Gabe Butterfield adds that the Butterfields all moved to Woodstock on October 23, 1969…including the band and its horn section. At first, everyone lived out on the Peter Pan Farm, currently home to the Woodstock Day School. Eventually, Paul got his own place out on Wittenberg Road…a humble place snug between the road and forest.
Some of the players who will be on stage this week, including drummer Chris Parker, were part of his father’s Better Days band. He often plays, as well, alongside original Butterfield Blues band drummer Sam Lay…the guy stolen from Muddy Waters.
“It’s a big circle of relations that go way back,” he said of the ensemble put together with Jimmy Vivino’s help. “Steve Guyger will be on harp. Pete Levin’s on keyboards and Jimmy Eppard’s playing guitar, as well. We’ve got Chris Castle, Jim Curtin, The Ohayo Horns and special guests planning to join us…plus documentary clips from way back and lots of memorabilia. We’re interested to see who else comes out that we can record interviews with…”
Gabe, a guitarist, remembers first playing with his father at age 12. But never on stage…it was usually in hotel rooms, or during sound checks. Or at home.
He recalls a week or so when Danko and Blondie Chaplin were at the house in L.A. and everyone played every night together. As well as plans that were being hatched for a tour of Paul Butterfield with his two sons, billed as The Butterfield Family, eyed as a European tour when he passed away.
Later, Danko would hire him at times as a driver…and asked Gabriel if he’d like to tour with him, playing harmonica.
“When I told him I wasn’t a harp player he said all I’d need to do is learn one note and play that,” he adds. “He told me, ‘After you play that one note you just put that harp back in your pocket and leave it at that.”
Later, while a teenager in Woodstock, Gabe remembers getting a band together with other kids like him. Iris Titus was part of it, Jennie Muldaur…Paul Butterfield was going to do a birthday party gig for Levon Helm, and the two rock elders got together with Dr. John and proposed paying the kids $500 a person to open for them.
“We practiced a version of Wild Thing, another version of Yellow Submarine, and then wrote an original for the concert,” he says. “We played up a storm but then the next day Levon, Dr. John and my dad, they took us aside and said well, you didn’t own your gear so there’s a cost for that, you ate a whole ton of hot dogs, and then there was rehearsal space…we’ll give you $50 apiece.”
Talk about a rock and roll education.
Has he always been doing homages to his father, we ask Gabe…who lived in town from 1990 to 1999, then moved south to Florida for a decade, where he ran a Panhandle bar named Butterfields until he decided to head home again. He’s now newly married, working construction, and glad to be playing again.
“My dad was my dad. We were always tight,” he says. “But after he died I started to realize someone had to correct the record about him. Like the fact that he didn’t die of an overdose…there were no drugs in his system when they did an autopsy. People talk about him being intimidating and all but he was a great and caring father, always there for us.”
We come back around to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Butterfield brings up some of the other acts that have come in over the years. He feels a great omission is continuing.
“I have to educate people about him,” he says about these concerts he’s doing, the documentary he’s producing, his “project” — now co-headed by the industry-ubiquitous Vivino — to rectify a situation. “We’ve got Super-8 film of my dad and Dylan talking about playing together at Newport. He was there at some important moments.”
In other words, Gabe Butterfield’s father, Paul Butterfield, is and always will be, true rock history.
As will be this Friday’s concert at the Bearsville Theater, showtime 8 p.m.
Gabriel Butterfield, Jimmy Vivino and “Another Night of Paul Butterfield,” at The Bearsville Theater, Tinker Street, Woodstock. Friday, November 16, 8 p.m. Admission is $25. For reservations or for more information, call (845) 679-4406 or see www.Bearsvilletheater.com.
Paul Butterfield and his band were a major influence in my musical life in Louisville, KY in the sixties. I consider myself fortunate to have seen him play several times while I was in college.
I can’t believe there is a question about whether he should be in the rock and roll hall of fame (lowercase intentional).
Can’t wait to see the film.
Paul was my friend and I knew him as a sweet and straightforward musician who had no patience for gratuitous language or silly cliches’. We spent evenings hanging out at the Bear Cafe, jamming at Levon’s studio and listening to his amazing mixes and overdubs at his house in Woodstock. Woodstock was teeming with amazing talent and there was always somebody playing around town.
Much of what Gabriel is saying is simply not true.The quote below refers to my family home. Paid for my family, furnished by my mother Kathryn and father Paul and inhabited by the three of us only prior to my parents splitting.
“Paul got his own place out on Wittenberg Road…a humble place snug between the road and forest.”
It pains me to hear this blatent misrepresentation of facts about my life experience and my father who I love deeply. Unfortunately, my dad did die of accute toxicity. I was with him hours before his passing. Sorry Gabriel, no matter how many times you attempt to rewrite history, no matter how many falsehoods you pitch, nothing will make them true.
Lee Butterfield
Again,(to the editor) check your facts prior to publishing. I could go on but see little point in doing so.
I think Lee Butterfield should get a DNA test as did Gabriel after a life time of being told he didn’t belong to Paul. Kathy brought Lee up to think this. Kathy approached Paul’s brother at the funeral when he was grieving. Kathy told Paul’s brother, Gabriel’s uncle, that Gabriel wasn’t Paul’s son. Gabe lived with that notion since he was 10 years of age. Dispicible people would do something like this to a child…well this year Gabriel got his DNA test and he is not doubt Paul Butterfield’s first son. What will be known at some point will be who is your father Lee? Your mother went out to California after a resident and actor who resided here in Woodstock. He got her acting jobs and they ended up together soon after. He even bought a house because Kathy always cried poverty and he wanted “you” to have a home, Lee. I know this for a fact. I know the man. You actually look a lot like him. Paul was blamed for infidelity, which is probably so, but he didn’t get pregnant. Your mother did. And all those I’m speaking of were friends at the time in this town…so I ask again, who is your father Lee. You look alot like some one we know and it isn’t Paul. Kathy swooped in for the money and asked Gabriel how much it would take to buy him out when Paul died! And being told for no reason he didn’t belong to Paul? Now why would a women judge Gabe an innocent boy of not having a father. Perhaps(?)because she hasn’t been truthful to you. Other facts show she hasn’t been truthful, especialy when it comes to $$$. And to think at Paul’s death, she wasn’t even married to him. She got his harps and the family, the real family got nothing but remarks from her placing doubts on Gabriel. It’s time you people shut up! Gabe was oldeer he knew his father, unlike you who I haven’t heard speak a good word about Paul. On the contrary, you trash your alleged dad. You’re not family, family doesn’t trash family…thus this tongue lashing you and your mother deserve. You get a DNA test Lee… it’s your turn now to unfold the truth. And every writer makes some mistakes. It goes with the territory. Your just jealous because Gabriel had a relationship with father of which his mother Virginia promoted. Btw, if Paul is you father, you have Virginia to be grateful to. She married and had Gabriel with Paul. Paul’s number came up and his carrer was taking off so. He didn’t have to go the Viet Nam. Are you 2 grateful, hell no. You’re pompous and proud of Paul the musician, not Paul the man. Your a couple of phonies.
ps. notice how the article talks about Paul and his music and Gabriel working to keep it alive! Notice how he talked about Paul getting nominated and hopefully inducted, which he was in 2015. Nitice how none of that was mentioned by Lee. He went straight for pointing out faults he thinks was Gabriel’s…this is a clear example of what Gabriel had to put up with all of his life. No love, no recoginition as a person no less Paul’s first born sone. And I think Lee ought to take down GAbriel’s baby picture in the lap of his father in a coffee preparing for a photo shoot. That is Gbriel not Lee! So Lee and his mother should get their fact staight. LEee you also trashed our friend, ex of your mother’s, Brad in an email to me. I still have it. What’s up with hating all the men? Don’t you think it’s time to end being your Momma’s boy and buying into her anger an be a man who thinks for himself? People, I’m using this forum because Lee is unexcessable. rightfully so. He thinks he has thrown us out of his life when in reality we had to ask him to leave our home last year. We wouldn’t tolerate you Lee, we don’t tolerate no gratitude in our house. Outside is another story.
Get your facts straight. We HAD to let you go…
Sorry,There’s lots of bickering between family members! I grew up listening to the greatest harp ever. Till this day,I’m sure! No one had that tone,not ever! I remember being in Woodstock (Joyous Lake Bar) Butterfield shows up with Dave Sanborn. They say in with the local band playing. Added a great touch. Wow. 1971-73
So…. I am sooooh happy that I got to hear and meet Paul Butterfield and Rick Danko many years ago here in Ft Lauderdale at the now gone Musicans Exchange. I am now taking blues harp lessons from Rockin Jake. Paul was an absolute inspiration for blues harp. I also met Gab many years ago when he owned the store in Sopchopy. Actually met him at the Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee. At that time I believe he was playing drums. Good to hear that he has picked up the harp and playing his heart out. I have found both these gentlemen to be quite accomplished and very friendly towards their fans. Paul will be sorely missed by all. THANKS! RICH 😎