Burt Rivera

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 6 Jan 2004 7:11 pm

WHAT might you know about this Burt Rivera fellow? Still alive? Actively playing?
Who'd he play with? Just curious.

Jason Powers · Post by **Jason Powers** » 6 Jan 2004 7:39 pm

Hi Ray,
I remember seeing Mr. Rivera on "Austin City Limits 3 or 4 years ago with Hank Thompson. The first half of the show was Ray Price with Steve Palusek on steel and the second half was Hank Thompson with Bert Rivera on steel. As to if he's still actively playing, I don't know. Jason[This message was edited by Jason Powers on 06 January 2004 at 07:39 PM.]

Doyle Huff · Post by **Doyle Huff** » 6 Jan 2004 7:41 pm

Burt is still alive and has done some of the Dallas shows. When I meet him back in the early 60's, he was playing for Hank Thompson. He was playing a Marlen steel. I still have the front of a Marlen flyer burt signed for me. Don't know where he was before Hank or after that. I'm sure some of the Texas boy's would know better than I his history.

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 6 Jan 2004 8:14 pm

Burt Rivera was playing for Hank Thompson in 1973 when Hank and "The Brazos Valley Boys" played at the famous "Flame Cafe."
Burt played a D-10 Sho-Bud Guitar.

Roger

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 6 Jan 2004 8:28 pm

Thanks fellows. I appreciate that. I'd heard he was with Hank Thompson, but nothing more current than twenty years ago.

Anyone know anything about "DUSTY" who also played with Thompson; a steel man of course.

Peggy Poovey · Post by **Peggy Poovey** » 6 Jan 2004 8:32 pm

Check out Bert Rivera's web site
at www.bertrivera.com
The new CD. is awesome!

Peggy Poovey

Steve England · Post by **Steve England** » 6 Jan 2004 9:33 pm

Bert was also part of Don Walsers Pure Texas Band. He plays a regular gig with his band The Ramllers at Artz Rib House here in Austin. A first class band, a lot of swing and jazz as well as country and always a lot of pickers in the crowd.

And Yep his CD is great stuff

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 7 Jan 2004 8:19 am

I first met Bert when Hank's band and Merl Lindsay's band toured together on a "package show" together back in 1964. (He had recently replaced Chalker on Hank's band and I had recently replaced Jim Murphy on Lindsay's Band). Bert of course played western-swing steel on the show, but at some of the clubs in towns where we went after the shows to set in with local bands, Bert played some great E9 ....something he wasn't allowed to do with Hank.

Incidently, he filled Chalkers shoes very well.....but Murphy's shoes were waaay too big for me!

Bert is ALWAYS on the program at the annual Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree in Dallas.

www.genejones.com [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 07 January 2004 at 08:35 AM.]

Colm Chomicky · Post by **Colm Chomicky** » 7 Jan 2004 9:34 am

Back through the 1980's Bert was playing the Broken Spoke in Austin at least once a week. Another night he was out at the Lumberyard. I think he was the band leader with the guys in the band working for him. If I recall, it was often nickel beer night (Wednesdays) at the Spoke that he was playing. Great steeler !

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 7 Jan 2004 11:57 am

Bert's really got a nice bio on his site--check it out! Thanx Peggy>>>Doyle, Is that the same Marlen Poster that is on Bert's site? Waycool!! I'm a Marlen fan meeself!

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 7 Jan 2004 12:28 pm

Berts set is always one of the high-lites of the Texas show for me.
Major C6th jammin'!

Hey Ray,
How are you making out up on Mt.Scott?!
~pete b.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 7 Jan 2004 4:10 pm

Yes, great photos. Especially the Hank Thompson shot with Curly Lewis, Keith Coleman, and Curtis Potter. I saw this group in 1967 in Los Angeles. Great band.

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Larry Harlan · Post by **Larry Harlan** » 7 Jan 2004 4:15 pm

If I recall correctly, Bert told me he was with Hank Thompsona a total of 9 years on the road. The band I remember was Curtis Potter bass and front man, Jim Belkin on fiddle, and "I think" Tommy Dee(?) on drums. Bert had a D-10 Sho-Bud in the late 60's early 70's but bought a D-10 P/P in about 71 if I recall correctly. One of my favorite players as well.

Doyle Huff · Post by **Doyle Huff** » 7 Jan 2004 5:04 pm

James, The one I have is the black and white one. The colored one must be a later one. He was very nice to me and we talked for about 10 or 15 minutes til he had to go to work. His Marlen was the first commerical built pedal steel I saw. Ther was another unknown picker( his first time out) traveling with them. I think his name was Roy Clark.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 7 Jan 2004 11:24 pm

Doyle, I got to hang with Hank and the Brazos Valley Boys for a little while December 6 2003. We opened. I believe all the band members have changed out but Hank himself. He's been hittin' it over 70 years now!!>>> I play a Marlen D-10. It's a '76 model. We thought it was a '69, but getting the serial # code figured out, it's a '76. Plays and sounds great. It's interesting how chunks of history pop up now and again. I can't wait 'til March for the Dallas show. Bert's one I'll not miss!!

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 8 Jan 2004 12:23 am

I like Bert's playing on the album, Hank Thompson Salutes Oklahoma.
Especially "Oklahoma Stomp". They even used a harp on the tune, like Spade Cooley's version.

Roger[This message was edited by Roger Shackelton on 08 January 2004 at 12:25 AM.]

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 8 Jan 2004 1:12 pm

Herb Steiner......is that the SAME Curtis Potter that has such great vocal CD's out at this time with "Carpenter" on the steel guitar? Great vocalist!

John Steele · Post by **John Steele** » 8 Jan 2004 1:21 pm

Ray, one and the same.
Bassist, composer, singer, fiddler, and long time associate of the Thompson band.
-John

Howard Kalish · Post by **Howard Kalish** » 8 Jan 2004 2:40 pm

It's my great honor and privilege to perform with Bert and his band the Ramblers at least once a month at Artz Ribs here in Austin. As Steve mentioned, it's a swinging outfit and it's a total gas to play with them. Mostly western swing and jazz standards. Bert and the outstanding and unique guitarist Ray Tesmer have some incredible twin guitar parts worked out that are stunning. Bert was also in Don Walser's Pure Texas Band for a while and we had some great adventures. Bert had a very popular band in Austin during the 70's and 80's called the Nightriders. They were one of the first bands I went to see when I moved to Austin in '78 and they packed the dance floor all night.

These days Bert plays a Zum, which he got a few years ago. It sounds fantastic and sure is pretty. Get a copy of his CD Eclectia. He really shines on there and it has some great tunes including the Theme from the Godfather and Ave Maria. That's me doing the Thompsonesque triple fiddles on We've Gone Too Far. Here's the link again:
http://www.bertrivera.com/index.html

Keep swingin'
Howard K