Camping in 1890 (from my family archive)

"G" Tent- Camping 1891(family photo, Amy Crehore)
"Dew Drop Inn" 1890 (family photo, Amy Crehore)
PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE
Ever wonder what it was like to go camping with the whole family in 1890? Stripes must have been "in" at the "Dew Drop Inn". See the girl playing her tennis racket like a guitar in the top photo? I found these two gems in a box of ancient family photos. I am related to some of these people. (Photos were taken in 1890 and 1891.)
The Art of Amy Crehore

Mysterious Coon Song from 1928

The album is called "Black Blues in the Segregation Era". It's put out by Document Records. Amazon.com has an MP3 that you can purchase of a song on this album called the "Mysterious Coon" .

My band, The Hokum Scorchers, did their own version of this song in 1990 with Lou Reimuller singing and playing a National guitar and a National mandolin. I played washboard on this tinpan alley style song.

It was originally recorded by a group of musicians in 1928 from Mississippi (in Atlanta, GA) called "Alec Johnson and his Band" - Alec sang vocal, accompanied by Bo Chatmon & Charlie McCoy, Joe McCoy.

I posted this blog entry a few years ago, but this morning I uploaded the song to my tumbler because I had a request for it:

Have a listen to the "Mysterious Coon" done by the Hokum Scorchers.

(recorded in 1990)

The Art of Amy Crehore

Kohala Girls played National Guitars

The Kohala Girls circa 1934 featuring Letritia Kandle on National Tricone Resophonic

The Kohala Girls play "Chile Blues" - Instrumental

http://76.12.147.135/audio/Track05.mp3

From the Steel Guitar Forum

We love vintage National guitars and National guitar family instruments at our house.

The Art (and music) of Amy Crehore

The Original "Mousegetar"

(Photo credit: Megan Duffy flickr)

I play tenor (sometimes) and I find this little guitar fascinating. This is the original tenor "Mousegetar" from the 1950s that is on display in the Disney Museum.

Read about it and listen to Jimmy Dodd play this special guitar with Doreen singing (on youtube) at

GUITARZ Blogspot

"Let Me Play With Your Poodle" performed by the Hokum Scorchers

Someone was just saying on boingboing (in the comments section) that the song "Let Me Play With Your Poodle" is the dirtiest little ditty ever.

So, I changed the song on my website player to "Let Me Play With Your Poodle" by Hudson Woodbridge (a.k.a. Tampa Red) 1942. My band, The Hokum Scorchers, recorded this song in 1992 for our "Feed the Kitty" album. Lou plays the National guitar and we both sing. The poodle double entendre could go either way - male or female. In the old photo above, Lou seems to be sporting some sort of "poodle hair" (photo taken at Ken Kesey's house). Have a listen here:

Hokum Scorchers

(scroll down for music player)

The Art of Amy Crehore

Hand-lettered Gibson logo on UB-1

I took this close-up with my new, little digital camera. The Gibson

UB-1 banjo-uke that I have at home (above) has a logo on the headstock that is hand-lettered in what looks to be metallic gold enamel paint. This uke is probably from around 1926. Some earlier, higher grade models of the Gibson banjo uke have lettering made of pearl inlay (placed on a slant). Later models of this same uke have what appears to be "The Gibson" in a stenciled typeface which looks different than this typeface.

The L-1 Gibson guitars from this period have hand-lettered silver logos.

The thickness of the lettering varies on these instruments and there is no mistaking that a small brush and a steady hand did this work. I can just picture the artist sitting in the factory doing this particular job as I have done it myself on my own fine art ukes (link, Tickler link)

In the late 20s, Gibson also offered a few fully hand-painted models such as the Pointsettia Uke (recently on ebay) and a guitar with an Italian street scene painted on it.

I love the fonts and hand-lettering of the 1920s. And I love the early vintage instruments of Gibson.

The Art of Amy Crehore

"I Got Your Ice Cold NuGrape" performed by the Hokum Scorchers

Okay, this song is a jingle written for a brand of soda that came out in 1921 called NuGrape. The Hokum Scorchers are both singing with Lou playing the National guitar (the NuGrape Twins did the original version). Lou and I recorded this in 1995 for our "Yanna's Donut" tape.

Have a listen and find out "what makes your lips go flippity-floppa" in 1926: Hokum Scorchers

(follow this link and scroll down for music player)

The Art of Amy Crehore

Spoon-in-Mouth Slide Guitar Player

Spoon Guitar via letsgogetborn (Thanks to Charles Gallant twitter)

National Guitars Have Perfectly Shaped Dust Bunnies

Steve Olson, who repairs guitars for Elderly Instruments , has collected dust bunnies from guitar and mandolin bodies for years and has even catalogued them. The one pictured on the top left was found in the cone of an old National guitar. Apparently, National guitars create perfectly round and dense "tone balls" (dust bunnies) over time. Interesting! I happen to know someone in Oregon who once worked at Elderly repairing guitars and I also know a National guitar collector/repairman who would absolutely love this article which appeared in the Summer 2006 issue of The FretBoard Journal (Number 2). Thanks, Mark! BOINGBOING

Bizarre Early Picture of "The Boss"

CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTO

Here's a photo I found at home. What are they wearing? Floppy hat, raggy mop-top hair, jeans with patches. What are they playing? A P-90 equipped gold Les Paul guitar and a transparent Dan Armstrong Ampeg bass. What are they whispering to each other? "Vinnie, you just got busted for wearing those silly love beads!" This is an early picture of 3 members of the band Steel Mill with none other than Bruce Springsteen himself. It was taken in 1970 at the Hullabaloo Club in Richmond, VA. (Photo previously unpublished, copyright Lou Reimuller, part of a set of photos taken one afternoon, March 1970).

The Art of Amy Crehore

My Demon Ukulele

Back of the Demon Uke

"Demon", A painted vintage ukulele by Amy Crehore
CLICK TO ENLARGE
Recently, I have had a few inquiries about my "Demon" ukulele. So, I thought I would blog it again. It has racked up a few thousand hits on my flickr account, thanks to stumbleupon. Not sure why everyone is fascinated by it, but maybe it's because this uke is a near mint Stella with an art deco "duco" finish from the 1930's. You can see the back of this uke in the top photo. It has an almost pinkish color in the light areas. It's a very natural-looking textured design. Absolutely beautiful. Here's an example of a rare National tenor guitar with a duco finish: LINK . Nice, eh?

I painted an original design of a girl struggling with a demon over flames on the body of my uke. And, on the headstock, I did a little logo of a demon's face and some hand-lettering.
The Art of Amy Crehore

See more of my painted ukes here with links to close-ups: FLICKR

What am I up to?

I haven't been posting on the blog as much lately, but it's just temporary. I've been sketching a lot in my sketchbook and enjoying the end of summer. Here's a funny old photo of me with my Hokum Scorcher's gear on. The only thing that is missing is my musical partner, Lou. That's his National guitar and, behind it, a "Feed the Kitty" that I made. I am holding a vintage banjolele. Today, I'm looking forward to a visit from an old friend from Richmond, VA. He used to be Lou's partner in a mysterious band called "The Fabulous Daturas".

The Art of Amy Crehore

Cigar Box Nation

Cigar Box Guitar by Mark Frauenfelder

See more photos of this guitar and many more here:

CIGAR BOX NATION

Fun!

Ukulele is in the Lead...

I am offering two new artist-signed limited edition prints for $50. each ...with small, signed pencil drawings tucked into at least ten of the orders (at random) for good measure. So far, the "ukulele" prints are leading the "guitar" prints in sales, 2 to 1. We shall see, as the days go by, which one sells out first. One image has two girls, a uke and mostly monkeys. The other has an allegorical feel to it with lots of different characters and one girl with a guitar. Thanks, boingboing.net for mentioning them here. And thanks, Creep Machine.

For more details, to purchase a print (with a chance at receiving a lucky pencil drawing):

Click HERE (new prints)

Before they are gone. Only 75 prints in these editions.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Special Deal: 2 New Crehore Prints-a Ukulele and a Guitar

"Monkey Love Song" by Amy Crehore
"Deja Vu Waltz" by Amy Crehore

It's been almost a year since I released a limited edition, signed giclee print. (The last one was called "The Creature".)

Here is a special deal for music and art lovers -

two new artist signed prints for only $50. each (plus shipping). "Monkey Love Song" features a ukulele and "Deja Vu Waltz" has a guitar in it.

There are only 75 prints in each edition.

Printed on Hahnemuhle acid-free photorag 308 gsm paper with the absolute finest quality printer using superior ultrachrome inks (by Sterling Editions). Comes in archival sleeve with free postcards and a certificate of authenticity. Each print is signed and numbered by artist Amy Crehore.

Ten customers will receive small, signed pencil drawings tucked in his or her order (numbers will be chosen at random).Follow this link to buy either of these two new prints (or both):

2 NEW PRINTS by Amy Crehore

P.S. I am also having a sale on all the other merchandise on my site. Ask about purchase plans for my original art.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Steve Lodefink's Cigar Box Guitar

cbg2
Originally uploaded by steve_lodefink

Saw this on http://www.boingboing.net/ (thanks, Mark Frauenfelder) today which led me to Steve's flickr page (click on photo). I like the body and I really like the tuner buttons which are squiggly around the edges.

Which reminds me, my Tickler Uke #2 is actually done now, except for the tuner buttons which are being hand-carved out of blackwood.

For Steve's home-made telecaster go to http://www.finkbuilt.com/blog/

Teenar- Most Outrageous Guitar?!

Can it be? Teenar is still making news - even a couple of years after we brought her out of the mothballs. This old mannequin is Number One "Outrageous Guitar" on the internet according to Music Radar .

(Thanks, Mark Lowrie for heads up.)

This guitar was made by my luthier, Lou Reimuller, back in 1986 from a vintage mannequin. Exactly what is so "wrong" about her, I'll never know! She's just art made out of a found object -a "sculpture". But, she also happens to play. The outrageousness must have to do with people projecting their own thoughts onto her and the whole idea of someone playing her. But, she really doesn't mind. She's not human!

A Ukulele Story

"The Creature" by Amy Crehore

Someone nice wrote this on his blog the other day:

"I found a ukulele in the thrift shop in P'aia a couple of weeks ago. Well, actually, Carl found it, and told me where it was, but that is another story (like, who is Carl?). I've really been enjoying it, been playing it more than my guitar. I really enjoy playing for my students in yoga class, and I adore the portability aspect. I'm also kind of into this artist I discovered on 'boing boing', Amy Crehore. There is a print called 'The Creature" in the back of the yoga studio that she painted. It is a gentle fantasy set in an apparent island paradise, tucked away in a valley. Two beautiful, brown skinned women sit at the edge of a clear blue pool. Both nude except for hibiscis flowers in their hair, one holds a monkey in her lab while the other plays a ukulele! Oh, and the uke player has a tail. I imagine that she is the creature, as the other two characters eye her curiously as she strums away on her little instrument. A remarkable depiction of magic and wonder, which also happen to be two of my favorite things. Cool thing is, I liked her art even before I started playing uke, I don't think it even registered in my mind that it was an ukulele in the print until I started writing this post. Trippy. Amy is having a show in Los Angeles in February/March, called "Dreamgirls and Ukes". If you happen to be in LA, and make it to the show, send me a postcard, would you?"

Here's the blog: The Main Line Sutras

(thanks!)

"What's the Matter" Memphis Jugband Song performed by the Hokum Scorchers

Image of the Memphis Jug Band from R. Crumb's "Heroes of the Blues" trading cards. LINK

This Hokum Scorchers' song is a version of "What's the Matter"originally done by the Memphis Jug Band in 1929. Lou Reimuller is playing the National guitar, kazoo and vocals and I am on the washboard, kazoo and vocals. We recorded this in 1990 for our first Hokum Scorcher's album. Hokum Scorchers are now on myspace, so follow this link to hear the song,

plus 5 more:

Hokum Scorchers
The Art (and music) of Amy Crehore

What am I listening to?

link

One of my favorite albums from Yazoo with the Robert Armstrong cover. It's perfect to paint by. No singing, just pure guitar music. Listen to a few more tracks and buy the album here:

Yazoo

His name was Salvatore Massaro a.k.a. Eddie Lang (1902-1933). He died tragically at a young age during a botched tonsillectomy. He was a jazz guitar virtuoso. Read more about Eddie.

The Art of Amy Crehore