his audience with those piercing eyes of his as he struck a jazz chord or two. He must have seen our approval as the next tune he played (can't remember the name) was an old standard just full of "big chords" and the room lit up like a Christmas tree. The problem was that his band wasn't prepared to play heavier music and fell silent.
I ran over to where his lovely wife, Judy, was sitting in the back and asked her if she thought he would appreciate if I got somebody that knew his "other" stuff to chord for him. She nodded in the affirmative - and, I pushed Charlie Berwinkle (Bullwinkle as Bob Saxton calls him) up beside Nokie and without hesitating a bit or stopping play - Nokie nodded at Charlie - and, OFF THEY WENT!!! What a performance... Slick, smooth, complex, simply high class guitar playing at it's best.... (Charlie ain't no slouch, either.)
Palmer
Re: Is this our Nokie????
Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:19 amHey, Palmer...
You're certainly right when you say "Charlie ain't no slouch, either". I first heard him play in 1966 when he was up the street pickin' at a mutual friend's house. That mutual friend called and invited me up... thought I might be interested as I had been playing guitar for a couple of years at that time. Well, I almost didn't go but, boy am I glad I did! I was really into Chet and had never seen anyone play that style until that evening and it was one of those life-changing moments for me. Charlie was only 21 years old at the time (I was 15) and let me tell you, he had the Chet stuff down pat, even at that tender age. I was so impressed, I ran home, grabbed my 7-inch reel-to-reel tape recorder, went back up and filled up a whole reel of his playing. Sadly, I don't know whatever became of the tape. After that Charlie and I got together from time to time so he could show me some stuff (He lived just across the state line from me in Morgantown, West Virgina, myself in Uniontown, Pennsylvania) but, eventually he moved away, then further away and we lost touch. However, we recently reunited via email and phone and he's invited me out to his place in Ohio to make up for some lost pickin' time which I hope to do very soon.
Anyway, just thought I'd throw my two cents in when I saw your post involving Charlie. -Thanks, Tom W.
You're certainly right when you say "Charlie ain't no slouch, either". I first heard him play in 1966 when he was up the street pickin' at a mutual friend's house. That mutual friend called and invited me up... thought I might be interested as I had been playing guitar for a couple of years at that time. Well, I almost didn't go but, boy am I glad I did! I was really into Chet and had never seen anyone play that style until that evening and it was one of those life-changing moments for me. Charlie was only 21 years old at the time (I was 15) and let me tell you, he had the Chet stuff down pat, even at that tender age. I was so impressed, I ran home, grabbed my 7-inch reel-to-reel tape recorder, went back up and filled up a whole reel of his playing. Sadly, I don't know whatever became of the tape. After that Charlie and I got together from time to time so he could show me some stuff (He lived just across the state line from me in Morgantown, West Virgina, myself in Uniontown, Pennsylvania) but, eventually he moved away, then further away and we lost touch. However, we recently reunited via email and phone and he's invited me out to his place in Ohio to make up for some lost pickin' time which I hope to do very soon.
Anyway, just thought I'd throw my two cents in when I saw your post involving Charlie. -Thanks, Tom W.
Re: Is this our Nokie????
Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 7:47 amGreat story, Tom. We should coordinate our schedules as my pickin' buddy JD Norman and I owe Charlie a visit out in Dover, OH, as well. We could make it a little Pickin' Party, of sorts. I'm sure we could shake somemore Chet lovers outta the bushes out that way, too.
One of Charlie's early influences was this Bob Mowry (deceased and in our OFGC Hall of Fame) in Parkersburg, WV. Our local Chet icon, Terry Efaw, met Charlie at Bob's place when they were both teenagers learning the Chet style from Bob.
Palmer
One of Charlie's early influences was this Bob Mowry (deceased and in our OFGC Hall of Fame) in Parkersburg, WV. Our local Chet icon, Terry Efaw, met Charlie at Bob's place when they were both teenagers learning the Chet style from Bob.
Palmer
Re: Is this our Nokie????
Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 10:18 amNokie was on fire in that era!! Not that he wasn't any other time, but there was something special going on in the mid 60s when he was playing those Moserites.
Great clip!
Great clip!
Re: Is this our Nokie????
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:11 pmWOW! I was there (and got pictures of me and Nokie with my Mosrite to prove it). My wife and I had a long-planned trip scheduled when I found out Nokie was going to be in town. I told my wife we had to re-schedule...... she wasn't amused. She got over it though when she heard Nokie go. It was the first time I had ever heard Charlie Berwinkle. He sat in impromtu with Nokie and, close your eyes..... The Ventures were there! It was magic.
The next time I saw Charlie B, he was playing at a very dignified dinner at Raven's Glenn Winery. He was awesome! Everyone seemed tentative and subdued. An awkward silence followed each selection he played. I finally stood up and led a rousing round of applause. Everyone seemed relieved, because they all knew they were in the presence of a guitar master.
Lee Gilkerson
The next time I saw Charlie B, he was playing at a very dignified dinner at Raven's Glenn Winery. He was awesome! Everyone seemed tentative and subdued. An awkward silence followed each selection he played. I finally stood up and led a rousing round of applause. Everyone seemed relieved, because they all knew they were in the presence of a guitar master.
Lee Gilkerson