Travis Edmonson of Bud & Travis
EXCLUSIVELY available from travisedmonson.com
Recollections & Comments 5
TOM BLUMENTHAL of Pennsylvania has been a fan since childhood, and he shares the story of his exploration into Travis Edmonson's music with the website.
“Wow! Thanks for making the `debut' album available on CD. It is my favorite, especially for Malaguena Salerosa, Truly Do, and Bonsoir Dame. It has Travis' best and indispensable version of Malaguena.
I was/am (for a short while longer) much too young to have seen Travis in his salad days of B&T, but my late mother was a fan of his, and I think she may have seen him in person when our family was living in Westchester, New York, about 25 miles north of Manhattan circa 1960.
She brought home Travis' first album and Spotlight and played them for herself until I was fascinated too, and neither of us knew Spanish.
I also LOVE the Bud & Travis studio version of "Golden Apples Of The Sun" from Naturally, which I dearly hope gets re-issued in remastered stereo as well, as that is one of my 5 favorite B&T songs, too. I would love to know where Travis got "Golden Apples Of The Sun" originally … there are some words spoken about it on the In Person LP patter, but it is not clear if B&T were the first to perform the song, but maybe he was.
And please, please, do give us this other B&T live set from The Cellar Door in Washington, DC. if it's possible. I actually prefer that live album, and after the first , it's my 2nd favorite of all the Bud and Travis albums.
I am really so sorry life has handed Travis some really tough breaks, especially the loss of his ability to play guitar, which, although a great deprivation to his old fans and potential new ones, is one for him, first and foremost - I understand that. Plus the loss of Bud, whom as he indicated, is not around anymore to see the appreciation and interest that Bud and Travis still generate. I hope Travis takes great consolation in the fact that, in many hearts which have heard his music, and yes, certainly extended to that of the both of them, that affection and appreciation is still there fervidly in memory and in those "with ears to hear", if you'll pardon the purloining.
I thank Travis for sharing his music with fans through this website. I have played the records of Bud & Travis for people who'd never heard their music before, and these individuals are always impressed.
There are probably many other wonderful reasons to have grown up in Travis' area of the world, but I wish sometimes I lived in Arizona now to know of his gift of song in person. May God bless you."
Tom Blumenthal
August 2005
Young entrepreneur NICK BRANDON is one of Travis Edmonson's newer fans, and he's been adding many others to the fold in the past year.
“Last Christmas I received a CD of Travis Edmonson's music, and found it so enjoyable that I started playing it as “background music” in the shop that my brother and I operate.
We're starting to feel like disc jockeys lately, `cause when we've got something else playing on the sound system, customers come up and ask if we wouldn't play Travis instead. Sometimes, they just stand around and listen. Really!
We thought that Travis' old fans would like to know about this, and want to thank Travis too, for attracting shoppers to our business!!”
Nick Brandon
August 2005
DEBBIE DONAHUE is one of the customers in Nick and Ted Brandon's shop who's also one of Travis Edmonson's newer fans.
“I first heard Travis Edmonson's music in a local shop, and was so turned on that I had to find out what it was. This is not the kind of stuff I usually listen to, but there was something in it that I couldn't resist. Just had to have this music for my own, and have bought CDs which I like to play a lot. At the shop where I first heard them, they said that I should write in to this website.
Travis, you are The Greatest!"
Debbie Donahue
August 2005
JOHN SUCH of Massachusetts is an avid aficionado of the folk genre, and has recently been adding to his collection of Travis Edmonson recordings.
"In the late 1950's I was hooked on FOLK MUSIC but on a meager income of $1.00 \ week for an allowance I could only buy a limited number of albums.
Although I certainly knew of the talents of BUD AND TRAVIS, I only owned one or two of their albums during that era. Fortunately, through the efforts of this website, I now have the opportunity to rediscover BUD AND TRAVIS and enjoy the music I missed over forty years ago."
John Such
June 2005
ANNE SULLIVAN describes some of the attributes of Travis Edmonson's music, which have moved her and so many of his admirers.
“The memories that are revived every time I listen to Bud and Travis are of a time that reminds me of something romantic - being Spiritual rather than just physical. A time when music made you feel good rather than depressed. Politically they were true, and used humor to ease some of the sting of the times. They opened the pathway for the Smothers Brothers and Bob Dylan.
When I listen to Malaguena Salerosa, I want to be sitting under an umbrella, absorbing the pureness of Travis' voice and wishing I could speak Spanish.
I was young when B&T were on the "scene." My brother was in college and theirs was the music that helped me relate to him, for just a little while.
During Vietnam I was living in Monterey, and was able to collect myself with their music. It intertwines with the sea and the glory of the freedom that could only be felt when I played it. The songs brought joy to my heart and made me happy, even in the midst of very sad times.
At 56, I got on Ebay and looked for Bud & Travis. I purchased a record player and all the albums I could find with their music. Happily, I play these songs now, and the joy returns with them.
Travis' voice and talent touched many hearts. I am just a little housewife who can come alive when his plays. I want to thank him so much for sharing it with the world.
May God Bless and Keep Travis Edmonson always. With his help, he has enabled me to stay forever young.”
Anne Sullivan
June 2005
JON KARESH discovered the music of Travis Edmonson in 2005 as a result of his lifelong enjoyment of the Gateway Singers' recordings. The complimentary compilation received as a gift for his purchase of Gateway CDs from the Travis Edmonson Collection has meant that now B&T shares a prominent spot amongst his albums, alongside the great folk quartet.
“After just a couple of weeks of listening to the Bud and Travis CDs that I got, I have become a huge fan. I had never heard their music before, and am so pleased with my new discovery. What a fortuitous thing. If I hadn't ordered the Gateway Singers CDs, I might never have heard the music of Bud and Travis, as well as Travis' solo work.
I so much enjoy Bud and Travis' interaction with the live audience and each other. The performance of "Sloop John B" is a asterpiece. It shows such a phenomenal amount of talent the way they talk/"argue" and interact with each other during the
song, while still keeping the song going.
Travis is such a huge talent and deserves all the accolades and recognition he gets.”
Jon Karesh
June 2005
JEFF MESS tells of his unending search for the chords of “Better Than Anything” and a classic encounter with Travis Edmonson in the sixties.
“I started playing guitar about '58. It wasn't an easy decision to play a classical guitar instead of the usual steel string Martin, Gibson or Fender. But, I just couldn't pass up learning such great tunes as "Two Brothers" or "Cloudy Summer Afternoon" [Actually, only a classical guitar and the clear voice of Travis Edmonson can do those songs justice.] I've struggled ever since to match the quality and clarity of B&T's music, and in process, I wore the grooves off my old B&T albums. I can assure you it's not nostalgia; I hate nostalgia. But, even after over 45 years their music still works for me. I still marvel at their talents and their body of work.
I've also made several good friends along the way that shared my enthusiasm for the duo. So, their music not only influenced my own guitar playing but my choice of friends as well.
Better Than Anything:
I never saw B&T in person. They rarely came to Cleveland, Ohio. I don't have any first hand accounts of meeting with either B or T, but an old friend (I haven't seen for 30 years) met them once, as I remember, one cold snowy Cleveland winter night. Since early in high school, the two of us were always competing to figure out chords to B & T songs. This was about '68, I guess, when my friend decided he could score the coup de grâce. By the time B&T got back together, I was married and had a baby to care for, so my concert-going days were over. B&T were singing at a small coffee house/night club/dive near Case Western Reserve University campus known as "La Cave." My friend's plan was quite simple: brute force, really; sit in the front row of every performance to see if he could cop the chords to that great song "Better Than Anything."
That song really had us stumped (still does). Unfortunately, for my buddy, the song never came up. During the last intermission, frustrated, my friend got real bold and just flat out asked Bud Dashell if he might give him a few pointers to solving the mystery that was "Better Than Anything." Ok, it starts out in a major key, we all got that, but where it when after that was anybody's guess. Well, Bud invited my friend back stage, introduced him to "Trav" and proceed ed to give my single pal a complete guitar lesson sans any specifics on "Better Than Anything." How cool is that! I would have hated for my buddy to have won our long-standing competition, but I wish he could have gotten those chords for the sake of posterity. It's so sad to think that those chords are gone. The whole incident seems to prove that, by all accounts, they were as friendly and gracious in person as they were on stage or on their albums.”
Jeff Mess
June 2005
Californian DOROTHY CASAREZ has been a fan of Travis Edmonson since 1963, and like so many others, treasures The Latin Album as her favorite of his recordings.
“I have often wondered the story behind Bud and Travis, other than what is written on the back of the album jackets. I was just a kid, discovering my interests in music myself, when I bought those wonderful albums. I have played them throughout my lifetime, and lets face it, it's now 2005.
I cannot ever part from my albums of the duo; they are precious, and oh so beautifully done. I know I have looked before on the net a few years back and couldn't find anything on Bud and Travis. yet recently I tried and now there is a site. I am so sad to know that Bud Dashiell has passed on. I read on another site that Travis Edmonson did suffer from an aneurysm.
My thoughts as a longtime fan are with great appreciation. I Thank them both, and bless them both, for giving to me a long-lasting pleasure of the most beautiful musical arrangements a person can possess and hear.
I have continually played Travis' albums over and over. its just never tiring hearing the superb playing.”
Dorothy Casarez
May 2005
FORD BURKHART, now a Staff Editor at the New York Times, is another of those who felt that their formative years were enriched by the song and persona of Travis Edmonson, a fact which has continued to reverberate into the time which followed.
“My earliest memory is going to an early concert in Tucson, around 1957 or '58? And the music was great fun. Can still remember almost 50 years ago hearing "The wind is Tess, the rain is Joe, and ..." etc. The girl I took had a name much like the "Mariah" in the song, although it was Mary Ellen, but close enough for me.
Then, zap: I think all realized that some of this music was not just fun, but was at a higher level, rich, and culturally important. What a trip!
I think Travis took a lot of us wide-eyed students, Tucson High (and Catalina for me), along to a higher level, to a wider world, made us bigger people (and gave us a lot of fun on dates).
We wish him strength.
Cheers, Ford”
Ford Burkhart
May 2005
KAREN MOSS, who still lives in Tucson, recalls the enjoyment Travis Edmonson's music brought to her college days, and how it produced some extra benefits in the classroom.
“I have been a huge Travis fan since the early 70's, when Travis played at the lounge in the Ramada Inn here in Tucson. I feel sure that I spent much more time listening to Travis than I did in class while at the UA, and I learned to drink rum & coke while he played "Michaela."
I earned great marks in my Spanish classes because I bought all the albums and listened to them over and over, transcribing and translating -- I would go so far as to say that what Spanish I have, any fluency I can claim, is because of Travis's songs.
Our paths crossed again in later years when Travis lived on Rosemary Avenue, and ate often at Frank's Restaurant, and I worked at the church close by. My route to the church parking lot took me right by Travis's house, and I often said a prayer for him and did so with much gratitude. His music is a marker for my "growing-up" years, and I can't think of my college experience without thinking of Travis and the great music in the same thought."
Karen Moss
May 2005
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