Some west coast steelers.............long forgotten

[Ray Montee]

Sorry 'bout that!

Yes Siree!
Doug Jones............and I can't remember who else.

[Gene H. Brown]

Thanks Ray,
You are a gentleman, I knew you'd remember. Have a Great Day!

[Andrew Brown]

What about Bob Hines? Here he is in action with Eddie Miller and his Oklahomans, somewhere in the Los Angeles/SoCal area c. 1950.

[Barry Blackwood]

I wonder how long those hanging mics lasted before some drunk tried to play Tarzan with them ....

[Eddie D.Bollinger]

Hey Mr. Ray,
Thanks for remembering Steve Chet, who played with my "Uncle" Buddy Simmons. Uncle Buddy was a steel
player waaaay back, he told me. He made a steel
back in the Kizziah days, I think.


Eddie Bollinger in Mississippi

[Billy Tonnesen]

I have mentioned Bob Hines several times on the Forum. We have been friends since the early 50's and talk on the phone about every three months. Bob lives in "Centennial, Colorado" (near Denver). The last time I talked with him, he does not play out anymore. He has a "Band In A Box" and plays for his own enjoyment in his basement. Bob is a super player and played with Curly Chalker in Las Vegas years back. He played Steel and Saxaphone for Curly.

I wish some of the Denver area Forum members would try to get in contact with him.

[Al Marcus]

Bob Meadows played a lot of Western Swing in calif. in the early days. Gone now, but not forgotten.rip. Bobbe Seymour now has his classic Bigsby pedal guitar....al.

[Lloyd Burl Brown]

I've been reading the forum for several years now. Reminiscing over this string about older West Coast steelers really brought back memories of my younger days, aspirations and many of my early heroes and influences... and compelled me to finally "sign up"... so that I can "speak up".

It also reminded me that the major part of any musician's potential contribution can only be fulfilled by staying "hard after it". There are lots of guys like me who were just in-and-out, albeit for good solid reasons such as feeding their family with a "day" job.

But, I tip my hat to those that did both; perservering in their love of music (and PSG), while balancing the burdon of a man's (or woman's) other responsibilities with two or more jobs. Many of the distinguished characters listed in this thread passed that grueling test. (BTW, I still love those that were far less responsible, LOL.)

I was pleased to see many of my old Central CA friends, influences and inspirors remembered.

For me they included Paul Dobbs, Wayne Carlock, Terry Christofferson, Larry Petree, Leo Leblanc, Frankie Hardcastle, Jay McDonald, J.G. O'Rafferty, Bill Bailey, Fuzzy Owens, Jack Ansel, Chuck Wright and Newton Adair.

Non-steelers closely related to this group (for me)include Johnny Russell, Jim Shaw, Jack and Jim Gage, Jimmy Nichols, Tommy Forse and Wayne (Moose) Stone.

Special placeholders for me: The Big Fresno Barn, Jim's Place (Clovis), the DeMarquis, Nashville West, Johnny's, Turf Club, Rocking Horse Inn/Cozy Inn (Fresno), the Blackboard, Funny Farm and Wild Bill's Saloon (Bakersfield)

I should not repeat the obvious, i.e., all of the legendary West Coast influences previously called out like Speedy West, Tom Brumley, Jay Dee Maness, Vance Terry, Bobby Black and on and on.

I read every one of your posts, all five pages. Thanks, all of you, for an enjoyable trip down memory lane.

[David Wright]

Theres another steel player, from Ceres, Ca..Played all around Modesto, Stockton, Fresno.... Ivan Ward.... anyone remember him??? I spent lots of time around him and his wife Zelpha.... Wonderfull People.... Miss him Dearly/////

[Charles Curtis]

Anyone remember "Bookie Modin" playing with Tommy Strange, and Bookie would do his impression of Walter Brennan?

[Bob Hickish]

There is Bill Stewart , a very accomplished Steel & 6 string
player in the Palmdale & Lancaster CA area -- His partner
Stan -- don't remember his last name -- I think one or both
of these fellows owned the lancaster music store - I bought
my Fender D-8 Stringmaster from Bill in 62 .
Hick

[Ellis Miller]

Thanks Ray,
You are a gentleman, I knew you'd remember. Have a Great Day!

Hey there Gene Brown,
If my memory serves me you are a very fine PSG player yourself, running up and down I-5 with Ira Allen, playing with Bobby Gibson around the Portland area and doing some fine studio work with Gene Breeden.

[Robert Thomas]

HI Ray,
This has been a very interesting subject full of nostalgia.
Do you remember "Joe Massey and The Frontiersmen?"
I played with that group back in 1950's and they did a lot at the old "Cottonwoods" dance hall, between Albany and Lebanon. He featured twin fiddles and I believe there were nine or ten pieces in the band at that time. Another interesting tidbit is Willie Nelson also performed with them when he was living here in the northwest. He sure looked a lot different then.

[Tracy Sheehan]

I know this doesn't make me a Ca. or West Coast Player, by any stretch of the imagination, however; the last several months until Nov. 1970, I played 6-nights a week at the Panama Club in Long Beach, Ca. I only lived in L.A. for the year 1970 and then moved back to Nashville around Nov. 1st. ’70 after my wife arrived in the states, from Korea. BTW: Jay Dee Manes was at the Palomino Club during 1970. This I know because, he called me about a sit-down gig in Phoenix, while I was in L.A.! Also, Bud Isaacs and Geri were working the Skylight Club in Compton during 1970.

John,please check your PM.

[Billy Tonnesen]

Andrew:.
Bobby Hines is retired living in Centennial, Colorado. We talk on the phone every few months.
In the Eddie Miller Band picture, it looks like Dale Norris on (left) lead guitar. Possibly, Lou Pieta on drums and Joe Pope on Piano. I probably know the rest but my eyes are not that good anymore.

[Ray Montee]

Willie Ray Duncan of Portland, was in Arkie & His Jolly Cowboys' band until I replaced him at age 15.
He was nuts about Joaquin Murphy and played a triple-8 Fender. Bob Johnson used to play a blond Fender triple-8 with Slim Franks band here in the Portland area back in the 1950's.
Robert: I don't recall the fellow's band or name but I played off and on over the years at the Cottonwoods Ballroom......mostly with the Kizziah contingent. It has since been demolished.
Eddie: Only during recent years did I learn of
Buddies' steel guitar background. He was a great motivator for me during our long drives from Portland to Salem for regular band practices.

[Billy Wilson]

Hall of Famer Tom Bradshaw

[Russ Wever]

Not 'long forgotten'
of course, our host
here, Bobby Lee, has
been playing the
Northern California
area for a good spell.
~Russ

[Scott Adair]

I just joined this forum and came across this 7 year old topic. It pleased me to see my grandpa (Newton Adair) mentioned in the comments. He was my first guitar teacher until the time he passed away in 1974 (I was 12 at that time). While he was an avid steel player, he could play any guitar or banjo. He also patented and produced at least a few "electradair" steel type guitars too that he actually sold. In addition to playing locally all over the central valley, he taught guitar and banjo for many years as well. He taught at the famous "Sound Stage" and "Gospel Music" stores in Fresno - as well later on privately at home. In any case, it was nice seeing my grandpa's name mentioned on here.

[Michael Lee Allen]

Scott...
I have an "Electradair" pedal steel guitar built by your grandfather. It's an eight string console with four solonoid pitch-changing pedals and expression/volume pedal. I had already moved out of town but friends went to check it out for me and bought it. It seems to have been stored outside in a carport for quite a while and is in rough shape. I doubt they even plugged it in, just snapped a few cellphone pictures of it, took a leaf-blower to get the dirt off it, and stashed it in my storage unit. I have no idea when I'll ever get it, there are other items there that are a higher priority to be shipped. If you don't have one or have never seen one I can try and arrange a "viewing". Also another friend took lessons on lap steel from your grandfather in the early 1970's, I think at that time he had his own small store and teaching studio on Belmont Avenue somewhere between Van Ness Boulevard and Palm Avenue. I can check that out for you and probably get an exact address. Feel free to send me a PM or direct email.
MLA

[Scott Adair]

Michael - thanks for sharing. Over the years the family has come across a few "electradairs" - most in the condition you described. I think I might have even seen a photo of the one you have as well (very weather beaten). The family would love to find one in working order, but the chance of that aren't very great - as you probably realize. We have the original patents and the original advertisement for the electradair as well. My dad doesn't even recall how many grandpa actually made. He thinks it wasn't maybe more than a dozen or so. He tried to get M-V music (a Fresno dealer) to sell it, but they wanted a "smaller" version. He refused to make it any smaller - thus he sold them only independently - at least a far as we know. His Belmont address was 845 Belmont (as I recall). But again, Michael - thanks for sharing.

[Jerry Hayes]

Anyone remember "Bookie Modin" playing with Tommy Strange, and Bookie would do his impression of Walter Brennan?

Hey Charles, I remember Bookie Modin very well. I met him in the sixties not to long after I'd gotten out of the US Army. He was in the band at Pop Hoye's Lelani Club in Wilmington, Ca. He was playing a D-8 Fender 1000 at the time and operated the pedals with his right foot... I asked him about that one time and he told me that when he was in the service he worked in an office and had his steel set up against the wall to his right. If he wanted to practice he'd just turn partially toward it and press the pedals with his right foot and just got used to it... Bookie had severe health problems concerning his blood and needed regular transfusions. He played with Dave Dudley awhile also and IMHO he was a very formidable player.. He worked at Blackie Taylor's Music Store in Hawaiian Gardens, Ca. for awhile and was responsible for Blackie using the "Chromatic" strings on his guitar. Blackie had (and still has) an old Fender 400 that had been converted to a 12 string and used his normal A6th tuning. Bookie helped Blackie set it up with the F# and Eb strings on the outside of his A6th so he was able to capture some of the more "modern" stylings.............

I don't know if these guys have been mentioned yet but how bout:

Jimmy Hill
Jimmy Anderson (Les' son)
Al Meyers (a Johnny Davis clone)...JH in Va.

[Dana Blodgett]

A couple of fine west coast steelers that come to mind are Jim Palenscar in So. Cal area and expert PSG repair person, machinist,teacher,all around good guy and Kirk Eipper ,multi instrumentalist ,teacher and composer originally from So. Cal. who has done tons of studio work and toured with some big names in the past,now on the Central Coast and also Greg Leiz who probably needs no introduction also from So Cal area I believe. I Just thought they need a mention also!

[J R Rose]

Just now ran across this thread. What a wonderful read down memory lane although I was just a little young to get into all this at that time. I graduated here in OK on a Friday night and my uncle was here so he loaded me up and took me back with him to Garden Grove, Ca. on Sunday. I was too young to make the clubs but did get to hang around some but I did not really know what I was exposed too. Knotts Berry Farm and Disney World had a lot of a country music going on. I saw adds for all the places that have been mentioned here. A lot of the Band names I remember, and their was always a party at a car dealer or a grocery market or some park on Sat. afternoon. Made a lot of them. But only stayed for the summer and returned to OK. Too many people and too big a place for a country boy from small town OK. This was 1959. I have often wondered where my life would have gone if I had stayed there. There were clubs and country music everywhere. This was just before Buck and Merle but what some good memories. I was mostly chasing Southern California Girls,ha! My Thanks to all who have shared their stories, J.R. Rose

[John Haspert]

There is one that I did not see mentioned....Mark Mc Clure. He is an extremely talented steel player, as well as Lead guitar, Vocals and Banjo, not to forget composer. He joined Spanky and Our Gang in the 70's, played on the Changes album. He loves the Fender 2000's and play the heck out of them. Back then was living in the Canyon / San Fernando Valley area, but now is further south. He is one seriously good musician.