R.I.P. Mr. Buffalo
by Bob Keller
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posted Oct 26 2011 7:27PM
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 Norton Buffalo passed away last Friday, from Cancer. He died at the Feather River Hospital near his home in Paradise. Norton was a virtuoso on his chromatic harmonica, he could play anything-Blues, rock pop, country, folk and showtunes. He has recorded with hundreds of musicians, most notably the Steve Miller band. 33 years with Steve Miller, who once said of Norton, “He had way more music in him than I could use”..Norton played on the grammy winning Doobie Brothers album “ Minute by Minute. For years Norton would perform with Roy Rodgers and the Rhythm Kings. He had his own record in 1977 called “Loving in the Valley of the Moon”, a reference to the Sonoma Valley. That’s where I met him for the first time. He and guitarist John McFee(before he was a Doobie brother) played a gig at my cousin’s bar in 1973 (see photo to the left) and I was just knocked out by his music. Norton was truly one of us, born in Oakland raised in Richmond and lived all over Northern California. There will be a big benefit for him In January on the 23 at the Fox Theater in Oakland. Appearing will be the Steve Miller Band, The Doobie Brothers, Huey Lewis and the News, George Thorogood, Charlie Musselwhite and Bonnie Raitt. A fitting party for one of the good guys
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