Norton Buffalo Biography
Norton’s trek began in the post war housing of Richmond, California. This
industrial town gave him a culturally mixed and musically diverse upbringing. Buffalo is
the son of musical parents. His mother was a nightclub singer in San Francisco back in
the early forties and his father an amateur but very talented harmonica player. Going even
farther back, his great uncle Herbert Stothart, from his mother's side of the family was a
composer and conductor for many MGM classic movies of the thirties through late
forties, and received an Academy Award for his musical contribution to The Wizard Of
Oz. His Grandfather on his father's side was a story telling, steam railroad engineer for
the Santa Fe Railroad. It seems that Norton has taken all of these influences and
embodied them into one great entertainment powerhouse.
He began playing the harmonica at age seven, growing up listening to the music
of the Fifties and early Sixties. He found himself drenched in the music of the times, from
Folk, and Jug Band, to Soul, R&B, Pop, Big Band, Jazz, and of course Blues and Rock
and Roll. Throughout the Civil Rights movement and the San Francisco Psychedelic
Sixties, Norton honed his talent on the harp. From winning talent contests in elementary
school performing solo, to playing in Soul and Rock and Roll bands, as well as the school
pep band and jazz band, he was always pushing the threshold of where he could take this
little instrument and moving forward on his journey toward becoming the man who today
is regarded around the world as one of the finest and most versatile players to ever put his
lips to the harmonica.
As a vocalist Buffalo began at a young age singing in his church choir as well as
practicing harmonies along with all of the hits of his younger years. Norton studied
popular singers of many musical genres and developed a great vocal range and a style
that is both distinctly his own and clearly remarkable to his fans.
In the early Seventies, after a few years of college, Norton made a choice to take
on his music full time. Buffalo helped form a rock and roll band in his hometown of
Richmond, California called "Chaos". This band became popular in the Bay Area club
scene. " In 1972 Norton began work on the movie "Dogpound Shuffle", featuring David
Soul. as a harmonica playing hobo. Buffalo played on the soundtrack and taught and
coached David during the making of the film. Buffalo's first mention in Variety
Magazine came the following year, in 1973, for acting in a Bertolt Brecht play with
actor/friend David Soul (Starsky and Hutch) along with Ron Glass (Barney Miller) and
Anne Ramsey (Throw Mama From The Train). Meanwhile, the music of his band
"Chaos” began to feel too limiting for Norton's ever expanding musical styles. This
eventually led to his leaving that band and diving deeply into a period of writing and
developing the new music that would later emerge in his first recordings. While
performing with Sonoma's Tommy Thomson, in his bluegrass and western swing group,
and songwriting with Sonoma guitarist John McFee from the popular Marin County band
"Clover, Norton found his own style evolving even more.
In 1975 Buffalo put together "The Stampede", a group of phenomenal musicians
that knew no boundaries. With the help of this band, Norton created the music that later
came out on his first two Capitol albums. From Rock to Country, Swing, R&B, Reggae,
Latin, Bluegrass and Jazz tunes, this band was one of a kind. During this same time,
Norton was also playing in The Moonlighters, an offshoot group, featuring members of
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. When two original members decided to
exit the band Buffalo was asked to join Cody for a European tour. In January of 1976
Norton headed off for his first International tour. Recording live at the Hammersmith
Odeon in London, England, the band later released "We've Got A Live One Here", which
featured Norton on some of his own tunes as well as fitting into the ensemble on
harmonica, vocals and trombone. This time also was highlighted with Norton meeting
and forging his friendship with Steve Miller. Steve called Buffalo in early 1976, and
asked him to be part of the new Steve Miller Band for his "Fly Like an Eagle" tour.
During this tour while Miller's album began soaring to the top, Norton got the attention of
the executives at Capitol Records who signed Buffalo to their label later that year.
Steve Miller took Norton's band "The Stampede", on tour throughout 1977,
opening up his coliseum shows throughout the US. During this tour Norton was doing
double duty, both opening the shows with his own band as well as rocking the stage with
Miller. June of that year marked the release of Norton's first Capitol Album, Lovin' In
The Valley Of The Moon. While on tour with Miller, Buffalo's baggy suited ensemble
took the country by storm while they took Miller's audiences to their own land of
diversity, virtuosity and showmanship with their tight arrangements and authentic sound.
The Stampede left Miller's crowd screaming for more and this tour helped lift Buffalo's
career to a new high.
In early 1978, Norton started getting acquainted with Hollywood. Norton's work
on Bonnie Raitt's first major hit, "Runaway", led producer Paul Rothchild, who had
produced all of the Doors albums and several Paul Butterfield LPs, to invite Buffalo to be
part of a movie called "The Rose" starring Bette Midler. Norton spent the greater part of
78 living in Los Angeles, working on musical arrangements, playing harmonica and
trombone, singing, as well as acting in the film. In the fall of that year Buffalo released
his second Capitol LP "Desert Horizon, and again hit the road with a new and stellar
lineup of musicians. This tour of the US included his first appearance on Austin City
Limits, in a show that took the roof off and which, to this day, is still raved about. It was
only a few months later, in the beginning of 1979, that Norton left for Montana to act and
play music in Michael Cimino's epic saga "Heaven's Gate", whose all star line up
featured Kris Kristofferson, Jeff Bridges, Sam Waterston and Willem Dafoe, among
others. For over six months Buffalo lived in Montana, riding horses shooting guns, rollerskating and acting. During this time he was also writing and recording a whole new batch
of songs, fishing, water skiing and taking every chance he could to play in all the honkey
tonks in the Flathead Valley. When he came home from filming "Heaven's Gate" in the
fall of 1979 Buffalo did a successful tour with Kristofferson's guitarist Steven Bruton
with whom Norton had struck up a great musical friendship. Calling this group the
Buffalo-Bruton Band, Norton and Steven went on the road with a completely different
image and an entirely new set of music. This was the beginning of a much more R & B
flavored period in Norton's music. "
In early 1980, Norton joined forces with a couple of his pals from the Bay Area
music scene. Along with longtime friends Mickey Hart and Merl Saunders, they formed
"High Noon" which also featured, Vicky Randle, Bobby Vega, Jim McPhearson and one
of Buffalo's cohorts Michael Hinton. This band, though short lived, left a huge footprint
in the "Deadhead" scene. It should also be noted that Mickey Hart produced and played
on a few of the cuts on Norton's first two Capitol LPs. Norton credits Mickey for much of
his early lessons in recording and producing.
In 1981, Norton began his work writing music for film and television. "It was a
great time for me. I was able to get totally lost in making music. Norton composed,
produced and performed the complete soundtrack for Kevin Costner's first starring role
on film, titled "Stacey's Knights" (originally titled "Double Down"), In 1982, Norton also
Composed, produced and performed the complete soundtrack for Universal Picture's
release, "Eddie Macon's Run", Starring Kirk Douglas and John Schnieder. .
In 1983 Norton became a father and decided to slow things down for the sake of
his family. "The road can take its toll." He said. … "I wanted my sons to know who their
dad was, and to be there for those important first years." This was the beginning of a long
time away from making his own records during which the only touring with his band was
West of the Rockies. Though constantly writing new material, big changes within the
music industry made for unwelcome waters for Buffalo's eclectic style of music. During
the next several years Buffalo stayed busy doing short tours and session work. Norton
played harmonica on several of the "Peanuts-Charlie Brown cartoon specials" albums and
also sang the theme song to the original "Garfield and Friends" cartoon series. Playing on
several episodes of the Twilight Zone and Unsolved Mysteries, Norton later wrote the
score, played and produced two full episodes of "Unsolved Mysteries". Continuing to
enjoy this work he has since done music for several independent films and television
documentaries. It was during this time that Norton started calling his band The
Knockouts. Norton has never stopped touring and doing shows with his band. Joined in
80 by Johnny "V" Vernazza on Guitar, in 85 by Bassist David Brown and later, in 92, by
Tyler Eng This band of talented and seasoned veterans have helped lift Buffalo's show up
to it's highest level with their solid grooves and their ability to cover the broad range of
music that Norton brings to his show.
In 1987 Norton, after searching high and low for a musical companion or group with
which to do his acoustic style tunes, Norton hooked up with long time friend Roy Rogers.
Though they had been friends for many years this was the first time they had paired up to
perform without a band and the results were outstanding. Norton and Roy began building
their own following touring the Western states as well as trips to far off Alaska and
Australia. In 1989 Steve Miller called on Norton to join him on tour again. That year
Norton played the keyboards as well as his other onstage chores on vocals and harp.
In 1991 Norton and Roy released their debut CD, "R&B" on Blind Pig Records".
This CD was met with rave reviews from throughout the industry and was marked with
many highlights, including a Grammy Nomination for "Song For Jessica" and their first
music video "Ain't No Bread In The Breadbox", which received play on VH1, TNN,
CMT and many other stations around the globe. This song, written by Buffalo, grabbed
the attention of the late Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, who performed it for many
years. It was recently released posthumously in his 2001 CD "Shining Star".
In 1992 Buffalo and Rogers released their second Blind Pig CD, Travellin' Tracks. This
CD included many live cuts and highlighted the duet's fiery musical interchange as well
as their humor and great rapport with their audience. People magazine called this
recording "an album with more bounce than a book of bad checks." Throughout the 90's
Norton was busy juggling touring schedules with Steve Miller, his own band The
Knockouts, and his duet with Roy Rogers, as well as in 1995 beginning to do touring and
recording dates with Kenny Loggins. In the fall of 1999, Norton filmed a wonderful
Christmas television special with Kenny Loggins, which featured Olivia Newton John
and Clint Black. This show featured Norton doing some beautiful chromatic harmonica.
In the spring of the following year Olivia asked Norton to join her on a tour of the US.
Norton was featured on stage both on harmonica as well as joining Olivia in a vocal duet
on "You're The One That I Want" from "Grease".
In September of 2000 Norton released his solo CD King Of The Highway on
Blind Pig Records. This release took us to the blues side of town and received great
reviews from around the world. Harmonica players, critics and fans from around the
world who had wondered where Buffalo had been all these years were glad to have him
back! Backed on this recording, by his tight, well oiled band, The Knockouts, David
Brown on bass, and Johnny "V" Vernazza on guitar, (who have been with Norton for
over 16 years), along with Tyler Eng on the drums, lay down some solid grooves across a
stylistically broad range of the blues. This album also featured guest appearances by
Steve Miller, Elvin Bishop and Merl Saunders. In the spring of 2002, Norton went on
tour in Argentina, where to his surprise, he discovered he had a great following. Norton,
with the solid backing of the Argentine blues band Mr. Mojo, did four large concerts and
as well Norton taught harmonica seminars in Spanish to avid harmonica players in
several Argentine cities.
2007 marks 32 years since Buffalo first began playing with Steve Miller And it
has been highlighted by the release of a two CD set of live Steve Miller Band cuts which
had been first broadcast over the King Biscuit Flower Hour. Disc 2 of this set presents
Norton with Steve live at the Beacon Theater in New York on their first tour together in
1976.
On August 13, 2002 Norton Buffalo and Roy Rogers will release their first CD in
ten years. Due out on Blind Pig Records, "Roots Of Our Nature", expands even more the
diversity and power of this Buffalo's talent as it showcases Norton in rich and beautiful
ballads, beautiful instrumentals, Americana/folk style tunes as well as funky blues and
high energy up tempo rides. The blend and dynamic between them seems stronger than
ever on this newest release. In his duet with Roy it is not always about what's upfront as
much as the tasteful and driving rhythmic harp that Buffalo lays in the background as
well as the tasty, often fiery, even magical interplay between them. Norton often says that
Roy's playing is like a freight train with no brakes. Upon seeing and hearing this duet it is
obvious that Norton is certainly putting more coal on the fire and at times pushing the
train to even higher highs, while as well taking it down to it's most soulful depths with his
beautiful ballads. About this CD, Norton says "Even as we mature and gain more musical
knowledge, when we do the duet, we're both simplifying it back to the basics. It's the root
of what our music is all about. This is really and American record.” This new release was
co-produced by Buffalo and Rogers. Norton not only plays and sings on this CD, but also
in addition, did much of the engineering of this recording, and all of the artwork and
graphics. His performance on "Roots Of Our Nature" will keep harmonica players from
around the world busy for a long time, once again raising that, "how does he do that?"
question that seems to follow every recording Norton has ever put out.
To help answer that question, Norton has two successful instructional Video
Tapes for the Harmonica available through Homespun Tapes and continues to teach
seminars both in California State Prisons as well as when he tours.
Currently, Buffalo stays busy in the Valley of the Moon as a single father of two
teenage sons, as well as keeping involved with environmental causes and community
non-profit programs. Norton has earned his mark in both his own community and the
global musical community as well. In his time off you may find him riding his bicycle
through Sonoma, tinkering on cars or kayaking and diving off the coast of California. Just
another kid with a harmonica.
Booking Contact: Lisa Walters, (415) 945-0515 e-mail: eubooking@yahoo.com