Michael Bamberger On T Bone Burnett, Golfer

One of the world's best music producers is also a golfer who is old enough to have seen Ben Hogan during his Shady Oaks days.

Michael Bamberger of Golf.com speaks to the legendary T Bone Burnett about his youth in Fort Worth and his views on the game.

His hometown is a recurring theme. In one email he wrote about how he grew up playing at Fort Worth's Shady Oaks Country Club, where Hogan lunched daily:

"Hogan would sit in the clubhouse at a table in the window above the range. It was always a possibility that he would be watching the cats out there trying to dig a swing out of the dirt. You got used to that.

"But some days, you would be hitting balls on the range and suddenly feel a presence behind you. You would look back and Mr. Hogan would be standing there looking at you. You would turn back around and try to forget he was there and keep hitting balls. After a few shots, maybe a particularly solid one, you would look again, and he would have vanished."

Comments

[Meefer]

If you don’t know him, T Bone’s musical contributions are exquisite. If you didn’t read the article, please do. Bamberger at his best.

[Cob Carlson]

Well, playing a round with T-Bone goes right to the top of my bucket list. The guy is a musical genius...a bona fide phenom.

Saw him live in concert at the Somerville Theater in Massachusetts in June of 2006, during his tour on the heels of his "True False Identity" CD release. A monster of an album by the way. T-Bone hadnt taken a band on the road in 20 years. It was one of the most amazing live shows I have ever seen. He had an incredible band behind him (of course)...Jim Keltner on drums, Marc Ribot on guitar...those in attendance had to know they were witnessing something very special. It was akin to a golfer shooting a 57, never mind a 59. No one was making that kind of cutting edge music, then or since.

What a great piece of writing by Michael Bamberger! We need more T-Bones playing this game!

[Jake]

T-Bone is a legend. I feel sorry for any human who doesn't know who he is. Every time I drive by Shady Oaks I think of Hogan. Now I'll also think of T-Bone. And yes, I've played the course.

[FC]

Good stuff from Michael, as always.

[Whodat]

Never heard of him. I am in the majority in that.

[digsouth]

T Bone is a producer's producer. Produced several albums for my friends, Los Lobos. Do yourself a favor and see if their is any music you like he hasn't touched.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_Bone_Burnett_production_discography *dig*

[Jeff]

The Wolves!
Fantastic Dig

[Hod]

First time Ben Hogan and Ornette Coleman shared a paragraph.

[StephenP from NJ]

Love T-Bone Burnett and his work on the albums of many of my favorite artists, from Elvis Costello to Marshall Crenshaw. Saw T-Bone Burnett on guitar with his former wife, Sam Phillips, at the Bottom Line in 1994. She was promoting one of the best CDs of the 1990s, "Martinis and Bikinis". Jerry Scheff (Elvis Presley) was on bass. Stellar night of music with fabulous muscians. This clip is from the same tour with that great lineup of muscians from my YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdhDkV3oAu8

[Cob Carlson]

"Martinis and Bikinis" one of the best album titles of all time. Sam and T-Bone produced some stellar music together...