Mike Auldridge

Larry Rafferty · Post by **Larry Rafferty** » 30 Dec 2012 9:19 am

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.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 30 Dec 2012 5:27 pm

Mike Auldridge and Jimmy Heffernan at the 2010 Resosummit in Nashville, TN.

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 30 Dec 2012 6:15 pm

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.

Gregg McKenna · Post by **Gregg McKenna** » 30 Dec 2012 8:28 pm

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.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 30 Dec 2012 9:18 pm

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.

Howard Parker · Post by **Howard Parker** » 31 Dec 2012 6:42 am

Washington Post obit Here!

Eric Brace tribute in the Washington Post Here!

Jana Lockaby · Post by **Jana Lockaby** » 31 Dec 2012 12:35 pm

No words can express the sadness in my heart. I hope Mike's family can find comfort in knowing just how much we all love him. I'll miss you Mike. Rest in peace.

Mark Myers · Post by **Mark Myers** » 31 Dec 2012 1:37 pm

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...

Darrell Criswell · Post by **Darrell Criswell** » 31 Dec 2012 2:23 pm

Mike was a really good steel player also. I went to the Birchmere once just to hear him play steel and I wasn't disappointed. He was the nicest of persons also.

Allen Hutchison · Post by **Allen Hutchison** » 1 Jan 2013 12:14 am

RIP Mike, and thanks for the music.
Your work will remain an inspiration to all steel players.
Sincere sympathy to the Auldridge family.

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 1 Jan 2013 6:11 am

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...

Bill Erchul · Post by **Bill Erchul** » 1 Jan 2013 5:21 pm

Mike performing with the Seldom Scene in 1978.

Tony Dingus · Post by **Tony Dingus** » 1 Jan 2013 5:38 pm

Being a great musician goes beyond on how good you play your instrument. That's Mike Auldridge. I hope that I can be half the man my dad was and he was a good man. I hope that I can be half the musician that Mike was. Mike Auldridge, the bluegrass musician roll model !

Tony

Norman Markowitz · Post by **Norman Markowitz** » 1 Jan 2013 7:42 pm

I have enjoyed his music immensely since I was first introduced to it back in 1980. What a great loss to us all.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 1 Jan 2013 11:17 pm

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.

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 2 Jan 2013 4:29 am

New York Times obit for Mike Auldridge:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/01/arts/ ... music&_r=0

Gary Dunn · Post by **Gary Dunn** » 2 Jan 2013 3:08 pm

RIP Mike. You will be surely missed...

Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 3 Jan 2013 5:29 am

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.

Buck Reid · Post by **Buck Reid** » 3 Jan 2013 7:03 am

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 · Post by **Alfred Ewell** » 3 Jan 2013 10:27 am

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.

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 3 Jan 2013 9:45 pm

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.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 4 Jan 2013 8:08 am

I am so sad to hear this. Mike had such a profound influence upon me.

Pete that sounds like an amazing service...

Rudy Hawk · Post by **Rudy Hawk** » 4 Jan 2013 8:19 am

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.

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 5 Jan 2013 3:30 pm

I made the funeral. Dito Pete Finney. Mike's family is wonderful to boot. Quite a few famous folk made it I was pleased to see.

Alfred Ewell · Post by **Alfred Ewell** » 5 Jan 2013 6:48 pm

Wish I could have made it to the funeral, but thanks for the good reports and especially glad to hear of an upcoming album!
I've been listening to Mike's recording of our lesson. We'd laugh and play... He was really, very - so very good. I was so lucky.
Thanks Mike!