http://visualguidanceltd.blogspot.com/2009/01/ringo-starr-chips-moman-pete-drake.html <br /><br /><br />this little gem was found unmarked by a wonderful Memphis videographer, and lo and behold, through persistent viewing through reams of b-roll, i discovered this never-before-seen personal video message from Ringo Starr and Chips Moman to Pete Drake, wishing him the best for an unnamed award circa 1987. [Ringo and Chips were in Memphis preparing to record Ringo's Memphis album, which would soon be aborted and end in legal problems.]<br /><br /> the 'Pete' Ringo refers to, regarding finding country tapes in his car, is indeed, Pete Drake, who was the Nashville record producer responsible for convincing Ringo to cut a country record in Nashville with Nashville players, all on the basis of his coincidental discovery of Ringo's country music collection discovered while picking him up at the airport. [their record became Beaucoup of Blues, winning more than a few top 10s, as well as critical accolades.]<br /><br /> You may also recall from a few previous posts, Pete Drake's own otherworldly contributions as top session man and inventor of the talking steel guitar [e.g. Forever, etc.], played with his talkbox, rubber hose, connected to his pedal steel guitar.<br /><br /> In 1987, after the The Commercial Appeal ran a column about Ringo Starr, whose album Moman was producing, Moman fought back.<br /><br /> The Commercial Appeal column disparaged Starr (saying "the aging Beatle was yesterday's news...least talented of all the Beatles"). <br /><br /><br /> Moman retaliated by staging a protest in front of the newspaper's offices.<br /><br /> Despite recording, Starr eventually abandoned the project and sued Moman to stop the album's release.<br /><br /> One place he doesn't visit is Memphis. "I've stayed away," says Moman, in an easy drawl. <br /><br /><br /> MOMAN AND STAX:<br /><br /> Moman and Jim Stewart hit it off, and decided to join forces to start what would become Satellite, and eventually, Stax Records. Moman played a pivotal role in Stax's development. He recorded the label's initial hits, and turned Stax from a white country music company into a Soul label.<br /> Stewart and Estelle Axton brought that to an end in 1962. Axton and Stewart suggested Moman was seeking credits and money he didn't deserve.<br /><br /> MOMAN'S AMERICAN SOUND STUDIOS:\<br /><br /><br /> A few thousand dollars was enough to start at 827 Thomas--American Sound Studios.<br /> Moman struggled producing & playing guitar @ Muscle Shoals, writing songs with Dan Penn [Dark End of the Street]...<br /><br /> The studio hit its stride when Moman wooed members of Hi Records and Phillips to form American Studios group: Reggie Young, Gene Chrisman, Bobby Wood, Bobby Emmons, Mike Leech and Tommy Cogbill. A succession of hits like the Box Tops' ("The Letter"), and, most famously, Elvis Presley's ("Suspicious Minds") brought fame.<br /><br /><br /> Between 1967 and 1972, American cut 122 chart records. <br /><br /><br />1,428 views •Upload date: 01/15/2009<br /><br />Share link: http://dai.ly/x81lrf
