LA/Hollywood Steel Players & The Night Spots - 1940s

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 18 Aug 2012 4:02 pm

A friend and I stopped by a club in the City of Industry and Dick Stubbs and his band were playing. This was back in the sixties.

Don Triolo · Post by **Don Triolo** » 18 Aug 2012 11:05 pm

A big "THANKS" to Dave Sichak for his unrelenting search for "puzzle pieces" of the 'LA" days..It certainly warms my heart to show validation that Beryl Harrell was the original steeler on "Town Hall Party"..Hopefully Tommy Sargeant will be recognized as well as he was hired to join Beryl on THP when they had "Twin Steels"..What a shame there are no "audio" of some of their twin solos which exhibited stellar playing...Prior to the THP days, Beryl was playing at Al Royers Red Barn with Carl Cody,as well as Dusty Ellison & Tex Wallace [I still have the Business Card & Newspaper clippings} & the Hitchin Post..Tommy was with Eddie Cletros band and on most of his recordings..Beryl was hired for THP after her stint on the "Foreman Phillips" TV show with Eddie Cletros band

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 19 Aug 2012 3:50 am

I keep thinking there's hidden A/V of Beryl waiting to be found, Don, to give more proof of her roles in the early days of West Coast cowboy music.
Somewhere, somehow...

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 19 Aug 2012 1:14 pm

The Town Hall Party venue on Long Beach Blvd in Compton, Calif. originally was a Dance Hall from the 30's called "The Lighthouse". The front entrance was through a tower to look like a Lighthouse. When Bob Wills came to So.Calif. he would play there and later on Merle Lindsay. When I was 14 years old I played there with the Saturday night band led by Orville Fitch. We had about a seven piece Band. This was in 1943 and the War "Brown Out" was in effect. No outside lighting and on a foggy night it was hard to find the p[lace. A lot of Sailors would ride the Bus from the Long Beach Naval Station to come to the Dance and meet Girls. I'm not sure when this Dance Hall became THP but the Lighthouse was remodeled to a Hayloft and it took on a new life. I eventually was replaced on account of my Age but it was where I got my first professional start (got paid for playing - $4.00 for the night.

Dave Sichak · Post by **Dave Sichak** » 19 Aug 2012 1:32 pm

Since we know Beryl Harrell was a steel guitar player, I'm going to post this picture even though it doesn't show her playing the steel. It's taken at the Four Aces venue. On another note, I'm taking a look at some of the rolled up 35mm negatives - all black and white so far. But have to flatten them out to use them as they roll back up so easily. There's a collection of correspondence with this collection. In one, The station director at radio station KGNO in Dodge City, Kansas offers the person a starting wage of 35 CENTS per hour. Don't know if that was a raise for this person who was at KIUL in Garden City, Kansas. The letter was dated March 13, 1941.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 20 Aug 2012 12:10 am

What a band! Tom Waits on accordion.

Dave Sichak · Post by **Dave Sichak** » 22 Aug 2012 6:49 pm

I've been doing research on some of the names you guys provided and it has led me on an interesting journey as I gradually document things and get them on the site. While sorting other things out the other day, I cam across an old Harlan Brothers catalog - the "Home of the Multi-Kord" and thought I'd post one of Alvino Rey. Billy gave me some insight into Alvino as I had mentioned the talking steel guitar and Alvino's connection to that. I still have my mom's old 78 of Alvino doing the Steel Guitar Rag.

Dave Sichak · Post by **Dave Sichak** » 22 Aug 2012 7:47 pm

In leafing through the Harlin Brothers catalog it shows pictures of two California multi-chord steel players. Since I'm assuming the catalog is from that bygone era, thought I toss these names out. One is Mel Peterson and the other was Jimmy Haulani. Names ring a bell?

Dave
http://www.hillbilly-music.com

Dave Sichak · Post by **Dave Sichak** » 22 Aug 2012 8:16 pm

Perhaps a picture of Mel and Jimmy would help as well.

PS: In doing research on the other steel players in the pictures after you experts identified some of them, I'm finding some interesting things that help me better identify the negatives. The Chuck Foreman mention and then in another forum thread I see he worked with Buddy Kendricks - makes sense now as one batch of negatives was labeled 'Kendricks band'.

Cheers,
Dave
http://www.hillbilly-music.com

Gregory Mills · Post by **Gregory Mills** » 22 Aug 2012 8:28 pm

Hello dave, interesting stuff. I dont often get on but would like to comment on your pictures. Mr. Tonnesen is an LA/ "west coast sound" history book. Ive seen many of his posts and enjoyed them all. Kirk Patrick was a singer song writer in LA in the late 40s and into the 50s. He moved to Portland, I believe in the 60s and did well for himself in the plumbing parts business, continuing to write all along, not getting the exposure needed to sell his tunes. I saw him last about 18 years ago when he came to Vegas to visit my Dad, Chuck Mills. Mr. Tonnesen was correct picking him out ( on steel) with Jack Tucker. However this is not Gene Davis on the other tele. I sent the picture to nashville to Genes son Randy. If he knows the other players I will let you know. I have many old pics of my dad and Gene but have never seen this one. Looking forward to more. Thanks!!! Greg Mills.....

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 22 Aug 2012 8:28 pm

Mel was a prolific song writer and multi-instrumentalist who's main focus was Hawaiian music and groups, he's one of the best, played with the best, and can be found on many records of the '50s/'60s. Great to see him on steel! Johnny's name rings a bell, but I got no info other than Naulani may be his last name.

Dave Sichak · Post by **Dave Sichak** » 22 Aug 2012 8:39 pm

I did a little more searching. It appears Jimmy Haulani was a cousin of Hawaiian guitar player Dick McIntire. One book mentioned he was a 'rhythm guitar' player when he worked with Dick.

And Greg - I sent you a reply but don't know if you got it. My ISP has been having trouble getting emails to certain major email domains lately for some reason.

Cheers,
Dave
http://www.hillbilly-music.com

admin · Post by **b0b** » 18 Nov 2019 9:29 am

Dave Sichak wrote:Here's another band I had not heard of before seeing these negatives. Billy Carter and his All Stars? I'm pretty sure it's not THE Billy Carter, brother of Pres. Jimmy Carter. The notes with this negative indicate it was at the Mule Kick Club. Anyone know of that venue? Or this band?

I received a phone message from the steel player in this band. His name is Bob Hines and he's now 86 years old.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 18 Nov 2019 5:11 pm

The so-called left-handed Bigsby is in fact a right handed guitar. It's a one-of-a-kind instrument built for Joaquin Murphey and it was just designed with the tuners at the right end. Murph told me it originally had a lever gadget that retuned one or more strings to change the tuning. Murph played it on only one gig in Pismo Beach, CA in 1951 and didn't particularly dig it. He also told me when he activated the re-tuning lever it broke a string. Murph took it back to Paul Bigsby and told him to shove it in typical Murph style. Bobby Black was at that particular gig and his dad snapped probably the only photo of Murph playing it. The guitar disappeared into obscurity over the years with periodic spotting in the San Diego area in the 60s. Who knows where it is now. I don't have Bobby's photo handy but it's around the internet somewhere. The plate in the middle of the guitar's apron in the photo in this thread is covering the inlay that says "Joaquin" in a futuristic font style.

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 19 Nov 2019 1:14 pm

This great post! Thanks to all for participating.

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 20 Nov 2019 8:46 am

Michael Johnstone wrote:The so-called left-handed Bigsby is in fact a right handed guitar. It's a one-of-a-kind instrument built for Joaquin Murphey and it was just designed with the tuners at the right end. Murph told me it originally had a lever gadget that retuned one or more strings to change the tuning. Murph played it on only one gig in Pismo Beach, CA in 1951 and didn't particularly dig it. He also told me when he activated the re-tuning lever it broke a string. Murph took it back to Paul Bigsby and told him to shove it in typical Murph style. Bobby Black was at that particular gig and his dad snapped probably the only photo of Murph playing it. The guitar disappeared into obscurity over the years with periodic spotting in the San Diego area in the 60s. Who knows where it is now. I don't have Bobby's photo handy but it's around the internet somewhere. The plate in the middle of the guitar's apron in the photo in this thread is covering the inlay that says "Joaquin" in a futuristic font style.

Murph's was a single neck. The Earl Duran guitar is a double neck.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 21 Nov 2019 4:54 pm

Todd Clinesmith wrote

Murph's was a single neck. The Earl Duran guitar is a double neck.

Really? Do you know that for a fact?
It really looks like the same guitar.
Have you seen it or pictures showing both necks?

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 22 Nov 2019 8:40 am

You can see in the photo that Earl's guitar is a double neck.
Many have speculated that Joaquin's old Single neck came back to life as Elsie Jaggers guitar (S-8). But that is speculation. I worked on Elsie's guitar and it appears to have been a reverse instrument at one time.

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 23 Nov 2019 10:53 am

Dave Sichak wrote:This is a long effort. So far, over 360 negatives have been digitized. Still have quite a few piles to go through. Since this is a forum dedicated to the steel guitar, thought I'd upload a few more that have a steel player in them. A few I know, some I don't. Maybe you do?

That guitar player in the top photo looks a bit like a young Danny Michaels, who later was bandleader and club manager at George's Roundup in Long Beach, CA. I did a 3-month stint with him in the 80's, didn't last, didn't know enough C6 to suit him, and was actually pretty green on E9, truth be told. I don't recognize that steel player.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 6 Dec 2019 5:19 pm

Is that perhaps a Mosrite Double Six String in the first picture? Kinda looks like one but something does not seem right. Not sure about the spelling?? Wasn't his name Moesley something? Spelling again? J.R.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 6 Dec 2019 6:01 pm

J R Rose wrote:Is that perhaps a Mosrite Double Six String in the first picture? Kinda looks like one but something does not seem right. Not sure about the spelling?? Wasn't his name Moesley something? Spelling again? J.R.

I think that is a Stratosphere guitar.

Not many around.

Jimmy Bryant had one. Jackie Phelps. Bill Woods.

Somebody named Bill Prince.

Maybe Danny Michaels.

Chet is said to have used a Stratosphere on "Somebody Stole My Gal".

I think the guy shown below and shown earlier in this thread is Al Vernon, a fairly well known SoCal player in the 50s and 60s.

Bill Galvan · Post by **Bill Galvan** » 13 Dec 2019 7:35 pm

I know that this discussion is 7 years old but just in case anyone's still interested
while I was waiting for my new Bigsby (2 year waiting list) in the early 50's I asked
Paul if he knew of any used guitars for sale. He had one and I bought it. It was a
reversed single neck. I later found that it was originally built for J. Murphy but he
returned it to Bigsby. I sold it to Chuck Forman before I took delivery of my new
steel in August of 1956. It's ironical that it appears in the picture following the one
of Chuck. I think pic #5 is Chuck Forman (sans glasses and bow tie) playing the steel I sold him.
I know this contradicts what Chris Lucker said and I could be wrong. I 'm old (83)an
my mind might be playing tricks on me.

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