Late notice, but I heard Charlie Feathers' "Defrost Your Heart" on the radio this morning and was impressed by the steel playing. I researched the player and found he had recently passed. He had quite an illustrious career beyond being a great musician.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Kesler
I was unfamiliar with Stan but searched and found him mentioned in three threads here on the forum.
R.I.P. Stan Kesler - 10/26/2020
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Jamie Howze
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That really smarts. I had not heard of this.
I didn't see a single mention of his passing in any music forum at the time. Or in this steel-centric (??) forum. Unfortunately, not surprising....all things considered.
I wish I could have heard him spin some yarns for a few hours.
I think Stan took more pride in his song-writing and studio productions than in his steel playing. There aren’t a lot of examples of the latter.
But he wrote several of my favorites songs by Elvis: Playing For Keeps, Thrill Of Your Love, I Forgot To Remember To Forget (Presley’s first significant hit), and I’m Left You’re Right She’s Gone (in my personal favorite top 3 recordings by anybody at any time).
Go listen to those at high volume on Youtube.
Additionally…..One Minute Past Eternity (Jerry Lee Lewis), I’d Rather Be Safe Than Sorry (Warren Smith), and Wailin’, a very early John Hughey instrumental.
Not sure how, but he found himself around San Antonio in the early 50s and recorded with the local Al Rogers’ band at that time. He’s at the top in this first photo from 1953.
Second pic from 1955 in Memphis: Stan on a Multichord; Sam Phillips upper left and 19 year old Kenny Lovelace (later with J. L. Lewis), lower right. I think the band is The Blue Seal Pals.
From early 2014, age 85.
Last one: Stan was in on the ground floor with Elvis. Here is Stan's wife Maureen with Elvis at the Eagle's Nest in Memphis in September 1954....weeks after Elvis first recorded and long before he was a national name.
I didn't see a single mention of his passing in any music forum at the time. Or in this steel-centric (??) forum. Unfortunately, not surprising....all things considered.
I wish I could have heard him spin some yarns for a few hours.
I think Stan took more pride in his song-writing and studio productions than in his steel playing. There aren’t a lot of examples of the latter.
But he wrote several of my favorites songs by Elvis: Playing For Keeps, Thrill Of Your Love, I Forgot To Remember To Forget (Presley’s first significant hit), and I’m Left You’re Right She’s Gone (in my personal favorite top 3 recordings by anybody at any time).
Go listen to those at high volume on Youtube.
Additionally…..One Minute Past Eternity (Jerry Lee Lewis), I’d Rather Be Safe Than Sorry (Warren Smith), and Wailin’, a very early John Hughey instrumental.
Not sure how, but he found himself around San Antonio in the early 50s and recorded with the local Al Rogers’ band at that time. He’s at the top in this first photo from 1953.
Second pic from 1955 in Memphis: Stan on a Multichord; Sam Phillips upper left and 19 year old Kenny Lovelace (later with J. L. Lewis), lower right. I think the band is The Blue Seal Pals.
From early 2014, age 85.
Last one: Stan was in on the ground floor with Elvis. Here is Stan's wife Maureen with Elvis at the Eagle's Nest in Memphis in September 1954....weeks after Elvis first recorded and long before he was a national name.
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Jamie Howze
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