The Lesser-Known Greats

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 8 Apr 2003 3:16 pm

Herb...
Johnny Davis was in Branson for a while, and just recently returned to Arizona, and lives in the Prescott Valley. I talked to him a couple of days ago, and we are planning on some jobs, and he will be the staff guitarist at the Southwestern Steel Guitar Association Jam in Apache Junction on May 10 and 11. Johnny is a monster player (plays steel too) and you will see him on that Chalker video that is around. He told me once that Curly Chalker pointed his finger at John and said "It's not wise to play better than the star.....it's not hard, just not wise". What a compliment coming from Curly!!

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Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Southwestern Steel Guitar Association

Robbie Bossert · Post by **Robbie Bossert** » 8 Apr 2003 3:22 pm

Joe Goldmark's one of my faves.

Robbie Bossert

Doyle Huff · Post by **Doyle Huff** » 8 Apr 2003 6:24 pm

J.D. Walters. (Freddie Hart, Billie Jo Spears, now playing for Hank Thompson)
To Paul Graupp.Rocky lives in Tulsa and the last time I saw him, (some time ago) he was playing an Emmons.

Perry Hansen · Post by **Perry Hansen** » 8 Apr 2003 7:16 pm

Wayne Galey, Buck Turner, Bobby Brewster, Joe Beyers. Black Jack Wayne. Bill Stafford, and Above all Danny Sneed. Also Buddy Merril. Johnny(Hubert Francis) Cox.

Gino Iorfida · Post by **Gino Iorfida** » 8 Apr 2003 7:22 pm

I'd have to say... 'more known' on my list would be Mike Johnson
...
lesser known would be Charlie McVay Jr (CmV Sr. is pretty good in his own right, and makes a nice guitar)... Charlie is the house player for the Wheeling Wv. 'opry' (forget the name of it now), and also is a lesser known push pull tech, but definitely knows his chops in both aspects.

Robbie Bossert · Post by **Robbie Bossert** » 8 Apr 2003 7:23 pm

To Ray Jenkins:
The gentleman that played with Mark Chestnut was/is Slim Yammaguchi.(SP). I agree, he's a good one for this thread. Let's not forget Les "Carrot Top" Anderson, Gene Crownover, our very own Lee Jefferies, Ernie Hagar, Hambone Cunningham, Wally Murphy...... I'm sure as soon as I post this I'll think of a million more......This was a very interesting topic.

Robbie Bossert

Robbie Bossert · Post by **Robbie Bossert** » 8 Apr 2003 7:25 pm

Scott Walls, Robbie Flint....

Robbie Bossert

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 8 Apr 2003 8:13 pm

Hey Mike and anyone else that might be interested, I got that '81 Emmons that Bryan Adams built for me back yesterday. I am at this time switching it back to the "Day" setup. My old friend has come home!!!!
Jerry

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 8 Apr 2003 8:45 pm

Jery Roller-If you will go back to my earlier post, I mentioned Joe Wright and other fine steel players from Michigan.

I see him every year when he is in Grand Rapids at LT Zinns HOF Western Michigan show.
He was just there last weekend.

He has it all together and knows where every note is on that Sierra S12. He is alos a great entertainer......al

Pat Carlson · Post by **Pat Carlson** » 9 Apr 2003 6:41 pm

Roger Blevins

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 10 Apr 2003 2:45 am

Mike Johnson - (a monster player) - and Randle Currey. Good tone, technique and originality. Both of these young guys must be in the same league as Paul Franklin IMHO.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 10 Apr 2003 3:27 am

Paul Graupp....I think the Japanese player that you asked about is Akira Kobayashi He has a web-site at: www.hat.hi-ho.ne.jp/studioe9th/ www.genejones.com

Shaan Shirazi · Post by **Shaan Shirazi** » 10 Apr 2003 5:58 am

I know he's been mentioned before but Jim Loessburg just blew me away again last night at the Little Longhorn.

I've never seen Jim play on a night where I played too and I just about thought about posting everything I own on Buy and Sell after that. I know I've only been playing for about 2 years but I can't see myself being that good in 200 years.

Shaan

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The Pickin' Paniolo

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 10 Apr 2003 6:00 am

Greetings to you out there in Oklahoma, Gene !! Wish I was with you.....

We shouldn't forget Johnny Vaughn either. He put Oklahoma Steel on the map for me !!

Regards, Paul

R. L. Jones · Post by **R. L. Jones** » 10 Apr 2003 7:13 pm

Havent heard anyone mention Bob Mathews from Buna Tex. Bob played with Ray Price ,T Texas Tyler , Bob Wills , and is still one of the best players in Southeast Texas. Plays an Emmons , The Cadillac of Steel Guitar. He`s like the rest of us, beginning to age, but one dam fine Steel Guitar Player

R. L. Jones

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 10 Apr 2003 8:36 pm

Jody Cameron, Willie Kalusa, Roy Peterman

Dale Bennett · Post by **Dale Bennett** » 11 Apr 2003 8:33 am

Hey Gentlemen, I'm a new member, I introduced my self on the Events and Announcments page, I'm not a steel picker (wish I was)like I said in my introduction I was a frustated guitar thumper that switched to bass but I did get to work with some of the greats like Carl West, Jay Dee Maness and more, I even worked with Al Petty. Sure hated to hear about him. Any way, there's a guy in So Ca. Carl Walden who I thought was a real goodie. He is just a good around entertainerand, a good man. Just thought I'd throw his name out there. And thanks in advance for letting me jump in. db

bruce fischer · Post by **bruce fischer** » 11 Apr 2003 8:51 am

Russ Wever !!!!

Richie Chiasson · Post by **Richie Chiasson** » 11 Apr 2003 1:00 pm

Geez, I been reading all the previous posts and am I the only one who likes TOM MORRELL??? And to think that many of these early "heros" of our instruments didn't even know about stuff like "cabinet drop"....go figure. I think I read or heard someplace that Bob Dunn had some kind of phonograph pickup and actually had to MAGNETIIZE HIS STRINGS...or something like that and Bob Dunn is thought of as one of the FIRST ELECTRIFIED STEEL GUITARISTS.....it'd be another thread but does anyone know anything about this.....

I repeat....I'm surprised TOM MORELL isn't mentioned by more of you....I think the man is amazing!!

That old Bigsby RULES!!!

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 11 Apr 2003 2:31 pm

Has anyone ---- anyone ever heard of Marshall Hall (of Fla.). I have, and I have one of his albums -- he plays Classical Music (i.e., European Art Music) on steel guitar and it's GREAT! HJ

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 11 Apr 2003 2:58 pm

I think Tom Morrell is one helluva player.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 11 Apr 2003 3:25 pm

I think Jody Carver is one helluva player. Out of curiosity, I noticed Wayne Burdicks name in conjuction with Hank Thompson. Where is Wayne these days ? He won't remember, but I met him and his sidekick Dickie Philips back in the fifties. Wayne played mighty impressive (Fender) steel. Dickie played regular guitar across his lap...really great.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 11 Apr 2003 4:52 pm

George
I haven't heard of the whereabouts of Wayne for quite a while.

Dick Phillips and myself worked together for
a bit back in the 1950's. He was a winner of
Godfreys talent scouts as well.

His unique style was not of his choice actually..Dick had a physical disablity with his arm and the only way he was able to play was sitting on the floor.

Unlike Thumbs Carlile another fine musician
Dick played chords with his right hand and picked the strings with his left hand,,he was amazing.

Dick and myself were planning to get together and do a steel and guitar duo,however he chose to join Tex Williams on on the West Coast,,but not before I had him endorsing Fender

he played a Fender Jazzmaster and a Twin amp. Fine guy,and yes
I wonder what happened to him..

Thanks for mentioning these two fine musicians Keoki,,Wayne was a big endorser for Paul Bigsby back when, and his guitar was on the cover of Bigsby's phamplet (sp)?

You are a fine steel player as well George and I might add,,,,One Hell Of a Nice Guy,

edited to add,,I beleive Wayne did play a Fender at some point,but his loyalty and choice was with Paul Bigsby.

Thank you for your nice comment,you are too nice. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 05 May 2003 at 09:06 PM.]</p></FONT>

kbdrost · Post by **kbdrost** » 11 Apr 2003 6:05 pm

This thread has been going for two years!!! I just perused it quickly, but I didn't see Leo LeBlanc's name at all and Bobby Black's only once

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Ken Drost

R. E. Klaus · Post by **R. E. Klaus** » 12 Apr 2003 2:23 pm

My vote goes to my old mentor from the 70's, Hank Corwin. He is retired now but I never listened to him play with out being suprised at the things he could do with a basic E9 setup. Sometimes you thought he was playing C6 but wasn't. He never turned down showing you how he did something if you asked him. He was also one of the few steel players that I ever met that could sight read on either E9 or C6.