Travis Edmonson of Bud & Travis
EXCLUSIVELY available from travisedmonson.com
Profile by John Thomas
 John Thomas ("JT")
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 Travis Edmonson made his breakthrough with The Gateway Singers, resident group at the hungry i
Be sure and check out the website celebrating the great San Francisco club at www.hungryi.net
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A pal for over four decades, producer JOHN THOMAS played an active role in bringing the music of Travis Edmonson to fans on CD. The late musician, who passed away on October 2, 2006, shared some some background about the friendship and about new projects.
"I first met Travis Edmonson in Santa Barbara in the late '50's - early '60's. I had a folk group, "The Channel Singers", and there were a few really great "folk Clubs" happening - "The Iopan", "The Noctambulist (across from the Lobero Theater in the basement), "The Rondo", and "The Nexus", where we usually "headlined" along with other local groups, including "Tony Townsend", "The Floyd County Boys", "Peter Feldman", "The Cache Valley Drifters", and a great variety of "folk artists."
I recall being at the "Iopan" Coffee House and being "all set to do our thing" when the manager came up and asked us if we'd " like to do an "Opening Set" for these two guys who just blew in from The Bay Area called "Joe & Eddie" - we did.. A couple of weeks later, we had a group called "the Stone Ponies" open for us at "The Nexus"......
A week or so later, this duo called "Bud & Travis " popped in at "The Noctambulist" and, having had the pleasure of being the opening act, we all sat spellbound - no one had ever seen a show like this.!!! The harmonies - the guitar interaction - the musical tradeoffs - the banter - the presence - the selection of music material - THE BEST SHOW/ACT in "folk music" that I's ever seen/heard - including the LimeLighters, Peter, Paul & Mary, AND the Kingston Trio -(and having "opened" for them as well locally,) nary a doubt that THIS was THE hottest folk music duo - and the fun part , for me, was that Travis and I got to be friends - he enjoyed my music, my "selections" and renditions, gave me tips, jammed with me, etc.
A few months later, I also had the pleasure of having Travis stay with me at my house in Santa Barbara (following his "break" with Bud) , and we had the pleasure of orienting his "solo" career, with performances at the El Paseo Restaurante , and culminating with his first "solo concert" which I produced and recorded - "Travis Edmonson: Live @ U.C. Santa Barbara" - his first "solo "concert after the split with Bud.
We caught up again several years ago , and have since released "Travis Edmonson: The Tucson Tapes - Vol. # 1 and Vol. #2", the aforementioned "Travis Edmonson: Live @ U.C. Santa Barbara", and, of course, our most recent "re-creation" of the hot "Bud & Travis: The Santa Monica Concert" in which we ACTUALLY re-created the concert as it was ACTUALLY performed - Set 1 and Set 2 - which is why the album has been submitted for consideration for a "GRAMMY" award for "Best Historical Album"......
AND IN THE WINGS IS THE UPCOMING RELEASE OF "Bud & Travis: The Latin Album" soon to come out on Folk Era Records!!! (Which is another whole story...)!!!!"
John Thomas
October 2003