Back to making music: Legendary producer-musician Norbert Putnam's on the road again

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^{Bassist-producer Norbert Putnam, pictured here with scholarship recipients Jaci Wisot and Jena Rickards, received the prestigious Cecil Scaife Visionary award on Tuesday during a reception at the historic Ben FoldÕs RCA Studio A in Nashville. / Photo courtesy of Alan Mayor}

Bassist-producer Norbert Putnam sat with friends at Kanpai Restaurant in South Jackson and radiated energy — with good reason.

He retired from the music business in the 1980s to spend more time with his family, and he has returned to it in his 50th year in music with a zest for life and for the music he loves.

He just returned from a highly successful cruise with the TCB Band in Europe. You can read the members' bios at tcbfanclub.com. They are all musicians who formed the core group in Elvis Presley's band from 1969 to 1977.

TCB stands for "Taking Care of Business," a motto Elvis created in the 1970s. Putnam spent seven years recording with Elvis on 177 tracks, and the Elvis fan club members on this recent TCB Band tour were ecstatic to hear the stories.

"We had fan club members from every country in Europe," Putnam said. "A lot of people were in their 30s. There were people from Norway, France, Belgium and many others. It reminds us how strong American music is. It's hard to have a good perspective here. We make artists and tend to kill them off quickly."

On Tuesday, the prestigious Cecil Scaife Visionary award was presented to multi-award-winning record producers and musicians David Briggs and Norbert Putnam, who are longtime friends, at a reception at the historic Ben Fold's RCA Studio A in Nashville.

The two received the honor for their contributions to the music industry in Nashville. Wynonna Judd received the 2010 award, founded in the name of Cecil Scaife, a Music Row pioneer and veteran who helped form the music business program in the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University. All donations benefit the Cecil Scaife Music Business Scholarship Endowment.

"Norbert and David have together exemplified their desire to share their gifts in many ways during their lifetime," said Scaife's daughter, LaRawn Scaife Rhea. "They have reached out to individuals through the years to help them find their own path in the entertainment industry. Their unselfish desire to help others learn from a lifetime of experiences is a large part of what makes Norbert Putnam and David Briggs the perfect 2011 recipients of The Cecil Scaife Visionary Award."

That's just the beginning of what's going on in Putnam's full throttle re-entry into the music business. He's producing a tribute CD to the late Dan Fogelberg with Garth Brooks, Randy Owen of Alabama, Zac Brown, Michael McDonald and Donna Summer performing, among others.

"Dan was 19 years old when I met him and recorded him, and he was 56 when he died of prostate cancer," Putnam said. "There will be a roster of famous names on this tribute album and the profits are going to the Prostate Cancer Foundation."

Putnam has formed Uh Band of Legends, made of those who have been the top studio musicians on just about any major entertainer's music you can name, and they will be touring in Europe starting in the spring.

"It's a group of famous studio musicians who enjoy telling stories about their days recording and touring with stars who are legends in music," he said. "They played with everyone from Elvis to Billy Joel; they played behind all the greats. So we're going to play and talk to the audience. "

His book of memoirs will be published soon, starting from his teen years playing bass in the original Muscle Shoals rhythm section, on hits by artists such as Arthur Alexander, Tommy Roe and The Tams, and on to his years as a record producer, including producing Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville," among many others.

So when he left with the TCB Band on The Norwegian Jade from the Grand Canal in Venice, he was surrounded by 400 Elvis fans. "We loved it," Putnam said. "The food and service were great. This is a supertanker, and you can't feel the water."

Sheryl Putnam said they enjoyed five or six cuisines on board, from India, to French, Italian and more. The ship also had a theater that seated 800.

He became friends with Derek and Fiona Presley, of Scotland, who were on the cruise. Presley, who is the general manager of Land Rover, owns Elvis Presley's RCA Golden Boot Award for his 1975 album "Promised Land," and invited Putnam and his wife Sheryl to come to Scotland to play golf.

"It was great to see James Burton and Norbert signing autographs," Sheryl Putnam said. "The fans knew about Norbert's career in detail — that he played on Tony Joe White's 'Polk Salad Annie,' for example. They were so polite and knowledgeable."

Burton played guitar on Elvis' recordings and Briggs played piano.

Putnam has recalled in another Sun interview how Putnam once was booked for a week's recording for Elvis just so he could bring Priscilla and let her see what a recording session was like. Elvis acted like he was directing Putnam as he played and asked him if he "got it." "He truly loved Priscilla," Putnam said, "He also cut his recordings in one take. He was that good. His pitch was perfect."

Among others on the TCB Band cruise were Linda Thompson, who was engaged to Elvis for five years, Putnam said, along with Sam Thompson, Linda's brother, who was Elvis' bodyguard; Jerry Schilling, who was Elvis' friend in high school; Joe Esposito, the road manager; and Ron Tutt, who played on the first "live" version recorded on stage of "Suspicious Minds."

"Joe was Elvis' handler," Putnam said. "He lived with Elvis."

Dennis Jale from Vienna was the vocalist who Putnam said is "not an Elvis impressionist. He's a handsome guy who sings Elvis songs." Paul Leim, a renowned drummer, is in the band; he has multiple gold and platinum album credits with entertainers such as Lionel Ritchie, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Amy Grant, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Bob Seger and Kenney Chesney, to name just a few. Glen D Hardin, who played piano for Elvis in recording sessions and live as well, and also arranged music for him, is in the band.

"We're already booked for next September on the Norwegian Epic from Barcelona to Naples, Rome and other stops back to Barcelona," Sheryl Putnam said.

"In January, we're touring 10 European cities with the TCB Band," Norbert Putnam said.

In March, he'll play live on a Norway television special with a Norwegian artist he and Paul Leim are producing in Nashville in RCA Studio (A).

And when July 2012 rolls around, he'll be in Paris performing, followed by a return to Memphis for the Elvis Presley anniversary. Turner Broadcast Movies is planning a 35-minute interview with Putnam.

It's been a long and interesting journey from the 1960s when he and Briggs and drummer Jerry Carrigan made the move to Nashville, where Putnam was the bassist in Area Code 615, the session super group. Then in 1970, Putnam and Briggs opened Quadrafonic Studio and formed Danor Music publishing company, because at age 28, they thought they were getting old. Quadrafonic Sound Studios became the place to record for artists such as Fogelberg and Michael Jackson. And then, one day, Kris Kristofferson asked Putnam to step in and record Joan Baez, which he did, creating her first platinum album "Blessed Are ..." and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down."

He recorded Buffett, Buffy Sainte-Marie, John Hiatt and so many more, it would be easier to list who he didn't record. Later he created Bennett House recording studios, which he sold around 1983-1984.

Putnam has always said that his father, a former bluegrass musician, spurred his son into the music scene after warning him not to get involved in playing with a band because he'd be tempted with wild women, booze and more.

"That did it," Putnam said. "It sounded like a pretty good deal to me!"

Today, having matured in the music industry, the CMA Hall of Famer has a different perspective. He said, "What's happening in music is fascinating. It's exciting, and it's completely different. With the technology that we have today, artists can create their own music and get it out to fans in so many ways. This is better for the musician. And I'm enjoying the heck out of this adventure!"

Source; Jacque Hillman - jacksonsun.com / EpGold

Note:

Prestigious Award for David Briggs and Norbert Putnam

On Tuesday, the prestigious Cecil Scaife Visionary award was presented to multi-award-winning record producers and musicians David Briggs and Norbert Putnam, who are longtime friends, at a reception at the historic Ben Fold's RCA Studio A in Nashville.

The two received the honor for their contributions to the music industry in Nashville.

Wynonna Judd received the 2010 award, founded in the name of Cecil Scaife, a Music Row pioneer and veteran who helped form the music business program in the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University.

All donations benefit the Cecil Scaife Music Business Scholarship Endowment.

"Norbert and David have together exemplified their desire to share their gifts in many ways during their lifetime," said Scaife's daughter, LaRawn Scaife Rhea.

"They have reached out to individuals through the years to help them find their own path in the entertainment industry. Their unselfish desire to help others learn from a lifetime of experiences is a large part of what makes Norbert Putnam and David Briggs the perfect 2011 recipients of The Cecil Scaife Visionary Award."

Source; jacksonsun.com / EpGold