GUESTBOOK

Mr. Butler: Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful gift. You are an inspiration and obviously a terrific fellow!

Your website is very cool and interesting, I cordially greet.

Artie, Just found your site, very interesting career you had, wow! God Bless you!! Oh BTW, at Erasmus, did you and Bobby Fischer ever get acquainted? He was a year younger than you. Streisand/and Neil Diamond also attended, what a talented group of students during the late 50’s and early 60’s!!! thanks again in advance!!

Thanks Artie, for all the great music and ideas, the exemplary creative spark that still burns.
You’re an inspiration.
Stay well…for a long time.

Wayne “Shakey” Dagenais (piano/organ/percussion).

Hey Artie,
My pal, George Winston, alerted me to your possible upcoming one-man show. Just had to write and thank you for all the music you’ve given us.
“Sally” is one of my favorite all-time records.
I played on a few Top 10 hits: “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” by Elvin Bishop, “Shannon” by Henry Gross, and “Angel of the Morning” by Juice Newton.
I’ll look for you on the stage when we get this plague licked in 2021!
All the best,
Phil

An interesting site. I send greetings.

Very cool site. Regards.

Hello I was just surfing the net, found your site, and thought your photo gallery and soundbites were cool. My favorite is Laughter in the Rain. Thank you for sharing. : )

Sitting with my girlfriend listening to Feeling Alright by Traffic and thinking about how much it (sucks) compares poorly to the Joe Cocker version. We wondered who played on the Joe Cocker one, particularly the piano. I like to think I know a little about pop music but not knowing of you and your accomplishments is an embarrassing rebuttal of that point of view. I have always been fascinated by creative rearrangements and Feeling Alright was one of my favourites. Thanks for what you have done to take artists so far beyond what they thought they could be.

Hi Artie! Thank you for being at many Neil Sedaka shows at Harrah’s Club, Lake Tahoe. You made the music perfect! Miss you!

hi artie…..
clearly, i never want to bother you, so i let a lot of time go by and then i pop up again.
i came across the lyrics i wrote years ago and most of them can be tossed. I’d like to re-write a couple of them and send them to you…
is that still ok?
hope all is good in your life
best
anita storm

Hello Artie,

I’m a professional singer, and I had the pleasure of serving you and another nice couple at Taste, in the Palisades, several months ago😇

As you left, you told me to go to artiebutler.com, which I did that evening…and I am so thankful for all the extraordinary and beautiful music you’ve created over the years!!! And your keyboard playing on Feeling Allright is over the top genius and makes the song!
Not only are you and your work a total gift from God, I feel that meeting you was not a coincidence! I call that meeting a “God shot”…the song I sang a bit of at your table that evening was “I Don’t Hurt Anymore”, by Dinah Washington, who of course you’ve worked with among your many glorious collaborations with other artists as amazing as yourself!

I’ve been blessed to have been On Broadway, Star Search, and to having been signed with Gamble and Huff- these are a few of some of my fun singing/music credits…I would be so honored and blessed to work with you Artie🎵🙏🏼🌠💞
God bless you and your family!
With gratitude for the kind person you are; and your wondrous and magical musical contribution to the planet💫✨,

Michelle

HE’S MY UNCLE!!!!

Artie,

I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that your piano playing on “Feelin’ Alright” and “Indian Reservation” were among the most thrilling discoveries I made as a 12 year old. I fell in love with music during that year and have been an avid musician ever since. I further fell in love with piano playing more than my first instrument, guitar, to the point that I don’t even think about guitar anymore. Your style of playing remains to be a high bar for me, and I am ever looking for new learning to discover how to be so fluid, funky, bluesy and melodic in the manner you demonstrated in these songs. Thanks for the life long inspiration.

Frank

Hello Artie,
We both share Dec 2nd birthdays! How cool is that ?
I love your work and hope someday I can meet you. Here is a write up on me . Have a great day. Sincerely, Andy Cahan
818 489 4490

http://coachellavalleyweekly.com/andy-cahan-musicain-for-hire-50-years-of-experience/

Hello Mr. Butler:

I am Andy. THE Andy. The guy to whom, last Sunday, you may have devoted two or three seconds of thought!

I was a volunteer happily lurking in the background at WVXU-FM here in Cincinnati as you gave an hour-long phone interview to my one-time co-worker, Brian Powers. You guys talked about Henry Glover– alongside some other fascinating autobiographical tangents.

At one point in the interview I was happy to contribute a miniature bit of trivia– I yelled out “The Essex” when you guys were pondering who had sung the hit version of “Easier Said Than Done.” All my years of being an Art and Music librarian have finally paid off!

I love reading about and talking about certain unsung heroes of 20th century popular music– be they songwriters or studio musicians or even some . . . conductors/arrangers! (I especially enjoy hearing songwriters singing their compositions– for instance Hoagy or Yip– and also hearing the singing of instrumentalists such as Jack Sheldon or Dave Frishberg). Anyway, you behind-the-scenes guys are not exactly “unsung” but rather just not often to be found in, let’s say, People Magazine. I bet you don’t mind that more esoteric sort of celebrity.

Well this weekend another such recording industry giant died– Rudy Van Gelder– and though I’m not usually one to write fan letters (despite present evidence), he’s somebody I wish I had expressed my appreciation to. And don’t end a sentence preposition with a . . .

Well now I’m writing such a letter to you! Perhaps I’m making up for past hesitations? Before Sunday’s interview I knew that I knew your name but it wasn’t until after I got home that I took the opportunity to delve a little. All I can say is . . .wow! At the station I had been impressed by your stories and your generous patience in telling them but once I saw that online list of your best-known credits, well, I recognized the impact you have “secretly” had on a lot of music fans. So I’ll now step up and as one of their louder representatives I’ll just say “Thank You” for your irrepressible talent and your joyful work.

I later went to YouTube and enjoyed the videos that featured you and your talented European fan/friend. More so, I was entranced by your live solo version of your “Here’s To Life.” Somehow that song has escaped my notice. I’m a bit of a jazz guy who certainly is familiar with Shirley Horn but . . I guess even smarty-pants librarians have gaps in their knowledge. So much to hear, so little time. . .

I’ll end with a (predictable?) question: after seeing that video I could not find evidence that you’ve released any recording that, ideally, would feature just you and a piano. Are there such treasures lurking anywhere?

Thank you again,

Andy Balterman

Great page you got here !! 😀