Alvino Rey

[Ken Mizell]

Here's something interesting and quite different. Alvino Rey on an old Lawrence Welk Show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlJ2_uyxN2s

[Archie Nicol R.I.P.]

I suppose the tone control wigglin' was a precursor to the wah-wah pedal. As a relative newbie to the universal world, I love doing that strumming style.

Arch.

[Roy Ayres]

Joaquin Murphey called that style the "Whipchord" style. He used it on "Winter Wonderland."

[Howard Tate]

Great playing. I notice he does not wear finger picks in this clip, in others he does.

[Roy Ayres]

Howard,
He also sometimes used a flat pick -- especially when he had his regular guitar sitting in its stand-up stand near the steel. He could jump from one axe to the other without worrying about changing picks. When I heard him in person with his big band, the tone of his steel sounded very thin.

Dr. Hugh Jeffries would be our best expert on Alvino, as they were friends and they visited and corresponded on a regular basis.

[John Roche]

How strange, I just started to do that and it works very well, I seem to be able to pick out the melody while strumming across the strings on my B6th .If I get it just right it sounds like there is a brass section backing me, goes to show there's nothing new ,someone will have done it already... great clip and very encouraging ....John

[Roy Ayres]

John,

Works great, but you have to be careful on fast stuff to stop on the string that is playing the melody at that point. That essentially defines Alvino's style. Al Marcus also plays that style well, as does Bobby Koefer. Koefer only uses a thumb pick, but I have heard that many steelers have broken their thumbs trying to copy Bobby.

[John Roche]

Roy , It's something that seem to come natural to me,
if I can here it in my head then I can play it, to be honest it's a bit frightening at times to here the sound i get , It would appear i need to be in a certain mood, then it happens, tempo don't seem to matter as long as I feel it, It started when I was learning "Ghost Riders In The Sky" I started to strum the steel to feel the tempo and all of a sudden I was away doing something I had never done before , I must admit I rather enjoy playing that style, It's like a freedom to explore the fretboard and not having to sound like anyone else,
that is of course until now, after hearing Alvino I feel a sort of bond , and it's ok to try something else and be yourself, much more satisfying ... John

[Roy Ayres]

John,

Go to my website (in my signsture below), click on "Roy's Music" rhen click on "The Lord's Prayer."

[Howard Tate]

Roy, that's really pretty, great job.

[Roy Ayres]

Thanks, Howard. I've been to your website and heard some of your nice playing, too. I liked your rendition of "Storms."

[Rick Collins]

To Roy and anyone who might know of Alvino Rey's musical career:

I have heard that he played reguarly at the Casino Auditorium at Avalon on Catalina Island (26 miles off the coast of southern California). ...any information on this?

The Casino is not a casino as in gaming for wagering. It just happens to be the name of the auditorium __ a round building with a conical roof right on the beach.

Many thanks, Rick

[Al Marcus]

Rick-Alvino Rey played at the Rustic Cabin in New Jersey and was on the air every night for 6 months ?on the radio and I listened and learned every night. that was in about 1939?

Roy Ayres post has some good info on Alvino. And if
Bill Stafford would chime in, he spent a week or so with Alvino , on a daily basis,when he was building his Sierra guitar.
Jody Carver knew him when he was getting his Fender single 11 string guitar.
I saw him in person while he had his non pedal D8 Gibson, and also later when he had his 6 pedal, 8 string, Gibson original Pre War Electra-Harp, one of which I was able to buy used later. I also much later have corresponded with him and have talked to him on the phone in Utah , where he lived. Back when I first heard him, he was way ahead of his time in 1938 and was definitely my Idol at that time. I wanted to play just like him and I guess I must have sounded a little like him. When I walked into clubs in Cleveland, the customers used to yell out "here comes Alvino". LOL..al.:):)

[Al Marcus]

I just played the video and also the video of "St.Louis Blues". I used to copy every one of his solos almost exactly." Hindustan", "St. Louis Blues", "On the Alamo", "My Buddy"," Tiger Rag", Etc. I think that helped me a lot in my early Music career.
As players today, it is good that they copy the solos of the Stars of today. It helps them to learn and it gives them a little more public recognition....al.:):)

[CrowBear Schmitt]

as much as i love what's been steeled upon in the last decades, i gotta admit my surprise when i hear how & what Alvino played
it was already said & done back then huh ?

Thanx again to this Great Forum fer my Steel Education

[Dan Sawyer]

Since that Youtube clip was removed, here is another version of it:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hHlmsMhcdrM&feature=related

[Al Marcus]

CrowBear-Yes, you are right on there. "What goes around , comes around.". He sure inspired me in 1938 to play his style of full chord modern steel guitar.

Reece Anderson, BE, Speedy West, Jauquin, Jody Carver, Bob White,Curly Chalker,Bill Stafford, and many others including me, have all learned one thing or another from Alvino Rey, SGHOF in 1978. Bless his Soul....al.:)

[Al Marcus]

Here is some pictures of Alvino and the Alvino Lesson Book I had in 1938,before WWII. I hope I can get them scanned and on the Forum to anyone interested in Alvino's History...al