As the Post reports today, Cage, who played with New Riders of the Purple Sage and worked on "Blood on the Tracks" with Bob Dylan, just had the guitar returned to him.
It's a long short story, but a fan called Cage after spotting the guitar on Ebay.
Cage then called his friend, retired detective Bob Geis, who originally helped him look for the guitar when it was stolen. Geis went back to precinct where it was originally stolen, and found a detective who remembered the case.
A 9th Precinct detective, John McAuliffe, traced it to Miguel Tapia, of East Flastbush — who claimed he had bought the guitar at a flea market on Canal Street long ago, he said.
"I tried to play it but I couldn’t figure out how, so I just threw it in my basement and forgot I even had it," said Tapia, who discovered it while cleaning his home. Bidding had reached $820 by Saturday before he pulled it.
Tapia didn't realize the guitar was stolen and returned it.
[Photo: Stefan Jeremiah/Post]
Buddy was an awesome steel player back in the day and contributed to many classic tracks. Didn't know he is/was an EV resident Glad he got his axe back.
ReplyDeleteBuddy is a world class steel master, I used to see him around once in a while here in EV I never said anything to him not wanting to be an annoying arse don't ya know. I remember hearing that his custom steel was robbed from a van and thinking that on top of everything else wrong with that story his beloved instrument would likely wind up sold for next to nothing and in some jerks basement because a common thief would not even know what he had, it's a bit of an obscure item to most people. So great that it finally found its way back where it belongs! Reminds me of those stories where a dog lost 8 years ago finds its way back to its beloved master. Hey Buddy happy for you man thanks for so much great music!
ReplyDeleteTo amend my comment above about the pedal steel finding its way back to Buddy Cage, perhaps that phrasing is ill-chosen since I see that active police work and the involvement of a fan were the operative causes of the return of the instrument, I don't mean to minimize these by acting like the item sniffed its own way back home like a lost pup. So good work fellas, atta-bub.
ReplyDeleteMaybe there's still hope for my bike, which was stolen in 1985!
ReplyDeleteHOT damn and double boogie!
ReplyDeleteKeep on chooglin' Mistah Cage.....LOVE your pickin'!