NOKIE EDWARDS - Nokie Edwards is
universally recognized as one of the world’s premier guitarists. He was born
Nole Edwards in 1935 in Lahoma, Oklahoma, hence the nickname, "Nokie" which was
given to him by his father, Elbert. Nokie’s mother, Nannie, was a Native
American Cherokee, and Nokie is proud of his Cherokee heritage.
Nokie lives in Oregon with his wife Judy. They have four children from previous
marriages. Nokie had two girls (Tina and Kim) and Judy two boys (Patrick and
Seth). They lost Kim to a car accident in 1988. There are six grandchildren and
four great grandchildren. Judy Edwards is president of the Nokie Edwards
Official USA Fan Club.
Nokie’s Roots
Nokie learned how to play guitar at the age of five; by the age of eleven he
could play all string instruments. He turned professional at the age of twelve
when he performed on a country station in Idaho. Nokie’s family then moved to
Washington State where he played regularly at community fairs and festivals,
including landing the coveted role as a featured performer at the historical
"Ezra Meeker Days" festival in Puyallup Washington. When Nokie turned seventeen,
he went to Oregon were he played in dance halls. His guitar virtuosity was
unmatched and unprecedented; he was making $300.00 a week while others were
making $75.00 a week. Before eighteen he was given a raise to $350.00 a week.
For the next few years Nokie was a welcome regular on the regional music
circuit, his star appeal ascended immensely.
1956-1960
From 1956 to 1960 Nokie served his country as a member of the U.S. Army
Reserves, receiving his training in Ft. Orr, California and in Ft. Bliss, Texas,
and then as member of the National Guard in Washington. When he returned to
Tacoma, Washington in 1957, his magnificence as a guitarist enabled him to
become an integral part of the Tacoma music scene. Buck Owens, the country music
artist and pioneer of the "Bakersfield Sound," asked Nokie to join his band.
Nokie spent the next year playing with Buck Owens at clubs and on radio and
television. An added highlight would be when the Grand Ol’ Opry’s road shows
came to the Northwest and they would need a lead guitar player. They would call
Buck Owens for a lead guitarist and Buck would send Nokie to play lead for the
shows. Through Owens, Nokie met a number of other country music entertainers
such as Ferlin Husky, Lefty Frizzell, Justin Tubb, Dale Woods, Benny Martin, and
many more.
From 1959 with The Ventures
In 1959, while Nokie was playing lead guitar for Buck Owens, he was approached
by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, a couple of guitarists from Washington. They asked
Nokie to join them in forming a band which later became known as The Ventures (a
band that went on to become the most popular rock instrumental band in history).
The group’s first single was a remake of guitarist Chet Atkins’ ‘Walk Don’t
Run,’ which was written by jazz guitarist Johnny Smith. The tune was released in
1960 on Josie Wilson’s Blue Horizon label and garnered a lot of requests in the
Seattle area. The group then signed with Dolton Records which was owned by Bob
Reisdorff. Dolton later became a subsidiary of Liberty Records, and ‘Walk Don’t
Run’ was released nationally, with the tune peaking at #2 on the charts. The
Ventures followed up the hit single with an album appropriated entitled "Walk
Don’t Run". While touring with The Ventures, Nokie played lead on many famous
hits that were recorded by Nokie and The Ventures by such as ‘Hawaii 5-O’ ,
‘Fugitive’, ‘2000 Pound Bee’, ‘Yellow Jacket’, ‘Hokkaido Skies’, ‘Driving
Guitars’, ‘Surf Rider’ (also known as ‘Spudnik’,) ’Moon Child’, ‘Pedal Pusher’,
‘Sleep Walk’, ‘Let’s Go’,’ Slaughter on Tenth Avenue’, ‘Wipe Out’, and
‘Pipeline’, to name a few.
Nokie left The Ventures in 1968 and moved back to Washington to pursue his
interest in horse racing, and to further his solo career playing and writing all
styles of music. Nokie returned to play lead for The Ventures from 1972 to 1984,
and also played in other bands when The Ventures were not touring. Nokie
performed with Lefty, David, and Allan Frizzell on Lefty’s last engagement in
Tacoma before his untimely death in 1975. In 1985, Nokie briefly joined the band
of the country duo Frizzell & West, which featured David Frizzell and Shelly
West, who were known for their many hits including, ‘You’re the Reason God Made
Oklahoma’.
Nokie Today
Nokie still tours Japan performing with The Ventures, and also tours with them
in the US when he is needed. One particular tour in Japan took in 108 concerts
in only 78 days, and when Nokie and The Ventures arrived in 1965, an estimated
10,000 people showed up at the Tokyo airport to welcome Nokie and The Ventures:
Japan’s Beloved Guitar Invaders! Nokie also tours the US, UK, Italy, Canada, as
well as Japan twice a year with his own tour. Nokie’s capacity for touring and
the drawing record crowds is something for the history books.
In 2002, Nokie started a new guitar company: HitchHiker Guitars. Nokie put his
knowledge of 55 years of mastering the guitar into a beautiful instrument. The
guitar has great sustain; there are fifteen variations of tones by using the
tone control in conjunction with the switches. The word is out that the guitar
has an identifiable sound - its own "signature" sound. Once you hear a
HitchHiker guitar you know the name because you never forget the distinctive
sound. Nokie takes great pride in quality. He spared no expense in building this
high tech, high quality guitar built by a true master guitar player, Nokie
Edwards. For 2004, Nokie is adding a bass guitar and acoustic guitar to the
HitchHiker Company product line. For information: www.nokieedwards.org
During the past decade plus, Nokie has been traveling around the world
entertaining old and new fans alike with regular stops at:
Chet Atkins Association Society (CAAS), Nashville, Tennessee
Mesquite Guitar Festival "Art Greenhaw’s International Guitar Celebration",
Mesquite, Texas
Muriel Anderson’s "All Star Guitar Night" in Tennessee and California
"Guitar’s For Life", New York
Japan two and three times annually, occasionally with The Ventures
Pierpaolo Adda’s Annual Concert, Soave, Italy
Guitar Extravaganza, Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Canada
North Carolina Thumb and Finger Style Convention
Performing for the Ohio’s Thumb and Finger Style Association
David Harris (HAS - Concert Productions)
Seattle’s Experience Music Project (EMP) with The Ventures
Performing with David Frizzell
Performing with The Light Crust Doughboys
Nokie has shared the stage with other notable entertainers like Mickey Jones
(drummer for Kenny Rogers, Bob Dylan, Johnny Rivers), Little Jimmy Dickins, Jeff
(Skunk) Baxter, Thom Bresh (Merle Travis’ son), Peter Frampton, Robbie Krieger,
Richard Smith, Tommy Emmanuel, Laurence Juber (Paul McCartney & Wings), The
Fabulous Wailers, The Stampeders, Peter Tork (The Monkees), Mitch Rider, Seymour
Duncan, Brent Mason, John Jorgenson, Will Ray, Albert Lee, Art Greenhaw, the
Light Crust Doughboys, and many more.
Nokie Edwards is the featured instructor for fifteen guitar instructional videos
teaching courses marketed throughout the world, in addition to the legendary
"Play Guitar With The Ventures" series of instructional albums in the USA, which
launched thousands of guitarists and became the only instrumental guitar LPs in
history to make Billboard's and Cashbox’s best-selling album charts. Nokie’s
guitar clinics in North America, Europe and Japan attract beginners and
professionals alike who watch in awe as their mentor instructs them in the fine
art of guitar playing.
Nokie Edwards has earned success in the all-important albums market, unlike many
of his superstar contemporaries who scored hits with singles only. During the
1960’s alone, Nokie Edwards and The Ventures had no less than 33 albums to hit
the US charts, 5 of these influential albums went "Gold’. In addition to The
Ventures albums, Nokie has performed as a guest on over three dozen CD’s and
recorded over two dozen solo albums - seven of which he produced of his own.
Nokie's performances are a mix of music that puts an audience on the edge of
their seats... Speaking of "the edge of your seat"... It is a must to see Nokie
and Thom Bresh on stage. You know the old saying, "the show must go on", well,
"The Show Must Never End!" Nokie continues to diversify his music career by
composing new songs and adding new arrangements to his favorite songs...
Bringing back and creating new precious memories for the listener around the
globe. As busy as he is, Nokie always makes time for an autograph session and to
be with his fans as they line up for memorabilia and get his latest CD’s. His
concerts consist of the famous hit songs of The Ventures as well as Nokie's
favorite country, classical, light jazz, blue grass and "oldies" hits. Nokie's
fans and peers recognize Nokie Edwards as a guitarist of very distinctive style.
His outstanding finger and flat-picking styles allow his pure artistic
expression to truly flow through the guitar.
Two Decades of Awards
