Hitchcock's Epitaph to Curly Chalker

John McGann · Post by **John McGann** » 29 Jan 2004 2:02 pm

I wowed a couple of Young Lions at a recording session yesterday with the recording of Curly's solo version of "You Don't Know Me" from Tom Bradshaw's reissue of "Big Hits"...lots of laughs of amazement and jaws on the ground...

It is always such a treat to hear Curly, he was a deep deep musician who happened to be amazing on steel guitar. I wish there was more of his playing available!

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff.

[This message was edited by John McGann on 29 January 2004 at 02:03 PM.]

Michael McGee · Post by **Michael McGee** » 29 Jan 2004 2:12 pm

If anyone would like a copy of 'Shadow of Your Smile', it's on a compilation album that Stan put together. I hope this link pastes in properly:
http://www.acousticnetwork.com/sites/hitchcockcountry/PROA003.cfm

I had the good fortune of playing steel for Stan from 1977-80. He's a super person, and a true fan of steel guitar.

mm[This message was edited by Michael McGee on 29 January 2004 at 07:53 PM.]

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 29 Jan 2004 2:54 pm

Well today has to be one of the most revealing days in my tenure on the forum. I have found a new friend with the help of Ron Page and a new website that is REALLY COUNTRY. Go here to take a look:
http://www.acousticnetwork.com/sites/hitchcockcountry/index.cfm

Stan Hitchcock is COUNTRY. No bitchin', bellyachin', or alternative crap, just PLAIN COUNTRY. I'm orderin' the entire audio collection from Stan's place. I think I'm in for a treat. Thanks you guys.

fred

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

Dale Granstrom · Post by **Dale Granstrom** » 29 Jan 2004 3:16 pm

Hi Chalker fans,

I had the opportunity to take six hours of instruction from Curly about six months before he passed away. That has been the high light of my pickn' career.

D.G.

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 30 Jan 2004 2:35 am

That Old ShoBud Baldwin Crossover in the bottom picture . . .

. . . is actually an MSA, if we're lookin' at the same pictures.
~Russ

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 30 Jan 2004 5:35 am

Your right Russ, after blowing it up to 400%, it is an MSA.

I think this is the Guitar I'm talking about, however there aren't enough pedals. They may have been added later. The one Curly Loaned me had 9 I believe and 6 knee levers. This one is the right color. When MSA started going down, they called back the 2 Msa's Curly had out on Consignment and he went back to playing that ShoBud for a while. In 1979 in St Louis, I offered to buy the ShoBud from him and he to the best of my recollection said that he was going to have to turn in the MSA's and keep the ShoBud. I've often wondered what happened to that guitar and where it is today.

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 30 Jan 2004 5:41 am

Has anyone ever done a "bio" on Curly? I would like to know more about the man; he undoubtably has had a tremendous impact with his music. I never tire of that sound.

Bill Stafford · Post by **Bill Stafford** » 30 Jan 2004 7:15 am

I am so pleased to see this about Curly-- especially from the great Stan Hitchcock. I have "opened a lot of folks eyes, and ears" to what really good "COUNTRY MUSIC" is with Stan's voice and Curly's steel guitar talents. These were people who disliked country music for the twanginess and nasal "quality" of the singers, and when they heard Stan and Curly they immediately liked all they were hearing. And they immediatly had much appreciation for the steel guitar in Curly's hands and heart and soul.
Thanks to Stan Hitchcock for all he is and all he has done and doing for our good country music...You are appreciated!! And Curly is greatly missed.

Bill Stafford

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 30 Jan 2004 2:57 pm

What a beautiful rendition of a great standard. Stan sang with such feeling and Curly's solo is sublimely perfect; an object lesson in tone, touch, harmony and legato & stacatto. Wow.

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 30 Jan 2004 3:25 pm

Is there any videos of Curly Chalker available?

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 31 Jan 2004 1:47 am

John Floyd, The guitar in the picture must be a Sho-Bud, Baldwin changeover guitar. The 7 pedals for the C-6th neck would be the same as pedals 4--10 on a standard D-10 guitar. I don't know if Curly used all
seven pedals on the E-9th neck.??

Roger[This message was edited by Roger Shackelton on 31 January 2004 at 01:49 AM.]

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 31 Jan 2004 3:41 am

Its been almost 27 years, but I do remember that the 1st 3 pedals changed over and the E9th was on the inside. Curly had his own deal on the setup.

As a side note

When Curly brought that ShoBud down to my house and set it up. He played more music tuning the thing up than I have heard out of most steel players in my 63 years on this earth and apologized for it. He told me he wasn't showing off, that was his way of tuning. Have to remember that this was 1977 and the tuners we know weren't around yet. I'm not so sure that he would have used one.

That was pretty much the extent of my steel guitar career, it sat there for about a month or two and he came down a couple of times and tried to show mw a couple of things.

I got a job in a shipyard in Mississippi and I didn't see him again until the convention in 1978 or 79 and that was the last time I saw him alive.

I still have his Bar and I take it to every gig I play as a good luck piece. It may not help my guitar playing, but it helps to put me in the right frame of mind.

I'm not making any claims about being a steel player, I let my best opportunity slide right by. But for a few years I was a close friend of the best damn steel player who ever lived and I'm very proud of that friendship.

There should be a lesson here somewhere and that is to stay in touch with your friends, If you don't you might live to regret it.

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 31 Jan 2004 10:03 pm

Curly switched to MSA 31 years ago and his ShoBud crossover ended up back at the ShoBud store on Broadway. I was in Nashville in April of '73 visiting Jack Boles, who worked with Shot Jackson. Curly's Bud was on the second floor with a very noticable damage to the front apron, looking like it took a header. The comments at the ShoBud store did not have very much adoration for Curly because of his switch to MSA. Quote, "he plays too choppy" and "Pete Drake is a smoother player" and etc. Needless to say, it didn't change my esteem for Curly, in fact, it was his change to MSA that got me to buy a D-12 Classic with similar layout on neck configuration.[This message was edited by Gary Walker on 02 February 2004 at 09:34 PM.]

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 2 Feb 2004 9:13 am

Gary, if you worked for Shot in the early 70's then you might know Terry Miller, fellow steeler from Hamondsport, NY. He's on here now and then. Terry was the first steeler I ever got to see up close and talk with. I blame him!

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HagFan

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 2 Feb 2004 9:40 pm

Ron, I didn't work for Shot. I was on vacation in the Spring of '73 and made the trip to Music City. My visit to ShoBud was to see Jack Boles who worked with Shot at the store and also in the band-booking business. I'm sorry I don't know your friend but I'm sure Jack knew him. Jack would put together musicians for singers needing bands for road gigs. Jack is still doing that in addition to performing around the area with one of the greatest male voices you ever heard.