CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E93 HON
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January 9, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks E93 TRIBUTE TO JOHN DUFFEY, AN asked Duffey how he wished to be remem- thesda-Chevy Chase High School. His father AMERICAN MUSICAL PIONEER bered. The answer was Duffeyesque: ``Well, I had been a singer with the Metropolitan hope no one will think I was a klutz.'' Opera, and the son inherited an exceptional HON. DAVID R. OBEY When the passage of time allows a broader singing voice with a range said to be three of perspective, I believe John Duffey will be con- four octaves. OF WISCONSIN As a high school student, the young Mr. sidered one of the most important creators of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Duffey developed a love for the bluegrass this music. Through his wit, laughter, extraor- music he heard on the radio. His father Thursday, January 9, 1997 dinary musical gifts and passionate perform- taught him the voice and breathing tech- Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, it is a tradition of ance, he said, ``this is a great American work- niques of a classical opera singer, despite the House to take note of milestones and pas- ing class music.'' what was said to have been the elder sages in our Nation. Mid-last year the world of I extend condolences to his family, his fel- Duffey's lack of enthusiasm for ``hillbilly music lost Bill Monroe, who was widely re- low members of the Seldom Scene, and the music.'' thousands who will miss him as I will. As a young man, Mr. Duffey worked at a garded as the founder of bluegrass. I take this variety of jobs, including that of printer and Mr. Speaker, I am inserting in the RECORD occasion to call attention to the fact that sadly repairer of stringed instruments. But his av- on December 10 we lost another giant in that at this point four articles. The first, the obituary ocation was music, and it soon became his musical tradition with the passing of John for John Duffey, written by Bart Barnes, which vocation as well. Duffey. appeared in the Washington Post. Second, the In 1957, with Bill Emerson and Charlie He was a remarkable singer of bluegrass, accompanying newspaper article, written by Waller, Mr. Duffey founded the Country Gen- possessed of a powerful vocal instrument, one Richard Harrington, which appeared in the tlemen, a bluegrass and folk music group that could soar to impossibly high notes or be- Post that same day. Third, an article written that for about 10 years rode the wave of folk for Bluegrass Unlimited by Dick Spottswood. music enthusiasm that surged through the come the soul of harmony and touch the 1960s. The group disbanded in the late 1960s, heart. He was a good performer with mandolin And fourth, a tribute to John Duffey written by Dudley Connell for Sing Out! magazine. Mr. and Mr. Duffey went to work as an instru- and guitar, and he was the prince of wit and ment repairman at a music store in the laughter. Connell is lead singer in The Seldom Scene, Cherrydale section of Arlington, which was He was a founding member of two bands which was cofounded by Mr. Duffey. how he was making a living when the Sel- that influenced string band musicians and [From the Washington Post, Dec. 11, 1996] dom Scene was formed. singers across the Nation and around the MUSICIAN JOHN DUFFEY DIES; LED THE GROUP ``When we started the Seldom Scene, we all worldÐthe Country Gentlemen and the Sel- SELDOM SCENE had jobs and we didn't care if anybody liked (By Bart Barnes) what we did or not,'' Auldridge told The dom Scene. For more than 20 years, John Washington Post's Richard Harrington last Duffey and the Seldom Scene could be heard John Duffey, 62, a singer and mandolin player who founded and led the Seldom year. ``We just said, `We're going to do some Thursday nights at the Birchmere in Alexan- Scene bluegrass group for 25 years, died Nov. bluegrass because we love it, and some dria. I had the pleasure of hearing them per- 10 at Arlington Hospital after a heart attack. James Taylor or Grateful Dead, and if people form there often. When my constituents would Mr. Duffey, who was known to music buy it, great. If they don't, what do we come to town and asked me if there was lovers for a high, lonesome and lusty tenor care?' '' something different they could see, I would al- voice that was once described as ``one in a Mr. Duffey was a large and imposing man ways tell them if they wanted to see the peo- million,'' had been a fixture in Washington's with a precise and soulfully expressive voice, and his singing was invariably moving. But ple's music at its finest they should head down musical community since the 1950s. The Sel- dom Scene was probably the premier blue- he also had an engaging, irrepressible and to the Birchmere and see John Duffey and his grass band in the Washington area, accord- sometimes off-the-wall style of stage chatter friends perform. ing to Pete Kuykendall, the publisher of and a superb sense of timing that could John Duffey did not like being boss and he Bluegrass Unlimited magazine and a former break up an audience with a one-liner. liked being bossed even less, so these bands bandmate of Mr. Duffey's. ``What people love about him is that you were composed of partners. A John Duffey For 22 years, the Seldom Scene has played know he's one of these guys stuck in the '50s, comment about band structure can be applied regularly at the Birchmere in Alexandria. but he's so happy with himself, so confident, to other aspects of life. He said, ``Democracy The group also has toured oveseas, played in and he's also nuts,'' Aulridge said in 1989. most of the 50 states and produced dozens of In the quarter-century since its formation, doesn't work all that well, but it keeps a group recordings, tapes and compact discs. the Seldom Scene built its reputation on happy longer than any other way of doing The group's most recent album is ``Dream flawless harmony, instrumental virtuosity business.'' He knew that from spending almost Scene,'' released this fall. The Seldom Scene and a repertoire that included traditional 40 years in just two bands. played with other bluegrass bands on the bluegrass and modern popular music, rock A flamboyant performer famed for spoofs of Grammy Award-winning ``Bluegrass: The tunes, swing and country, gospel and jazz. whatever needed spoofing and a general irrev- World's Greatest Show.'' Over the last quar- Over the years, there would be changes in erence on stage, John was modest, genial, ter-century, the group has played for the the group's composition, but until last year, and almost shy off stage. likes of President Jimmy Carter and Vice the instrumental core remained the same: President Gore, as well as for members of Mr. Duffey on mandolin, Eldridge on banjo Like all great artists, John Duffey was aware Congress. and Auldridge on dobro. But Auldridge left of the beauty around him. He grew up in a The group was formed in 1971 by Mr. Duffey the group in December, leaving only two family with a father who was a professional and four others: Tom Gray, who worked for original members. singer, performing at one point for the Metro- National Geographic; Ben Eldridge, a mathe- In September, Mr. Duffey was inducted politan Opera. John seems to have never re- matician and computer expert; Mike along with the original Country Gentlemen jected any music that was in tune, and he had Auldridge, a graphic artist with the Wash- into the International Bluegrass Music Asso- a good ear. ington Star; and John Starling, a physician ciation's Hall of Fame. He heard and was attracted to the music of and ear, nose and throat specialist. Survivors include his wife, Nancy L. The five men initially intended to sing and Duffey of Arlington. Appalachian migrants to the Washington area play together only occasionally, hence the from the upland South. Music is judged as name, Seldom Scene. ``They started as a fun [From the Washington Post, Dec. 11, 1996] often for its social connection as its sound, thing, like a Thursday night poker game or JOHN DUFFEY: A MANDOLIN FOR ALL SEASONS a bowling night,'' Kuykendall said. and this music had no status. But Duffey was (By Richard Harrington) not concerned about such things and he gave But the group soon progressed from occa- The National Observer once dubbed John this music a new milieu. Here was a tall man sional basement gettogethers to regular Thursday night appearances at the Red Fox Duffey ``the father of modern bluegrass,'' a with a crew cut and rapier wit performing bril- Inn in Bethesda, where they played to stand- paternity that suited the muscled, buzz-cut liant bluegrass and able to put any heckler in ing-room-only crowds, and, from there, to mandolinist and high tenor who was co- North America in his seat. the Birchmere, where they became a weekly founder of both the Country Gentlemen in Duffey loved the Appalachian sound, but he fixture. 1957 and the Seldom Scene in 1972. Those two was not from the area and did not care to pre- The Seldom Scene's 15th-anniversary con- seminal acts not only helped popularize blue- tend that he was. So he helped enlarge the cert was held at the Kennedy Center, and it grass worldwide but made Washington the reach of the music.