Lester F. Tinker Fry??????

Lee Barber · Post by **Lee Barber** » 6 Aug 2008 10:18 am

Hello All
I don't know where to post this so I did it here. My father grew up in Caldwell County in Tx. East of San Antonio near Luling, he says Slim Whitman's Steel player lived near there, Lester F. Tinker Fry.
I can't find any thing about him other than he played for Slim. He was the Steel on the waterfall song & the Indian Love call, if I have my facts straight. Don't know if he is still with us or not. Anybody have any info? I found a Lester F. Tinker Fry in a Cemetaery in OK born 27 of June 1900 died 30 Sept. 1975. Is this him?
Thanks
Lee

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 6 Aug 2008 11:51 am

There was a Fry that played with Whitman I recall, but I'm not sure he was on the cuts. I think the steeler was Hoot Raines from Shreveport Louisiana. I've edited.

Phred

Loy B Moore · Post by **Loy B Moore** » 6 Aug 2008 12:27 pm

Fred,
You are correct. Hoot Rains played on Love Song of the Waterfall and Indian Love Call as well as most of the early Slim Whitman Imperial records. Various others played after Hoot Rains and Curley Herndon left Slim Whitman and went on their own as "Hoot and Curley." Slim's pre Imperial records were on RCA where he had the likes of Jerry Byrd, Chet Atkins, Jethro Burns and Homer Haynes in the band.

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 6 Aug 2008 12:44 pm

I just checked an old journal I used to keep and it lists a "Fry" with Whitman, but I don't know where he came from or where he is now.

I do know that I played with "Hoot and Curley" for a stand at the Rio Palm Isle club in Longview, Texas in the 80's.They needed a bass and I was living in Tyler at the time and agreed to play with them. Both of them were crazy and you never knew what to expect; everything from scotch tape on your plugs, pins through the cables with the ends cut off, bar maids paid to sit on your lap, watermelon rinds under your car's back tires, you name it. We went to Hoot's funeral in the early 90's. They don't make 'em like those two guys anymore.

I'll keep checking on Fry, I know I have something somewhere.

phred

Lee Barber · Post by **Lee Barber** » 7 Aug 2008 3:18 am

Fred
Tinker played in the 50's till I don't know when with Whitman. I didn't think to contact Herb Remington, he is on this album & doesn't live far from me.
I copied this off the net. Musicmoz Not that they couldn't be wrong.
and thanks for your response.

"I'll Never Take You Back Again" was recorded in March 1955 at the KWKH Studio, Streveport, Louisiana
"I'll Never Stop Loving You" was recorded in May 1955 at the ACA Studio, Houston, Texas

First Album "I'll Never Take You Back Again" was released on was "Slim Whitman Sings" LP-9064
First Album "Love Song of the Waterfall" was released on was "First Fisit to Britain of Slim Whitman" LP-9135

Released: 1955
Formats: 78
Genre: Country
Studio/Live?: Studio
Label: Imperial
Guest Musicians: Sherman 'Sugarfoot' Collins (Guitar)
Cameron Hill (Guitar) on "I'll Never Stop Loving You" only
Herb Remington (Steel Guitar)on "I'll Never Stop Loving You" only
Lester 'Tinker' Fry (Steel Guitar) on "I'll Never Take You Back Again" only
Thomas 'Curly' Harris (Strings) (Bass)
Harland H. 'Sonny' Harville (Piano)

Catalogue Number: IMP 8298

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 7 Aug 2008 4:14 am

Thanks for the info Edward, I just could find nothing else in this diary.

phred

Lee Barber · Post by **Lee Barber** » 7 Aug 2008 5:31 am

Fred
Hoot Rains played on Love Song of the Waterfall and Indian Love Call from what I can tell, I always thought it was Tinker. I'm just curious & trying to find out info on him for myself as well as my Dad.
Thanks
Lee