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August 14, 2007

Comments

Andrew

How poignant this was posted the same day Yankee legend Phil Rizzuto died.

jim knox

there's a killer version of Caravan on tv spinoff Eddie Layton Show LP...

jim knox

... dammit, no: i'm thinking of Lenny Dee!

appy polly woggies.

This is a marvelous tribute to Eddie Layton, a great talent and a lovely guy. However, a small correction: Eddie was not with the Yankees for 37 consecutive seasons. He joined the Yankees in 1967, replacing Toby Wright as part of a major upgrade of Yankee Stadium done by CBS, the team's owner and one of Layton's employers (Wright, as the first Stadium organist, christened the job in April of 1965 w/a new Lowrey instrument). Eddie remained with the Yankees through the end of the 1970 season and departed--he most likely left due to his backbreaking CBS and Hammond schedules which conflicted with the Yankees' home games. Toby Wright returned to the Stadium's Hammond in April of 1971 and remained with the Yankees for seven consecutive seasons including their two seasons (1974 and 1975) sharing Shea Stadium w/the NY Mets where Wright played the Thomas organ (when the Mets were home Jane Jarvis played this instrument). Wright was best known for his version of "Pomp and Circumstance" played when Yankee reliever Sparky Lyle entered a game during the 1972 season. Wright's finale was October 18, 1977, the World Series game in which Reggie Jackson hit 3 consecutive home runs (Toby played a very catchy "Autumn in New York" during the pre-game that night). Wright was terminated by the Yankees after that game and Eddie Layton, whose schedule had loosened up after seven and a half years away, returned to his place in the Stadium's organ booth, next to Bob Sheppard's P.A. booth, in time for opening day 1978. He remained there through the end of the 2003 World Series.

Georgy

Please ! Repost this Music!
http://easymusic-georgy.blogspot.com/
From Russia With Love !

Eddie Layton was a very dear close friend of myself and our family. I began playing and studying the Hammond Organ at age 13. I first met Eddie Layton "in person" after a marvelous free public concert of demonstrating and promoting Hammond Organs. Eddie was the national and international organ soloist and touring act for the Hammond Organ Company for years and years. Eddie was a "first class" showman on stage and memorized every member of his audience with his music and style.

After meeting and speaking with Eddie Layton at age 13, and Eddie wanted to hear me play the Hammond Organ the following day of his concert at the local Hammond Organ dealership. It was then that Eddie extended me a personal invitation to come visit NYC during the off-school summer months to study with him. Of course, at 13 years old, how could I say NO! I accepted his invitation with the approval of my parents, and did exactly that for 3 summers seasons. I learned tremendous techniques, style and presentation which I actively maintain and play to date on the Hammond Organ. Eddie had a couple of interesting hobbies; building and playing on his tugboat; and his awesome HO model railroad layout in his apartment which was "raised and lowered" from the ceiling via electric cable lifts. Can you imange the eyes and "wow" for a 13 year old teenager?

Eddie was a big fan of creating authentic sounds on the Hammond Organ harmonic drawbars. This was Eddie's speciality; bird calls, donkey calls; human whistler " the whistler and his doggie"; bongos, string bass, BIG BEN tolls a Foggy Day in London; and his BIG speciality: the blowing "wind sounds" in his famous version of Stormy Weather.

On one summer trip/visit to Eddie's in NYC, I remember being included as a guest to a Mercury Record Recording Session at Bob Fine's NYC recording studios called "FINE RECORDING". This was an absolute treat and treasure that I will never forget. If my memory serves me correct, most all, if not all of Eddie Layton's recordings were done at Bob Fine's studios except the last two "CD" albums; "Hammond Evergreens" and "Ya Gotta Have Heart" which were reccorded at Sear Sound Studio in NYC.

In my personal opinion, NO ONE could come close to equal or match Eddie Layton's high energy, presentation and "lightening bolt" attack on the keyboard and pedals of the Hammond Organ. Eddie Layton, was without question, the "King and Master of Sound Effects" on the Hammond Organ.

I would ask that everyone who reads my comments here, to PLEASE take a moment and email or write the Hammond-Suzuki Organ Comany at www.hammondorganco.com and request that Hammond-Suzuki list and show due respect with an article or tribute to Eddie Layton as their longtime international Hammond Organ soloist who worked so very hard for Hammond Organ Company for years and years, demonstrating and promoting their instruments. Don't you think this would be fair and most reasonable request for Hammond-Suzuki to do? I THINK SO!

Sincerely.

C. D. "CD" Smith
Lewiston, Idaho
[email protected]

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