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Topic: Stars of the 50's |
Walter Jones
From:
Athens, Ohio USA
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Posted 5 Apr 2006 8:09 pm |
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I am sure a lot of you have seen the Ganaway films of the 50's GOO. I just sat through 2 hours of some of the shows. Some of the steel players I knew, Shot Jackson, Johnny Seibert, Dickie Wells with ET, but some more I had no idea. Someone on a T-8 Fender, another with George Morgan on a D-8 national playing it on his lap, A couple of Bigsbys, one was probably Emmons and who was the other one? Some pretty good shots of the steel players when the camera was on the right one. A lot of steels on stage, some skinny guy playing a Fender standing up.
It was really enjoyable to watch it, quite a history lesson there. Stars like ET, Webb, Carl Smith, Marty Robbins, Ferlin Husky, The Carter family,etc, sure was fun. I need to sit down with someone and identify some of the people in question. |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 6 Apr 2006 12:47 am
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Hi Walter,
I don't believe the Ganaway Films are of the Grand Ole Opry. The singers referred to the shows as "The Country Show." If you noticed Roy Acuff and Hank Snow never appeared on these films.
I've heard that a temporary quonset building was built in Nashville to film these shows.(1955 to about 1957)???
Dickie Harris played with ET. The steel guitar player with George Morgan was Don Davis. The 2nd Bigsby may have been Jimmy Day. The skinny guy on the Fender may have been Jack Evans.
I am glad you enjoyed these historical shows
from 50 years ago. I am very happy that they are available to us.
Roger
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Ernie Pollock
From:
Mt Savage, Md USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2006 4:06 am
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Now that you've got our attention, where in the heck can we get those films, I am sure there are many on the forum that would love to see them, me included!! Steel guitar never really started for me till 1975, I love history!!
Ernie Pollock http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 6 Apr 2006 4:27 am
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I saw one of those shows that showed Buddy Emmons sitting at a steel at the end of a prop stage and he was just "background" for the show.
I saw another one (maybe the same show) with Floyd Cramer on piano with Jim Reeves.
Another with Jimmy Day and Sonny Burnette on steels. |
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2006 4:31 am
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| Yeah, where can we get a copy??? |
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Jussi Huhtakangas
From:
Helsinki, Finland
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Posted 6 Apr 2006 4:57 am
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Here's one: http://www.stompertime.com/
This one is a collection made to attract the vintage hillbilly and rockabilly fans, originally there were hours and hours of this material filmed. They've been available in various VHS tapes during the past two decades. If you search the forum with "gannaway", you'll find a lot more information. And as already mentioned, these films feature the most of the great steel players of the era, often close-ups during the solos. Filmed vintage country doesn't get much better than these shows. |
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Walter Jones
From:
Athens, Ohio USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2006 6:15 am
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Roger, thanks for that information, I had assumed (bad idea) that it was the GOO. Still and all it was very enjoyable. It had a lot of cuts in it from one show to the other, the MC would change from sometimes with each song.
There was some very early Marty Robbins stuff, he didn't look to comfortable in his role, thanking Jimmy Dickens for help in getting him to Nashville.
Another thing that was very noticable was the style of dress that changed for the women on the shows, from big blouses to tight sweaters  .
Carl Smith, Marty Robbins and Webb Pierce did Cry Baby Cry, and they were introduced as just coming back from California where they had been filming a TV movie.
Also lots of Brad and Minnie, Lonzo and Oscar with Cousin Luther and Cousin Jody on steel. Going to watch it again to see what I missed. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 6 Apr 2006 7:48 am
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Here's my honest "opinion" of the Gannaway series...
I have one 12-tape set of the Gannaway videos (there are/were 4 sets in all). They do give some good color film glimpses of the stars of the '50s, and the sound quality's good, too. But...at about $22 a tape, they're very expensive for what you get. The "introduction", ads, and requisite square-dance numbers (which appear on every tape) take up a lot of time, so you're lucky to get about 15-20 minutes of good music on each tape. (There's also some corn-pone humor on a few of them, which hasn't aged as well as the music.  )
Each of the 12-tape sets could have been put on one or two VHS tapes (after some editing of the "fluff"), and if they'd sold a two-tape set for about $40-$50, I'd a called it a good deal. As it is, with a 12-tape set costing over $200 (and all four sets costing over $800), it has to be the marketing scam of the century, IMHO.
There is a little steel playing (very little) on some of the tapes, so don't expect a whole lot in that department. These tapes were geared to the famous singers of the day, and the few seconds you might see of someone playing a ride or intro passes before you know what's happened.
So, I guess they're okay, for a historical glimpse into the past, but their entertainment value leaves a lot to be desired. [This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 06 April 2006 at 08:51 AM.] |
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Walter Stettner
From:
Vienna, Austria
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Dave Clark
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2006 4:43 pm
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Walt - Thanks for posting this. These tapes from the fifties are most enjoyable. I notice that one of the vendors, from England, also offers them in DVD format.
A few months back I ordered a set of the Marty Robbins Drifter Series - featuring Jerry Byrd on two of the DVD's. NOT the vendor that is mentioned on this forum.
Rec'd the DVD's and they would not play on my DVD player. Apparently they were in a format ideal for some countries, although not compatible with American or Canadian formats. Vendor replaced with another set, but same problem. They do play fine thru my computer - so all is not lost! That particular vendor is no longer offering DVD's on e-bay.
Anyone ordering DVD's from United Kingdon needs to be cautious - unless they have a player that plays All Regions, and Region 1
formats.
Dave Clark |
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Mike Sigler
From:
Give Em A Try !
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Posted 6 Apr 2006 6:15 pm
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Walter
I have the Full collection of these films, and i must admit, i love to watch them over and over.. They are great....
that reminds me, call me sometime and i'll inlighten you on my leaving the opry... 
Mikey |
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