Pete Wilsher, British steel guitar player

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 11 Oct 2022 9:11 am

I think he played with the Everlys on their re-union concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Listen at the beginning and the end of the clip, if you don't want to listen to his aquaintences with UFO's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA14S7C_ZDo

Matt Elsen · Post by **Matt Elsen** » 11 Oct 2022 5:22 pm

Enjoyed his playing on Sandy Denny's Live album "Gold Dust - Live at the Royalty".
Worth a listen!

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 12 Oct 2022 3:27 am

I have heard this record some time ago, Matt. But I didn't know it's name. Thanks.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 12 Oct 2022 7:22 am

I knew Pete well back in the Old Country. He did some recording and was a pioneer on the instrument in the UK in the '60s.

Joachim:
That wasn't Pete on the Everly's reunion at the Albert Hall. That was guitarist Martin Jenner who, at that point, was just dabbling in pedal steel. Mart was left-handed and, I'm pretty sure, had a left-handed steel.

While he wasn't a great steel player, he was a fine guitarist. At that time (1983) he was playing for Cliff Richard - probably the most prestigious gig you could have in that period. Martin is no longer with us. He moved to Australia and died there several years ago.

Pete Willsher worked in music retail in London and did the rounds of the guitar shops - Sound City, Selmers, etc.. He was a good chap.

I know one track he can be heard on - Peter Sarstedt's 'Take Off Your Clothes'. PS had a major hit with 'Where Do You Go To, My Lovely?' in '69 and Pete (and myself) were on his debut album (I was on guitar).

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 12 Oct 2022 8:52 am

That wasn't Pete on the Everly's reunion at the Albert Hall. That was guitarist Martin Jenner who, at that point, was just dabbling in pedal steel. Mart was left-handed and, I'm pretty sure, had a left-handed steel.

Roger, thanks for the correction. If you only dabble on steel and have the nerve to play the Albert Hall you have to be courageous. RIP Martin Jenner.
Pete plays some nice stuff on a track with Hemlock starting at 28:00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUpr8QT_Gp0&t=8s

Roy Heap · Post by **Roy Heap** » 13 Oct 2022 10:20 am

Two albums recorded by Pete several years ago

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Rocky Evangelisti · Post by **Rocky Evangelisti** » 13 Oct 2022 4:58 pm

I knew Martin once he moved to Perth, Western Australia.

He assisted me with my first Emmons Push Pull in 1991.
Alan Emons (R.I.P) was our local pedal steel player and mechanic and great at setting up Emmons guitars.

He also built electric guitars & basses.

Martin persuaded Alan to build him a left-handed telecaster style guitar with a drop "d" tuner (string 6) and 2 buttons you pressed down with your finger/s (strings 2 & 3) to emulate the A & B pedals on a pedal steel guitar.

I'm not sure what became of that Emons telecaster.

Regarding the Royal Albert Hall concert, Martin was apparently "put on the spot' to play the pedal steel.