Unless you lived in western Oregon in the late 1960s and '70s or the 1990s, you probably have no idea who Buddy Fite was. I bumped into his jazz guitar playing by accident last week on YouTube and was astonished. So I did a little research in old newspapers.
Born in Vancouver, Wash., in 1938, Ronald "Buddy" Fite weighed in at 285 pounds and stood more than 6 feet tall, He was introduced to the guitar when he was 9, thanks to his grandmother, and began playing professionally at dance halls at 10 and then nightclubs at 12, waiting in the kitchen on breaks to avoid violating the under-age law.
Fite couldn't read music and played by ear. He initially worked in local logging camps and sawmills before turning to the guitar for support. Then in 1960, he gave up music and joined the Hell's Angels. He didn't resume playing until 1967, and by then had surely been influenced by Wes Montgomery.
Told by teachers he had no musical ability, he took a job with the Sunn Musical Equipment Co., which made electric guitar amps. Fite was responsible for running clinics to promote the gear. While Fite was working for Sunn, guitar legend Les Paul heard one of his tapes and offered him encouragement.
Robert Mersey of Cyclone Records heard him and signed him to a contract. Then Johnny Mathis caught one of Fite's recordings and signed him as his accompanist for albums, tours and TV variety-show performances.
In the 1970s, Fite began to suffer from degenerative bone disease, forcing him to stop playing for 20 years. He resurfaced in 1992, appearing at clubs, most notably Portland's Grand Cafe. Fite gigged throughout the 1990s, recording five albums in all that received little notice or distribution outside of Oregon. He was best known for using his left thumb to run a walking bass line while his other fingers handled the melody and improvisation.
And this from pianist Larry Dunlop:
Hi Marc. Playing around the Portland area in the late 1960s and early '70s, I knew Buddy a bit. Quite a physically imposing character. He regularly carried a gun. My very good friend Bob James is playing organ and scatting on Tasty. Also a remarkable musician. Those were great days.
Fite died in 2001, at age 63.
Here's Buddy Fite's album Tasty, with unknown personnel and, as always, without ads...
Other ad-free Backgrounders in my series:
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- Lee Morgan: Lee-Way, go here.
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- Leon Spencer: Louisiana Slim, go here.
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