Deep South Thanks

[Bill Stafford]

I just want to thank everyone in one "fell swoop" for making our DSSG show this past Saturday a nice entertaining musical and friendship event. Too many accolades to pay individually, but I want all of you know how much you are respected and appreciated for giving us your time, friendship and talent.
Scotty and Mary flew in, literally, with the Calhoun Twins and Donna Darlene. This place lit up like a roman candle and I think it is still burning.
Thanks again.
Bill Stafford

[Cayla Ann Kelton]

Oh.. Mr. Bill... Oh.. Mr. Bill ...What a show! What music !
What memories ! It was great to see old friends and especially making some new ones .
Thank you again.
Love ya
Cayla
Miss Mini Minnie Pearl
P.S. See ya in Dallas

[John Floyd]

Wish I could have been there.

[Bill Stafford]

Always delghtfull to see Cayla Ann Kelton. Her Miss Mini Minnie is entertaining to the max. Her patriotic recitation with the great Roy Rosetta playing "America the Beautiful" was one of the biggest events of the day. Thank you Cayla and looking forward to seeing you in Dallas. And, btw, a little birdie told me you were invited to St. Louis also. Now, more people will be made much happier with you. So proud of you and all you are doing for Miss Minnie Pearl's Cancer Foundation also.
Bill Stafford

[Winston Street]

Bill,
Thanks so much for all you do for Steel Guitar. You had a great bunch of pickers down there. I met Herby Wallace for the first time and was really impressed by what a friendly couple he and his wife are. I enjoy hanging around with Royce, he's so funny and a great "chicken picker". I won't try to mention everyone but everyone did a fantastic job. My mouth was watering to play the new Left Handed Excel that was there but I didn't want to play it before it was delivered to whomever the lucky person is that has it ordered. I think Scotty was taking it back to deliver it.
Thanks again for being the gentleman that you are.

Winston

[Bill Stafford]

Winston, it is friends and players like yourself that make our show work out just right. I too wish you could have played that left handed EXCEL. Folks, Winston is the only steel player I have ever met that plays either a right or left handed manufactured pedal steel guitar. Winston's band is one of the best I have heard inside and outside of Nashville. Brian Dew just blew me away with his professional musicianship and voice. He is absolutely better than most of the well known vocalists we hear today. Then, in this same group is the lady that has caused Dottie West to loose her place in my list of favorite LADY singers-this is Julie Musgrove. Put Robbie Sumerall on bass and harmony vocals and you have a group that could play anywhere they wanted too. I am so very proud to have them with us at DSSG. Top this off with the vocals, lead, bass and keyboard talents of Glen Musgrove and you could be listening to a Nashville A group band. Thanks Winston for bringing all this talent down for us to enjoy. (Sorry I did not get the name of your drummer. Will cover him later.)
Hope we can arrange for all of you to be here on June 20,2009 for our next DSSG event at the St. Martin's Community Center in St. Martin, Mississippi. (This group is just so good, that they will have a solid hour to entertain all of us). More on this later as I was able to confirm that date today.
Bill Stafford

[Gordon Dodson]

Bill,
Thank you for inviting me to Gulfport, MS to be part
of a fantastic steel guitar show.

Thanks to Bob Saxton, Roy Rosetta, Ben Odell, Jack
Goodson and Mr. Moran for playing along with my niece, Jean Kendall and me, on our set. WOW!

Thanks again.
Gordon Dodson
Ozark, Alabama

[Bill Stafford]

Gordon, you and Jeanne deserve all the accolades. I have a long list of players and friends to thank and you just beat me to your name. Wish I could tell all of you how much you are all appreciated in putting on this show for us. The rest of the world is now waiting to hear Gordon. We here at DSSG have already had this pleasure. Julian Tharp and I were close friends and you bring back all those good musical memories with your playing. It was so neat to see and hear all the EXCELS - especially with Mitsuo Fujii(the builder) and Scotty (the USA dealer) in house. Proud to say that the DSSG audience is the only steel audience(so far) that hears a steel player play and sing(in a fantastic voice) songs like only Julian played-"Thunder Road", "Hot Rod Lincoln" and others. Gordon's voice is in the timbre of Stan Hitchcock and/or Dick Curless. Great singer and player here.
Now, there is more to Gordon also. He is teaching his eleven (11) year OLD niece, Jeanne Kendall Dodson to play steel. Gordon grew up with the Chalkers on one side of their home and the Tharpes on the other. There were two standing ovations during the days show. Mitsuo Fujii had one and JEANNE KENDALL DODSON had the other. Gordon stood up and played guitar and vocalized a Hank Williams song. Jeanne put in all the fills, etc just perfect. Thought Don Helms was here. We all felt his spirit. Very touching moment for us all to have this gorgeous young girl on stage behind a steel guitar.
(She and Cayla Ann Kelton represented our American youth so good). So proud of them. Thanks to you Gordon, Jeannie and Cayla too.
Bill Stafford

[Tommy Young]

MR. BILL just wanted to say a big thanks for allowing me too have a booth at your great show,, I really enjoyed it and all the great music that was there, sorry I had to leave so early around 8;00pm but it sure was fun hope to see you next show ,many thanks my friend..

TOMMY YOUNG
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