Steel Guitar Hall of Fame

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 18 Nov 2020 5:36 pm

Has anyone been inducted since Neil Flanz and Del Mullen in downtown Denver a few years back?

Duane Becker · Post by **Duane Becker** » 19 Nov 2020 11:10 am

Is this the Scotty St Louis Hall of Fame that your mentioning here or is there a separate Hall of Fame in Denver?
If it indeed is Scotty's, I just don't understand the steel guitar community letting the Hall of Fame board just die. Being just a regular steel player, I cant do much except pay dues, but why hasn't the A team steel pickers in Nashville, Dallas, and Mesa stepped forward and continue this?
Those plaques that used to hang in the hotel in St Louis are going to get eventually recycled.
Just a dirty shame.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 19 Nov 2020 11:29 am

In other threads about this I suggested the Musician's HOF in Nashville would be the ideal place for them. My suggestion died on the forum. But there is no need for them to sit in a basement and not be displayed.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 19 Nov 2020 11:29 am

Duane Becker wrote:Is this the Scotty St Louis Hall of Fame that your mentioning here or is there a separate Hall of Fame in Denver?

Scotty's. Someone (DeWitt's son?) presented their plaques to Del & Neil at a steel show in a basement cabaret on the 16th St Mall in downtown Denver 4-5 years ago. I was fortunate to attend.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 19 Nov 2020 11:37 am

Jack Stoner wrote:...there is no need for them to sit in a basement and not be displayed.

No doubt about it.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 19 Nov 2020 1:46 pm

Maybe b0b's got room for them someplace.

Erv

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 19 Nov 2020 4:48 pm

Whatever happened to all the funds donated and raised from the HOF shows for a building?

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 19 Nov 2020 6:27 pm

Marty Stuart is building a country music museum of epic proportions in Mississippi - perhaps he'd find a spot for them.

https://congressofcountrymusic.org/

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 19 Nov 2020 8:00 pm

The Big Texas Steel Guitar Show has seemingly replaced Scotty's Big Show. I have suggested in the past that the Texas People form a group and band all of us Steel Forum Members and others to help and support a new Building and place in The Dallas - Fort Worth Texas Metro area to house and start a Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Building. This would be the permanent home of The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame and Memorabilia. It's more centrally located nationwide for all Steel Guitarists. If I won the lottery I'd fund it myself and I will help support it. My only stipulation would be that it was built or purchased in this Texas Metro area. My reasoning, and several will disagree, is because many of the inductees were not Nashville players. That's my thoughts whether popular or not. Country and Western Swing Music is still very popular in Texas, and people there will support it. Nashville lost it years ago. I know this will not be popular with some of Y'all. But most all the Steel players that I know and fans of Real Country Music like what many of us refer to now days, as "Real Country Music " Also a lot of Steel Guitarist that were inducted into The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame played other genre forms of Music. Hawaiian, Pop, Rock, Easily Listening, Big Band and Gospel Music. Many of them never played Nashville. Those are my thoughts and again will not be popular with some. Sorry but that's the Truth. I hate seeing all those Great Steel Guitarists Awards and Plaques just be rotting and discarded like they were just rubbish. We all owe all the Greats more than that!

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 20 Nov 2020 8:03 am

I'm trying to catch up here.

My question concerns the plaques/etc that were in the lower level of the Millenium Hotel in St. Louis.

Before we can move them to another museum, we need to get our hands on them first.

Where are those old plaques now?
Are they still in the hotel, or did someone store them away?

Duane Becker · Post by **Duane Becker** » 20 Nov 2020 9:40 am

Texas works!
Hope something can be done to get the Hall of Fame back up running. Museum idea is good but you need alot of money. I've played professional music for the last 40 years as my main gig, but as a second job I was a long time board member of a county historical society and 5 acre Museum in Washington State. Our annual budget was $25,000 a year. We totaled 8-10,000 visitors a year.
Having a Museum is a great idea and the Hall of Fame could be tucked into the Museum, coordinating with the Dallas, Mesa, and the rest of the steel shows and jams across the nation. However having a Museum is a long term commitment and takes lots of money. BIG MONEY!
Not too many offers of arts and humanities grants are out there anymore. It would take a large scale effort on all the steel players and even help from the steelguitarforum, and other community steel websites. Not sure all of us and America's steel guitar community is up for such a task, but in light of everything else, SIGN ME UP! I'll be one of the first to pay dues.

Also, like ajm's post, I too would like to know where the Scotty plaques are currently now?

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 20 Nov 2020 10:43 am

AJM, the plaques are supposedly stuffed in a basement in St. Louis. That's all I know about that.

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 20 Nov 2020 10:46 am

Duane Becker, I am like You on that I'll support anything I can to help with The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame! To me, it just seems the most Logical place in Texas. I really believe that many would support it and help with donations there, etc.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 20 Nov 2020 1:42 pm

I saw the plaques when they were in the Millennium, but it always seemed a little odd to me. I'm all for getting us publicity, and providing players with some recognition. I'm not, however, aware of a guitar hall of fame, or a drum, bass, or piano hall of fame? Most "halls of fame" having to do with things musical seem to be devoted to genres of music. I doubt that anyone but steel players would have any interest; it's kinda like "Carrying coals to Newcastle". Except for the late '50s to early '70s time period, we've always been sort of the "red-headed stepchild" of musicians, anyway.

Money...is always the problem. Too bad Warren Buffett wasn't a steel player. $:\$

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 20 Nov 2020 2:21 pm

Although I wish it were otherwise,I cannot envision enough general public showing up for a freestanding building that is a Hall of Fame dedicated to the steel guitar to make it financially feasible. It would have to be staffed, it would have to be maintained, all at some significant cost after acquiring the building in the 1st place (athough I suppose it could be leased instead of purchased). Still I have visions of the Maytag repairman sitting around waiting for the phone to ring or, in this case, a staffer sitting around waiting for someone to come through that door who's interested in steel guitar...

I would be very happy to be proven wrong, btw.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 20 Nov 2020 5:09 pm

This has come up so many times.

The Scott family has (or had) the plaques, as they are the owners of the plaques.

I can't answer if they even still exist.

I do know that from a financial standpoint, a HOF building would be out of the question.

Scotty's show was at the Millenium for many years and having the plaques on the wall was part of the deal.

Shows gone, plaques go with it.

It was mentioned to move them to the Dallas show. I don't believe you will find a hotel that will furnish a wall to house them permanently and they are way too big and heavy to move around and store after every show.

I feel that this is a part of history that is now gone.

Bob Cox · Post by **Bob Cox** » 20 Nov 2020 8:00 pm

How about mounting them in an enclosed trailer that could be stored when not being viewed at a show. Donations at show could offset storage fees or an occasional set of tires.

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 20 Nov 2020 9:45 pm

Does someone have good pics of all the plaques? Better than just letting them go unviewed, could we just put them as a "sticky" here at the top of the Steel Players category?

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 21 Nov 2020 11:50 am

All the discussion above is relevant, valuable, and of interest to most folks on this Forum, but still leaves the original question unanswered. Have there been any players inducted since Del and Neil, or is the Hall of Fame for all indents and porpoises kaput with the demise of Scotty's St. Louis convention?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 22 Nov 2020 3:54 am

Clyde Mattocks wrote:Does someone have good pics of all the plaques? Better than just letting them go unviewed, could we just put them as a "sticky" here at the top of the Steel Players category?

I think a "virtual" hall of fame would suffice.

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 22 Nov 2020 10:39 am

Jack Hanson,

To my knowledge, no there have been no new Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Inductees since 2016.

Hope this helps!

Terry Wood

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 22 Nov 2020 10:59 am

Terry Wood wrote:To my knowledge, no there have been no new Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Inductees since 2016.

Thanks for the confirmation, Terry. That has been my supposition, since there's been no mention of future inductions since then that I've seen posted anywhere. It's a shame to let it die.

Larry Baker · Post by **Larry Baker** » 22 Nov 2020 11:08 am

I had the same thoghts as Bob Cox.. Perhaps a gutted travel trailer that could be easily moved from show to show. A donation jar could be placed in the viewing trailer to help someone to keep moving it.
Then, there is that problem: someone willing to take it to the various shows. Maybe volentieers to take turns moving the trailer around. Any thoughts.

Darrell Criswell · Post by **Darrell Criswell** » 22 Nov 2020 12:12 pm

Anyone still keep in touch with Scotty's family?...would be interesting to see what they think about the plaques.

Rich Gardner · Post by **Rich Gardner** » 22 Nov 2020 8:34 pm

I found this on Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL3bdFdcRvE