ERNEST PERDUE

BELOVED GRANDFATHER, FATHER, UNCLE,
GUITAR PLAYER, VETERAN, ALL-AROUND GENTLEMAN.

“He was the best — a polite gentleman who always stood up if a lady entered the room, and took his hat off or did a bow. A true gentleman from the old school. A charmer, one of a kind — very engaging to everyone. It was the way of the world back then.”

Recorded in 1993 on a Tascam 424 4-track — with Matty engineering for GDad.
Just the two of them in Dad's living room, a microphone or two, and the music.

TO ME, HE WAS MY GRANDDADDY.

Also kept on BandLab · archived on the Internet Archive

THE 1956 RECORDS

The first four records in this album were recorded by Ernest Perdue + Jack Smith
in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. August 2, 1956.

“These records were damn near melted — I had to put weight on the record player arm just to get the footage I did. Very loud and hissy, but it's there.” — Matty P

THE CHANGEMAKER

“I still have it after all these years. When it’s completely full, I think it holds about twenty dollars in change.” — Matty P

Granddaddy Ernest taught a very young Matthew P. the art of hustling when I was just five years old. We’d spend our days at local flea markets and yard sales, searching for treasures and bargains. He always taught us one important rule: never pay full price. Barter a little, but don’t push so hard that you lose the deal.

Those lessons stuck with me, and so did the memories.

MARVIN & JASON

Two guitar players, one stage. Uncle Marvin and his son Jason have both passed —
the music plays on.

Jason was a couple years younger, gone far too soon. A real talent in his own right —
he played in Mushroom and a few other bands.

Plays from YouTube — the video stays where it lives.