Bill Hankey RIP

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 25 May 2019 2:19 am

Rest in Peace Mr Hankey!

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 25 May 2019 6:27 am

I'm very sorry to hear about Bill. He was a unique character and certainly loved steel guitar. I know he had a lot of challenges the last several years, I hope he's in a better place now. My condolences to his family.

Tiny Olson · Post by **Tiny Olson** » 28 May 2019 1:12 pm

Although I've not spoken to Bill recently, he and I were friends of quite a number of years. I always found Bill to be a genuine and friendly person.

I met him in the early-mid 80s at The Home Club. That's the location he used to hold his Mass Bash, Steel Guitar Shows. That establishment also hosted name country acts back then and that's how I first met Bill. We were there doing a show and he was in the audience. He came and talked to me for quite some time and we've been friends ever since.

In answer to a question asked earlier in this post, I wouldn't say that Bill was quite as intense, verbally in person as he was on this Forum. Nonetheless, it was obvious when you conversed with him that he was a person of high IQ. I always enjoyed my visits with him very much.

I'm sorry to hear of Bill's passing. My prayers and deepest sympathies go out for Bill, Beth and all his friends and family.

Sincerely,
Chris "Tiny" Olson

Chris Brooks · Post by **Chris Brooks** » 29 May 2019 8:59 am

Bill wrote a laudatory review of my playing after one of those Western Mass jams in the early 80s. Thanks, Bill.

Chris

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 29 May 2019 1:51 pm

I'm with b0b - I disagreed with almost everything he ever wrote but I have missed his rambling and verbose posts in recent times.

He was an asset to the Forum and our community even if interpreting his threads often took more time than I was prepared to spend.

RIP, Bill.

John Brabant · Post by **John Brabant** » 18 Oct 2020 4:15 am

I am just seeing this nearly a year and a half after Bill Hankey's passing. Very sad to see. Tiny Olson reminded me of the venue where he would hold those steel guitar gatherings. I attended one of those back around 1991 or 92. It was somewhere just south of the VT border near Adams, MA as I recall. I got myself on a mailing list and remember receiving yearly notices of these gatherings with Bill's name on the return address, written in pen and ink as I recall. This is where I first met Jerry Fessenden and Sam Hudson. Anyway, how does that Lucky 7 gizmo attach to the changer? Having a hard time making it out on my laptop screen. Looks like it does away with the bend on the 3rd string to reduce likelihood of string breakage. Does anyone have any better pics or pics of what other manufacturer's do along these same lines? And whatever became of Bill's slanted fretboard idea, did it go into production?

Craig Stock · Post by **Craig Stock** » 18 Oct 2020 11:20 am

I would propose to have a memorial section on the forum to notice members that have passed with a small bio to remember them by, could be totally voluntary.

So many of these guys have been a great part of my life, some I have met, others only through the Forum, just a thought.

I miss Moon (from Alaska), Eric Reid, Chris Ivey, Gene Jones, Billy Tonneson, The Big E, and so many others

Don R Brown · Post by **Don R Brown** » 19 Oct 2020 9:04 am

Craig Stock wrote:I would propose to have a memorial section on the forum to notice members that have passed with a small bio to remember them by, could be totally voluntary.

Unless I'm mistaken, that's exactly what we already have right here. "Obituaries and remembrances of steel guitarists, their friends and families" is how the index describes this sub-forum.

Rich Peterson · Post by **Rich Peterson** » 27 Oct 2020 9:40 am

Saddened to hear he has passed. Enjoyed his posts.

Andrew Goulet · Post by **Andrew Goulet** » 13 Nov 2020 9:05 pm

I'm sad to hear of Bill's passing. His posts could be real poetry.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 14 Nov 2020 9:14 am

Anyway, how does that Lucky 7 gizmo attach to the changer?

I've often wondered the same thing.

Take a close look at the changer on a Williams guitar.

Bill designed his changer fingers that way many years ago.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 5 Jan 2021 3:40 am

Another true character of the steel world Bill will be missed.
I met up with him one night in Mass at a jamboree, and he was as entertaining in person and on steel as he seemed on forum.
A great loss for the heart and humor of the pedal steel.
RIP Bill Hankey

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 30 Jan 2021 10:32 am

Bill always offered an odd take on things, but I liked him. He is now in D9 heaven.