WHO? Is Clyde "Boots" Harris

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 11 Nov 2001 10:20 pm

Anyone ever heard of this fellow?
Did he play steel guitar and with whom?
What is he noted for?
Any ideas?
I heard he was famous for something or another?

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 12 Nov 2001 3:39 am

"Bootsie" chief claim to fame was ETs steel player back before pedals. Played a Fender and had great tone. I heard a few years ago that he was retired and living in Alabama. You can see him on the old Opry videos with Tubb

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 12 Nov 2001 4:58 am

He also played with Curley Williams And His Georgia Peach Pickers and recorded the famous instrumental "Georgia Steel Guitar".
Jussi

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 12 Nov 2001 5:04 am

Also, don't know if Clyde Harris played with ET or not, but the Texas Troubadour steel player on those Opry/Gannaway videos is Dickie Harris.
Jussi

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 12 Nov 2001 5:54 am

Jussi; Thanks for the reminder on Dickie Harris !! I haven't heard his name since those Old Time Radio days. And I keep thinking there was some body with a last name of Black but not the man from CA. I wonder if you have that one as well ?? He also sounded a lot like Jerry Byrd and I think he worked some with Red Foley.
Thanks !!

Regards, Paul

BJ Bailey · Post by **BJ Bailey** » 12 Nov 2001 7:40 am

As preveisely mentioned,Boot's wrote Georgia steelguitar.Altho I ca'nt say I knew alot about the history of Boot's.I met him about 14 years ago here in Jackson Ms. He for years,was the ownner and operater of a nightclub in Jackson, call the Boot's Hat and Cane.He had a band but he never played steel.
I back in 87 had began to learn to play steel, so I wanted to meet any steelplayer. I had been told about Boots,and I wanted to meet him and talk some steel talk.We sat at a table and talked for about thirty minute's,but I do'nt recall exactly why he said he did'nt play steel anymore,only leadguitar.I do know there were somemore steelplayer's in town that he could have hired that were quilfied.But instead,he chose, keyboard or extra guitar,and refused steelguitar.
It was the other steelplayer's that told me this and in a way that was sad to me.Anyway Boots got good airplay for his instrumental Geogie Steelguitar from what I've heard. I saw the picture's he had on his wall in the club,of a time when he had played for Hank William's,and had appeared on the Opry with Hank.
I think he told me he was playing with the Georgia peachpicker's at the time when he wrote and recorded Georgia Steelguitar.Boots has been deceace'd for about two years or more.

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BJ Bailey

[This message was edited by BJ Bailey on 12 November 2001 at 07:56 AM.]

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 12 Nov 2001 10:36 am

Thanks so very much Forumites for this worthy and valuable information. From all over the world, we steel pickers, can get the historical information we've all been searching a life time to acquire....right here on b0b's FORUM. Thanx b0b and contributors too!

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 12 Nov 2001 11:19 am

he made over 30 recordings with the curly williams band between 1945 and 1952. these are pretty much western swing and great stuff. other instrumentals include barbecue rag, louisiana serenade, and saturday night rag.

the band played the opry in 1943 and later played the louisiana hayride. harris spent a year or so playing steel with hank williams in the early 40s before hank had a record contract. he is supposed to have played on hank's demo version of lovesick blues that was sent to fred rose.

curly's band spent some time on the west coast in the mid 40s, working for foreman phillips.

curly williams is the composer of "half as much", the well known song later done by hank williams and others.

boots also made some film shorts with ramblin' tommy scott, in georgia, around 1950.

if i remember correctly, he came from a highly musical family--he was a brother to hal harris--the fantastic electric guitarist who appeared on many rockabilly recordings out of texas in the mid 1950s.

and another brother, roy harris, made some great hillbilly records, including "south of san antonio", in the 50s. [This message was edited by Mitch Drumm on 12 November 2001 at 11:21 AM.]

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 14 Nov 2001 12:31 am

Mitch, here in Europe, Boots' brother Hal Harris is one of the most influential rockabilly guitar players to my generation, myself included. We, who were kids and grew up during the strong rab revival in the late 70's and early 80's, could buy Starday/King/Federal budget rockabilly albums in every Wallmart-type of store. Half of that stuff had Hal Harris on lead guitar and young bands covered alot of that material. It was years later, when I heard about his brother Boots and bought a Curly Williams album.
Jussi

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 14 Nov 2001 4:32 am

Sorry for the previous incorreet post. Bootsies info got into Dicky Harris' file. Dickey played for Tubb.

BJ Bailey · Post by **BJ Bailey** » 14 Nov 2001 8:00 am

I had forgotten about Hal and Roy.But Hal,back in the 70's and 80's, owned and operated a country music radio station here in Jackson,WJDX I think.Hal is now deceased.Roy for a long time has been a local promoter of all the big Gospel concert's that came to Jackson.What all else I do'nt know.He,the last I heard is alittle under the weather with health problems.
I have had the pleasure of meeting all three at differant time's, but like Ray made mention a peice of musical history has been revealed to me concerning the Harris family,thank's to Mitch and Jussi.I had heard alittle about Hal,and talked with him at his radio station.But I never knew Roy had done anything,other than be a promoter.

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BJ Bailey

[This message was edited by BJ Bailey on 14 November 2001 at 08:20 AM.]