The Steel Guitar Forum

I learned of b0b's passing via Doug Davis' Country Music Classics weekly email tonight. The link to his memory page was one of the most unique obituaries I've ever seen and heard. Page loads with music, pictures galore and a history of how it started. From a BBS no less! Gads, Fidonet rest in peace!...

Good afternoon Friends of the Steel Guitar, Been a while since I've been on here. I've just finished writing a bio for Slim Idaho (aka Dewey Hubbard Aderhold Jr.). I get a kick out of discovering steel players and trying to document their careers where possible. This one has been on my to do list fo...

Good evening Friends of the Steel Guitar, Been a while since I've been on here. I've just finished writing a bio for Slim Idaho (aka Dewey Hubbard Aderhold Jr. ). I get a kick out of discovering steel players and trying to document their careers where possible. This one has been on my to do list for...

Hello, It has been a while since I posted on this forum. But I've doing some research on the old WRVA Old Dominion Barn Dance history and other shows in that era. One group was Bob Williams and his Cumberland Mountaineers. Back in 2013, Gere Mullican was kind enough to contact me and send me a coupl...

I happened to be browsing the forum when I saw this one. It made me realize how early on I had tried to do her bio. So, if you click on the link at the start of this thread, you will see an updated bio. And updated her discography as much as I could track down. I am still checking a few other source...

For many years, I have been a steel guitar fan, favoring the more Hawaiian type stylings. In addition to teaching myself to play a Fender 8-string Hawaiian electric steel, I had a photography hobby since I was traveling so much in my early professional life. I was blessed to visit the Opry many a ti...

This thread I see is over five years old. But it came up as I was looking for some info on Charles Kama. Thanks to some info late in the thread, I think I have documented his dates of birth and death. According to the Social Security Death Index, Charles Valera was born on April 5, 1897. His obituar...

Good evening, While going through an old Country Music Reporter from 1972, I came upon an interesting quote from none other than Tammy Wynette in an interview with Debbie Brimer I thought I would pass along: "I like the new, modern country sound to a certain extent. I don't like some of it when...

Ray, At one time I had an original copy of Microsoft OS/2 on 5.25 inch floppies... But I have created a ringtone! No software really needed other than what I have. I took the steel guitar interlude from Buck's Together Again, cut to about 30 seconds. Then per some instructions I found, you upload th...

Don't know why it took me so long to get into the cell phone game since I'm a bit of a tech person. But the wife and I got our iPhones over the weekend. She'd been pestering me and I was leaning towards an Android type, but our company standardized on support for iPhone. Alas, hard for an OS/2 rabid...

I did a little more searching. It appears Jimmy Haulani was a cousin of Hawaiian guitar player Dick McIntire. One book mentioned he was a 'rhythm guitar' player when he worked with Dick. And Greg - I sent you a reply but don't know if you got it. My ISP has been having trouble getting emails to cert...

I will add an "Amen" to Born To Lose. Every time I play my dobro or lap steel - that is a tune I always play, and the Ted Daffan version is what comes to mind. I'd also have to toss in a ballad by a man named Hank who could milk a song like no other. His version of "First Fall of Snow...

Perhaps a picture of Mel and Jimmy would help as well. http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix1205/7369_mel_peterson_multikord_catalog_1.jpg http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix1205/7369_jimmy_haulani_multikord_catalog_1.jpg PS: In doing research on the other steel players in the pictures after you...

In leafing through the Harlin Brothers catalog it shows pictures of two California multi-chord steel players. Since I'm assuming the catalog is from that bygone era, thought I toss these names out. One is Mel Peterson and the other was Jimmy Haulani. Names ring a bell? Dave http://www.hillbilly-musi...

I've been doing research on some of the names you guys provided and it has led me on an interesting journey as I gradually document things and get them on the site. While sorting other things out the other day, I cam across an old Harlan Brothers catalog - the "Home of the Multi-Kord" and ...

Thought I'd mention a couple that I enjoy or try to emulate if I play them. First, a tune called A Lonely Man's Song from the movie Sometimes a Great Notion. The first part of the song is the orchestra, but man, when the steel kicks in - to me - made the song a keeper for me. Charley Pride did "...

Since we know Beryl Harrell was a steel guitar player, I'm going to post this picture even though it doesn't show her playing the steel. It's taken at the Four Aces venue. On another note, I'm taking a look at some of the rolled up 35mm negatives - all black and white so far. But have to flatten the...

Sorry no new pictures tonight. In response to a few offline notes I've gotten, the reason I posted that these were from the 1940s was mainly because many of the dates, where they were included in the labeling of the negatives, were the 1940s. Your eagle eyes and expertise as to the instruments and w...

As an FYI, I did get to talk with Billy Tonnesen the other night - most enjoyable - for over 90 minutes. My only frustration is that I have a day job and can only do so much in my spare time. But when I do - it's a nice way to relax. Enjoy a few more from the past. http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/use...

This is a long effort. So far, over 360 negatives have been digitized. Still have quite a few piles to go through. Since this is a forum dedicated to the steel guitar, thought I'd upload a few more that have a steel player in them. A few I know, some I don't. Maybe you do? http://bb.steelguitarforum...

Finally, as I am able to interview anyone, I will try and post a summary of what was learned as I tend to dabble into sometimes the trivial details, but I realize memories of those days can be fuzzy sometimes. Here's one last one - part of a batch labeled "John Rives and Other Groups". Any...

Here's another band I had not heard of before seeing these negatives. Billy Carter and his All Stars? I'm pretty sure it's not THE Billy Carter, brother of Pres. Jimmy Carter. The notes with this negative indicate it was at the Mule Kick Club. Anyone know of that venue? Or this band? http://bb.steel...

Let's see if I can post a few pictures so that maybe you can help me identify not only the steel players, but the band members or the singer's they're backing. Here's one that is of Kirk Patrick. First time I've heard of him. But here he is playing at the Hitching Post in the 1940s. Anyone familiar ...

I've recently come across a collection of old black and white negatives and have been gradually scanning them into digital format. By and large, these are of many musicians who played in the LA / Hollywood hillbilly music scene in the 1940s. And I am indeed enjoying discovering pictures of many olde...

Thanks. In checking the page on hawaiiansteel.com, it looks like I learned from a modified E7th tuning, so those gauges that were recommended here are what I'll try. That page talks about long scale / short scale guitars. Judging by that description, my Fender is a long scale steel guitar. I have an...