Interview with Herb Pederson, July 17, 2006

Partial Transcript: So we'd like to welcome you to a interview with Herb Pederson.

Segment Synopsis: Pederson describes his early life and family background growing up in Berkeley, California.

Keywords: Bluegrass music; Californians; Dave Brubeck (Artist); Family; Friends; Junior high school; Met; Mose Allison (Artist); St. Mary's College High School (Berkeley, Calif.)

Subjects: Berkeley (Calif.); Blues (Music); California; Childhood; Early life; Family; Father; Folk music; High school; Jazz; Mother; Music; Music--California; Parents; San Francisco (Calif.); San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.); Santa Barbara (Calif.); Santa Maria (Calif.); Sisters

Partial Transcript: So what is--when did you first actually start to actually think that you'd like to play an instrument?

Segment Synopsis: Pederson recalls when he first began to become seriously interested in music.

Keywords: Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Bobby Osborne (Artist); Country music; Don Everly (Artist); Graham Nash (Artist); Guitars; Jim McReynolds (Artist); Jim and Jesse (Artist); Middle school; Musical instruments; Pattern; Phil Everly (Artist); Rhythm; The Blue Sky Boys (Artist); The Delmore Brothers (Artist); The Everly Brothers (Artist)

Subjects: Berkeley (Calif.); Early life; Harmony; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Rock music; Singing

Partial Transcript: So, how does the--how does the leap from that--

Segment Synopsis: Pederson considers how he transitioned from listening to mostly rock music to becoming interested in bluegrass.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Benny Sims (Artist); Bluegrass music; Butch Waller (Artist); Chris Hillman (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Mike Seeger (Artist); Music recording; Redwood Canyon Ramblers (Artist); The Everly Brothers (Artist); The Kingston Trio (Artist); The Limeliters (Artist); The New Lost City Ramblers (Artist); Tom Paley (Artist); WSM (Radio station)

Subjects: Berkeley (Calif.); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Rock music; San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.)

Partial Transcript: So, now you've heard a band, you've heard the records--

Segment Synopsis: Pederson remembers the first banjo he received. Pederson describes the process of learning how to play the banjo.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Buck Owens (Artist); Butch Waller (Artist); Guitar players; Guitars; Jerry Garcia (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Musical instrument makers; Order; Pete Seeger (Artist); Rich Conley (Artist); The Pine Valley Boys (Artist)

Subjects: Banjo music (Bluegrass); Berkeley (Calif.); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Friendship; High school; Music stores; Music--Performance.; Musical groups; Musical instruments; Musical performance; Newfoundland and Labrador; San Francisco (Calif.); Vancouver (Canada)

Partial Transcript: When did you start to get on to the guitar?

Segment Synopsis: Pederson briefly discusses beginning to play the guitar as a teenager.

Keywords: Bluegrass music; Butch Waller (Artist); Country music; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Everly Brothers (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Guitar players; Guitars; Lester Flatt (Artist); Rhythm

Subjects: Berkeley (Calif.); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music; High school; Music--Performance.; Musical groups; Musical performance; Nashville (Tenn.)

Partial Transcript: So--um--tell us then--uh--from getting into this first band and--and starting to really hone up a sound and so on, what kind of jobs are you getting?

Segment Synopsis: Pederson details some of the first music gigs and music-related work he had as a teenager in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Keywords: Bluegrass music; Clarence White (Artist); Coffee houses; Country music; Patrick Simmons (Artist); Pay; The Doobie Brothers (Artist); The Stanley Brothers (Artist)

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; High school; Jam sessions; Money; Music--Economic aspects; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Palo Alto (Calif.); Redwood City (Calif.); San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.); San Jose (Calif.); Teenagers; Work

Partial Transcript: So, the whole scene that you're in, you're talking--uh--some--some names that have since become extremely famous.

Segment Synopsis: Pederson considers the magnitude of the Bay Area music scene in the 1960s. Pederson discusses the move to Los Angeles with his band to play at a night club. Pederson also describes the state of bluegrass music in Los Angeles during this time.

Keywords: Apartment; Banjo players; Banjos; Bass; Billy Ray Latham (Artist); Bluegrass music; Bobby Slone (Artist); Bud and Travis (Album); Butch Waller (Artist); Chris Hillman (Artist); Clarence White (Artist); Country music; Gene Clark (Artist); Leroy Mack (Artist); Letter; Mandolin players; Mandolins; Nightclub; Odetta (Artist); Roger Bush (Artist); Roland White (Artist); The Byrds (Artist); The Golden State Boys (Artist); The Hillmen (Artist); The Kentucky Colonels (Artist)

Subjects: Berkeley (Calif.); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; California; Carnegie Hall (New York, N.Y.); Fame; Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.); Los Angeles (Calif.); Love; Music; Music business; Music icons; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Oakland (Calif.); San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.); Travel

Partial Transcript: So how did you crack the L.A. market to--to the point where you could make a full and sustain yourself?

Segment Synopsis: Pederson explains how his band was able to make a living playing bluegrass music full-time in Los Angeles by traveling to play gigs throughout California.

Keywords: Bill Keith (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Billy Ray Latham (Artist); Bluegrass music; Chris Hillman (Artist); Clarence White (Artist); Country music; Curly Seckler (Artist); Del McCoury (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Gigs; Jim and Jesse (Artist); Joe Stuart (Artist); Leaving; McCoury, Del (Artist); Rex Gosdin (Artist); Shows; The Golden State Boys (Artist); The Stanley Brothers (Artist); Vern Gosdin (Artist)

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Energy; Los Angeles (Calif.); Music icons; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; San Diego (Calif.); San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.); San Jose (Calif.); Travel; Young

Partial Transcript: So, I'm getting a feeling from this that at some point in time--uh--some creativity is going to start to come in into the play--into the piece...

Segment Synopsis: Pederson briefly talks of his time spent in the U.S. Army Reserves during the Vietnam War. Pederson describes joining a bluegrass band called the Dillards and subsequently moving to Nashville to further his music career. Pederson talks of some side gigs in Nashville while being a member of the Dillards.

Keywords: Acid rock music; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Carl Tipton (Artist); Carl Tipton and the Mid State Playboys (Artist); Country; Country music; Dobro; Don Gibson (Artist); Earl Scruggs (Artist); Eddie Hill (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Floyd Chance (Artist); Funny; Hal Rugg (Artist); Hank Williams (Artist); House band; Jimmy Capps (Artist); Joe Stuart (Artist); Lester Flatt (Artist); Liked; Local television; Mandolin players; Mandolins; Military service; Ray Park (Artist); Roy Drusky (Artist); Songwriting; Sophisticated; Stan Hitchcock (Artist); The Dillards (Artist); The Louvin Brothers (Artist); Vern & Ray (Artist); Vern Williams (Artist)

Subjects: Arkansas; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; California; Draft; Music business; Music--Performance; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nashville (Tenn.); Rock music; San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.); Television; Television programs; United States. Army Reserve; Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Work

Partial Transcript: And then--uh--I got a phone call and the voice sounded familiar, I wasn't sure who it was and he said his name was Earl Scruggs.

Segment Synopsis: Pederson illustrates what it was like to work with Flatt and Scruggs.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Country music; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddles; Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Guitar players; Guitars; Haskel McCormick (Artist); Keys (Music); Lester Flatt (Artist); Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Tuning

Subjects: Bluegrass music; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Grand Ole Opry (Radio program); Kentucky; Music--Performance.; Music--performance; Musical groups; Musical performance; Nashville (Tenn.); West Virginia

Partial Transcript: So, there--there's two years in Nashville, there's Flatt and Scruggs, there's the--

Segment Synopsis: Pederson discusses some other musical experiences in Nashville.

Keywords: Ash Grove (Venue); Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Bobby Osborne (Artist); Chet Atkins (Artist); Country music; Dean Webb (Artist); Douglas Dillard (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddles; Hank Williams (Artist); Jim McReynolds (Artist); Jimmy Martin (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Ray Park (Artist); Sonny Osborne (Artist); The Dillards (Artist); The Pine Valley Boys (Artist); Vern and Ray (Artist); Vernon Oxford (Artist)

Subjects: Berkeley (Calif.); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music business; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); RCA Records

Partial Transcript: So let's--let's drop back just prior to fulltime with the Dillards--

Segment Synopsis: Pederson relays his experiences of playing at the San Francisco Folk Festival. Pederson describes an undiscovered recording of the performance. Pederson details his work with his wife and son to improve the sound quality of the recording.

Keywords: Arhoolie Records; Bassists; Bluegrass music; Country music; Editing; Gordon Lightfoot (Artist); Merle Travis (Artist); Music editor; Ray Park (Artist); Release; Son; The Electric Flag (Artist); Variety; Vern Williams (Artist); Vern and Ray (Artist); Wife

Subjects: Berkeley (Calif.); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music; Music festivals; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; San Francisco (Calif.); San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.); Sound engineers; Sound recordings

Partial Transcript: So, now you're in the Dillards.

Segment Synopsis: Pederson details his time spent playing with the Dillards.

Keywords: Bluegrass music; Bob Stane (Businessman); Dean Webb (Artist); Dick Clark (Radio and television host); Different; Don Henley (Artist); Eagles (Artist); Influence; Leaving; Mitch Jayne (Artist); Rodney Dillard (Artist); Shiloh (Artist); The Byrds (Artist); The Dillards (Artist); Typewriter

Subjects: Albums; Altadena (Calif.); Band (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Dialogue; Harmony; Music--Performance.; Music--performance; Musical performance; Musicians; Pasadena (Calif.); Television programs; Travel

Partial Transcript: Now the studio work, you're--are you talking as a session musician?

Segment Synopsis: Pederson discusses his studio recording work, playing his banjo for movies and television shows. Pederson also describes his work playing instrumentals on song recordings for artists such as Diana Ross and Linda Ronstadt.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Car chase scenes; Challenging; Chart; Chris Hillman (Artist); Composition; Conductor; Country music; Diana Ross (Artist); Emmylou Harris (Artist); Enjoyed; Expectations; Gordon Lightfoot (Artist); Hallway; Heroes (Motion picture); Heroes (Movie); Included; Intense; Jackson Browne (Artist); James Garner (Actor); James Taylor (Artist); Johnny Rivers (Producer); Lamont Dozier (Producer); Late; Linda Ronstadt (Artist); Live performances; Lonesome Dove (Television mini-series); Mike Post (Composer); Movie soundtracks; Movies; Music director; Nervous; Nice; Outtakes; Phone call; Randy Newman (Composer); Reading music; Record; Recording sessions; Rhythm guitar players; Rhythm guitars; Session musician; Sound engineer; Strings; The Andy Williams Show (Television program); The Last Time I Saw Him (Song); The Maverick (Motion picture); The Rockford Files (Television program); Tracks; Tune; Uncomfortable; United Western Recorders

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Chords (Music); Commercials; Folk music; Friend; Guitars; Headphones; Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.); Horns; Materials; Money; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Orchestra; People; Pressure; Sound; Television programs; Universal Studios Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Partial Transcript: What's the next big band event that's coming along?

Segment Synopsis: Pederson describes what it was like to tour with important bands such as John Denver and Emmylou Harris in the 1970s.

Keywords: Album; Balance; Bands; Bluegrass music; Bus; Busy; Commercial recordings; Commitment; Country music; Crowell, Rodney (Artist); Emmylou Harris (Artist); Emory Gordy (Artist); Gigs; Glen Hardin (Artist); Hal Blaine (Artist); Hired; Important; Involved; James Burton (Artist); John Denver (Artist); Linda Ronstadt (Artist); Original hot band; Ricky Skaggs (Artist); Summer tour; Touring; World tour

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Folk music; Guilt; Music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Musicians; Nineteen seventies; People; Successful; Travel

Partial Transcript: By now you're into songwriting.

Segment Synopsis: Pederson describes his songwriting process and tendencies.

Keywords: Accepted; Alan Jackson (Artist); Amazing; Banjo players; Banjos; Ben Eldridge (Artist); Bluegrass music; Chris Hillman (Artist); Commercial recordings; Contract; Country music; Demo album; Development; Difficult; Emotional; Encouraging; Glenn Frey (Artist); Ideas; John Denver (Artist); John Starling (Artist); Johnny Rivers (Producer); Mike Post (Producer); Natural; Old Train (Song); Orchestration; Pace; Process; Recording sessions; Release; Sandman (Album); Signature; Situation; Solo project; Songwriting; Southwest (Album); Talent; The Dillards (Artist); The Seldom Scene (Artist); Thrilled; Tony Rice (Artist); Tour; Tunes; Wait a Minute (Song)

Subjects: Albums; Artists; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Epic Records; Melody; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; People; Perspective; Singing; Songs; Time

Partial Transcript: What--at what time does the Chris Hillman, Herb Pederson thing start to really manifest itself...

Segment Synopsis: Pederson illustrates his time spent playing banjo in the Desert Rose Band.

Keywords: Away; Banjo players; Banjos; Beginning; Bluegrass music; Chris Hillman (Artist); Collaboration; Commercial recordings; Country music; David Grisman (Artist); Drums; Emory Gordy (Artist); Enjoyed; Feelings; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Finale; Fun; Good run; Guitar players; Guitars; Hair; Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Song); High Country Snows (Album); Hired; Idea; Jim Buchanan (Artist); Jim Dickson (Artist); John Jorgenson (Artist); Lonesome Feeling (Album); Loss; Mainstream; Mandolin players; Mandolins; Number one hits; Opening; Opening act; Production; Record deal; Recording sessions; Russ Kunkel (Artist); Show; Solo project; Sound stage; Talent; The Desert Rose Band (Artist); The Thunder Mountain Boys (Artist); Timeless; Tough; Touring; Unsuccessful; Vince Gill (Artist)

Subjects: Bass; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Disneyland (Calif.); Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.); Los Angeles (Calif.); Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Musicians; Nashville (Tenn.); Nineteen eighties; Orchestra; Promotion; Quartet; Singing; Songs; Sound; Sugar Hill Records; Television programs; Thousand Oaks (Calif.)

Partial Transcript: Bill and I were discussing of putting together some kind of bluegrass thing.

Segment Synopsis: Pederson explains what prompted him to start a bluegrass band as a side gig while working with the Desert Rose band.

Keywords: Accident; Band; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Composition; Contribution; Country music; Creative process; Experimentation; Gabe Witcher (Artist); Great singer; Guitars; Hand; Highway; Idea; Impact; Kenny Blackwell (Artist); Leaving; Moving; News; Ownership; Playing; Release; Rhythm; Rights; Roger Reed (Artist); Sitting; The A-Team (Television program); The Desert Rose Band (Artist); Yellowhead (Song)

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; British Columbia; Canada; Health; Music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Oklahoma; Prince George (B.C.); Television; Television programs; Travel

Partial Transcript: So, let's talk a little bit about your experiences with Old & in the Gray.

Segment Synopsis: Pederson talks of performing in a band called Old & in the Gray, which was formed in part as a tribute to Jerry Garcia.

Keywords: Anticipation; Appreciative; Arrangements; Audience; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass music; Bluegrass reunion album; Breakfast; Bryn Bright (Artist); Car; Collaboration; Concerned; Country music; David Grisman (Artist); David Grisman Quintet (Artist); Development; Driveway; Editing; Fun; Great experience; Guitar players; Guitars; Included; Jerry Garcia (Artist); Jim Buchanan (Artist); Live performances; Mandolin players; Mandolins; Old & in the Gray (Artist); Old & in the Way (Artist); Pete Rowan (Artist); Phone call; Present; Quick; Reaction; Recording sessions; Red Allen (Artist); Rehearsal; Sam Grisman (Artist); Selection; Talking; Tribute; Tunes; Wintergrass Music Festival, Washington; Wonderful

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Communication; Death; Friendship; Mill Valley (Calif.); Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Musicians; Nineteen nineties; Nineteen seventies; Nineteen sixties; San Francisco (Calif.); Songs; Time

Partial Transcript: The Rice, Rice Hillman, Pederson stuff.

Segment Synopsis: Pederson discusses his work in the band Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pederson.

Keywords: Backstage; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music; Chris Hillman (Artist); Clarence White (Artist); Commercial recordings; Country music; Directions; First album; Fun; Guitar players; Guitars; Illness; Jerry Douglas (Artist); Larry Rice (Artist); Nodding; Out of the Woodwork (Album); Peers; Projects; Quality; Rhythm; Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pederson (Artist); Rickie Simpkins (Artist); Ronnie Simpkins (Artist); Run; Schedules; Selection; Solo; Style; Talent; Talking; The Golden State Boys (Artist); The Haphazards (Artist); The Kentucky Colonels (Artist); The Laurel Canyon Ramblers (Artist); The Pine Valley Boys (Artist); Thrilling; Timing; Together; Tony Rice (Artist); Tunes; Wonderful

Subjects: Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Brothers; Children; Chords (Music); Death; Duet; Experience; Grass Valley (Calif.); Imagination; Independence; Learning; Los Angeles (Calif.); Melody; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Notes; Pasadena (Calif.); Role models; Sick; Singing; Songs; Stanzas; Trust; Virginia; Young

Partial Transcript: You've--you've never--uh--limited yourself--(Pederson laughs)--with who you're gonna get involved with.

Segment Synopsis: Pederson reflects upon his career over the years and the difficulties of performing as an older musician.

Keywords: Brad Paisley (Artist); Buck Owens (Artist); Buddy Allen (Artist); Chris Hillman (Artist); Continue; Cranky; Demand; Difficult; Dwight Yoakam (Artist); Funeral; Instrumentals; Live performances; Loved; Nice; Opening act; Parking; Playing; Son; Support; Switch; Talent; Talking; Times; Well-done

Subjects: Aging; Bakersfield (Calif.); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Career; Grammy Awards; Health; Music; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; People; Travel; Truth; Young

Partial Transcript: What trends do you see happening in--in bluegrass...

Segment Synopsis: Pederson evaluates some of the more recent trends in bluegrass music.

Keywords: Amazing; Appreciation; Attempt; Bands; Banjo players; Banjos; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Canadian; Concerned; Confusing; Convinced; Country music; David Talbot (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Format; Genres; Great; Impact; Influences; Interesting; Jim Buchanan (Artist); Jimmy Martin (Artist); JonBenét Ramsey; Larry Rice (Artist); Live performances; Marty Stuart (Artist); Missing; Modern; Murder ballad; Original sound; Osborne Brothers (Artist); Potential; Producer; Questioning; Radio shows; Reasons; Reflection; Rhonda Vincent (Artist); Rice, Rice, Hillman & Pederson (Artist); Scott Vestal (Artist); Showtunes bluegrass; Similar; Skaggs, Ricky (Artist); Soft-level bluegrass; Song types; Songwriting; Stanley Brothers (Artist); Story; Talent; The Grascals (Artist); Traditions; Trends; Tribute; Tune; Unnecessary; Upbringing; Vern & Rey (Artist)

Subjects: Age; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Career; Change; Cycles; Energy; Enthusiasm; Evolution; Good; Legends; Lyrics; Materials; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Musicians; Personality; Pioneers; Radio; Salute; Singing; Songs; Sound; Time; Understanding; Unique

Partial Transcript: What--what's immediately around the corner? What next public thing is Herb Pederson going to be doing here?

Segment Synopsis: Pederson discusses his future plans in music. Pederson also provides advice to aspiring bluegrass musicians.

Keywords: Appreciation; Band; Banjo players; Banjos; Baritone; Benny Martin (Artist); Benny Sims (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Bluegrass music; Chris Hillman (Artist); Comfortable; Country music; Development; Dislike; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Enjoyed; Fiddle players; Fiddles; Gabe Witcher (Artist); Help; Issues; Jesse McReynolds (Artist); Jim McReynolds (Artist); Joe Stuart (Artist); Joined; Josh Graves (Artist); Kenny Baker (Artist); Key; Laurel Canyon Ramblers (Artist); Lead; Nice; Opening act; Record deal; Record production; Recording projects; Roger Reed (Artist); Roots; Roots of bluegrass; Shelly Colvin (Artist); Sister South (Artist); Songwriting; Sonny Osborne (Artist); Style; Switch; Talent; Tenor; Tone; Traditions; Vocals

Subjects: Alabama; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Duet; History; Independence; Learning; Legacy; Listening; Materials; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Nashville (Tenn.); Rest; Salt Lake City (Utah); Singers; Singing; Songs; Speed; Vocal cords; Work

Partial Transcript: What are some things that you would like to be remembered for?

Segment Synopsis: Pederson briefly considers what he wants his musical legacy to be.

Keywords: Bluegrass music; Contribution; Country music; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Glad; Help; Ideas; Image; Improvements; Live performances; Mechanic; No ego; Nominated; Position; Record; Recording sessions; Role; Situation; Team; Team player

Subjects: Artists; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Change; Cooperation; Legacy; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Sound; Thinking