Asleep at the Wheel

Craig Villalon · Post by **Craig Villalon** » 3 Jul 2001 5:47 pm

I just purchased tickets for a Sept. show at the Birchmere...i sure hope they still have a steel player...anybody know their current membership?

Thanks

Earl Erb · Post by **Earl Erb** » 3 Jul 2001 5:56 pm

I work with Big Jim Murphy on Saturday nights here in Nashville when he is not working with Johnny Lee.Well,this past weekend Jim informed me that he was going to work a few dates with Asleep at the Wheel.If they let him play pedal steel along with non pedal than he might stay with them,but he will not go long term if he can't play pedal steel. He doesn't want to lose his pedal chops. I'll see him again this Saturday and I will try and get more info. Right now this is temporary and tentative, so you might get to see Murph in Sept.

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 3 Jul 2001 6:24 pm

Ray is using Bobby Black for some Northern CA and Nevada shows. Dave

Fred Jack · Post by **Fred Jack** » 3 Jul 2001 7:55 pm

Earl...can you tell me if Big Jim is going to be with the wheel in Bay City Texas next month..(Aug)??? Thanks fred jack

Earl Erb · Post by **Earl Erb** » 3 Jul 2001 9:01 pm

Fred,I will get some details from Murph this week end.

Tom Mortensen · Post by **Tom Mortensen** » 4 Jul 2001 6:48 am

We worked a festival in Grand Jct, Colorado with them a few days ago.
No steel player, but Jason the fiddle player had his non-pedal set up and walked over to it for a couple of solos.
The sun was being brutal on everyones tuning that afternoon (including mine)and Jason gets an "A" for effort, but they do need a steel player.

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Al Gershen · Post by **Al Gershen** » 14 Jul 2001 2:06 pm

Hi group:

I saw Asleep at the Wheel (AATW) last night (July 13, 2001) in Grants Pass, Oregon (please see my other new postings on this date with photo links from the concert) and their steel player was Jeremy Wakefield, from Los Angeles. He's been with the band only about 10 days.

I spoke to Ray Benson back stage (I got there because I was shooting photos for the opening group) and asked him two questions:

1. What happened to Cindy Cashdollar? (I was expecting her at the concert but it didn't happen.) Ray said that she was with AATW for over 9 years and she decided to go in other directions. He also said that she may play certain future concerts again with the band as she's available.

2. Who is going to be the new permanent steel player for AATW? Ray mentioned that he's in dicussions with Jim Murphy and I believe he said that Jim, if he takes the job, will play both pedal and non-pedal steel guitar with the group. He also mentioned how Jim is an "killer" steel player.

This subject of playing only non-pedal steel guitar is very interesting to me. If you look at AATW, there members all play their instruments in a modern manner. Why should the steel player only be required to perform on a platform that excludes pedal steel guitar?

This isn't fair and it's also NOT consistant with what the other musicians in the group are doing and the directions their music falls in.

AATW plays such a variety of music that to pigeon hole them as only a "western swing" band would be a real disservice to the
group.

Sure, Cindy played non-pedal steel for them for such a long period of time that you might make the argument that only that instrument belongs with the group. But, open your blinders and realize that this group can easily be supported by a fine steel guitarist that play both instruments. And, I didn't mention the debro as a third requisite for the steel player on certain songs.

I've heard Jim Murphy play only a few times but I know that he's certainly capable of adding a new diminsion to AATW.

Only time will tell if it happens.

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Regards,
Al Gershen
Grants Pass, Oregon. USA
Fender 1000 (1957),
Fender PS 210 (1972) &
Gibson Electraharp EH-820
(1962)
Pictures of PS 210 &
EH-820 at http://www.rvi.net/~aldg

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 14 Jul 2001 2:44 pm

* [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 02 May 2002 at 02:40 PM.]

ESnow · Post by **ESnow** » 14 Jul 2001 10:05 pm

Big Jim also plays a great sax.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 15 Jul 2001 12:30 am

Al
It's Ray's band. He has always been very clear on what he wants, and I don't believe that because his sax and fiddle player play in a more modern style (which they actually don't, IMHO), that it has any bearing on whether or not he wants the sound of a pedal steel for the Wheel. What is "fair" doesn't enter into it at all.

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Fred Jack · Post by **Fred Jack** » 15 Jul 2001 9:41 am

I agree 100% with Herb. Its Ray's band and should be allowed to produce the sound he wants.Incidently, I do prefer pedals and have known Murph for about 25-28 years. He is a monster on the pedals.regards,fred

Craig Villalon · Post by **Craig Villalon** » 18 Jul 2001 5:14 pm

I sent off an e-mail to AATW regarding the steel player and was told it would probably be Jim Murphy.

Al Gershen · Post by **Al Gershen** » 16 Sep 2001 8:36 pm

Hi SGF:

As a belated follow-up to this subject thread, I want to leave you with links to photos I took at the Asleep at the Wheel concert in July at the Rogue Theater in Grants Pass, OR.

The first are digital photos I took with my JVC GC-S1U camera:

http://www.rvi.net/~aldg/aldg's%20photos/digital,%20%20JVC%20GC-S1U/Rogue%20 Theater%20July%202000/

The next are film photo I just scanned today that I took with my Minolta Maxxum 7000 35m camera:

http://www.rvi.net/~aldg/aldg's%20photos/film,%20Minolta%20Maxxum%207000/Rogu e%20Theater,%20AATW/

I hope that you have a little time to glance thru these photos.

Regards,
Al Gershen

[This message was edited by Al Gershen on 17 September 2001 at 09:26 PM.]

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 16 Sep 2001 8:55 pm

Went & saw AATW at the Exit Inn,9/13/01. "Big Murph" is blowin' 'em away on both,pedals & non-pedals.

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Jeff Peterson · Post by **Jeff Peterson** » 17 Sep 2001 6:06 pm

Ray has NEVER said he only wanted a lap player. He has always wanted a player that can do it all....pedal steel, lap steel, and resophonic. 30 some odd years ago, they started with Lucky Oceans, a pedal player. If anything, Ray misses it. Cindy played non-pedal and Dobro...'cause that's what she plays.