rossiter@cornell.UUCP (David G. Rossiter) (06/20/85)
It is really sad to lose Joe Val, a really fine man and a keeper of the true
flame of bluegrass in New England. Joe's real last name was Valiante (sp?);
it was shortened to Val by BTL engineer and bluegrass fiddler Tex Logan. Joe
looked like your friendly Italian grocer, with a huge nose -- fortunately for
us he discovered Bill Monroe, and realized that he had a God-given talent to
sing tenor to anyone's lead. He assembled some good bands over the years,
including such sidemen as Dave Haney, Dan Dillon, Karl Lauber, and
Paul Silvius. The band was never overpowering, just excellent. He knew his
strength and played to it. I recall hearing him on PHC about two years ago.
He came on after some soft-folk foolishness (-:) and for his two songs did
`Goodbye Old Pal' (a Monroe specialty) and then the quartet `A Voice from on
High'. Keilor didn't know what hit him -- he thinks that Robin and Linda
Williams are hard core (-:)!!
In the last three years Joe decided to tour nationally, and his efforts were
well received. The duets with Dave Haney were `brother' style but with a
real bite, giving Joe's sound another strength. As Joe's condition worsened,
a major benefit was held in Hartford for him. Musicians don't have health
insurance.
He's been taken away well before his allotted time. I'll remember him singing
tenor to anyone -- even Del McCoury. Well Joe, when you find the big festival
in the sky, I'm sure you'll sing tenor to Ira Louvin and Lester Flatt.
David Rossiter / CS Dep't / Cornell University / Ithaca / NY / 14850 / USA
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