Memory of the old Sho Bud store on Broadway

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 6 Sep 2010 3:18 pm

Not really on-topic for pedal steel, but this is the best place I could think of to put it. I was thinking the other day about some unusual guitars that used to be on the rack at the Sho Bud store on Broadway back in the 70's or so. These were flattops made by the Baker Piano Company of Nashville, and were labeled, "Baker Piano Guitar." They had piano pins in the middle of the peghead with a piece of piano wire going through the neck and anchored at the headblock with a screw that served as a neck reinforcement. Does anyone else remember these things?

Sho Bud was a really fun store to visit. Except on Friday and Saturday nights when the Opry was playing at the Ryman, Broadway was a pretty seedy district back then. There was always great country music played live in the many bars along the way, but it wasn't the kind of place during the week that you'd be likely to find families walking about as it is today. Later on GTR and Randy Wood's Picking Parlor and some other places joined Sho Bud and Hewgley's (and Cotten's down the way) in the downtown music business, but Sho Bud always seemed to carry a lot of the locally made instruments in addition to their own. But the Baker Piano Guitar was sort of in a class of it's own....

Dave

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 6 Sep 2010 3:43 pm

David,
I believe the ole Sho Bud store is now considered "Roberts" !
My family would visit the store some summers and during DJ Convention back in the day. It was a must! Happy memories of Shot Jackson and Sho Bud!

Tiny Olson · Post by **Tiny Olson** » 6 Sep 2010 5:19 pm

It was a cool place to visit for sure. There was some really neat and different stuff stashed away behind that door upstairs too including unique pedal steels.

Lower Broadway was certainly seedy in the mid 70s but there were often great players sitting-in and hangin' out at Demon's Den. Man, those were the days !!

Chris "Tiny" O.

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 6 Sep 2010 10:55 pm

One of Shot's experimental steels that stands
out in my mind, in the early '70's, that was
upstairs was his Pedal Dobro.
Appearently it didn't work quite to his liking
(excessive mechanical noise).
~Russ

Billy Peddycoart · Post by **Billy Peddycoart** » 7 Sep 2010 3:39 am

I Loved the sho-bud shop, we would go in there every trip down to nashville mostly the DJ convention, they were always nice enough to let a kid sit down at a steel and play.All the players that would come in there were always very nice to me. and shot was great. Billy p.s. any old pics of the shop??? I might have some, I will have to look!

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 7 Sep 2010 4:15 am

I was the owner of a bar four doors down from Sho Bud called The Hitchin' Post. It was where the Legends gift shop is now. I was learning to play the pedal steel and finally bought a beat up Sho Bud Pro II and would take it down there to Shots to get them to work on it. Harry did most if not all of it back then and it was amazing to see what they had in the upstairs there. I remember a Sho Bro neck sitting up there in the rack waiting to be put together with a body. You know I'd love to have that now! I bought my first chorus pedal (Small Clone) from Shot and still have it today. I spent 16 years down there learning to play the instrument and would be there today if it weren't for the tornado of 98 that tore our building apart. It was across the street as I had two bars back then. This one was The Turf where Rippys is now. I watched the old Sho Bud store go to Lynns Liquors which was the worst thing that street needed and then to Roberts Western World. We all thought that was the strangest thing for a bar to sell boots and western clothes. The bandstand in the window wasn't a new concept down there as we all had that to attract the tourists. He had racks of western shirts all over the place and tables to sit at and eat in the middle of it all! Robert finally quit selling the shirts but the boots remained and are still there although I'm not sure if he still sells them now or not. Robert Moore now lives in Savannah, Tn where he grew up. His name is on the front of the building between Roberts and Laylas Bluegrass Inn.

Glen E. Lanning · Post by **Glen E. Lanning** » 7 Sep 2010 5:21 am

Two weekends ago I was in Nashville and visited the "Upstairs" Sho-Bud area. Roberts is at least keeping a small memory of Sho-Bud for those who remember Shot and his store. When I was an absolute novice in early '70's (I think), Shot spent time with me and let me go upstairs. What a memory! I bought a Professional within the next month based on Shot's recommendations and that steel may have been set-up in that upstairs area. I still have that steel.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 7 Sep 2010 6:32 am

My first introduction to the Sho-Bud store was in Oct of 69. I met George Lewis who was the store manager at the time. As I had just bought a steel (the Fender 2000 that was the demo steel at the 69 DJ Convention), I need some instruction material and bought one of the original 1 volume Sho-Bud instruction books (had Jeff Newman on the cover).

In mid 70 was my next trip to "Nashvul" and another stop at Sho-Bud and I was talking to George about having problems palm blocking. George showed me how to do it and Hal Rugg happened to be in the store and gave me some personal instruction on blocking (not bad to get someone like Hal to give you personal help)....

Finally, in 71/72 I worked across the street at Little Roy Wiggins "Music City" music store, that was the Grammer outlet and also the Emmons dealer. I would go over and vist Duane Marrs who was working on the 3rd floor. Johnny Cox would scrounge parts from Duane for me, for my 71 PP Emmons so I could modify a couple of the knee lever changes.

When I worked at Little Roy's, Sho-Bud's were referred to as "Brand X".

Lower Broadway was "skid row" but they all seemed to disappear for the weekend when all the visitors were in for the Opry. Even "City View" would be out of sight.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 7 Sep 2010 6:35 am

where was this one located at ?

Billy Peddycoart · Post by **Billy Peddycoart** » 7 Sep 2010 8:41 am

If I am right that picture is of the shop but from the alley or back side of the shop..come on guys dig thur the old pics. got to be some old pictures from the inside and outside.Billy

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 7 Sep 2010 9:05 am

Theresa Galbraith wrote:David,
I believe the ole Sho Bud store is now considered "Roberts" !
My family would visit the store some summers and during DJ Convention back in the day. It was a must! Happy memories of Shot Jackson and Sho Bud!

Yeah, Theresa, you are definitely right. The ole Sho-Bud store is now Robert's Western World and inside Robert's, they've got a bar called the Sho-Bud Bar that represents Sho-Bud. Sho-Bud made some great steels for sure! I heard that on any given Saturday night, after Opry shows, Opry stars would come into the Sho-Bud shop to talk with Shot Jackson. Sho-Bud was the steel of choice for many players in Nashville at one time.

Brett

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 7 Sep 2010 11:38 am

The big thing years ago was that the Opry stage door and the back door to Tootsie's was across the alley. Tootsie's got a lot of business from the Opry singers and musicians.

Larry Johnson · Post by **Larry Johnson** » 7 Sep 2010 1:59 pm

My memory is I moved down here from NY after I graduated in 1972. I got a job at Opryland. I stayed at the James Robertson hotel on 7th ave. I would walk down to Sho Bud with my Sho Bud Maverick on sat.afternoon to take lessons.There was a young oriental guy giving lessons then, does any body remember his name? He was an awesome player.
After my lesson I'd walk back to the hotel,and drop off my steel. Then I'd walk back down and stand outside the Ryman and watch and listen to the Opry sat. night.
I also remember upstairs at Sho Bud. All the beautiful guitars and shiny parts. I saw Grandpa Jones there. Man that was awesome.LJ

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 7 Sep 2010 3:01 pm

The other place that comes to mind from that era is Linebaugh's restaurant. That place would be hopping after the Opry. Kind of a dive, but the food wasn't bad and you'd always run into famous music folks there.

I'm not sure where it was, but a friend of mine took Oahu lap steel lessons somewhere in that same area--it was the upstairs of a brothel, and from what he described, the madam taught Hawaiian guitar on the side. This was in the late 50's before Sho Bud, but still has steel guitar content! Could be that the lower Broadway scene that I remember was already cleaning up...

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 7 Sep 2010 3:39 pm

Sho-Bud was founded in 1957. It started because Shot Jackson had asked Buddy Emmons to help him build a steel guitar and when Buddy said yes, Shot and Buddy started building steels together and they knew they had to give the steel they were building a name, so they decided to go with the name Sho-Bud-"Sho" for Shot and "Bud" for Buddy. When Sho-Bud started, steel players were going to the shop constantly to buy guitars. Shot had started building steels in his garage in Madison, Tennessee before he opened the shop on Broadway.

Brett

Andrew Roblin · Post by **Andrew Roblin** » 7 Sep 2010 4:31 pm

Jack--

Thanks for your memory of City View.

City View was a gray-bearded homeless man with a lot of challenges. I don't think I ever remember City View saying anything clearly, though he may have been able to mumble. He seemed to be an alcoholic. Maybe PTSD. Some kind of incapacitating mental illness.

Shot called him "City View" because he found him sleeping on the roof one morning.

Shot made sure that City View was always welcome at Sho-Bud for a cup of coffee and a place to sit and rest. Sometimes he sat in a rocking chair in the showroom, sometimes in an armchair in the lounge, usually for 45 minutes or so in the morning. Anytime City View liked, he could go back to the kitchen and get some coffee. Like Shot, the rest of us at Sho-Bud treated City View respectfully.

Shot liked to give people nicknames. He named the great Dobroist Gene Wooten "Slyde." Gene had a way of sliding out of unpleasant chores Shot wanted him to do...and a gifted way of sliding around on the Dobro.

Shot called me "Handy Andy." As janitor, one of my jobs was cleaning the restrooms. "Handy Andy" was a toilet-bowl cleaning product.

Good old kind-hearted, funny Shot. Thanks again, Jack.

Andrew

Chris Battis · Post by **Chris Battis** » 7 Sep 2010 4:38 pm

I worked right around the corner doing repairs at Gruhn's first shop in 1972-73. I visited the Sho-Bud shop on a couple of occasions, but I was a hardcore acoustic person at the time and couldn't relate at all.

My little world was bounded on the east by Randy Wood's shop on N 2nd and by Gruhn's on the west.

Linebaugh's?...that was some of the worst food I've ever had in my life, with the exception of a couple of the other establishments on N 4th. The lunchtime choices weren't too good, as I recall.

I don't guess that anyone remembers a dive in East Nashville called the "Dusty Road"? Some good music happened there, once upon a time...

Chris[/code]

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 7 Sep 2010 4:41 pm

Eric Clapton bought his Stratocaster "Blackie" from Shot out of the Broadway store.

Jack Harper · Post by **Jack Harper** » 7 Sep 2010 4:52 pm

and then there was the queen of lower braod....
broadway mae......
in my memory, it seems, that i heard shot paid for her recording session. it was a jimmie rodgers tune and she yodeled as a dobro echo'd, shot maybe?

country............

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 7 Sep 2010 5:03 pm

David Ball mentioned Linebaugh's. When we'd get into Nashville in the wee hours, that's where we'd head. There would always be pickers in there 24 hours a day. There was always something going on in that 400 block of lower Broad.

Charlie St Denis · Post by **Charlie St Denis** » 7 Sep 2010 5:34 pm

Hey Larry
Could that young Oriental Man be Katz Kobyashi.
Katz came to town working with R.C. Bannon and
then Marty Robbins. He was always hangin around
there. He passed away a few years ago and is
very much missed.

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 7 Sep 2010 5:50 pm

I Uste to Hang Out At The store A Lot. There was girl Worked There Named Kathy I Belive anderson She Called me Vern. Wonder Where She Is Now I Realy Liked Her. & Harry. Shot And All. SONNY.

Larry Johnson · Post by **Larry Johnson** » 8 Sep 2010 8:01 am

Hi Charlie, It could have been Katz giving lessons.I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.
How about this for Dejavu. Katz owned a market here in Gallatin tn. in the 80's for a while.I would go In and talk to him.
He came to hear me play. He said I was a good player. The teacher went to hear the student, 10 or so years later, and neither of us knew it.
Katz was one of the finest players ,and men there ever was. LJ

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 8 Sep 2010 8:36 am

I went to a Marty Robbins show in Thamesford, Ont. in the mid to late 70's
Katz was playing for Marty then. He was a super picker with a big smile on his face.
I remember Marty introducing him as The Oriental kid on steel

David Griffin · Post by **David Griffin** » 8 Sep 2010 11:55 am

Crowbear: That pic is the back of what is now Roberts'.It's in the same alley that runs between Tootsies' & the Ryman. I have a pic of myself in front of that sign that was taken about a year & half ago. I've been a Sho-Bud man since the mid-70s. What I remember the most about the old Sho-Bud store is the 'shine than could occasionally be had on the second floor!

The Steel Guitar Forum

Memory of the old Sho Bud store on Broadway

Memory of the old Sho Bud store on Broadway

Sho Bud store

Sho-bud

Sho Bud store memory