TSGA The Boys/Girls in the Band

Ben Rubright · Post by **Ben Rubright** » 18 Mar 2011 5:59 pm

I just wanted to pay tribute to the band members. I know that to enumerate is also to omit but let me say a few words about what hit me between the eyes. First off, Roy Rosetta.....he has set the bar so high that hearing his wonderful playing is what we expect and alas, sometimes we just overlook it under the heading of, "Oh yeah, that's Roy". I try to spend some time just listening to him. Thanks so much for sharing your talent, Roy.

Paul Polish......in general, I am not a fan of drums...BUT here is a superb drummer that understands that drums is NOT the lead instrument. He is in the background doing what he should do and doing it so very well. Thanks Paul. I may get to be a drum fan yet.

Guitar......let me just single out one of the guitar players at the risk of putting others in the background which I do not wish to do.....Chuck Back! I loved his playing. If I could play lead guitar, I would want to play just like him.

Fiddle......I had never heard Hank Singer live before....simply awesome.....tasteful....wonderful. Russ Hicks's set with Hank was a thing of beauty both on stage and also in the Mullen room.

Jade Jack.....The Bobby Flores touch shines through her and I cannot imagine how good she will get.

Dean Baxter.....plays with so much taste and feeling.

In the non-pedal room............Carco does it all and does it so very well. We are all blessed by his participation at TSGA.

Sunday Morning.....Buck Grantham on steel, Russ Hicks on lead guitar, Debbie Talley singing. I wouldn't miss it for anything.

Long live the TSGA Jamboree.....where else would I go on the 2nd weekend of March?.....nowhere else!!! Thank you Albert and Debbie Talley for all of your hard work.

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 18 Mar 2011 6:49 pm

Ben,
Ronny Ray was the other staff guitar player, a great player and is here in Dallas, I used both Chuck & Ronny on my set...

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 18 Mar 2011 7:10 pm

Can't beat 'em with a stick. A super staff band. Jody.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 18 Mar 2011 9:43 pm

Every time I watch any of the Steel Show U-Tubes on the Forum when Roy Rosetta is in the Band, he just knocks me out. Evidently he has been backing up differen't Jams for years.
I wish someone would post a little Bio about him. Is he a Session player, where from, who has he played with over the years ?

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 18 Mar 2011 10:17 pm

No Bass
Player?

~Rw

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 19 Mar 2011 3:57 am

There were many!!! Ray Keller staff, Steve Alcott, Bill Cunningham come to mind...

Ben Rubright · Post by **Ben Rubright** » 19 Mar 2011 3:58 am

As I mentioned above....to enumerate is to omit....I wished to offend NO ONE. I could not remember everyone.

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 19 Mar 2011 4:17 am

Ben,
You did good, I'm just now remembering myself,:D and to top off the Band Mark Abbot, Bass, fiddle, and Reggie Ruffler, from the Charley Pride Band ...Dallas is the Greatest Show On Earth!!!..

Pat Coyne · Post by **Pat Coyne** » 19 Mar 2011 7:11 am

Bass players are the most overlooked in any band, but as i overheard one of the artists in the hallway, "if i have a good bass player, i can play any show" BRAVO! If the bass&drums are good, the foundation is there. Mark Abbott has long been one of my favs, also Ronnie Dale Shults...smooth powerful&accurate, i was also thrilled to hear a new phenominal player, Bill Cunningham. More important though 3 of the nicest people you ever would want to meet. I really love all the musicians..just braggin on those "bass guys".

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 19 Mar 2011 7:23 am

Bill Cunningham is not only a good bass player he is an excellent steel player. He should also be out front on his steel at these shows. If he's not you guys are missing some great playing.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 19 Mar 2011 6:55 pm

Thanks guys. I am truly humbled and honored to be included in the company of the great bass players you guys named. And don't forget Pat Coyne who did a fine job on electric and upright with Russ Hicks!

I have had a blast playing some bass at the Texas and Arizona shows for the past three years and now have a renewed interest in my bass playing. Thanks to Tommy Dodd for getting me out there. And Jernigan for leading me to the bebop stuff and now even Coltrane.

Roy Rosetta · Post by **Roy Rosetta** » 20 Mar 2011 11:03 am

Thanks BEN RUBRIGHT for your kind compliments I am very humbled. It's people like you that make the long hours on stage, at the many steel shows that I work, all worth while. I would love to meet you, so please grab me the next time we are in the same room together and let's talk.

Thanks also BILLY TONNESEN for your kind compliment and your inquiries. I'll try to answer some of them at a later date.

About the guys and girls in the TSGA staff band, it is a pleasure to work with each and every one of them. What a great group of musicians.
Best wishes,
...Roy

Ben Rubright · Post by **Ben Rubright** » 10 Apr 2011 5:12 pm

Would love to shake hands with you Roy.....hope to see you in StL.

David: Thanks for your help. I split my time between the main hall and the non-pedal room so I did not see and hear everyone. I did hear both Chuck and Ronny, however I just didn't remember Ronny's name (shame on me). I loved it.....and I did see the Cindy Cashdollar set....Mark Abbott did an outstanding job of both playing and singing.

In any event............the band alone is worth the price of admission......the rest is icing on the cake.

Danny Letz · Post by **Danny Letz** » 10 Apr 2011 6:04 pm

Ronnie Dale Schultz is a multi-instrumentalist. Equally adept on electric bass, stand up bass, lead guitar and trumpet that I know of. The complete utility man. Also has a little recording studio in Crowell, Texas.

Danny Letz · Post by **Danny Letz** » 10 Apr 2011 6:07 pm

And another thing, those guys and gals up there are living proof that God does not pass the musical talent out equally. But as Bobby Seymour says, you can also do it with pure determination, it's just a little harder.

Doug Ferguson · Post by **Doug Ferguson** » 11 Apr 2011 8:25 am

This was my first TSGA Jamboree and the first session I got to listen to I was astounded at the professionalism of the band. As the weekend went on, I couldn't help but notice how calm and comfortable these musicians were, and Roy was the ultimate example of this. Time and time again he looked so comfortable that he might be sleeping, until the steel player would nod in his direction and Roy would go into the most innovative and beautiful rendition of whatever song it was, like he wrote it! He always had a smile and looked like such a joyful person, along with the other players too, I felt like I was missing something by not knowing them all personally. I never got to speak with Roy, but I did pull Chuck Back aside once and told him how inspiring he was to listen to. And getting to hear Chuck play his steel and SING too, was awesome. You guys and gals all just blew my mind.

To add one more thought... As a steel player, I've always visualized that everyone in the crowd was a steel player and could hear every mistake I made, and could all play better them me. The thought occurred to me that everyone in the crowd "was" a steel player... The quote from Dusty Rhodes while sitting at his steel during his session that you couldn't drive a thumb tac up his butt with a sledgehammer, comes to mind...

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 11 Apr 2011 2:20 pm

This year I attended the Dallas show for the first time. The band was impressive, amazing, first rate in every way. What a fine job all the musicians did in backing up the numerous steel players and vocalists.

Many thanks to each and every member of the back up band for the wonderful music throughout the show. I
really enjoyed this event and hope to make it back again. You folks are the best!
Larry J.