Tommy Roots........

Steel guitar web sites, videos and recordings on the Internet

Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn

Post Reply
Charles Curtis
Posts: 2825
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 12:01 am

Tommy Roots........

Post by Charles Curtis »

I would love to see a video of the late great "Tommy Roots" here. Tommy did so much for the psg with his early tab and videos for a lot of people many years ago and he was a super musician. I believe Tommy was a public shool teacher in the Corpus Christi area; I'm sure someone down there knows more about him and could contribute more information about him.
User avatar
Dick Wood
Posts: 3060
Joined: 2 May 2005 12:01 am
Location: Springtown Texas, USA
Contact:

Post by Dick Wood »

I have Tommy Roots Bandstand Instrumentals where he plays 6-7 tunes and if I had a way to convert VHS to DVD I'd post it for you.
Charles Curtis
Posts: 2825
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 12:01 am

Post by Charles Curtis »

Dick, IMO, Tommy should be seen and heard by all, he was fantastic. I believe that a lady that he used to go with would love to see him here also. I talked with Carson Wells on the phone once, but I heard that he passed away; so sad. I sure hope that you can get it on. Thank you.
Dean Neeley
Posts: 145
Joined: 1 Jan 2001 1:01 am
Location: Aiken,SC USA

Tommy Roots Songs

Post by Dean Neeley »

Charles Dicks gonig to send me the VCR tape an i'll
put it a DVD for him. So mabye he can put it on
You tube. Take care, Dean Neeley
Charles Curtis
Posts: 2825
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 12:01 am

Post by Charles Curtis »

Thank you Dean; I'm sure that many old friends and students of Tommy will love to see this. And I believe that he will have a lot more fans once this is done.
User avatar
Fred Shannon
Posts: 3363
Joined: 27 Sep 2002 12:01 am
Location: Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
Contact:

Post by Fred Shannon »

Carson is still alive and kicking. He lives around Kerrville, TX and still makes one of the best custom guitars around. He's also one of the better E9 players in Texas. He plays with Segovia out of central Texas and was a partner with Tommy in some video endeavors. Great Guy.


Phred
User avatar
Dick Wood
Posts: 3060
Joined: 2 May 2005 12:01 am
Location: Springtown Texas, USA
Contact:

Post by Dick Wood »

Hey all,

Good News, I found the tape and Carson plays two tunes on it.

I will get this to Dean for duplication.

I hope someone will put this on Youtube for everyone to see and enjoy.
Last edited by Dick Wood on 21 Mar 2008 12:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dean Neeley
Posts: 145
Joined: 1 Jan 2001 1:01 am
Location: Aiken,SC USA

Tommy Roots

Post by Dean Neeley »

I think i have a friend that can put Tommy's songs on YouTube anyway.

Dean Neeley
User avatar
Bill Ferguson
Posts: 5692
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Milton, FL USA
Contact:

Post by Bill Ferguson »

I will dig back and see if I have anything on Tommy. Does anyone know what years he played the ISGC?

Bill
Dean Neeley
Posts: 145
Joined: 1 Jan 2001 1:01 am
Location: Aiken,SC USA

Tommy Roots

Post by Dean Neeley »

Jody Sanders would Know if contacted.

Dean Neeley
Bill Sutton

Post by Bill Sutton »

i have a great video of tommy. its called tr4 c 6th
advanced. some real good licks to learn for the c 6th neck. i dont know how to post it or if i can.
bob what should i do?
bill.
Charles Curtis
Posts: 2825
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 12:01 am

Post by Charles Curtis »

I just don't think that Tommy ever got the recognition that was due him. I never got a chance to meet him, but I was told taht Tommy used to just give away a lot of stuff at the conventions.
Vernon Hester
Posts: 1126
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Cayce,SC USA, R.I.P.

Tommy Roots

Post by Vernon Hester »

Charles Curtis
Posts: 2825
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 12:01 am

Post by Charles Curtis »

Thank you Vernon; Tommy was great. I know that he also did some tablature by indicating the pulls on the strings, I believe before the copedents became standard. I love all of Tommy's music. He also had a couple of cassettes out. I wish these had been put in CD format. As I ramble on here, long ago I tried to run down his tablature of "All Of Me", but I just don't know if he ever put it out. His rendition of this tune is fantastic. Fred, thank you for the update on Carson. I had the opportunity to speak with him on the phone long ago. I am so happy that he is ok; I thought someone posted that on this Forum a while back. Well this made my day!
User avatar
Fred Shannon
Posts: 3363
Joined: 27 Sep 2002 12:01 am
Location: Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
Contact:

Post by Fred Shannon »

Tommy Roots and Carson Wells had a joint effort on some video tapes some time ago prior to Tommy's passing.

Tommy and Carson were the best of friends and Tommy's last guitar was built by Carson with a multitude of pedals and levers. I wonder what happened to the guitar after Tommy passed? I know Carson was trying to locate it.

I think there was some dissension about the videos being sold in St. Louis but I don't know the particulars. There are still some of those videos around. Someone might try Carson.

He has moved to the Kerrville area from his ranch in Sabinal Texas. I've talked to him on the phone recently but didn't think to mention the videos.


Phred
Vernon Hester
Posts: 1126
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Cayce,SC USA, R.I.P.

Carson Wells

Post by Vernon Hester »

Here's Tommy's Buddy. Carson Wells.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09SDxlvWQ2A

Enjoy

Vern
Dean Neeley
Posts: 145
Joined: 1 Jan 2001 1:01 am
Location: Aiken,SC USA

Carson Wells

Post by Dean Neeley »

Vernon Mr. Carson Wells Made Tommy Morrell Single Neck
Guitar that he played at all the shows.

Dean Neeley
Charles Curtis
Posts: 2825
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 12:01 am

Post by Charles Curtis »

Carson that is great my friend. Texas has a lot of fantastic psg musicians!!! I don't know if it's the water or the pretty girls that creates this phenomena down there.
Bobby Caldwell
Posts: 1436
Joined: 9 Feb 2005 1:01 am
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.
Contact:

Post by Bobby Caldwell »

I worked with Tommy on a lot of shows and man could he pick. I always enjoyed his set. He was a great guy to be around also and had a great sense of humor as well. You know that seems to be a common thread among steel players. He was another who never met a stranger. I have some of his recordings and listen to them often and remember when. He is another that I dearly miss. Bobby
Vernon Hester
Posts: 1126
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Cayce,SC USA, R.I.P.

Tommy Roots

Post by Vernon Hester »

Bobby,
I agree with you,he was a super picker.
here is his Cth version of "All of Me".
Enjoy
Vern
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-3Ox1Li-A0
Charles Curtis
Posts: 2825
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 12:01 am

Post by Charles Curtis »

Thank you Vernon!!! I believe that he was going to write the tab for this song and some others; I even called a couple of places in Corpus Christi to see if they might have it, but to no avail. It's too bad because IMO, I haven't heard a better version of this song on a psg.
Post Reply