It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Norton Buffalo, harmonica virtuoso, one-of-a-kind performer and consummate accompanist to the stars. Buffalo died Friday night from cancer near his home in Paradise, California. He was 58.Mr. Buffalo, who appeared on more than 180 albums and spent 33 years as a member of the Steve Miller Band, was diagnosed with cancer in September. His life will be celebrated Jan. 23 at the Fox Theater in Oakland in a benefit concert starring the Steve Miller Band and the Doobie Brothers, with special guests Huey Lewis, George Thorogood, Charlie Musselwhite and Bonnie Raitt.
Bonnie Raitt said
"He was the antithesis of East Coast cynical. He was always in funny mode without being too gooey about it. He's been that guy all this time. In one guy, you got all the hope and optimism of the '70s."He collaborated on tours and a series of recordings for more than 20 years with blues guitarist Roy Rogers. One of their songs, "Ain't No Bread in the Breadbox," was a cornerstone in the '90s live repertoire of the Jerry Garcia Band.
Miller said:
"He was a complete original. He worked with all kinds of people. He did tons and tons of projects. Everybody who worked with him loved him, really enjoyed working with him. He had way more music in him than I could use. I just had more work for him than everybody else."Buffalo's own recordings include his 1977 Capitol Records release, "Lovin' in the Valley of the Moon," an album that maintains a strong cult following, and a 2000 blues-based release, "King of the Highway." He recently released a joint CD with Hawaiian slack key guitarist George Kahumoku Jr. He was a virtuosic and technically accomplished chromatic harmonica player who could play anything - blues, rock, pop, country, folk, show tunes.
Check him out here.
