PAGE 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Arts and Music (CONT.)

The Prater's Creek Gazette

19th Issue Fall 2008 Page #5

Mask

cello

books

RUFUS THIBODEAUX

The first time I ever saw Rufus Thibodeaux, it was October 1984 at the Omni in Atlanta, playing fiddle for Neil Young. Young was in his full on country faze, for him anyway, and was touring with his band, The International Harvesters. The Harvesters also included other Nashville veterans Harold "pig" Robbins on piano.

There was no record that Neil was touring to support, because, as I later learned, Geffen Records refused to put out the country music, for Neil Young anyway, "Old Ways" album. Waylon Jennings was the tour's opening act. Rufus Thibodeaux stole the show as far as I was concerned. With his big pumpkin head sawing away on his fiddle, he was awesome. When Ol' Waylon came back out for the Harvesters' opening song, "Are You Ready For The Country?", a song I first heard on one of Waylon's albums, Jennings grinned at Thibodeaux. It was a grin that seemed to say "You are THE MAN!".

Rufus Thibodeaux was born on January 5, 1934 near Lafayatte, Lousiniana, and raised in the Lake Charles area. He became prodigiuous on various instruments by the age of 6 and started appearing with his father's band in the area's rough roadhouses. One of the roadhouses was named The Bloody Bucket.

In the 40's, the teenage Thibodeux appeared in various bands, most notably Happy Fat's band and Jimmie C. Neuman's band. In the 50's, Newman's band was the biggest band in the area. In 1952, Newman recorded his first hit, "(Cry, Cry) Darlin" which featured Rufus' fiddle. The success of this single in Nashville earned the band a slot on the Shreveport, La. live radio show, "The Louisiana Hayride", which along with "The Grand Old Opry", in Wheeling, VA, and Kentucky were making stars out of the shows' featured performers. Newman and his band had a string of hits such as "Diggy Liggy Lo", "Blue Darlin", and "A Fallen Star".

The Grand Old Opry took notice and invited the band to join their show, of which Newman's band, The Cajun" are still members. Rufus soon also became one of Nashville's elite studio musicians, joining the ranks of Chet Atkins, Floyd Cramer, and Boots Randolph.

In those days, there was the package tours where a band/orchestra backed all of the headliners, and Rufus played behind Lefty Frizell, George Jones, and Jim Reeves every night.

In 1978 he recorded with Neil Young for The Comes A Time album, with what Neil dubbed the "Gone With The Wind Orchestra". In the title song Rufus saws back in answer to the string section's melody. It's awesome. In 1980 he played on the second side of the overlooked "Hawks and Doves" LP on some of my favorite Neil tunes such as the title song and "Union Man". Then from 84-86 he was a member of Neil's "International Harvesters" band and appeared on the "Old Ways" album.

In the late 80's he returned to playing fiddle for Jimmy C. Newman and his "Cajun Country" band, an many Saturday nights we'd get to see him on the "Grand Old Opry" television show. Rufus suffered from diabetes and had to have his leg amputated in 1999. Rufus passed away in 2005.

PAGE 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Designed and Maintained by AJs Web Solutions and powered by AJs web hosting