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Sleepwalk's creators!?!? OMFG, FOUND THEM AT LAST!!! |
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I accidently discovered open E 6th on my Fender Champion while I was learning the great old ballad from the fifties "Sleep Walk".
The following is only tangentially related to my guide to the Champion.Skip the next two paragraphs if you are ONLY interested in the guide : ( The song "Sleep Walk" is obviously in the key of C, but I found I could play most of it very easily in the all popular open E tuning (E,B,E,G#,B,E). Yet the bass notes just weren't coming together right! The section in the song from about the end of the 9th measure, moving into the 10th, there is a very quick(almost slurred) descending pattern. It sounds so smooth that I knew Santos (of Santos and Johnny who recorded ,and wrote this song) was staying on the same fret. Playing accross the fret board. That is not jumping around the neck like an electric standard guitar player would. That would sound choppy on a steel guitar, and Sleep Walk doesn't sound at all choppy.
I was close,most of the song worked in open E,but not the bass notes.So I dropped the low E to a B.Then I raised the 2nd lowest string up two whole steps from A to C#, and Ta Dah! There it was, open E 6th tuning! This is the key I am certain the original recording was made in! low to high: B,C#,E,G#,B,E. Unless Santos and Johnny tell me otherwise that is. I know the great western swing pedal steel guitarist Herb Steiner sayes "Sleep Walk" is in the open tuning of C# minor, but look at this way. C#minor IS the relative minor to E major!! E6th and C# minor are in fact the same tuning! The exact same open string notes are used in both these tunings)
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I... have been searching... for the name or names of the ones responsible for the creation of this beautiful instrumental.... O_O
Could I... is it possible... I've found it!? Found THEM?
Santos and Johnny?
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~~~~~~~~~More information. O_O
Do you remember where you were in the summer of 1959? Maybe you weren't yet born. SANTO and JOHNNY's Sleep Walk is known as the world's favorite guitar song. If you ever heard Sleep Walk, you've never forgotten it. And you aren't alone. Sleep Walk has many fans throughout the world and we all share one thing in common - a love for this mesmerizing tune.
This magical melody was recorded by a couple of brothers from Brooklyn, New York. JOHNNY FARINA entered life on April 30, 1941. SANTO was born October 24, 1937. At the very young age of 9, SANTO took up the lap steel guitar. When JOHNNY reached 12, his brother taught him to play the electric guitar. Their sister, ANN FARINA, helped write the songs.
They began recording in 1959 with Trinity records' release of Sleepwalk, which was written with the help of their mother. Canadian American records entered the picture with a slight alteration to the title. Sleep Walk arrived on Billboard August 17, 1959. It shot straight to #1 in the nation and remained at that position for two solid weeks. This aria earned the magnificent duo a gold record.
From 1959-64, five other Canadian American releases followed. December 6, 1959 is when Tear Drop arrived on Billboard and traveled up the chart to #23. Some hit LPs did pretty well. Santo & Johnny (1960), Encore (1960) and Hawaii (1961). SANTO and JOHNNY carried on their recordings into the 1970s on small Italian labels. From 1959-73, Santo and Johnny have released over 40 albums worldwide. The brothers FARINA disbanded their act in 1976.
Since 1973, JOHNNY has kept the magical steel guitar sound alive as a solo artist all over the U.S. Appearances to his credits include: The Greek Theater (California), The Paramount (NYC), The Hollywood Casino (Mississippi), Ruth Echard Hall (Florida), The Continental Ailines Arena (New Jersey), The Meadowlands (New Jersey), The Philharmonic Center (Florida), The Mohegan Sun Casino (Connecticut), Madison Square Garden (NYC) and Harrah's (Las Vegas).
In 1979, the British band, BLACK CAT, recorded Sleep Walk, but never released it. BLACK CAT has played Sleep Walk in their concerts, often opened with it. This brought the tune to a much younger generation of Rockers in England and the rest of Europe. There are bootleg copies of BLACK CATS' version of Sleep Walk.
Sleep Walk is played over 100,000 times a year in the U.S. BMI reports that it is equally as popular in Europe. Sleep Walk has earned the BMI 2 Millionaire Award which means 2 million airplays on the radio. Sleep Walk won the Grammy in 1999 for the Best Instrumental of the Year. That's 40 years after its original release date. The tune has now earned 2 Gold Records: Sleep Walk and for its use in The Godfather. The song has been featured in many movies, such as: LaBamba, All I Wnnt for Christmas, Red Hot, A Smile Like Yours, The Locusts, The Alarmist, Telling Lies in America, Valentino Returns, Coupe DeVille, Eddie and the Cruisers, STEPHEN KING's Sleepwalkers, Porkey's Revenge, BRUCE WILLIS' 12 Monkeys, CHER's Mermaids, Blue Moon and The Godfather.
Sleep Walk is used on many TV programs: Wiseguy, 90210, Quantum Leap, Tour of Duty, Designing Woman and The Marshall. TV commercials put Sleep Walk to good use: Chevvy Camaro, Naturalizer Shoes and Mazda Miata. Sleep Walk lingers in the memory of those of us who love truly great music. SANTO and JOHNNY's popularity grew to unbelievable heights. They became even more popular in Europe. This one simple instrumental song has gone on to carve a special place in the hearts and minds of millions of us music fans around the world.
 Sakura Moonflower · Sun Jul 02, 2006 @ 10:50am · 0 Comments |
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