RIP Pee-Wee Rogers

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 11 Oct 2011 11:40 am

Pee-Wee passed away this morning (10/11), after being diagnosed with cancer several months ago. He would have been 77 on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14th.
RIP Pee-Wee!

Johan Jansen

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 11 Oct 2011 12:30 pm

Oh my! I didn't know he was ill. Sorry to hear of this. Sincere condolences to Pee Wee's family.

Tommy White · Post by **Tommy White** » 11 Oct 2011 3:04 pm

PeeWee and I were friends for 26 years or more. I'll miss seeing him and his steel guitar sitting next to me on Little Jimmy Dickens portion of the Grand Ole Opry every Saturday night. PeeWee was a fine, fine country pedal steel guitar player. He was the definition of a gentleman, loyal and kind friend to everyone at the Grand Ole Opry. He will be missed so much.

Russ Hicks · Post by **Russ Hicks** » 11 Oct 2011 5:42 pm

We'll all miss him...the only time I saw him in the past few years was with Tater on the Opry, I saw him more in the seventies when we both worked the road. I can't imagine what Little Jimmy will do without him.

Bob Hempker · Post by **Bob Hempker** » 11 Oct 2011 5:43 pm

I met Pee Wee in 1969, not long after moving to Nashville. We remained friends ever since. Like Tommy said, he was a true gentleman and fine steel guitar player. I always thought he got such a great tone on the Opry. He will be truly missed. My condolences to his family.

Hal Higgins · Post by **Hal Higgins** » 11 Oct 2011 6:04 pm

had the opportunity many times to hear and talk with PeeWee...and to repeat the words of Tommy White, "truly a gentleman" in every sense of the word. Many condolences to the family.

Dan Galysh · Post by **Dan Galysh** » 11 Oct 2011 7:25 pm

I first saw Pee Wee play at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville almost 30 years ago on a package show. He was a fixture at the Opry and I liked to talk shop with him about Emmons guitars when I played there. A nice man and a tasteful, toneful player who will surely be missed...my condolences.

Buddy Jennison · Post by **Buddy Jennison** » 11 Oct 2011 8:03 pm

I first met Pee Wee on Lower Brod, back in the sixties, I believe, at Deemans Den. He was was one of the "good 'ol boys", never got out of line, even tho a bunch of the customers did. Don't know how he put up with Tater that long. "Little" Buddy.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 11 Oct 2011 8:47 pm

I met PeeWee back in 2000 when I was at the Opry to see the show. Little Jimmy Dickens was one of the featured artists, and I remember seeing PeeWee's steel backstage, and he told me everything about that guitar. I also remember seeing PeeWee on TV when the Opry celebrated George Jones' birthday in September of 2002. Little Jimmy was doin' a song called "Geraldine", and PeeWee was playin' the song on the C6th neck of his steel and at the end of the solo, PeeWee played an awesome soundin' chord on the C6th neck. He was a great friend to a lot of steel players.

Brett

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 11 Oct 2011 10:21 pm

This is heartbreaking news....I met Pee Wee when I moved to town in 72. For many years he lived down the road from Mom and Dad....He loved to talk about and play those beautiful country songs.....It makes me smile to think of his enthusiasm for traditional country music and the steel guitar. He was a joy to be around, as Tommy said, he was a true country gentleman. Rest well in God's arms.

Paul

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 12 Oct 2011 8:40 am

Tater would always open his Opry spot with an up tempo number like “A-Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed” - “May the Bird of Paradise Fly up Your Nose” or “Out Behind the Barn." Then he would spin his Gibson J-200 around in the air - take a bow - and hand his guitar back to Pee Wee who would be waiting behind him. While Tater hosted – Pee Wee would walk around in the wings holding Tater's guitar and telling jokes and stories to the musicians waiting to go on. Then he would the hand guitar back to Tater for one of Tater’s big ballads like “We Could” or “Another Bridge to Burn” or “Would you Build Your House on Another Man’s Grave” which Pee Wee would then kick off on his push pull Emmons pedal steel guitar. You could set your watch by Pee Wee’s steel licks.

Pee Wee was Tater’s right hand man. On show dates - when Tater did his recitation “Raggedy Ann” - Pee Wee would be the one to hand him the Raggedy Ann doll. If you saw Tater around town at a taping or press event – you saw Pee Wee.

Pee Wee always had a running routine of jokes and stories going with everybody as he walked on and off stage. A lot of times these routines would go on for decades. He always had a smile on his face. It was easy to see why Pee Wee was never out of work for even one day of his 43 year Nashville career.

I wonder how many times Pee Wee walked on and off the Opry stage? It must have seemed to him like the Opry stage was his own living room. Pee Wee was the classic Grand Ole Opry sideman musician and his Country Music spirit will always be walking that stage.

Here is Little Jimmie Dickens & George “Pee Wee” Rogers at work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgrC8OGBKWU

Pee Wee at the Big House:

Pee Wee - Hoot - Tater & Tim at the Ryman:

Tommy White · Post by **Tommy White** » 12 Oct 2011 11:46 am

Bob,
Thank you for posting pictures of PeeWee at work. Your post is a touching and beautiful tribute to our friend. I know he would feel truly honored.

John Norris · Post by **John Norris** » 12 Oct 2011 2:38 pm

RIP Pee Wee, I spoke to him often over the years on the phone, sadly we never met in person.

Gere Mullican · Post by **Gere Mullican** » 12 Oct 2011 2:56 pm

I hope this is not too long.
A story about my experience with Peewee Rogers and how he changed my life. Here is a story that some might consider interesting. I am a nobody, a has been that never was and steel player wannabe. I met Peewee Rogers in 1954 when I was stationed at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Charleston South Carolina. We lived off base and was at home one day watching a local country band on TV. Some girls were singing a song and the steel player hit a lick and I said to my wife “they must be pantomiming because he didn’t even move his bar. Then I tried every way that I could think of and couldn’t duplicate the lick. That night, that band was playing at the Enlisted Men’s Club and I went to see them. The steel player was sitting in front of the bandstand and I went up and told him I had seen them on TC earlier that day and he hit a lick that I couldn’t figure out and asked him how he did it. He asked me if my steel was rigged for it and I told him it had 7 strings (I had a 7 string Gibson). He showed me the left end of his steel and told me I had to have one of these. I asked he where he got it and how much did it cost. He told me a local machine shop put it on for him and it cost $35. I thanked him and left. I was only making about $60 a month in the Navy but said I had to have one of them things. Next day I took my steel to that machine shop and told the guy that somebody told me about the gadget and had him put one on my steel. It consisted of two holes in the head stock, one pedal with a rod running up and two pegs with a v notch. There were springs that cojuld be adjusted. Anyway, I took it home and had no idea how to use it. About 50 years later, I was at home one day and the phone rang and my wife tole me some guy wanted to talk to me. I picked up the phone and he said, “Gere, this is Peewee Rogers”. I about fell in the floor because I knew who he was but had never met him. He told me he saw my post on the Forum about the beginnings of pedal steel guitar and that he was that guy in Charleston in 1954 that I had asked how he made the lick. I still had never met him in person, and I regret it, He was a jewel of a person and I will forever be indebted to him for the information he gave me about the pedal steel guitar beginnings.
Gere Mullican

Tim Sergent · Post by **Tim Sergent** » 12 Oct 2011 5:05 pm

I just learned of PeeWee's passing last night at the Opry. Steve Gibson came up to me and said "PeeWee's steel is still sitting behind the curtain right where he left it the last time he played here." I asked him what he was talking about and he said "you didn't know PeeWee passed away last night?" I didn't even know he was battling cancer. As many times as I've talked to him he never let on like he was sick at all. I don't know how long he battled, but it couldn't have been too many months. I'm gonna miss him.

Bryan Adams · Post by **Bryan Adams** » 12 Oct 2011 7:15 pm

so sorry to hear about Pee Wee...i have known him for many years...our thoughts and prayers go out to his family...we all will miss him.....BA

Tommy Minniear · Post by **Tommy Minniear** » 13 Oct 2011 7:26 am

It saddens me to learn of Pee Wee's passing. I first saw and became aware of him in the early 70's when I went to see Jack Greene and The Jolly Greene Giants do a show at Buck Lake Ranch in Angola, IN. I admired his professionalism & playing that day and have continued too, all these many years since.
His work with Little Jimmie Dickens on the Opry when I've had the opportunity to listen, has always been a bright spot in the show for me. He always played exactly what the song needed. His longevity with Little Jim speaks volumes and well of both men.
I'd like to extend my sincerest sympathies and condolences to his family and friends.

DeWitt Scott · Post by **DeWitt Scott** » 13 Oct 2011 12:31 pm

U met Pee Wee in the late 1960's in Nashville. I kept up with him for awhile but then lost track of him. We were friends and I really enjoyed his steel playing. May he rest in peace. Scotty

Bob Hempker · Post by **Bob Hempker** » 13 Oct 2011 5:32 pm

Does anyone know anything about PeeWee's arrangements?

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 13 Oct 2011 6:38 pm

Memorial Service will be Saturday October 22nd at 1:00 PM from the chapel of Family Heritage Funeral Home in Gallatin, TN, with Chaplain Phillip Sigmon officiating.

Visitation will be 11:00 a.m. until time of service.

Rest well, old friend. You were a gentleman of the highest order. I will miss you dearly.

dlayne · Post by **dlayne** » 13 Oct 2011 8:46 pm

I was invited to his home on several ocassions,and I never felt more @ home,He was indeed a true Gentleman & a GREAT player.Ver humble man who would help anyone any way he could,,RIP PeeWee

Ernest Tuttle · Post by **Ernest Tuttle** » 15 Oct 2011 8:26 am

We were long time friends. We first met in the early 70s at the Marlen Steel Guitar Company. Pee Wee had a misfortune with his guitar and sent it to us. Then he came to us and we gave him a replacement for his guitar. We picked all day in the back room. His Marlen Guitar that he had been playing came in and it was a mess. His x-wife had chopped it from one end to the other with a hatchet.

He came to our house in Charleston,SC in the 80s while he was visiting his mother who also lived in Charleston, SC. We sat around and jammed for a while. We have been corresponding by e-mail for a couple of years.

We will miss him greatly. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Ernest and Donna

Steve Alonzo Walker · Post by **Steve Alonzo Walker** » 16 Oct 2011 4:55 am

Yes this is sad to hear! I myself have been friends with Pee Wee for many years and have heard him play with Jimmy so many times. He will be missed! Won't sound the same now when listening to Jimmy on the Opry.

pdl20 · Post by **pdl20** » 16 Oct 2011 10:40 am

So Sorry to hear this ,great player and fellow musician,use to see him on Opry when i was working with Dottie. Rest in peace Pee Wee.

Jimmy Campbell · Post by **Jimmy Campbell** » 16 Oct 2011 6:26 pm

So sad to hear about the passing of Pee Wee.
First met him when I worked for Music City Mfg in the early 70's.
loaned him my Sho-Bud volume pedal for a road trip one time and always enjoyed visiting and talking with him at the Opry.
RIP my Friend.

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