RIP : James "Glen" Croker of the Hackberry Ramblers Passes

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Guitarist, singer and emcee Glen Croker, the last surviving old-time member of the Hackberry Ramblers,
passed away on August 23 in Lake Charles, LA, at age 77, following a lengthy illness.

Born in Lake Charles in 1934, Croker began playing steel guitar in the early 1950s with Eddie Shuler and
the Reveliers. On the way home from engagements with the Reveliers, the young Croker would stop by
the Silver Star Club in Sulphur, LA, to hear the Hackberry Ramblers. "And it's a funny thing about that,"
Croker recalled; "I can remember saying to myself: 'Self, one day you'll be playing with that band!' And
thus it came to pass."

Croker joined the Hackberry Ramblers in 1959, 26 years after the band was co-founded by Luderin
Darbone and Edwin Duhon. Croker stayed with the Ramblers through their final performance in
November of 2005. His swaggering, soulful style and use of electronic amplification brought the
Ramblers a post-war honky-tonk tinge that added blues, R & B, rockabilly, and classic country
songs to their already-diverse repertoire. This stylistic incarnation was the sound most often heard when
the Ramblers started touring nationally in the late 1980s, following an appearance at the New Orleans
Jazz & Heritage Festival. When first founded in 1933, the Ramblers had embodied the acoustic
string-band sound of that era, and then evolved, during the 40s, into a large western swing orchestra.
Despite his modernizing influences, Croker always stayed connected with the band's traditional roots, in
part by singing in French on many Cajun numbers.

Croker appeared on the Hackberry Ramblers albums Jolie Blonde (Arhoolie, released in 1963), Cajun
Boogie (Flying Fish, released in 1993, re-released by Hot Biscuits in 2003), and the Grammy-nominated
Deep Water (Hot Biscuits, released in 1997), and on the anthologies Boozoo Hoodoo (Fuel 2000, 2003)
and Christmas Gumbo (Flambeaux, 2004.) Croker was also prominently featured in the PBS
documentary film Make Em Dance: The Hackberry Ramblers Story (http://www.pbs.org/independentlens
/makethemdance/) directed by John Whitehead of Fretless Films, St. Paul, MN. Make Em Dance was
broadcast nationally on the PBS series Independent Lens in 2004. He enjoyed the fulfillment of a
life-long dream by performing at the Grand Ole Opry in 1999. To hear all the best elements of Croker's
style as a guitarist and singer, click on the song Poor Hobo on the Deep Water album.

In addition to his musical talent, Croker was known, as the band's emcee, for his snappy patter. His
shamelessly corny bandstand jokes elicited groans around the U.S. and in France, Holland, and Canada.
"I really am a nice guy, once you get to know me," Croker often said; then, after a dramatic pause, he
would add,"but that getting-to-know-me part is rough." He will be sorely missed. James Glenwood
Croker is survived by his devoted wife, Nell, two sons, two daughters, three step-children and numerous
grandchildren. Funeral arrangements, which have yet to be announced, will be posted at
www.hackberryramblers.com.

Source : HERE

Connaissais pas, mais tout ce que je sais, c' est que chaque fois qu'un musicien meurt, une étoile nouvelle brille au ciel. Euh ... Z'avez vu le nombre de musiciens au dessus de vos têtes ???

Je viens de changer la vidéo et la vieille photo de son ancien groupe !

Je ne connaissais pas non plus !............................ mais je suis sure que les autres ont du bien l'accueillir la haut !

Maintenant , quand on y pense , les jours ou il y a bal au " ROCKIN STAR'S HEAVEN " l'affiche doit etre grandiose !...........................................................yep !

Une triste nouvelle..................Merçi pour les infos.
Dj Eddie-Cesc

Les Hackberry Ramblers étaient passés à Craponne en je ne sais plus qu'elle année, et qu'elle pêche ils avaient, çela m'avait sidéré

donald a écrit:

Les Hackberry Ramblers étaient passés à Craponne en je ne sais plus qu'elle année, et qu'elle pêche ils avaient, çela m'avait sidéré

à Saulieu en 2003