HBkahuna
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1778
Star, Idaho. Formerly lived in Surf City USA.
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 08:48 AM
Eddie Bertrand, (Belairs & Eddie and The Showmen) one of the original innovators of instrumental surf music, has been taken from his long term care facility to the hospital. He is suffering from complications of his liver cancer. He is in pain and has been sedated. His family informs me that Eddies time with us is growing short.
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JONPAUL
Joined: Apr 29, 2010
Posts: 2468
Venice, CA
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 09:08 AM
Tim, thanks for continuing to keep us posted. Here's to Eddie being without pain, surrounded by loved ones and having no fear. Godspeed, Mr. Rebel. Thanks so much for everything. I'll be crankin' Eddie and The Showmen all day in tribute.
— Insect Surfers
The Tikiyaki Orchestra
The Scimitars
Lords Of Atlantis
Fiberglass Jungle - Surf Radio
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supertonesurf
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 419
n.y.c.
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 09:16 AM
we're all with you Surf Brother, Godspeed... you're still and all ways will be my favorite surf guitarist.....
— Facebook pages theSupertones
or @ Timothy C Sullivan
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 09:37 AM
It's difficult to turn my feelings into words. I've written and deleted dozens of comments about Eddie in the past couple of months. Unlike so many of you, I don't know Eddie personally. So I keep feeling I'm tredding someplace I don't belong until everyone else has had their say. So I'm sorry if this is poorly timed.
But the music I love so much wouldn't sound like it does without Eddie. There would be people I'd have never met here, or ever have the opportunity to know in person, without Eddie. I know there's lots of guitar players who are only playing now, because of Eddie.
Though it would be immeasureably more difficult now and in the future, I wish I knew Eddie Bertrand. This isn't a eulogy, but they better get ready; Eddie's coming and he's bringing reverb with him.
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
Last edited: Oct 18, 2012 09:37:41
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4052
Nashville, TN.
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 10:24 AM
We will be losing an innovator who's legacy shall remain.
Wasn't Larry Carlton with the Showman for a while, back in the day?
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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hlieboff59
Joined: Jun 27, 2008
Posts: 576
Marlboro, New Jersey
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 10:44 AM
Like Noel said, there are alot of us who don't know Eddie personally, but we all send our thoughts and prayers to Eddie, his family and close friends in hopes by some miracle, pull through and beat this. Dam cancer has taken way way too many great people. Watching Eddie play in these youtube videos gives me the goosebumps....he puts so much enthusiasm and excitement into these songs and we're thankful for all the great surf music he created. He's a legacy that will live on forever!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLlY9RK56sE&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhJM0iWL-kI&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 11:02 AM
Noel wrote:
It's difficult to turn my feelings into words. I've written and deleted dozens of comments about Eddie in the past couple of months. Unlike so many of you, I don't know Eddie personally. So I keep feeling I'm tredding someplace I don't belong until everyone else has had their say. So I'm sorry if this is poorly timed.
But the music I love so much wouldn't sound like it does without Eddie.
But you do know Eddie Bertrand. You don't know the family man, but you do know him through his music. He created music that clearly came from and of himself. That is the legacy he imparted on us. We do truly know him through his music and we will keep his memory and legacy with us when the time comes.
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RobbieReverb
Joined: Feb 28, 2006
Posts: 2344
San Jose, Ca.
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 01:50 PM
Thanks for the update, Tim. I've been dreading this eventual development.
Eddie, we're all pulling for you. Thanks for all the wonderful music. You're an inspiration to so many people. My life would be significantly diminished without your music. Hang in there.
— Bob
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TuneFan
Joined: Jul 21, 2009
Posts: 211
U.S. East Coast
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 04:02 PM
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 04:04 PM
I knew this was coming, but it's still heart-breaking. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had a chance to get to know Eddie a bit, and his kindness and generosity were overwhelming. He took a big chunk of a Monday in 2008 and spent it in a film studio with us while the Madeira was doing a taping for the Sound of the Surf documentary. He went out of his way to help us out, to make sure we sounded and looked good, and showered us with compliments. (He was also astute enough to figure out that my solo in our song Sandstorm was definitely influenced by his playing in Scratch and the Showmen Stomp! I was very happy to admit it.) It was just a HUGE pleasure to get to spend that time with him. I fully intended to give him special thanks for his generosity in the liner notes to our new album Tribal Fires, but it somehow slipped through the cracks. I realized it soon after we received the CDs, and I still feel so bad about that. So, just in case Eddie is reading this, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH, EDDIE, for being so kind to us - and of course for your incredible music which has had a huge impact on all of us and which will live for as long as anybody cares about surf music.
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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HBkahuna
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1778
Star, Idaho. Formerly lived in Surf City USA.
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 04:58 PM
Will try to visit Eddie tomorrow and provide an update.
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kenposurf
Joined: Feb 23, 2007
Posts: 1650
Santa Rosa, CA
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 05:14 PM
No words..God bless Eddie B
— www.northofmalibu.com
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 05:16 PM
HBkahuna wrote:
Will try to visit Eddie tomorrow and provide an update.
Please tell him we all love him.
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19266
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 06:30 PM
I remember being absolutely dumbstruck that I was in the same room as Eddie Bertrand at the first SG101 convention. And then to see him play with such fire and passion was really a memory of a lifetime. Then, two days later, Tom Duncan let me hang out at the Sound of the Surf taping, and I got to see Eddie & Paul Johnson talk about the early days of the Belairs. Mind blown. Again, he was so passionate and had so many interesting things to say about the music and those heady times for him as a teenager. I've been thinking a lot about Eddie lately. All the best to him and his family, and his extended surf guitar family.
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
Last edited: Oct 18, 2012 18:39:23
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RobbieReverb
Joined: Feb 28, 2006
Posts: 2344
San Jose, Ca.
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 08:04 PM
It was one of the highlights of my life to have seen Eddie at SG101 Convention #1. He was no "oldies act" going through the motions. Like Brian said, the fire and passion was incredible. At the time I was looking forward to more live shows and new projects from Eddie. the sky seemed to be the limit. And then the health issues tragically came crashing down. It's so terribly sad!
— Bob
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HBkahuna
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1778
Star, Idaho. Formerly lived in Surf City USA.
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Posted on Oct 18 2012 10:29 PM
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HBkahuna
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1778
Star, Idaho. Formerly lived in Surf City USA.
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Posted on Oct 20 2012 03:46 PM
Just now returned from visiting Eddie. He is back at Palmcrest in Long Beach. Eddie is very thin and weak. he says this is the worst he has ever felt. He is medicated but still in some pain. I told Eddie about everyone well wishes from SG101. he said, "Tell everyone I said thank you and that I really appreciate it." We talked quite a bit. Playing with The Eliminators at the first SG101 Convention was one of his favorite memories. He placed that right up there with his Hollywood Bowl gig with The Showmen in 1963. I read Eddie some of the well wishes from his friends at SG101. I started to get a bit choked up and paused. Thankfully Eddie had drifted off to sleep. If you plan on writing Eddie, you should do so immediately. He is still taking visitors although he is very weak.
Eddie Bertrand
C/O Palmcrest Convalescent
3501 Cedar Ave
Long Beach, Ca 90807
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Oct 20 2012 03:51 PM
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
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oestmann
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 584
Adelaide
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Posted on Oct 20 2012 07:05 PM
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Oct 20 2012 10:41 PM
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