Update: Where is Art Beard? REST IN PEACE

Ross Shafer · Post by **Ross Shafer** » 9 May 2018 6:21 am

Sad news for sure. I only met Art in January at the Phoenix show, we hit it off immediately and have been in touch frequently since.

I spoke with him last week and his spirits were high. I let him know how much I admired the grace with which he faced his last challenge. He had some very poignant memories and wisdom to share.

All in all a wonderful and reflective guy with a deep, deep passion for music in general and steel guitar especially.

I feel like I've lost a big brother....RIP Art! Thanks for all you shared with me in our short time as friends.

Mark Shuda · Post by **Mark Shuda** » 9 May 2018 7:23 am

Sorry to hear of Arts passing.
He was a real nice guy.
I had several discussions and nice talks with him.
His spirit will live through that cool Speedy West that he gave to Mickey to give away to a deserving new owner.
MS

Fred Martin · Post by **Fred Martin** » 9 May 2018 8:02 am

Also had a chance to meet and talk to Art at the Phoenix show. Very kind and gracious fella.

Mike Wheeler · Post by **Mike Wheeler** » 9 May 2018 1:04 pm

Rest in peace, brother, and play pretty up there. My heartfelt condolences to your earthly family and friends.

gary pierce · Post by **gary pierce** » 9 May 2018 3:15 pm

I'm so sorry to hear this, and was hoping it was not the reason for his absence here.

John Wilson · Post by **John Wilson** » 9 May 2018 8:06 pm

I just saw this obit and I am so saddened by Arts passing.

RIP my friend. Your craziness will be perfectly understood in Heaven.

John

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 10 May 2018 12:01 pm

He texted me right up to the end... He wants his gear to go to a brother.. He was ready, he had made his peace.. RIP Art..Yiur memory will live on..

Lonnie Portwood · Post by **Lonnie Portwood** » 11 May 2018 6:23 pm

It saddens me to hear of Art's passing. I had spoken to Art sometime back when He expressed interest in My "Al Caiola" Epiphone, and I just last week received The Gretsch 6120 which He had listed here for several weeks. I am glad I finally bought it after watching it for a while. I wondered why it took several days for Art to ship it, and now I know why.He included a very nice wish for me to treat "her" like a lady and play Her often. Rest in peace, ole friend. Lonnie

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 11 May 2018 7:10 pm

I wasn't thinking he was serious when he was taking about his own "early estate sale" , I figured it was just his kind of humor or something... this is a sad news, RIP Art, may you now ride free with the wind...HAPPY TRAILS

Chris Boyd · Post by **Chris Boyd** » 12 May 2018 4:07 am

I'm sorry to hear this sad news..I too thought he was joking about his estate sale.. rest easy Art...

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 12 May 2018 1:53 pm

Very sad. He and I had disagreements about nearly everything yet got along great. Very kind...and funny, in a "funny ha-ha" way...guy. He was wonderfully supportive when I lost my youngest son at the end of December.

He'll really be missed.

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 13 May 2018 4:54 pm

He will be missed. RIP brother. Thank you for your service.

Jay Carroll · Post by **Jay Carroll** » 15 May 2018 5:00 am

Art wanted a Duesenberg multibender I had to put on a Tele project he was doing. He called me and talking with him,I found we had a lot of the same interests.He was excited to get the multibender.I am hoping he was able to get his "Barn beam Telecaster" finished.I thank him for his service. He will be missed.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 18 Jun 2018 8:43 am

I was just thinking it was about time I wrote to him. Now I feel bad that I put it off too long.

I was in the process of selling him some instruments when he called my on the 'phone and said that he no longer wanted to buy them as the doctors had told him that he didn't have long to live.

He was a great Buddy Holly fan, so I copied everything Buddy had ever done onto a couple of DVDs and sent them to him.
He told me that he was at peace with himself and was not concerned about his own passing. He was going to leave all his instruments to a veterans home. He was continually haunted by the faces of those who had died with him and against him in VietNam.

Few people know that he did a lot of work for veterans, being one himself. He kitted out a veterans home with dozens of instruments from his collection, and taught them to play.

So long, Art. I wish I had had a chance to know you longer.

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 24 Jun 2018 10:02 pm

So sad, Just heard this last week from Bob.
Art and I had exchanged quite a few PM's and e-mails.
I tried to convince him to put up a fight, but he didn't want that. That is his right, but still sad.
He wanted to give me a Sho Bud, but I refused because I already have more steels than I need. Told him he should find someone who really needed it.
We were both over here in Viet Nam about the same time in the mid 60's.
Seems he was close to a lot of fellows here... Sad that he's gone. Hope to a better place.

Bob Poole · Post by **Bob Poole** » 9 Jul 2018 7:38 pm

Enjoyed every conversation I had with Art.I sent him,a while back,a small pocket sized cross that my wife made from a beautiful piece of cedar & he reminded me in each text & conversation that he kept it with him all the time.God bless you,Art

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 15 Aug 2018 9:16 am

Godspeed Art!

How surreal. He was telegraphing his situation on more than one thread.

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... 904d5d5869

Thank you for your service Sir!

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 17 Aug 2018 10:16 am

Sad to see this. Art bought a guitar off me right around the time of his passing. I guess I don't get it??.. Why would he want a strange old tele made out of barnwood if he knew he would soon be gone?.. I sold it to him for peanuts just to see it played here and there maybe. It wasn't a bad guitar.
Art saw a picture of it posted here, and started mailing me relentlessly. I promised I would hold it for him as long as he needed,, this was probably sometime in March. He sent the check,I sent the guitar which he adored, and thanked me profusely for. Probably right around the time he died this all happened.

The only "clue' I had I suppose was that he was talking about really buying the guitar for some disabled vets or something, not for himself.

He seemed a bit eccentric but also pretty cool, and probably generous as well.

Sorry to read about his moving on.. He seemed like a character, but a lovable one.
We had a short online friendship, but it was fairly robust for a few weeks. Rest in peace Art. So glad you liked that guitar, and I hope its now in the hands of someone that feels the same way... bob

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 17 Aug 2018 10:39 am

Bob Carlucci wrote:Sad to see this. Art bought a guitar off me right around the time of his passing. I guess I don't get it??.. Why would he want a strange old tele made out of barnwood if he knew he would soon be gone?.. I sold it to him for peanuts just to see it played here and there maybe. It wasn't a bad guitar.
Art saw a picture of it posted here, and started mailing me relentlessly. I promised I would hold it for him as long as he needed,, this was probably sometime in March. He sent the check,I sent the guitar which he adored, and thanked me profusely for. Probably right around the time he died this all happened.

The only "clue' I had I suppose was that he was talking about really buying the guitar for some disabled vets or something, not for himself.

He seemed a bit eccentric but also pretty cool, and probably generous as well.

Sorry to read about his moving on.. He seemed like a character, but a lovable one.
We had a short online friendship, but it was fairly robust for a few weeks. Rest in peace Art. So glad you liked that guitar, and I hope its now in the hands of someone that feels the same way... bob

Allan's post a few posts up, Art was supplying a veteran's home with instruments and teaching them to play. Maybe that's what he was doing up until the end.
If you read about his "estate sale..mine" thread:
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... 11a05e697d

If you read his obit, he didn't want a service.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 17 Aug 2018 11:30 am

Godfrey Arthur wrote:...Alan's post a few posts up, Art was supplying a veteran's home with instruments and teaching them to play. Maybe that's what he was doing up until the end.
If you read about his "estate sale..mine" thread:
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... 11a05e697d
...

Yes, he bought a bass guitar and a lap steel from me just before he died. He was going to buy an archtop jazz guitar and Telecaster from me but it never went through. He was waiting for a settlement from his ex-wife, but, at the time of his death, his attorney was still negotiating it.
Strangely he had a pedal steel advertised for sale for several months but no-one bought it. I wonder what happened to it. Probably went to the veterans' home.
Although he announced months before, that he was dying, from his telephone conversations he seemed okay, and I tried to persuade him to be optimistic and fight it, but he was reconciled with going. It was a shock when he eventually did die.
I'm reminded of Spike Milligan's epitaph on his gravestone, "See I told you I was sick."

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 17 Aug 2018 11:53 am

Alan Brookes wrote:
Godfrey Arthur wrote:...Alan's post a few posts up, Art was supplying a veteran's home with instruments and teaching them to play. Maybe that's what he was doing up until the end.
If you read about his "estate sale..mine" thread:
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... 11a05e697d
...
Yes, he bought a bass guitar and a lap steel from me just before he died. He was going to buy an archtop jazz guitar and Telecaster from me but it never went through. He was waiting for a settlement from his ex-wife, but, at the time of his death, his attorney was still negotiating it.
Strangely he had a pedal steel advertised for sale for several months but no-one bought it. I wonder what happened to it. Probably went to the veterans' home.
Although he announced months before, that he was dying, from his telephone conversations he seemed okay, and I tried to persuade him to be optimistic and fight it, but he was reconciled with going. It was a shock when he eventually did die.
I'm reminded of Spike Milligan's epitaph on his gravestone, "See I told you I was sick."

Didn't Art have a niece he was going to leave things?

Jim sorry to hear you lost your son and during a holiday month of December. Never easy.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 19 Aug 2018 9:44 am

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... sc&start=0
I wonder what happened to the Mullen that he was trying to sell.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Update: Where is Art Beard? REST IN PEACE

Art

Sad, sad news

Art

Just heard this last week

Gonna miss you Art