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Post new topic Curly Chalker, my lead guitarist,1978
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Author Topic:  Curly Chalker, my lead guitarist,1978
Bobbe Seymour

 

From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 10:19 am    
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I'd like to thank my friend Rick Anderson for this piece of memory from when Phil Baugh was my guitarest and Curly subbed for him with me at the Western Room in Printers Alley, Nashville.
Curly was very good to work on the stage with, he didn't even care if I played a little E9th, but not too often.
By the way, the bass player was a very young "Wayne Anderson",

Bobbe

Curley and me

[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 27 September 2005 at 11:33 AM.]

[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 27 September 2005 at 08:59 PM.]

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Bobbe Seymour

 

From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 10:27 am    
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How did Curly get his nick name "Curly"?
Well, he claims that when he was young he had very wavy hair and he hated his real name , "Harold". His brother , "Jimmy" started calling him "curly" just to pick on him, he loved it. The name stuck and he introduced himself that way to everyone he met.
His brother Jimmy had straight hair, so we all refered to him as "Straight Chalker". He didn't like it!
Jimmy, also a gargantuious steel player in Vegas, died about three years before Curly did.
These two brothers from Chancelor Al. set the world on fire with their monstrous talent.
Anyone that ever heard Curly, never forgot him.

Bobbe

[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 27 September 2005 at 11:27 AM.]

[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 02 October 2005 at 06:51 PM.]

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Larry Bell


From:
Englewood, Florida
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 10:28 am    
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All three of you guys have the same barber?


------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps


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Bobbe Seymour

 

From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 10:35 am    
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"Harry, Curly and Moe", no I don't think we had a barber at all, unless it was "Johnny Barber", the drummer here.
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Jim Cohen


From:
Philadelphia, PA
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 10:45 am    
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Quote:
Jimmy, also a gargantuious steel player in Vegas
What? Curly had a brother who was also a gargantuous steel player? How come nobody's ever heard of this guy? (Well, hardly anyone...) Did he record? Play the road? What...?
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Jim Phelps

 

From:
Mexico City, Mexico
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 11:16 am    
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I remember Curly's brother Jim, Curly said he played steel very well but was more of a bass player, if I remember correctly.

Looks like Curly's playing a Peavey in the photo, when he came back to Vegas in the early '80's he had an old Fender Telecaster with sunburst finish, offered to loan it to me since he wasn't using it but I didn't take him up on it. He said he liked the Gibson ES-335 guitars a lot.
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Bobbe Seymour

 

From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 12:34 pm    
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Jim Phelps, yes, I remember him liking the accustic body Gibsons the most but he was also impressed with the precision of the Peaveys, and the Peavey prices.
He was a guitar nut in a way.


Jim Coen, I thought Jimmy Chalker was well known, I knew of him in the late 50s, I also knew that he and Curly would argue and fight a lot, but they were just typical brothers, loved eachother, and loved to argue. Curly spoke very highly of him behind his back, Curly was very proud of him, obviously, and should be. I remember Jimmy also being a dominant person.

[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 27 September 2005 at 01:36 PM.]

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Zane King


From:
Nashville, TN
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 1:11 pm    
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Bobbe, I enjoyed the cd you gave me! When are you going to release it to everyone. That has to be an expensive band to carry around!!!

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Steve Hinson

 

From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 1:25 pm    
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I was probably standing at the end of the bar...I used to dash over from the Carousel on my breaks...Bobbe,I also remember Curly subbing for you on steel several times at the Western Room...and I ended up playing guitar with George...hired by Ron!That seems like a million years ago...good days...

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http://home.comcast.net/~steves_garage

[This message was edited by Steve Hinson on 27 September 2005 at 02:26 PM.]

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Rick Anderson


From:
Niskayuna, NY USA
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 7:30 pm    
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Bobbe, I'm trying to place the photo on the forum. I'll make you a 8x10 copy and bring it to the PSGA in November.
Rick Anderson
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Rick Anderson


From:
Niskayuna, NY USA
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2005 7:31 pm    
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Never mind you already did.
Rick Anderson
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Clyde Bloodworth

 

From:
Chancellor, AL (deceased)
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2005 5:03 pm    
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Correction: Curley, Jimmy, and the whole Chalker family were from Chancellor,AL. Enterprise is about twelve miles away. Julian Thorpe was born about twenty miles away in Ozark,AL.
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Bobbe Seymour

 

From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2005 6:00 pm    
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There must be something in the water down there, I know of several great players from that area. Strange, I get no clue by looking at the map, but after playing steel shows in that area, I come away thinking,"where did these guys learn all this stuff!"
History has shown that many great steel players are raised close to the coastal area of the US. This also includes the great lakes.
But then again, not all------

B
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Bobby Caldwell

 

From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2005 6:33 pm    
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You know alot of people don't know the talent that Curly was. He was a great trumpet player and was a very good singer. He was a very good guitar player and was very well educated in music. He could write charts for a group with all the parts. I have seen him do that. He tought me alot about music for which I am am very thankful. He also was the first to tell me that the e note on the e9th neck and the e note on the c6th neck should not be the same pitch. Thats why it sounds out of tune when you change necks. He tought me alot about steel and guitar playing together. I miss those times that we got together and talked about those things. He knew what he wanted to hear in music and he had a tough time when others didn't understand his point of view. I miss him and the times we got to play together more than I can say. I miss my friend and will for ever and always. Bobby
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Bobbe Seymour

 

From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2005 8:30 pm    
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Bobby Caldwell, had Curly lived ten more years like he should have, he'd have been one of todays most well known players, like he was in the fifties and sixties.
I sure do agree with every word you have written here, funny huh, he was your steel player and my lead player! He used to love to sing "It's Been a Blue Blue Day". Yes, he was the musician's musician!!!
I remember him telling me in the late 50's that his favorite steel players were Ray Norn and Billy Braddy. I asked him, "you mean of all the steel players in the world?",
His reply was "yes, except for myself". We laughed and never knew what the future was going to be for either of us silly kids.
Curly was truly one of the greatest steel guitar monsters of all time.

Bobbe
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Jim Phelps

 

From:
Mexico City, Mexico
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2005 8:43 pm    
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I couldn't agree more, with what Bobby and Bobbe said.

I can't listen to his music or think of him without being both happy at the old memories, still amazed at his musicianship, and terribly sad that he's gone.
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