Barry Blackwood; Killer Steeler

Greg Lasser · Post by **Greg Lasser** » 14 May 2006 11:04 pm

Hey Barry! Howinthehell are you?

I have to tell you something weird. Just last Sunday - the 7th - I played at a gathering of the Western Swing Society up near Sacramento. I was reminiscing with a steel player there about YOU and what an inspiration you were for me back when I was starting out. I was wondering what became of you so I asked Tom Rose (remember him?) if he had any news of you and Wilbert too.
He said that he saw Wilbert about a year ago at Rod Rodriguez's funeral and he now lives up in Washington. He doesn't play much any more and does drywall to make a living. Tom said he hasn't heard anything about you in many years.
And so 4 days later I log onto the Steel Forum and there you are. Far f**king out!!!!

It's great to hear you are still around. Where are you living now and what have you been doing?

You were my biggest inspiration back in the Pablo-Club/Lighthouse days and I used to come up there and bother you whenever I could

I do still play a little. I get together a couple of times a year with Tom Rose and that group from up in Richmond/San Pablo and we jam a little. I love those people and it keeps my chops (barely) up.

Like you, I gave up trying to make money at music in the early 90s. In '92 I was working at a toilet in Hayward for $50 a night. That was the same money I was making 23 years earlier so I decided it was time to hang it up.

Anyway, it's great to make contact again after all these years. Let me know what's going on with you and maybe we can get together and chat about "old times" like a couple of old farts

Greg

[This message was edited by Greg Lasser on 15 May 2006 at 12:05 AM.]

Greg Lasser · Post by **Greg Lasser** » 14 May 2006 11:20 pm

Hi Dan,

I too remember that guy at Sam's. I haven't thought about him since the 70's. His name was Billy Wayne. I remember his guitar quite well. It was a very early brown ZB Custom. I mean VERY early. The cross straps inside actually had hacksaw marks on them from when Zane hand made them. It had that early ZB logo on it too.

He had sheets of plywood all around. I'm not quite sure why but it might have been to create a little "environment" for himself. Inside, above the necks, he had installed lights which shone down on the strings so he could see them.

He was a bit of an oddball but seemed like a nice guy and was happy to talk to fellow steel players. He was quite proud of his setup.
Greg
[This message was edited by Greg Lasser on 15 May 2006 at 12:27 AM.]

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 15 May 2006 7:44 am

Hi Greg! Looks like we were closer to each other than we thought last weekend - just recently moved to the Sacto area. Good to know you're still around, and yes let's get together sometime. Thanks also to Dan for those kind words. You were always a wonderful player IMO, and I'm glad you stuck with it. The answer to the 'mystery' steeler is Billy Wayne - (see earlier post.) We played together at the Red Barn circa mid '70's and I think he ended up in Fresno. By the way, I have no 'discography' - I'm just another bar steeler passing through .... [This message was edited by Barry Blackwood on 16 May 2006 at 05:37 PM.]

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 16 May 2006 5:56 am

*[This message was edited by Barry Blackwood on 16 May 2006 at 05:35 PM.]

Dave Ristrim · Post by **Dave Ristrim** » 16 May 2006 7:35 am

E-mail it to me and I'll stick it up here for you.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 16 May 2006 9:28 am

*[This message was edited by Barry Blackwood on 16 May 2006 at 05:38 PM.]

Dave Ristrim · Post by **Dave Ristrim** » 16 May 2006 11:00 am

Here's Barry Blackwood in all his glory.

[This message was edited by Dave Ristrim on 16 May 2006 at 12:09 PM.][This message was edited by Dave Ristrim on 16 May 2006 at 12:10 PM.]

Robbie Bossert · Post by **Robbie Bossert** » 16 May 2006 12:25 pm

Hey Joe.......Whatever happened to WV Creeper?

Robbie Bossert

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 16 May 2006 12:54 pm

*[This message was edited by Barry Blackwood on 16 May 2006 at 01:58 PM.]