Americký hudobník a hráč na bendžo aj gitaru Herb Pedersen je nenápadnou postavičkou na bluegrassovej scéne. Zároveň sa však jeho meno objavuje na mnohých prelomových nahrávkach aj v žánroch country, folk rocku či country rocku. Spolupracoval s Johnom Denverom, Emmylou Harris, Johnom Prinom či Kris Kristoffersonom.
Môžete nám priblížiť, ako si spomínate na čas strávený v skupine The Foggy Mountain Boys?
Odišiel som do Nashvillu, aby som pracoval s Vern & Ray (Arhoolie Records artists) a nejakým spôsobom som sa dostal k Joe Stuartovi, ktorý v tom čase spolupracoval s Bill Monroeom, ktorý ma dostal do jeho TV show – Carl Tipton Show. Earl ma videl na prehliadke hrania na bendžo a zavolal ma, aby som ho navštívil v jeho dome. Jedna udalosť viedla k druhej a on sa ma spýtal, či by som ho nahradil vo Foggys, kým on pôjde na operáciu, ktorú potreboval. Earl ma odviezol do Opry (Ryman Auditorium) v piatok večer, kde som sa stretol Lestera a jeho chlapcov, v zákulisí sme si trochu zahrali a bolo to. Bol som potom s nimi niekoľko týždňov. Všetci boli na mňa neskutočne milí, hoci som bol z nich najmladší.
Kedy ste si prvýkrát uvedomili, že sa chcete stať skladateľom?
Pravdepodobne, keď som sa v roku 1967 pripojil do skupiny The Dillards. Robili veľa originálnych melódií a Mitch (basgitarista) mi navrhol, aby som sa pokúsil aj sám niečo skomponovať, takže to sa stalo mojou motiváciou.
Skúste nám priblížiť váš typický kompozičný proces.
Zvyčajne už v hlave mám úvodný motív. Počkám nejakú tú minútu a potom pracujem na akordovej štruktúre a melódií. Pripraviť refrény je pre mňa ťažšie, slohy idú ľahšie.
Pracovali ste s mnohými významnými umelcami, napríklad s Peter Rowan, Earl Scruggs, Gram Parsons, Tony Rice alebo John Denver. Ako táto skúsenosť ovplyvnila vaše hudobné myslenie?
Ako sideman som sa pri týchto hviezdach mnohému naučil. Podstatné je počúvať. Počúvaním rôznych štýlov spevákov ako J. Gordon Lighfoot, James Taylor, Jackson Brown, som dostal nápady na mnohé svoje piesne.
Aký vplyv má technológia na skladbu, napríklad posledných 15 rokoch?
Technológia, ktorú ja používam pri komponovaní, je najmä Microsoft Word, ale väčšinou to robím tak, ako som spomínal už v tretej otázke.
Ako ste sa stretli s Chrisom Hillom a začali spolu hrať?
Stretli sme sa v roku 1963 v Troubadore. Vtedy som mal kapelu nazvanú The Pine Valley Boys a Chris zase hral s formáciou The Golden State Boys, ale prioritou pre neho bolo hranie s The Byrds spolu s Crosbym a McGuinnom, Genom a Mike Clarkom. The Troub (pozn. redakcie – slangová skratka Troubadore) bol miestnym strediskom pre akustických hudobníkov a pesničkárov.
Čítal som, že ste hrali aj s Jerry Garciom a Davidom Grismanom.
Poznal som Jerryho z oblasti zálivu Bay Arey, kde sme obaja vyrastali. Jerry v tom čase býval v Palo Alto a David prišiel do Kalifornie v roku 1964. Páčilo sa nám spolu hrať, Jerry a ja sme hrali na bendžo a David na mandolínu. Prešiel som na gitaru a spievať s nimi harmónie. V takom zoskupení sme spolu často neboli. Potom sme David a ja spolu s Rick Shubbom (the capo genius) založili The Smokey Grass Boys. V tom čase s nami hral Bert Johnson.
Tiež som zvedavý na Grama Parsonsa, ktorý s vami hral na albume Grievous Angel. Aká to bola skúsenosť?
Nie veľká. Gram sa objavil neskoro, to už kapela mala väčšinu skladieb hotových. On urobil niekoľko vokálov a ja spravil niektoré harmónie. Pamätám sa, že som vtedy spravil mnoho štúdiovej práce, ale nebol som príliš spokojný s týmto projektom.
Can you tell us about your time in The Foggy Mountain Boys?
I went to Nashville to work with Vern & Ray (Arhoolie Records artists) and somehow thru Joe Stuart, who was working with Bill Monroe at the time, got me on this TV show, the „Carl Tipton Show“. Well, Earl saw me on the show playing banjo, and called me up to come over to his home for a visit. One thing led to another and he asked if I would fill in for him with the Foggys while he was attending to an operation on his hip that was needed. Earl took me down to the Opry (Ryman Auditorium) that Friday night, and I met Lester and the boys, played a bit with them backstage, and that was it. I was with them on and off for several weeks. They all could not have been nicer to me, a 23-year-old kid.
When did you first realize that you wanted to become a songwriter?
Probably when I joined The Dillards in ’67. They were doing a lot of original tunes, and Mitch (bass player) suggested I try to write, so that was my motivation.
Tell me about your typical process for writing music.
I usually come up with a title in my head, i.e. „Wait A Minute“, then work on some kind of chord pattern and a melody. Choruses come a bit harder to me, verses much easier.
You’ve worked with legendary artists, for example Peter Rowan, Earl Scruggs, Gram Parsons, Tony Rice or John Denver. How has this amazing experience influenced your songwriting?
I’ve learned a lot being a „sideman to the stars“ so to speak. The main thing is to listen. I would get ideas for songs by listening to the various artists singing styles, i.e., Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, etc.
What influence has technology had on your songwriting over, say, the past 15 years?
Technology has helped my songwriting through the use of Microsoft Word, but mostly my process is still what I mentioned in question 3.
How did you and Chris Hillman first meet each other and start playing together?
We met at The Troubador in 1963. I had a band called The Pine Valley Boys, and Chris was playing with The Golden State Boys, just prior to forming the Byrds with Crosby and McGuinn, Gene and Mike Clark. The Troub was a local hangout for acoustic musicians and songwriters.
I read that you played with Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. What was that like?
I knew Jerry in the Bay Area, where we grew up. Jerry was living in Palo Alto I think at the time, and David came out to California in 1964. We liked playing music with each other, Jerry and I were banjo players, and of course David on mandolin. So, I would play guitar and sing harmony with them. This gathering didn’t happen too often. Then David and I, along with Rick Shubb (the capo genius) started The Smokey Grass Boys. This included Bert Johnson from time to time.
I’m curious about Gram Parsons, who you played with on the Grievous Angel album. What was that experience like?
Not much. Gram showed up late, and the band had already cut most of the tracs. He overdubbed his vocals, and I did some harmonies, as I remember. Remember, I was doing a lot of studio work at that time, and wasn’t particularly impressed with this project.
