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Topic: Clifford Kirk |
Tom Stolaski
From:
Huntsville, AL, USA
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Posted 1 Apr 2005 12:17 pm |
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While changing strings on my Zum today I thought of a funny story from the old days. Clifford Kirk was a guy in the 1970's that worked on our steel guitars in the Kalamazoo area. He came out to see me play at a gig one night and came up to the stage. I had recently replaced my third string and did not cut off the excess wire sticking up in the air.
Cliff always seemed to have a pair of wire cutters in his pocket at all times. So he reached into his pocket, pulled out his cutters and cut my third string off my guitar by mistake. 
I spent the rest of the break changing my third string. I don't remember getting mad. This guy had done so much for the steel guitar in our area with repairs, adding levers, etc. I wish Cliff would have lived long enough to see this forum. He would have loved it. |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 2 Apr 2005 8:45 am
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Cliff was a truly wonderful guy, and boy, he loved the steel guitar, didn't he Tom? I spent many hours in his workshop hanging out with him while we tinkered on the old Marlen I bought from him. Some folks may remember the music holder for steel he used to make. I agree, he would have really loved this forum. Bless you, Clff!
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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
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Jim Peter
From:
Mendon,Mich USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2005 8:47 am
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I know I wouldn't be playing steel guitar if Clifford hadn't been around to get me going. He helped my find my first guitar, a MSA U-12 that I could not afford (ended up taking more money out on my college student loan) instead of buying a cheap Maverick that I had my eye on. We used to go to the local bars on Saturday night to watch Larry Bell, Mark Van Allen, Rick Steinke, Dean Daley and Tom and he would talk steel guitars all night. I still have my music holder that he gave me becuase I could not afford to buy one. Boy, I sure do miss that guy.
Jim |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 4 Apr 2005 9:23 am
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You couldn't get mad at Clifford
Interesting story: I was playing a show in Phoenix this weekend and noticed that the zipper on the tobacco pouch Clifford gave me about a week before he died was ripping out. I have carried my bar and picks in that pouch for -- what? 20 years or more now? -- and I think of Cliff every time I set up my stuff. He used to play a game with my son Graham -- he called it 'P-U'. He'd open the pouch and let Graham smell of the tobacco and say 'PEEEEEE UUUUUUU' and Graham would just howl.
I thought for a moment about replacing the pouch with a new one. I decided I'd find someone to fix the zipper.
Thanks for triggering a happy moment, my friends. Hope you are all well.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2005 9:35 am
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| Here we are chiming in from all over the country and so many years later about this sweet man... Cliff was one of the (fortunately many) truly giving open-hearted people I've met who I try to model in terms of how to treat people. He would do just about anything for his steel buddies, and I'm guessing anybody else, for that matter! What a great legacy. I hope he can feel the love... And back atcha, Larry. I hope all's good way down south thar. |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Tom Stolaski
From:
Huntsville, AL, USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2005 7:53 pm
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Anybody remember the story about Cliff and Curly Chalker at the St Louis convention?
I think Curly got mad at Cliff for hacking up an Oyster and landing it on Mr. Chalker's
shoe. I need to know if this is a true story. |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 5 Apr 2005 11:59 am
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unfortunately (for Chalker) . . .
. . . yes
(and, as I recall, it wasn't an oyster -- he barfed on Curly's shoe ---- AND lived to tell about it)
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
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