She was a big star for a while in the 70's nashville and all a big record and she's gone she dont google or anything. I saw her at the Horseshoe
So Tony Vice had the house band at the old Horseshoe in the country days. They were backing up Tokyo Matsu the Singing Japanese cowgirl. No rehersal but she played her fiddle and sang the country standards and it went well until she left the the orange blossum special solo and took off into some weird Jappanese tune with completley alien chord strucure. She bowed and scraped some shades of the Sukiyaki Song and many unknown regions of the music scale. The band looked on stunned, the audience politely clapped, sort of. She hoed down and up, danced around the stage hit her high note stamped her little foot and and shouted TAKE IT? Tony looked at her shaking his head "Take it the f**k Where? and all came crashing to a halt.
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Hi I am Gary LeDrew
And I am writing a book
I was lucky enough to be in the middle of most things in sixties and seventies and got to hang out with some of the greats and near greats and characters of that time.
I was involved in the Art scene and was friends and hung out with Jack Bush, Harold Town, Gord Rayner Robert markle, Mickey Handy, Gerry Gladstone, Gershon Iskowitz etc. etc. and I have stories about all of them.
I was in the music biz and managed a few bands like Kid Bastien and hung out with most of them. I was a close friend of Murray McLachlan for years, and hung out with Mike McDonald, Danny Marks, Praire Oyster, Irish Rebels, Downchilds, Ian Tyson, Tom Cochrane, Burton Cummins etc. etc. of course I was the Lobsterman and sang with McLean and Mclean. I hung out with Cannonball and Nat Adderly whenever they came to town.
I was Toronto's leading bootlegger for 5 years everybody came to my afterhours club from the Rolling Stones to the premier of New Brunswick. And Joanie Mitchell sang there.
I won an Actress in a poker game, Helen shaver cooked me supper and I went out with a bunch of models and actresses.
Lesley McDonnell introduced me to Leonard Cohen , Rod Steward and Paul Shaffer for a few. I hung out with Leonard for a while. I survived a night hanging out with Hunter S. Thompson (sitting with tom Waites)I basically had backstage passes to Maple Leaf Gardens and Massey hall whenever i wanted and Bonnie Rait kicked me out of her dressing room.
In the Movie biz I was friends with Mike Ironside for years and Winston Reckert, Catherine O'Hara, Michael Sarrazin,I have lain on Elizabeth Ashely's belly while she shoved coke up my nose. I showed Johnny Hart and Jack Caprio a good time. I took Howard Duff to Lunch everyday for a six weeks and was on his xmas card list until he died. I drank with Richard Burton at least a couple of times a week for 3 months and he told me everything.
I lived on a lighthouse as a kid and took off sailing in the caribbean for 15 months. I took and sold all manners of drugs and in the seventies I was The guy to know in Toronto.
I was one of the few white guys go to the Elephant walk club. If there is one thing I hope to dispel is Toronto as a dull place.
To business I am getting old and not in great health, I am living on a basic pension and I have to Hustle with my art and web sites most of the month to get by. I am afraid I might die before I get all these stories down
My friend Richard Flohil is also raising money to write his book so far over ten thousand and well deserved Richard was instrumental to the folk and blues and jazz scenes in Toronto and tells a good story too. In my own way I was too, I helped a lot of people along the way and I never really cared about money , you wouldn't believe the people that never paid their bar tabs for starters. i just might be a little more fearless in my admissions. For I am not ashamed of anything I did there is lots I wish I had never done.
7 comments:
I played steel guitar for a road band in the 70's, and we backed Matsu for 2 weeks.....She did a great job and we all had a ball together with her and her husband George......If anyone knows how to contact her I would appreciate it....Dick Hitchcock
I could find no mention of her anywhere I just didn't want her to be totally forgotten. any further insights would be appreciated. Gary
If I'm not mistaken, the singing cowgirl may have ended up in Branson, or am I thinking of another Japanese fiddler?
Leading the house band at the Horseshoe was utter insanity. Remind me to tell you the story of the night when everyone ended up on the floor in a morass of overturned tables and broken glass. It involved a bunch of cops, the drunken regulars and Jeni's tits.
Tony "Morgan" Vice
Her daughter is Rose Knight (an ex girlfriend) who is currently living in Fort Bragg, California I believe. She has a band and performs regularly. You can find her on facebook and she could probably get you her mother's info. Awhile back she was doing some shows with Tokyo Matsu. I remember when they lived in Hendersonville in the early 80's and I would sneak into Rose's room while George was asleep in his recliner and her mom was out of town performing. Honestly I never met George but would recognize the top of his head. Google Rose Knight to get her contact info. Good luck. P.S. I think she is in Branson often doing shows.
Rose and I were friends as kids and I currently live in branson but have not heard of them being in town. I also worked at Shoji Tabuchi Theatre for 12 years in branson..he is the one that is the Japanese fiddle player.
Walking into the Horseshoe in the 70's I heard a kick ass rendition of orange blossom. Tokyo Matsu 'natch . Mind blown returned every night with friends 'till she was gone . One enduring memory is her turning to the band and saying " gimme A chord prease.
Tokyo Matsu is my aunt by marriage She was married to my uncle George Shockley. I have not seen her since the early 80's. She was great. We always loved seeing her. I would love some info on her.
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