Mike Auldridge
Moderators: Donna Dodd, Lori Lee Smith
- Larry Rafferty
- Posts: 773
- Joined: 3 Sep 2008 1:06 pm
- Location: Ballston Spa, NY
What a sad loss. Mike was my all time favorite dobro player. When he and Lloyd Green did "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend" as an instrumental at the Station Inn in Nashville, it became my very favorite instrumental. It is posted on youtube and will live on forever as a tribute to the knowledge and talent he brought to all of us.
Mullen D-10 8x5; Sho-Bud Super Pro D10 8x6; PedalMaster 5 Star SD-10 3x5; Dekley D-10 8x4;
Sho-Bud S-10 3x1; Fender Lap/Floor Steel; Peavey Power Slide; Supro Lap Steel; Peavey Nashville 400;
pair of Peavey Vegas 400's; Peavey NV112; Webb 614E with matching extension cabinet; Fender Twin Reverb and 3 cats.
They laughed when I sat down to play, cause' somebody pulled my chair away...
Sho-Bud S-10 3x1; Fender Lap/Floor Steel; Peavey Power Slide; Supro Lap Steel; Peavey Nashville 400;
pair of Peavey Vegas 400's; Peavey NV112; Webb 614E with matching extension cabinet; Fender Twin Reverb and 3 cats.
They laughed when I sat down to play, cause' somebody pulled my chair away...
- Brad Bechtel
- Moderator
- Posts: 8146
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Mike Auldridge and Jimmy Heffernan at the 2010 Resosummit in Nashville, TN.
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
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- Posts: 1901
- Joined: 29 Aug 1998 12:01 am
- Location: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
I finally met my "silent mentor" at the PSG convention in St Louis in ~ 2001?.
I was standing at a merch table thumbing through a dobro tab book when my wife said..Jim, there's Mike Auldridge. Thinking she was referring to some page of the book I had been looking at I said "where?" as I madly continued thumbing the book. She said no..not the book, He's right beside you.
I introduced myself and let him know how much of an influence he was on me. We hung out the whole weekend. We even put on a little informal Dobro show on in the entry way hall with Cindy Cashdollar playing as well. Coincidentally, we had the same flight back to the East cost via Washing Dulles, and sat together. When I got home I sent him a record I had played on and he sent back the nicest note complimenting my playing. Made my year.
Bought a Dobro in 73 and learned every tune off his Tacoma record BTW.
Mike - gonna miss you.
I was standing at a merch table thumbing through a dobro tab book when my wife said..Jim, there's Mike Auldridge. Thinking she was referring to some page of the book I had been looking at I said "where?" as I madly continued thumbing the book. She said no..not the book, He's right beside you.
I introduced myself and let him know how much of an influence he was on me. We hung out the whole weekend. We even put on a little informal Dobro show on in the entry way hall with Cindy Cashdollar playing as well. Coincidentally, we had the same flight back to the East cost via Washing Dulles, and sat together. When I got home I sent him a record I had played on and he sent back the nicest note complimenting my playing. Made my year.
Bought a Dobro in 73 and learned every tune off his Tacoma record BTW.
Mike - gonna miss you.
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- Posts: 424
- Joined: 20 Apr 2002 12:01 am
- Location: South Windsor, Connecticut, USA
- Contact:
Some years ago when I was getting into building 8 string guitars, I emailed Mike and asked him for the nut width and bridge width on his 8 string Dobro ( before he had his own signature model) He was very nice and provided me with the infomation I needed over several or more emails. He even put a link on his website to my website.
When I was in the service living in the barracks, I remember hearing and recording his song "Pickaway". I must have almost worn that recording out by rewinding the tape so many times. I was amazed at how somebody could play that well.
When I was in the service living in the barracks, I remember hearing and recording his song "Pickaway". I must have almost worn that recording out by rewinding the tape so many times. I was amazed at how somebody could play that well.
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- Posts: 2833
- Joined: 19 Jul 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Santa Rosa, California, USA
I bought my first McKenna guitar partly because of that link. Eight String Swing is still my favorite steel guitar album ever. And as others have mentioned, Mike was always very gracious and generous with information and advice to those of us trying to figure out the instrument. I was planning to go to 2013 reso summit with meeting him face to face one of my primary motivations. My condolences and best wishes to his friends and family.
Amor vincit omnia
- Howard Parker
- Posts: 2610
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Clarksburg,MD USA
- Contact:
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- Posts: 434
- Joined: 29 Jun 2007 2:34 pm
- Location: Kaufman, TX
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- Posts: 12
- Joined: 27 Dec 2010 4:13 pm
- Location: Washington, USA
Mike is the inspiration and standard-bearer for a whole generation of us that started learning reso in the early '70s. He is the one we all tried to emulate, with varying degrees of success. All of his albums I have are thankfully intact, but incredibly well-worn. He was a such a wonderful, creative, smooth player and an even better man, and I'm so fortunate to have met him and passed on my admiration to him, just once long ago. With his passing, the void is felt by all of us that he taught and was an example for, whether he was aware of it or not...
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- Posts: 874
- Joined: 28 Nov 2006 1:01 am
- Location: Maryland, USA
- Allen Hutchison
- Posts: 543
- Joined: 24 Jun 2012 9:36 pm
- Location: Kilcoy, Qld, Australia
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- Posts: 1617
- Joined: 6 Sep 1998 12:01 am
- Location: Nashville Tn.
Here's Peter Cooper's personal piece on Mike (who he knew well) from the Nashville paper:
http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2012 ... taught-me/
Here's the more formal obituary he wrote:
http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2012 ... ies-at-73/
I talked to Patty Loveless about Mike the other day, she's had an intro he did on one of her records as her ringtone for a long time, so every time her phone rang she heard Mike play. That says a lot...
http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2012 ... taught-me/
Here's the more formal obituary he wrote:
http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2012 ... ies-at-73/
I talked to Patty Loveless about Mike the other day, she's had an intro he did on one of her records as her ringtone for a long time, so every time her phone rang she heard Mike play. That says a lot...
- Bill Erchul
- Posts: 205
- Joined: 2 Jan 2001 1:01 am
- Location: Raleigh, NC, USA
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- Posts: 3598
- Joined: 24 May 2002 12:01 am
- Location: Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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- Posts: 379
- Joined: 24 Sep 2007 1:55 pm
- Location: Santa Cruz, California
Having grown up in the lucky position I did, I got to see lots of the top folks in bluegrass nearly every weekend. Few were as approachable and enthusiastically so as Mike (Charlie Waller, Tom, Sam Bush and Akira Otsuka spring to mind). Driven by love of and passion for the music, they were/are happy to share time with whoever wanted to share their passion. Not just a musician, but as Duffey would put it (and did), just a swell guy!
Lots of folks have said nice things about my playing: The only one that really moved me was Mike. I sent dad one of my last band's CDs, and Mike heard it and said "You know, Lane turned out to be a pretty good steel player. He puts just the right notes in just the right places.
I figure if Larry the Legend says I'm tasteful, I must have gotten something right.
Lots of folks have said nice things about my playing: The only one that really moved me was Mike. I sent dad one of my last band's CDs, and Mike heard it and said "You know, Lane turned out to be a pretty good steel player. He puts just the right notes in just the right places.
I figure if Larry the Legend says I'm tasteful, I must have gotten something right.
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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- Posts: 2052
- Joined: 27 Nov 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Nashville TN
- Jeff Strouse
- Posts: 1628
- Joined: 20 Apr 2002 12:01 am
- Location: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
What sad news to wake up to this morning...
I first saw Mike perform in the 80's with the Seldom Scene. I was in high school, and was first a little shy about walking up to him, but I did anyway, and he was a super nice guy.
His CD, Eight String Swing, is one of my favorites.
It was a pleasure to "re-meet" and talk with him at the TSGA conventions the last few years he was there. He of course didn't remember me from the 80's, but he remembered the two venues. He even played in the Non-Pedal room one year.
Rest in Peace, Mike. You left some great music behind for us to enjoy.
I first saw Mike perform in the 80's with the Seldom Scene. I was in high school, and was first a little shy about walking up to him, but I did anyway, and he was a super nice guy.
His CD, Eight String Swing, is one of my favorites.
It was a pleasure to "re-meet" and talk with him at the TSGA conventions the last few years he was there. He of course didn't remember me from the 80's, but he remembered the two venues. He even played in the Non-Pedal room one year.
Rest in Peace, Mike. You left some great music behind for us to enjoy.
I am so sorry to hear of Mike's passing. Most everything has been said regarding his influence with the Dobro. Occasionally I would see him at a Steel Guitar show and/or one of Lyle Lovett's concerts in which he would sit in and just knock me out with his playing. I didn't know him well but I felt like I did... that was Mike and I wish to extend my sincere condolences to his family. Thought I'd share this pic from 2008 when he came out to one of Lyle's shows at 'Wolf Trap' in Vienna,VA and played with us. What a great memory for me. His talent was only matched by his integrity and humility, I will miss seeing him.
- Alfred Ewell
- Posts: 101
- Joined: 13 Aug 2010 12:08 pm
- Location: Virginia, USA
Mike's passing is sad indeed. I was fortunate almost two years ago to have a pedal steel lesson from Mike of over two hours. It was a wealth of learning and I'm grateful he made recordings as we went - I've referred to them and certainly now, will again. I thought of returning for more - but he who hesitates is indeed lost.
Mike was a pleasant guy who grasped quickly what I was past and what I could stretch for. He was an awesome player, taught very well and it was a fun evening I will remember.
Mike was a pleasant guy who grasped quickly what I was past and what I could stretch for. He was an awesome player, taught very well and it was a fun evening I will remember.
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- Posts: 1617
- Joined: 6 Sep 1998 12:01 am
- Location: Nashville Tn.
I feel blessed to have been able to be at Mike's service today in Silver Spring, Md. A packed church with incredibly moving music by Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes as a duet throughout, as well as eloquent (sad, heartfelt and sometimes funny) tributes from each about their memories of what Mike's music and friendship meant to them.
A fitting sendoff to a fantastic musician and wonderful human being. I can't wait to hear the album that the three of them recently finished.
A fitting sendoff to a fantastic musician and wonderful human being. I can't wait to hear the album that the three of them recently finished.
- Tommy Detamore
- Posts: 1535
- Joined: 17 Dec 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Floresville, Texas
- Contact:
I am so sad to hear this. Mike had such a profound influence upon me.
Pete that sounds like an amazing service...
Pete that sounds like an amazing service...
Tommy Detamore
Quilter Labs, Goodrich Sound, Source Audio, Neunaber Audio, and Stringjoy Authorized Dealer
www.cherryridgestudio.com
www.steelguitartracksonline.com
Quilter Labs, Goodrich Sound, Source Audio, Neunaber Audio, and Stringjoy Authorized Dealer
www.cherryridgestudio.com
www.steelguitartracksonline.com
I became aware of Mike and his dobro magic back in the early 70's when my band and I played in the MD & VA area. I never got to actually meet Mike until 2009 at Jim Thompson's Tri-State Steel Guitar Show in Washington, PA. He did sign my signature hat along with my other musical heroes at the show. My prayers go out to Mike's family.
Performance D10, GFI Ultra S10, Peavey 112 amp, Hilton volumn pedal, Fender Strat, Tele, Fender twin amp.
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- Posts: 1901
- Joined: 29 Aug 1998 12:01 am
- Location: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
- Alfred Ewell
- Posts: 101
- Joined: 13 Aug 2010 12:08 pm
- Location: Virginia, USA