Steve Miller: Guitar, Vocals
Norton Buffalo: Harmonica. Vocals, Percussion
Kenny Lee Lewis: Guitar, Vocals
Joseph Wooten: Keyboards, Vocals
Billy Peterson: Bass, Vocals
Gordy Knudsen: Drums
Sonny Charles: Vocals
Influences
My father: Dad played the Harmonica around the house and on camping trips when I was a child. I began playing Harmonica at age 7, learning a lot of basic folk songs from him and found a passion for it.
My Mother: Mom had been a night club singer at several clubs in San Francisco in from the early to mid 1940s. she sang around the house ... and supported my music 100%.
My Grandfather My Grandfather on my Father's side came west from Pennsylvania when he was a young man. He became a steam locomotive engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad. He retired from the railroad when I was quite young, However, more important to me, was that Grandpa was a storyteller, knowing a vast collection of poems and tales, including many of the poems of Robert Service. As a young boy, my grandpa gave me my first silver dollar for reciting (without any mistakes) Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. He would sit on his red rocking chair in the back room of his house and recite tales that were such a joy for us to hear. It certainly whet my taste for storytelling that comes through in many of my songs.
My Great Uncle, Herbert Stothart My Mother talked a bunch about her Uncle Herbert and the work he did on film scores in the 30s and 40s. uncle Herbert was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won an Academy award for the Music to the Wizard of Oz. He was the head of the music department at MGM throughout their golden era of musicals. His accomplishments were massive and covered an incredible wealth of music, leaving an indelible mark on first in New York on Broadway then onto the Hollywood movie music scene.
My High School Band Teacher, Robert Madelena I had played harmonica for many years before joining the band in Seventh Grade. I already played and owned a bugle, so I thought I was a natural for the trumpet. Alas there were too many kids that wanted to play that, so I took on the trombone. By high school I was in the Jazz Band, Marching Band, Pep Band and Symphonic Band. I loved the musical education I learned through those years. Mr. Madelena was a great teacher ... and quite patient with me. I was indeed the class clown so I was in his hair a lot ... but I got to write some arrangements for the pep band ... and got to solo a bunch on both trombone and harmonica in the Jazz band. I honor Robert for all that he gave me.
My brother in law Ed Trout Ed was a hoot. He had been a rodeo rider in his younger days and had a great passion for country western guitar. When he married my sister, our families would get together and Ed would pull out his electric guitar and play some great country stuff. He opened me up to the country scene. My dad had bought me an acoustic guitar when I was about 10, and Ed gave me Roy Acuff, and Chet Atkins guitar books to check out and showed me my first guitar chords. I never really got that far ont he guitar back then ... but watching Ed have so much fun jamming along on the guitar and singing his country favorites certainly inspired me as a young and budding harp player.
Musical influences from the big world ... holy moly .. this could be a long list. I have learned from and stolen licks from every one from Rock and Rollers Country and Bluegrass pickers to Jazz cats, Regaee, R&B, Big Bands, Blues and especially from a lot of vocalists. I sang along in my room with the likes of Little Esther Phillips, Diana Washington, Ruth Brown, Jon Hendrix, Mose Allison, Maria Muldaur, The Golden Gate Quartet, Mills Brothers, Joe Williams, The Beatles, Loving Spoonful, Hank Williams, Beach Boys and so many other records I discovered in my youth ... the list is long and diverse ... I took it all in.
I learned a bunch from many of the musical cats I went to school with in Richmond and the surrounding turf. I didn't get into the "band" scene quite as young as some others that were kicking ass long before I was doing my own thing. In 1966, My stint in Johnny and The Marcels, a kick ass soul band, was certainly put the funk in my bones. Among my school friends were guys that went on to play with Cold Blood, Tower Of Power, Santana, Eddie Money, Greg Kihn, Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite to name a few. My little blue collar town of Richmond turned out an incredible wealth of musical talent. I certainly honor all all of these cats from my younger years.
Harmonica influences They are few, but certainly vitally important in the development of my harmonica style. Having started playing so young, for the most part, I carved my own path as I didn't have other harp players to model after besides my father. I had so much fun playing with my dad! Then a little bit with my brother in law, Ed. I was inspired by the Larry Adler records that my dad listened to when I was young. I had become a pretty darn good melodic harmonica player as a kid, but it was a long time before I started hearing other harmonica players on some of the records being played on KMPX radio in San Francisco. It was there that I discovered, first, Bill Lyman from the Jim Kweskin Jug band, then, Sonny Terry, Paul Butterfield and Charlie Musslewhite. I learned some great folk, blues and country blues techniques from these cats ... new stuff that I'd never dicovered playing folk tunes such as note bending, expanding my rhythmic playing from Sonny etc I went to school a bunch on these guys. It was a big shift from what I had played before ... but I took it on and got it in a pretty short time. I had come from the melodic and quick lick side, now it was time to dive into the blues. It took me a long time to slow down my playing and get a "bigger tone" out of the harp. (I'm still working on slowing down) ... I honor Paul, Charlie, and Sonny for helping open me up to the blues and for both the musical inspiration and the new path they set me on. Once I discovered this new direction on the harmonica, I started taking licks from other instruments like piano, guitar, sax, flute etc. I got immersed in Jazz in my high school years and soaked up a lot of stuff that then came out in my harp playing.
The South Bay Experimental Flash This was a jazz funk band in the Bay Area. When I was in High School, The B-3 player, Harry Critchfield, and drummer, Kirk Harwood, moved in across the street from me, and used to practice there. I hung out a bunch with these guys .. They kicked some serious ass!! Harry is a monster keyboard player ... and Kirk, one of the most musical drummers i have ever known. they were a huge inspriation to my music. They put so much heart and soul into their performance that they blew me away! In fact, it was sitting in with this group at the New Orleans House in Berkeley, that gave me my first time on stage in a night club when I was about 17 or so.
David Ladd Andersonwas the Sax and Flute player with this group. I loved what David did both with his horn and flute playing as well as his stage presence. An amazing talent he fronted this group with an exiting musical presence. I grabbed a lot of both licks and style from David as well as from the entire band ... and eventually grabbed the drummer and bass player from that group to form my first recording band The Stampede back in 1975. The "Flash"... Harry, Kirk, David and Dick and Gary were probably the biggest influence of my younger years. I honor them for all that they gave me.
Beyond that the list of musical influences is way to long and tedious to list. I am a sponge that has absorbed a piece of all of those I have played with and listened to. I feel so blessed for the gift I have and to be able to do what I do!!!
Sounds Like
NORTON BUFFALO DISCOGRAPHY Recording, TV & Film Credits
Solo Albums Lovin' in the Valley of the Moon(Capitol Records, 1977)
Desert Horizon (Capitol Records, 1978) R & B Norton Buffalo & Roy Rogers (Blind Pig, 1991) Travellin’ Tracks Norton Buffalo & Roy Rogers (Blind Pig, 1992) King of the Highway (Blind Pig, 2000) Roots Of Our Nature Norton Buffalo & Roy Rogers (Blind Pig, 2003)
SESSION WORKS
Artist
Title
Label
Adina Sara
Love Song to Myself
Josemy
America
Alibi
Capitol
America
Silent Letter/Alibi
Beat Goes On
Amy Grant
Heart In Motion - Walk On Water
Unreleased
Amy Holland
Amy Holland
Capitol
Arthur Godfrey
Amen
Stampman
Arthur Godfrey
East Side Of Town
Stampman
Arthur Godfrey
No Guarantees
Independent
Banana Slug String Band
Penguin Parade
Slug Music
Banana Slug String Band
Going Wild In Yellowstone & The Tetons
Slug Music
Benita Kenn
Roads
Independent
Bette Midler
Experience The Devine
WEA International
Bette Midler
The Rose
Atlantic
Blind Pig Records • Misc Artists
Prime Chops Vol 2
Blind Pig Records
Blind Pig Records • Misc Artists
Prime Chops Vol 3
Blind Pig Records
Blind Pig Records • Misc Artists
25th Anniversary Collection
Blind Pig Records
Blues Wolf
Blues Wolf
Northsound
Bob Welch
Man Overboard
Capitol
Bob Welch
Man Overboard/The Other One
Edsel
Bonnie Raitt
Sweet Forgiveness
Warner Bros.
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt Collection
Warner Bros.
Brandeberg and Shacklett
Perfect Crime • Friends
Independent
Bread & Roses
Festival of Music
Fantasy
Bruce Stevens
Watch That First Step
Strawberry
Chris Michie
Tough Love
Independent
Chris Montan
Any Minute Now
20th Century Fox
Christmas Jug Band
Rhythm On The Roof
Globe
Christmas Jug Band
Uncorked
Globe
Colleen Peterson
Takin’ My Boots Off
Capitol
Commander Cody
Flying Dreams
Arista
Commander Cody
We’ve Got A Live One Here
Warner Bros.
Crimson Tide
Crimson Tide
Capitol
Dan Rogers
Hearts Under Fire
International Artists
Daniel Kobialka
Oh What A Beautiful Morning
Li-Sem
Daniel Kobialka
Celtic Fantasy
Li-Sem
Daniel Kobialka
Going Home
Li-Sem
Daniel Kobialka
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Li-Sem
David Grisman
DGQ20
Acoustic Disc
David Grisman & Daniel Kobialka
Common Chord
Cymekob
David Soul
Band of Friends
EMI
David Soul
David Soul
Private Stock
David Soul
Playing to an Audience of One
Private Stock
Deana Carter
Demo
Unreleased
Demis Roussos
Man Of The World
Mercury
Dick Bright
Fairmont Favorites
Starbright
Doobie Brothers
Livin’ on the Faultline
Warner Bros.
Doobie Brothers
Minute by Minute
Warner Bros.
Doobie Brothers
Doobies Choice
Rhino
Doobie Brothers
Greatest Hits
Warner Bros.
Doobie Brothers
Long Train Running
Rhino
Elvin Bishop
This Skin I’m In
Alligator
Elvin Bishop
Big Fun
Alligator
Elvin Bishop
Gettin' My Groove Back
Blind Pig
Enuff Z'Nuff
Tweaked
Spitfire
Enuff Z'Nuff
Greatest Hits
Cleopatra
Enuff Z'Nuff
Favorites
Pony Canyon
First Press
First Press
Rail
Gary Vogensen
Don't Tell Me About Love
Independent
General Public
Rub It Better
Sony
George Kahumoku
Hawaiian Love Songs
Dancing Cat
Greg Douglass
Maelstrom
Taxim Records
Héléne Attia
The Eyes Of Love
Dub Lab
Hiroshi Kamiatsu
One Night Stand Brothers
Polydor-Japan
Hunter Davis
Torn
Redwood
Hurricane Sam
Piano Madness
Independent
Impostors
Mask
Dub Lab
J. Thompson
Inside World
AMH Records
James Ibold
In the 3rd Degree
Mirage Independent
Jefferson Gonçalves
Gréia
Blues Time
Jennifer Berezan
Borderlines
Independent
Jerry Garcia Band
Shining Star (Plays Norton's Song "Ain't No Bread in The Breadbox")
Fly Like An Eagle 30th Anniversary (Includes Live DVD from 2005 show)
Capitol
S.E. WIllis
Cold Hand In Mine
Mr. Suchensuch Records
Sy Klopps Blues Band
Walter Ego
Guitar Records
Theresa Chandler
Druthers
Independent
The Christmas Jug Band
Rhythm On The Roof
Globe
The Christmas Jug Band
Uncorked
Globe
Those Darn Accordions
Squeeze Machine
Globestyle UK
Tom Rigney
Metamorphosis
Parhelion Records
Tom Rigney
A Blue Thing
Parhelion Records
Tommy Thomsen
Western Jazz (Norton Produced this CD)
Pueblo
Tuck & Patti
Paradise Found
Windham Hill
Usual Suspects
Dreams
Suspex
Usual Suspects
Reunions
Suspex
Usual Suspects
Suspects Sampler
Suspex
Usual Suspects
Bluegrass Suspects
Suspex
Usual Suspex
I Heard It At The Movies
Suspex Records
Various Artists
Great Slide Guitar
Celebration Of The Blues
Various Artists
Christmas In The Northwest lll
CMF
Various Artists
Legends Of The Harmonica
Rhino
Various Artists
Blue Gold
Cymekob Blues
Various Artists
Live At The Rogue
Rockin' Rogue Records
Various Artists
National Park Series • Box Grand
Real Music
Vassar Clements
Living With The Blues (Co-Produced with Norton & David Grisman)
Acoustic Disc
Wheatfield
Wheatfield
Oval
Woodworks One
Woodworks One
Mesa/Bluemoon
FILMWORKS
The Rose
Actor, Musician
20th Century Fox
Dogpound Shuffle (1973)
Soundtrack
Paramount
Blood Beach (1980)
Actor, Musician
Independent
Heaven's Gate (1981)
Actor, Musician
United Artists
Abe & Ed, A Basketball Story
Composer/Producer (Score)
Nike Sports Prod.
Lost Frontier (1982)
Composer/Producer (Score)
Independent
Eddie Macon’s Run
Composer/Producer (Score)
Universal
Stacey's Knights (1983)
Composer/Producer (Score)
Crown International
"68"
Soundtrack
New World Pictures
Cowgirls
Soundtrack
Independent
Steve Miller Band
Fly Like An Eagle 30th Anniversary (DVD in CD package)
Capitol
Steve Miller Band
Live at Rivinia (2008)
Coming Home Studios
CBS Sunday Morning Show
Steve Miller Interviews & Performance Clips
TELEVISION WORKS
Midnight Special
Bonnie Raitt "Runaway"
Bay Area Back Roads
Featured Personality, Tour of Glen Ellen
Starsky & Hutch
"Moonshine" (Actor, Musician)
Austin City Limits
Norton Buffalo
(This is an amazing performance!)
NBC Sunday Show
Live Interview & Performance
Midnight Special
America
Celebration
Kris Kristofferson
Austin City Limits
Lacy J. Dalton
Steve Miller Band Live
Live At Pine Knob
Unsolved Mysteries
(Plumber’s Booty) Composer/Producer (Score)
Rock And Roll Tonight
Tribute To Muddy Waters
Roy Rogers & Delta Rhythm Kings + Guests
Live At The Sierra Nevada Brewery Big Room
PBS Special
Steve Miller Band
Blues in the 20th Century (Video)
Earthquake Relief Concert
With Steve Miller Band + Finale
Here Comes Garfield
Soundtrack
It's an Adventure Charlie Brown
Soundtrack
Garfield in Paradise
Soundtrack
You're a Good Man Charlie Brown
Soundtrack
Twilight Zone
Soundtrack (several episodes)
An Evening with Norton Buffalo
Live, Cotati Cabaret (PBS)
Garfield, Nine Lives
Soundtrack
Garfield and Friends
Sang Theme Song + Harmonica
Unsolved Mysteries
Soundtrack (several episodes)
Unsolved Mysteries
(Billy The Kid) Composer/Producer (Score)
MJB European Roast Coffee (Ad)
On Camera, Principal Actor
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
With Steve Miller Band
The Arsenio Hall Show
With Steve Miller Band
The Late Show with David Letterman
With Steve Miller Band
AWARDS
BAMMIES - 1977
(Bay Area Music Awards)
Best Newly Recorded Group
NORTON BUFFALO Best Folk/Country/Bluegrass Album
LOVIN' IN THE VALLEY OF THE MOON
GRAMMY AWARD - 1979
Record of The Year
DOOBIE BROTHERS • WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES
BAY AREA BLUES SOCIETY AWARDS - 1989
Best Blues Harmonica Player
NORTON BUFFALO
SONOMA COUNTY ART AWARDS - 1989
Musician of the Year
NORTON BUFFALO
HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME - 1980
Star on the Walk of Fame • At 1750 Vine St
(In Front of Capitol Records)
NORTON BUFFALO - As A Member Of - THE STEVE MILLER BAND
SONOMA ARTIST TREASURE Of THE YEAR AWARD - 1991
Sonoma, California
NORTON BUFFALO (received key to the city)
GRAMMY NOMINATION - 1992
Best Country Instrumental Performance
NORTON BUFFALO & ROY ROGERS For their performance on Song for Jessica From their 1991 Blind Pig Release "R & B")
AUSTRALIA’S BLUES ON AIR MAGAZINE, Blues Radio Programmers & Readers Poll - 1994
Best Overseas Blues Performers
NORTON BUFFALO & ROY ROGERS
"... No one plays a harmonica like Norton Buffalo. No one. Norton gets notes out of a harmonica that just aren’t there. The chromatic harps he plays are amazing, but even when he plays the diatonic harps, the emotional feeling he invokes from his notes is staggering." J.M. Berry, Sonoma Sun
Long regarded as one of the finest harmonica virtuosos on the planet, with a career now spanning 35 years, Norton Buffalo never has limited himself to playing simply one style of music. Having appeared in live performance and on over 180 releases with artists ranging from Bonnie Raitt (check the solo on “Runaway”) Kenny Loggins, the Doobie Brothers (including the Grammy Award- winning “Minute by Minute), Johnny Cash, David Grisman, Judy Collins, the Jerry Garcia Band, Vasser Clements, Olivia Newton-John, and Kate Wolf, to name a few, Buffalo leaves no doubt about his tremendous virtuoso talent in all genres.
Norton Buffalo was born in 1951 in Oakland, California. Growing up in nearby Richmond, California, musical talent ran in the family – his great uncle, noted MGM Studios composer Herbert Stothart, was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won an Academy Award for his musical contributions to “The Wizard of Oz.” Buffalo learned the harmonica from his father, and at the aqe of 11, won his first talent contest. He sang in the church choir, and throughout high school played trombone in the symphonic and marching bands and trombone and harmonica in both the pep band, and jazz band, while on the side furthering his musical interests performing in local rock ‘n’ roll and soul bands and also developing a passion for jazz.
Buffalo ended his college days when he moved to Berkeley to devote himself to music full time. His first band, The Chaos Chorus performed in the early 70s around many Bay Area clubs. Shortly after that, a love of country-western and swing music was fostered when Buffalo joined up with Western Swing Hall of Fame guitarist Tommy Thomsen’s band Sonoma County Line.
Since 1976, after he toured Europe with Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen (“We’ve Got a Live One Here” released from that excursion), Buffalo also has been a mainstay in the Steve Miller Band – “my partner in harmony,” as Miller introduces him in concert. He was on Miller’s Fly Like an Eagle tour that year and since then has never stopped touring and also recording with Miller on several of his records on Capitol, including that tour’s 30th anniversary album, including a live DVD, released in 2006. A brand new live Miller HD-DVD is expected out in November 2007.
It was Steve Miller who nudged Capitol to sign Buffalo in 1976. Norton released “Lovin’ in the Valley of the Moon,” the first of his two excellent solo records for the label in 1977. Showcasing not only his formidable harp playing, Norton also was able to combine his talents as a songwriter and producer and feature his band the Stampede, which also opened all of the Steve Miller's concerts that year. His followup LP, “Desert Horizon” followed in 1978, another sterling collection of original music with an appearance by the Tower of Power horns.
1978 also found Buffalo working as both musician and actor with Bette Midler in “The Rose.” In the years following, Norton acted and performed in “Heaven’s Gate,” as well as composing and producing the scores for “Eddie Macon’s Run” and “Stacey’s Knights.” Buffalo also has extensive television credits for soundtracks (“Here Comes Garfield,” “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” “Twilight Zone,” and “Unsolved Mysteries.” He was an actor and musician on “Starsky & Hutch,” and has also performed on Austin City Limits, Midnight Special, and both the Jay Leno, David Letterman and Arsenio Hall shows.
Since 1980, Buffalo has been performing with his rocking road band of dynamic, R&B/blues/rock veterans known as Norton & The Knockouts. In 2000, Norton released the blues-based “King of the Highway,” on Blind Pig, also featuring guitar solos by, Steve Miller, Elvin Bishop, and some fine B-3 playing by Merl Saunders. The Knockouts turned out a stellar performance framing Buffalo’s outstanding vocal, songwriting, and, of course, harmonica talents.(Blues Review Magazine said: "Buffalo demonstrates more chops than a national steakhouse chain"). In early 2008, Norton will begin recording for a new R&B flavored release with the Knockouts.
Another remarkable partnership was born in 1987 when Buffalo teamed with slide guitar player extraordinaire Roy Rogers. The pair have since released three acoustic-based albums on the Blind Pig label: “R&B” (garnering a Best Country Instrumental Grammy Award nomination for “Song for Jessica”); Travellin’ Tracks” (said People Magazine: “more bounce than a book of bad checks . . . a spirited mix of souped-up slide guitar and blustery blues harmonica”); and the latest “Roots of Our Nature.”
As a showcase for his many acoustic compositions, in 2001, Buffalo started performing and recording with the trio, Norton & Friends, featuring his new wife, Lisa Flores, and good friend, David Aguilar. The ever-eclectic Buffalo continues his love of all syles of music in this ensemble, with an emphasis on vocal harmony and melodic ballads. They have since expanded to five pieces with the addition of Owen Davis on Congas and longtime Knockouts bassist David Brown. Having now recorded 28 new tunes with this group, Norton putting the finishing touches on their first release
In 2007, Norton teamed up with Grammy Award winning Hawaiian Slack Key guitar master George Kahumoku. This pairing of harmonica and slack key guitar is magical, joining George's mastery of island music with the soul and bounce of Norton's harmonica, topped off with some wonderful vocal harmonies. So far this year they have performed a few concerts together and have recorded well over 30 tunes for an upcoming release.
When you discover Norton Buffalo, you have found the best harmonica player you are ever going to hear, bar none. (The Santa Rosa Press Democrat calls him "The High Lama of Harmonica") Be ready for a fun, heartfelt and thought provoking musical adventure with harmonicalogist, vocalist and songwriter, and long time veteran of The Steve Miller Band, Norton Buffalo. He makes the audience feel right at home with his charismatic presence. His shows are exciting, fun, soulful and full of the unpredictable and the unbelievable. Norton has been known throughout his lengthy and outstanding career, for both recordings and live performances that cover a broad range of musical styles, intimate stories, extraordinary musicianship and jaw dropping harmonica virtuosity. Check it out!
Norton, you are an awesome person.. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this tough time in your life. Please keep us all updated on your condition.
Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the
mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to
everything. ~Plato
Norton, Thank you. You truly honor me with the gift of Friendship and music... Namaste' Caron~
Norton, I held out and guess who I married: Lenny Gurule'. Simple cremony with both of our sons and happy as can be. Thanks, my friend for your advice. Lenny sends his best to you as well.
We hope to catch one of your shows soon. Lenny will be moving back from Tacoma, Washington.
Hi Norton, Thanks so much for adding me as a friend! My kids and I are fans of yours--love your music and when we have seen you live have enjoyed what you have to say about life. Your good values shine through in your music. Have an awesome day!! Carol T.
Hi Norton, thanks for the friendship! Amazing sound and talent! After all these years I got my first harmonica last month and haven't put it down yet! Keep in touch!
Hi, i love music as you can see on my page :-)
I wrote the biography about Janis Joplins first band , they are great musicians and good friends. I play the guitar a bit and love it.
A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FOR ALL IS TO BELIEVE!!!!! JUST BELIEVE!!!!have you ever looked up and just seen the stars the sun and the moon?? Earth is just one small tiny thing in the universe we are all we have!!!We live on one planet that is called earth we need to believe in PEACE ON EARTH happy new year spread the love and all the peace you can find in your heart to give.
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