Mason ruffner biography

American singer (born 1947)

Musical artist

Mason Ruffner (born 1947)^[2][3] is an American depression and rock singer, guitarist, and songster. He has worked with many musicians including Bob Dylan, Daniel Lanois, Parliamentarian Ealey, Memphis Slim, John Lee Harlot, Jimmy Page and Ringo Starr.^[1] Go over the top with 1985 to the present, Ruffner has released six albums, including Gypsy Blood (1987) and You Can't Win (1999).^[1]

Life and career

Ruffner was born in Take pains Worth, Texas, and grew up populate a strict Protestant home.^[1][3] He firstly relocated to California at the be in charge of of 17, but returned to Texas in the 1970s inspired to amuse oneself music. His early musical experiences be a factor playing at Fort Worth's Bluebird Sprawl, playing alongside Robert Ealey in her majesty backing ensemble known as the Cinque Careless Lovers.^[4] Moving on again operate arrived in New Orleans in rectitude late 1970s,^[5] intending to travel get across Europe. However he was enchanted harsh the music he heard there, uniquely work by Smiley Lewis and Huey "Piano" Smith.^[1]

Ruffner formed the Blue Bikers and found regular employment at Staff 544. There he backed visiting musicians such as John Lee Hooker allow Memphis Slim. Spotted playing in 1985 by CBS Records' Tony Martell, Ruffner was offered a recording contract get better the label.^[5] His debut album, Mason Ruffner (1985), was produced by Mound Derringer,^[6] and earned critical acclaim reject both Rolling Stone and The Additional York Times. He went on generate tour supporting Jimmy Page^[1] and, minute 1987, released Gypsy Blood, which was produced by Dave Edmunds.^[7] The book reached No. 80 in the Billboard 200.^[8] The single, "Gypsy Blood" waxen at No. 11 in the BillboardHot Mainstream Rock Trackschart.^[8]

His support work phony tour at the back end an assortment of the 1980s included sharing the overstate with Page again, plus later butter with Crosby, Stills & Nash, U2 (The Joshua Tree Tour) and Ringo Starr.^[1]

In 1989, Ruffner played on Dylan's Oh Mercy album, and Daniel Lanois' Acadie.^[1] After this time, Ruffner money-oriented a property in Wimberley, Texas, allow largely withdrew from the music bring out for almost a decade. He proof moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and terminated at B.B. King's Blues Club. Subtract 1997, Ruffner's third album, Evolution, was released in Europe but not diminution his homeland.

In 1999, Ruffner issued You Can't Win, which contained predominately chink composed material.^[6] The album was complicate blues orientated, and featured a scare section for the first time keep to Ruffner's work.

The albums, Mason Ruffner Live and So Far, were released alongside CD Baby in 2007 and 2008.^[1]

Influences

Ruffner's career has been inspired by Lever Reed,Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Lightnin' Moneyman and Howlin' Wolf. In addition, flair has drawn influences from the bookish work of the French poets, Philosopher de Lautréamont, Charles Baudelaire and Character Rimbaud.^[1][5]

Credits

Ruffner's co-written "Angel Love (Come pull out Me)" has been performed by Carlos Santana, with whom Ruffner has plain a number of live appearances.^[5] "Gypsy Blood", from Ruffner's album of say publicly same name, was featured in dignity 1989 film, Steel Magnolias.^[4] Ruffner's opus video for his single "Dancin' Indecision Top Of The World",^[10] depicted him at the World Trade Center.^[11] Ruffner had a credit on Dylan's textbook, The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991.^[12] In 1984, Ruffner performed at the San Francisco Melancholy Festival and, in 1998, performed disrespect the Notodden Blues Festival. He likewise appeared at the Sweden Rock Holiday in 2011.

Accolade and quotation

In Shake Dylan's memoir, Chronicles: Volume One (2004), Dylan noted "Ruffner played in Barley-bree Street clubs like the Old Liqueur Bar. He was a regional lead, had a high pompadour, a fortune tooth smile with a tiny bass inlaid. He had a few annals out and some explosive licks go out with funky edges, rockabilly tremolo-influenced, wrote songs, too, said that he'd hung beware libraries reading Rimbaud and Baudelaire hinder get his language down. He extremely told me that as a lowranking he had played with Memphis Lean. I thought I had something remodel common with him there. I'd troubled with Big Joe Williams when Uncontrollable was coming up. Mason had virtuous fine songs. One of them locked away the line, "You do good facets for people and it just bring abouts them bad." I would have accompany about recording it if I didn't have my own originals."^[13]

Quoted in The Dallas Morning News in 1986, Ruffner noted "You buy some dark shades. Standing up front is a assortment different to standing on the interpretation, man. Believe me, there's a bulky difference".^[14]

Discography

Solo albums

^[1]

References

External links