Southwest Steel Guitar Assoc./What a Blast!!

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 27 Jan 2003 9:21 am

I am still on cloud 9 after our big weekend in Apache Junction. What a show!! We had folks from Arizona, California, New Mexico, even a winter visitor from Vancouver Canada took part in our "Round Robin/Band in the Box". We had over 20 steelers take part in the Round Robin both days....so many different steels (Emmons, Zum, Sierra,Fessenden,Rus-ler,MSA,etc) in the same room with such great players. Then to have Big Jim Baron put on a "Band in the Box Seminar" at no charge. Everyone had their own computer, thanks to Central Az. College, to get familiar with the software. Then live performances by SGHOF member Hal Rugg, and a great performance by Mike Smith and Tierney....my head is still swimming from all the great sounds. The live backup musicians were out of sight!! Denny Sarver on the upright electric bass, Barry Wilkie on Drums, with Johnny Davis, Jimmy Walls, and Gerald Daniels trading off on lead guitar. Each one top notch!! Then when the business meeting was completed, to be treated to such a great show is a steel player's dream. It was the biggest steel guitar show ever in the Southwestern United States. We had betweeen 150 and 225 in attendance for 2 days. We passed out membership applications, and took in 40 members!! And we expect more to mail in their apps. What more can we say? Mike Smith is such an awesome player...and Tierney sings so great. Mike's harmonics are the clearest, longest sustaining I have ever heard. And I have heard a bunch of steel pickers. Hal puts on a great show, and what a nice man!! He played for 1 1/2 hours on Saturday and nearly another hour on Sunday. Then Lisa Otey. a great keyboardist from Tucson came in and sat in with the guys, to put the icing on the cake!! She is teriffic! Everyone had such a great time. I can't thank everyone enough for all they did. Pictures will be added to the website soon (thanks to Mike Smith for helping out with the website). Check us out at:
www.swsteelguitar.com

Thanks again to everyone who worked and participated!!

------------------
Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Southwestern Steel Guitar Association

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 27 Jan 2003 10:44 am

The guy is too modest to mention he was the first to play the "Showcase" I'm talking about Billy Easton,he was smooth as silk and grease lightning on the quick stuff.His song styling and presentation is really and truely top of the line.The Southwestern Steel Guitar Assoc. is proud to have Billy not only as a member but the first ever Vice President of the newly formed organization.
Ray www.swsteelguitar.com

------------------
Steeling is still legal in Arizona

Gary Oatsvall · Post by **Gary Oatsvall** » 27 Jan 2003 12:15 pm

What a weekend. The trip form San Diego was well worth it. Talk about a lot of nice, humorous, steel lovin' people. Maybe it was something in the food the "special chief" presented. Hal, Mike, Tierney and all the back up musicians were outstanding. Talk about talent. Wouldn't want to leave out Billy Easton. Now there is a man who can match anyone in this business. What a talented guy whose wife by the way is the best sales person I ever met. Special thanks to Jim Baron's class on Band in The Box. Jim sure knows his stuff. To bad my brain was to small to absorb it all. Again, thanks for a great two days. Looking forward to doing it again.

Gary Oatsvall

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 27 Jan 2003 1:06 pm

It was tough not being there with my fellow Arizonans for this great event. My wife has not been up to par the last few weeks and didn't want to go without her. Sorry to have missed all of the great music and fellowship with some fine people as well as out-of-this-world playing. This fine association is off to a wonderful start and is destined for national acclaim. One of the things I miss most is not being around Billy on a regular basis. A dear man and fine player who has a passion for the steel, nice going guys, Gary.

Hap Young · Post by **Hap Young** » 27 Jan 2003 1:50 pm

Billy.
Thanks for puting on such a great weekend. Im sorry that we could not be there for both days, but the Sunday show was great and I just wanted you to know that us boys from Yuma had a great time. I especially want to thank Hal Rugg for coming all the way out here to help get us started. He is a perfect gentelman and one heck of a picker. I hope that he relocates back to Tuscon where we can see him real regular. Mike, what can I say?? You hit chords on the E9th that i've never heard before. Great job......We all thank you for your time and effort. Billy.I havent said it all.....buti'd better quit and let someone else brag on you ALL for awhile. Thanks again for a great day....

Danny Stinnett · Post by **Danny Stinnett** » 27 Jan 2003 3:48 pm

Just wanted to add my thanks to all the organizers of the jam. I sure had fun. There were a lot of good players out. I sure feel my batteries were recharged.

I sure enjoyed Hal Rugg also. I hadn't heard him play since several years ago in St. Louis. Billy you did a great job...when are you gonna hold a clinic on the C6th??

You all take care. Let's do it again!!!!

Danny

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 27 Jan 2003 3:52 pm

What great folks, I was in awe of all that I heard and you couldn't ask for nicer people to spend a weekend with.
Kudos to Billy, Ray, Troy and all the others for starting this great organization.
Looking forward to the future events and hope that even more people will join us.
Billy, Mike and that other fella were awsome.
Ray on vocals sure made Hal sound good.

Jack

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 27 Jan 2003 6:17 pm

Guys....
Thanks for all the kind words. It was a lot of work, but at the same time a labor of love. We will do this again. Keep your suggestions coming in....Danny I don't see why we couldn't do a little C6th seminar. I will have to get some stuff down on paper and we will do it. Thanks to everyone for their kind words and support. I didn't know "Roy" Jenkins sounded so much like A.C. Hooks!!

Gary: We missed having you and your pretty wife here.....hope she is feeling better. Rest assured that you are both in our thoughts and prayers. Hope you can attend next time. Maybe by then you will be ready to relocate to SOUTHERN Arizona.

------------------
Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Southwestern Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Billy Easton on 27 January 2003 at 06:19 PM.]

Fred Justice · Post by **Fred Justice** » 27 Jan 2003 7:48 pm

Hi guys,oh,and girls too,what else could be said,the steel playing was out of site,and i had so mush fun just fellowshiping with the brotherhood of steel players,they even had enought food to fill me up !!!!,but that drive,it was so far for me to come.Love ya man,Fred Justice.

Troy Porter · Post by **Troy Porter** » 28 Jan 2003 2:34 pm

I have to agree with Billy and Ray, although I am still trying to get back down to cloud 9 to visit with Billy. I would like to thank Mike and Hal for the interest they have shown for our newly formed SWSGA. We had a tremendously successful turnout and for sure, we are all looking forward to the next time. Hal played songs from his last two CD's which I might add, is a must for every steel players collection. He even did a couple Ray Price toons with our own Ray Jenkins doing the vocals.
MIKE SMITH, what can you say? He is one of my favorite steel players of all time.Mike has total control of the instrument. I think he just points at the guitar and it plays.Wish I could learn that trick..
Billy Easton put on an outstanding performance with the 3 wheel drive band. These guy's are great. Billy played some tunes from his CD which is another must for the steel player's collection.
We were also lucky enough to have Frank Carter from Downeyville Calif. with us. What a great player with a killer tone Hal used Franks system for both show's.

Our good friend Big Jim Baron from Madera Calif. did an excellent job providing the tracks for the rest of us to play to and shared his knowledge on chord construction with many of us.

All the players sounded great and I noticed a lot of improvement of the newer players from our Oct. Jam. Thanks to all that partisapated and a special thanks to the women that worked their "buns" off to provide the food and drinks for everyone. Girls, we couldn't have pulled it off without you. We love you all.

OH Yea, We even drug Fred Justice out of the closet . He is playing great and is threatening to start woodsheding again.

all

st for the steel players collection.

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 29 Jan 2003 6:57 am

OH Yea, We even drug Fred Justice out of the closet . He is playing great and is threatening to start woodsheding again.

WOW!!! I had no idea Freds guitar was gay.!!!
Ray www.swsteelguitar.com

------------------
Steeling is still legal in Arizona

PLAYSTEEL9 · Post by **PLAYSTEEL9** » 30 Jan 2003 3:23 pm

I always thought Fred was pretty happy all the time.
Great time at the jam. We are now an offical club. Special thanks to Hal and Mike and Billy for the great show. That 3 wheel drive band was great.
But I got to say my favorite part of both days was just setting around and jaming with some great players.
I really liked hearing what other player do on the same songs.
We got to do this more offten.
thanks to all the great guys and gals for all your hard work.
See you all Real soon.

Wayne

------------------
"Asleep at the steel"

www.thebullseyeband.com