Johnny Davis

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 13 Jan 2012 10:45 am

It is with great sadness that I report the death of steel guitarist and lead guitarist Johnny Davis of Surprise, AZ who passed away suddenly early this morning.
Johnny was to play at the SWSGA show next Saturday, and we were all looking forward to his set.
Johnny was a dear friend and a great musician...he played lead for Curly Chalker on the famous California Country Club video, and was an exceptional steel player as well. Johnny worked in California for years with the Gene Davis band and went by the name of Johnny Dee. He moved to Arizona about 10 years ago, and lived and worked in the Payson and Phoenix areas.
His wife Cindy could certainly use your prayers and good wishes at this time.
Rest in peace, old friend, we will miss you.

Billy and Meriul Easton
Las Vegas, NV

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 13 Jan 2012 11:46 am

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear this news. I always admired his guitar playing and was really looking forward to hearing him on steel for the first time next weekend... Sad news. My condolences to his family and friends.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 13 Jan 2012 12:38 pm

This really saddens me! I've known Johnny for over 45 years or more and he was one of the best musicians I've ever met or will ever meet. I haven't seen him since I left SoCal in 1985 and we've been out of touch. I got to play in bands with him a few times over the years and it was always a treat......

I remember the first time I met him in around '63 or '64. He was playing at the old Hitching Post in Gardena, Ca. I was playing a beer bar down the street called "Hap's Lucky Spot". I went down the street one night at break time and walked in the HP and saw the band coming back off break. There were two steels on the stage side by side. One on the end was a D-10 Endicott if I remember right and the other was a Fender 400 with 4 pedals. The band opened up with an up tempo swing instrumental and everybody took a cut and about halfway through the tune the lead guitarist sat down to the Fender and literally "blew the regular steelman right off the bandstand" with only one neck, half the pedals and 12 less strings. Johnny was that Lead guitar/steelman.......What a player.

He used to come to the after hours session at the old Blue Fox in Redondo Beach, Ca. and get up a do a guitar set where he'd imitate other famous guitarists. When he'd do Merle Travis, he'd put on a thumbpick and just use his right index finger for melody just like Merle did, when he'd do Chet, he'd use the thumbpick and all of his fingers. Johnny was a personal friend of Les Paul and could do all of Les' stuff too. I still attempt to play an instrumental JD wrote called "Lazy Guitar".

He also worked with Bob Crooks and Standel amps when they were a large force in music...... He'll be missed by all who knew him and heard him play.........RIP Johnny..........JH in Va.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 13 Jan 2012 2:11 pm

So sorry to hear that Johnny has passed on. I first knew Johnny in the early 60's here in So. Calif. We worked a short time together when Johnny played lead guitar on the Jack Tucker Band at the Pionner Room. We would still run into each other over the years on some Casuals. I agree with Jerry Hayes that Johnny was just a fine musician, nice guy and easy to work with. It was amazing what he could get out of that Fender 400 with just four pedals.

Ron Whitworth · Post by **Ron Whitworth** » 13 Jan 2012 4:32 pm

WOW !!!!! What a shock this is !!!!!!!!!!
I was so looking forward to hear him play the pedal steel guitar. I had the great honor to be on stage with him 2 times thanks to my good friend Dave Beatty.
He was a knocked out lead guitar player & we had so much fun working together - this is so sad..
We will send prayers out to his wife.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
May he rest in peace.
Ron

PS - I forgot to add but did want to say this :
He was such a great guitar player but very, very humble.He would not take a lead run until everyone else had played what they wanted to play - you just do not see many great musician's like that today.
Ron

Ron Epperson · Post by **Ron Epperson** » 13 Jan 2012 5:50 pm

goodby my friend take it to the top i know ther is somebody waiting for you in heaven we go back all the way to about 1968 we used to all hang out at jimmy hills house trade liks and work on junk cars or whatever we could johnny worked with me and eddy drake for awhile we use to do alot of after hours together i hope somebody lets earl pool ball know. we will be thinking about cindy in our prayers miss you ole friend

Al Bruno · Post by **Al Bruno** » 13 Jan 2012 6:37 pm

I first met John in California in 1965. It was my first time doing Cal's Corral & I was so nervous & then I met John, one hell of a musician & he put me at ease & we instantly became friends. We've worked together so many times on club gigs & studio sessions. He was a great steel player & guitarist. I will miss my brother. Loved him much!!

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 13 Jan 2012 7:20 pm

I was on the phone with Johnny yeaterday visiting about the upcoming steel show in Phoenix and how much I was looking forward to hearing him play again. I had not heard him on steel since the 70's.
We had a great visit and he told me about his new P/U on his steel and how great it sounded. We determined that we had met in 1973 vice what I had thought, 78-79.
Great guy, terrific musician.
I guess Curley has his favorite guitar player with him at last.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 13 Jan 2012 7:35 pm

This is so sad. I first saw Johnny when he played with Curly Chalker at the concert produced be Jack Lox (Jack produced 6 steel guitar concerts between 1986 and 1988,) that can be seen on the video Billy mentioned. As I watched him play, I thought I was watching 2 of the best musicians (him and Chalker) I had ever seen.

Johnny played steel on one of Jack's subsequent concerts, and he was just as good on steel as he was on guitar.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 13 Jan 2012 7:43 pm

Wow, this is a shock. Mark Giles and I were talking about him this afternoon, about how great a guitar player he was. I really enjoyed his playing the years he played in the band in Phoenix. Al Vescovo, and now Johnny. The good guys are slippin' away.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 14 Jan 2012 10:12 am

Wow, now this is really, really sad.

I was looking forward to hearing Johnny again on steel (I remember him from the Gene Davis band back in the '60s and early 70's), and I was gonna ask him to play guitar on my set in Phoenix, as he'd done in years gone by.

First Al, now Johnny. This reminds me of talking to Ben Brogdon about what we were gonna do at SWSGA, and then the next day he was gone.

January weirds me out. Jim Murphy passed away while I was in AZ, and Jimmy Day died in January 1999. The herd is thinning out for us old-timers, it seems.

Mark Dunn · Post by **Mark Dunn** » 15 Jan 2012 2:48 pm

This is terribly sad news – I met Johnny, his wife and a few friends last year. He was an unbelievable master of both guitar and steel… I was completely blown away by his playing and modest friendly nature. Our thoughts are very much with his family and friends. RIP my friend.

Mark

Skeeter Stultz · Post by **Skeeter Stultz** » 15 Jan 2012 9:17 pm

RIP my friend, Glad I got to jam with you a few times. I never had the pleasure of working a steady job with Johnny but just knowing him was to my benefit. Johnny was a great guitar/steel player yet he was humble towards others. No matter what the guy at the mic was singing Johnny's backup and turn would fit like it was supposed to. Even though I haven't seen you for a long time, the idea that you're gone hits me.

Larry Bales · Post by **Larry Bales** » 16 Jan 2012 3:28 pm

Played many gigs together in SoCal. Rest in Peace my friend.

Bill Bailey · Post by **Bill Bailey** » 16 Jan 2012 10:33 pm

Ron Epperson, Jimmy Hill is a friend of mine and told me that he learned steel from Johnny Davis, I will contact Jimmy tomorrow, by the way, Jimmy sold his Dekley and has not been pickin since the death of his side kick Eddy Sax. I met Johnny and Al Bruno at the SWSGA a couple of years ago and have some pictures some where. RIP Johnny

Ron Epperson · Post by **Ron Epperson** » 17 Jan 2012 3:34 am

yes bill u r right we used to go jimmys house back in the 70s and swap licks i seen jimmy last year in kingman and he told me he was going to get back to playing i believe the last time i heard him play was in oltman with john lacy or as i knew him john stax eddy sax was a good friend of mine also ok my friend u take care

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 23 Jan 2012 4:51 am

Does anyone know the circumstances of John's passing, was it an accident, coronary or what? I've had a couple of emails asking if I knew.... Thanks for any info you might have.....JH in Va.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 23 Jan 2012 5:43 am

Sad to hear this one of my first SoCal heroes in 62-63..I won't claim to have been a friend of his as I only got to sit in or be around him a few times..When I first met him he was playing a week nite gig at the Rag Doll on a street off of Lankershim Blvd in LA with Jimmy Snyder..His Brother Gary and wife Gail and I were friends and talked me into going out to hear and meet him that night..I had mentioned to Gary that I had heard a fabulous guitar player one night and told him who it was..I was surprised when he told me it was his brother....Gary and I got to do a couple songs together with Johnny on Steel..I got to chat a few times with him at the old HP ballroom during the Cals Coral KCOP 13 show on a few Sundays Lee Ross and I were there..This is a big loss..

Doc Rickles · Post by **Doc Rickles** » 24 Jan 2012 4:40 pm

I was working a club in Wahiwa Hawaii in 1960 and our lead man was Gary Davis who was also an excellent guitarest. I suppose Johnny was visiting Gary and came and set in a couple of nights. Gary had told me about his brother but he was the best I have ever heard then and now. I never heard him play steel but I sure would have liked to. Haven't seen either one since early 60'S but I WILL NEVER FORGET THEM.
May his family and loved ones be comforted at this time of sorrow. We will certainly be lifting them up in prayer.

Doc Rickles

Dale Bennett · Post by **Dale Bennett** » 28 Jan 2012 10:40 am

Like everyone else, i'm so sorry the hear about Johnny. I knew him in Ca. and got to pick with him some and alway enjoyed his style. God Bless you Johnny, you will be missed. Dale Bennett

Harley Morris · Post by **Harley Morris** » 4 Feb 2012 10:08 pm

Myself, like Jerry Hayes, met Johnny at the Hitching Post in Gardena..It was back in 62. He was working in a 'four piece' with a drummer, Bill Bacon on bass, Dave Knight on steel, and Johnny on lead. Johnny would bring his steel to the gig and do some twinning with Dave on occasion, and what a treat that was!
I had the pleasure to cut an album with him in the eary or mid 70s. Johnny played steel, and guirar, we had a drummer and a bassman, and I played fiddle.. We did a tribute to Bob Wills, and did all instrumentals of Wills things... It was a real treat to be able to do that with him.. I think that anyone who knew him will really miss him..

Harley Morris

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 28 Feb 2012 7:16 pm

I just got an email from Cindy Davis, Johnny's widow, who asked that I post this message from her.

"The comments made by the musicians in the Steel Guitar Forum of Johnny's sudden death are greatly appreciated. Johnny's life was music. He always strived to play better each time he picked up his guitar or sat behind his steel. Johnny gave God the credit for his talent; now Johnny can 'jam' in heaven with all the musicians already there. It is pleasing to know that Johnny will be missed. Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers. Cindy Davis"

Billy Easton
Las Vegas, NV

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