Fantastic SWSGA Show in Phoenix

[Paul Foster]

I just have to say it was a great great show, and often times we get busy and forget. I just wanted to comment on the great job that Johnny Davis did on Electric Guitar, Johnny is a super picker and his wife Cindy is always at his side offering her support.
TO play behind some of the monster steel players is no easy task especially when you have never heard their material, anyway Johnny you did a great job as usual, just wanted you to know how much you are appreciated, hope to see you next year. Paul Foster

[Dan Tyack]

I had a blast connecting with old and new friends, I had the most fun at any convention. There were so many great sets (too many to mention without leaving out somebody) but the ones that gave me the biggest chills were Bobby and JayDee's set on Thursday, and Doug Livingstone's set on Saturday night. Amazing....

Thanks to the folks who backed me on my set (Doug, Stu, Skinny, and Paul), they made it easy for me to relax and have a good time. And thanks to Chuck Lettes for having me sit in with him on Saturday, that was a blast (the first of many such occasions, I'm sure).

Special thanks to the SWSGA for putting on the event, and for giving me a video of my sets at the event itself. What a great idea, and I'll be posting clips soon.

[Mike Sigler]

to all that made this past weekend for me, Thanks!
I want to thank Billy Easton, and the club & Crew for having me back again.. I look forward to next year..
To Blackie Taylor: Thanks for the use of the guitar and equipment, it was the best...
And the anyone who stayed to listen to my parts, of the show... Thank You!.... see ya next time..
Mike

[Larry Bales]

Hey Mike: Sorry I wasnt up to jamming ths weekend. My ears just wouldnt handle it. I heard you were concerned for me and I want to say thanks for that. Ill make it up to you next time. KB0ODG

[Tommy Dodd]

Please let me chime in here with my thanks to the SWSGA for another wonderful show in Phoenix. Of course they've done this in every year since it began and it continues to be one of my favorite shows to play.

As Jim Cohen said earlier in this thread, cudos to the video work done by John Hensch and his crew. Absolutely the best, most professional live show camera work I've ever witnessed at a steel show, with live, on-the-fly mixing and fading scenes, all projected on a huge, really sharp screen. The audience had such a tremendous vantage viewpoint due to the cameras and John's team. (It made it a lot easier to steel licks from Doug, Jaydee, Russ and a few other of my heros!) Also, a special thanks to John for the personal DVD copy of both my sets. Now I know exactly how many clams I hit during my shows! OUCH....

Also, don't forget the audio guys. The sound was really good all weekend. And with a bunch of fussy steel players that is no easy task. Thanks too to the stage crew who helped getting an impressive list of players on and off the stage in a timely manner. Great job, guys.

My special thanks to Del Mullen, Jerry Newberry, and Austin Stewart for allowing me to play one of those fine Mullen G2 guitars. Great feel and tone from where I was sittin'.

But what was most impressive to me was what I saw Saturday night after Mike Sigler had closed the show for this year (very handidly too, Mikey). I was packing up my stuff to head home to Atlanta and I looked out in the hall to see all the SWSGA members and their spouses cleaning, stacking chairs, rolling up cords, toting amps and boxes, storing sound gear, etc.... It was such a coming together of the core of this organization! Everyone was on the move working like beavers at 1:00am in the morning! I knew why this it such a successful event every year. Because, at the heart of it all the folks who make up the SWSGA "organization" love the steel guitar.

I sincerely thank the SWSGA for allowing me to play on their show and wish them continued success and hope they will invite me again, and again, and again....

tommyd

[John McClung]

Dana, thanks for the corrections, I knew I somehow didn't have it all quite right! Quite a talented family, thanks for sharing that with us at Phoenix.

[Roy Rosetta]

What a great show !! We're home and a bit tired but like my buddy Paul said "well worth it". Thanks to all of the SWSGA organization for having me out to be a small part of this great show. With a very heavy heart due to the loss of our dear friend Ben Brogdon we made it through the show. Thanks to the many great bass players, who stepped up and performed superbly, my job was made much easier. I'd like to say a special "thank you" to my buddy Paul Polish (drums), Denny Sarver (bass) and Johnny Davis (guitar) for all of their support throughout the show. What a great bunch of guy's and musicians to be in a staff band with. The steel guitarist were all "super" so I'll not try to be specific for fear of missing someone. We're looking forward to next year already. Wow...a great organization to work with and the weather is wonderful especially for those of us who live in cooler climates in the winter.
Hopefully we'll see many of our friends from "out west" down in Dallas this March....come on down we think you'll like it.
Best wishes,
....Roy and Barbara

P.S. Thanks Stu Schulman for letting me be in your "hall of fame". I'm looking forward to the next time we get to work together. Maybe Alaska, wow...that would be "cool" .

[Troy Porter]

As a member of SWSGA I would like to add my 2 cents worth. First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you that has posted here on the forum for all the wonderful comments about the 2009 show. Secondly, thanks to the SWSGA members that support the Assoc.throughout the year. I would also like to thank the TSGA for the continued support and encouragment they have given us. They have been a great help. Every one of you are responsible for the success of our shows. The staff and members including the greatest sound and video crew, The greatest back up band ever, all the great steel players, the vendors, and last but not least, the people that come just to hear some great steel guitar. The steel guitar show's could not survive without YOU.
Thanks again to all of you and we hope to see you all again at the 2010 show in sunny Arizona.

[Red Kilby]

WOW!!! What a Great Show as usual, Linda and I had a Blast and we are always made very welcome by all the folks that put this AWESOME SHOW on. We are allready looking forward to next year.

I would like to send out a special thanks to all the steel players that asked me to work with them this past weekend, Jonathan Candler, Bob Case, Mike Castleberry, Jim Cohen, Neil Flanz, and Norm Hamlet. I really had a great time working with you all. Thanks always for the invite.

Also my hats off to the Band, it is always a pleasure working with you guys, and thanks to Ray Harrison and Mike Sigler for the great harmony vocals.
The sound guys were great and the video work was awesome.

I can't say enough about this show it is just growing every year, and to all you folks that missed out on this one, Mark your calenders for next Jan. and plan on some fun in the sun in Arizona 2010.
I guarantee you won't regret this coming.

I can't pick just one great highlight of the weekend for me, but several in no particular order, JayDee sitting in with both Bobby Black and Frank Carter all 3 playing great, The newest member of the steel guitar hall of fame Norm Hamlet's playing and stories, getting to meet Paul Foster and all the stories he has about playing with Waylon during the early years, Doug Livingston and his rendition of Bach on the steel was pretty cool, Dan Tyack and his playing knocked me out, and what can I say about Austin Stewart, He is just getting better and better, WOW what a talent, the classic sound of Neil Flanz was just so much fun, and also my friends Scotty and Chuck Lettes on Lap Steel are always a treat, and Dottie Jack and her vocal talents are great to hear. I know that I am leaving some folks out and I apologize, but these were just some of my highlights and I know that you folks out there can add a whole bunch more to this.

Take care, and see you all in Texas in March.

[John Hensch]

I would like thank everyone that helped with the Southwestern Steel Guitar Association show. All the members of the club that helped unload and setup and then put everything back in the truck after along day. We couldn't provide all this without everyone's support. This goes to everyone from the wonderful house band and performers, to the great audience that didn't let those cameras get in the way of them having a good time.

I would like to say thank you to all the people that worked the cameras and video controller. Cameron Cave did a superb job with the mix and keeping track of all the DVDs. Doug Childress stepped up and took over the monitor duties when John Hauer was unable to come over due to a family emergency. This also goes for Dave Beaty, Otto Shill, Wayne, John and the other camera persons that took the time to learn jobs that usually take years to learn. A real out standing effort on every ones part. Thanks to Troy, Billy, Peggy, LaRue, Joe. Thanks to Mac and all the staff at the Grace Inn that went the extra mile to get us up and running.

Again I was privileged to enjoy great players and the music they have given us. What a treat!
Hope to see everyone again next Year.

P.S. If anyone has any questions about the show please feel free to email me at Jhensch@attblobal.net or call me on my cell phone at 818-822-8653.

[Doug Childress]

John, it was an extreme pleasure meeting and working with you, Dave, and the rest of the crew. Your professionalism was evidenced by the job accomplished.