Armless Man plays steel with his Feet

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 21 Apr 2006 6:53 am

The one arm player who played at Scotty's in 1981 was Floyd something... I read that he died a few years ago.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 21 Apr 2006 10:05 am

On that same show in 1981 the was a blind lap steel player who was fantastic. He sounded just like Jerry Byrd, very smooth, great tone. So much for having to see the fretboard

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 21 Apr 2006 3:39 pm

Here are some oldies that might work:

Born To Run
I Will Survive
Stand By Me
Twist and Shout
With a Little Help From My Friends

Ron Kirby · Post by **Ron Kirby** » 21 Apr 2006 3:44 pm

ONCE A FRIEND<< ALWAYS A FRIEND !! Ron

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 25 Apr 2006 7:44 am

Ron Kirby · Post by **Ron Kirby** » 25 Apr 2006 9:43 am

Bless her heart,, she gets a A++++++ for even trying !!! So Wonderful !!!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 25 Apr 2006 8:40 pm

Wow! Awesome! CrowBear, where did you find that picture?

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 26 Apr 2006 9:15 am

From Brozman's "National History" Doug

Billy Webb · Post by **Billy Webb** » 27 Apr 2006 4:57 pm

I saw this guy at a amusment park out on Western in Chicago, when I was in the Navy, stationed at Great Lakes. He could sure do a lot of tricks. One of the best country pickers I have seen, was working in a patato plant in Pokatello Idaho,when he got his arm caught in a machine and pulled it off, shoulder and all. They built him a prostheses that held a pick, and he moved the guitar against the stationary pick. the guy was a fantastic, fast picker. The last time I saw him he was working with a band at the Hogan in Colo. Springs. When the band would take a break,he would jerk that prostheses off, throw it on the floor, and walk off the band stand. Heck of a showman.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 28 Apr 2006 3:39 pm

Arm and shoulder pulled off in a machine... yikes!

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 29 Apr 2006 5:33 am

This will be my last post on this thread.....I'm saying Farewell To Arms

<pre>and I won't even mention deodorant</pre>

Ernie Pollock · Post by **Ernie Pollock** » 29 Apr 2006 9:30 am

I recall back in the 50's a country [hillbilly back then] radio announcer named Dusty Shaver, had this guy in Cumberland Maryland to play, but I was not really into guitars back then so I don't remember too much about him, but he did play the lap steel.

Ernie Pollock http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm

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Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 29 Apr 2006 10:12 pm

I've got to hand it to you Howard, your humor is disarming!

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 2 May 2006 10:57 am

I'm refraining from making ANY smart-ass remarks about any handicap people that don't give up and achieve such amazing abilities against all odds.I know I would never have the guts and fortitude to do what many handicapped people have done,My hat is off to these great individuals.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 2 May 2006 11:17 am

I have cerebral palsy and it didn't stop me from playing pedal steel. I've been a steel player for six years now, and in December, it will be my seventh year as a steel player. I love playing the pedal steel guitar! I had tried several steel bars, starting with a round Dunlop bar, and it slid around on the steel. The next bar was one that had a little ring on it, but it didn't work, then, I tried a bar with Velcro on it and it didn't work. Finally, I got a grooved bar and have been using it a lot and it works on my doubleneck GFI. My left hand can't stretch out too far because of cerebral palsy, so I looked for a steel that had necks not too far apart and that's one thing I love about my GFI and another thing I love about GFI doubleneck models is that the neck selectors are on the side of the steel, instead of between the necks. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10[This message was edited by Brett Day on 03 May 2006 at 12:41 AM.]

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 2 May 2006 11:23 am

That's great Brett.

Billy Webb · Post by **Billy Webb** » 2 May 2006 11:26 am

Hear, Hear Charly. Well said. I am glad sombody put their best foot forward on this posting.

Billy Webb · Post by **Billy Webb** » 2 May 2006 11:35 am

Hey brett, Good for you. I have a heck of a time overcoming my mental disability, Much less some physicle disability that might come along.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 2 May 2006 11:41 pm

My hat is off to these great individuals too. That’s why I started this post. I was curious about the armless steel player, and I learned that his name was Ray Myers. As far as the humor, I think Ray would have laughed off most of it. Ray was a performer at fairs, not only a musical performer... but he would comb his hair using his foot, pour a glass of coke and then drink it using his foot, drive his car around the fairgrounds using his feet, etc. This was part of his act and he was paid for it. He promoted himself as the "Armless Wonder" in press releases and on radio. So I think a little humor is not out of line in his case. The young girl above looks like a absolute saint and I have the greatest respect for her. Notice that she was a "circus entertainer". Thank goodness the handicapped have more options today than they had in 1931.[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 03 May 2006 at 08:20 AM.]

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 3 May 2006 6:31 am

I saw Ray Myers in person when he was touring with local TV stars, Bonnie Lou and Buster. He would take one of the old metal lids from a coke bottle and bend it in half, to demonstrate the strength in his toes. I had one of the lids as a souvenier at one time. I don't remember if he removed the lid with his toes or used a bottle opener.

Robert Shafer · Post by **Robert Shafer** » 3 May 2006 6:46 pm

I have followed this thread from Mr. Beaumier's first posting to his latest. I cannot now refrain from posting these comments. I offer them with sincerity, humility and with a wish to enlighten.

My asbestos pants are firmly girded about my loins as a precautionary measure, but nevertheless I am cleared for take off.

Whilst many on this thread have recognised and applauded the courage, determination and strength in adversity of Mr. Ray Meyers, without amusing themselves at his expense, others have chosen to amuse themselves with juvenile, thoughtless and quite frankly disgusting lavatorial humour all at the expense of Mr. Meyers. This alleged 'entertainment' or 'humor' really belongs in the PRIVATE confines of the 'little boys room' and not on a PUBLIC forum.

I am quite sure that the family and friends of the late Mr. Meyers, if they happen across this thread, would be less than pleased to see that so many fail to see past Mr. Meyers' disability and still trot out the same hackneyed 'jokes' that he probably had suffered all his life. Excuses have been made that "Ray" would probably have laughed along with "most" of it. Did he have a choice? Who knows?

It has been said that Mr. Meyers performed his "act" at fairs. That was no act, that was his life. In those days, unless Mr. Meyers came from a wealthy family or had wealthy friends, his fate was "performing at fairs" or more probably "freak shows" or starvation.

Yet, the picture of Miss Janice Wisnant brought about 'oohs' and 'aahs' and blessings of her heart. Nevertheless, she was described as a "circus performer". I wonder if she had a CHOICE?

In this thread Mr. Meyers has been variously described as "bizarre" and a "curiosity". He was none of these. He was just a MAN who happened to have no arms. Did he have a choice when it came to "performing" HIS normal daily activities? I doubt it.

His courage, strength and determination in carrying out the simplest of daily functions are not worthy of being mocked. They are only to be admired with humility by the able-bodied. They are NOT for the amusement of the idly curious.

Whilst I do not believe that ANY of this "humor" has been made with any real malice, I do believe that it is thoughtless and mean and best left unsaid. None of it is original and some is absolutely cringeworthy.

I know that I speak with some authority on this matter as I have spent most of my working life working with paraplegics, tetraplegics, quadraplegics, amputees (singles and mulitples), Thalidomide victims and just about every combination of disability imaginable. I am absolutely sure that NONE of these people would wish to be part of a side-show by CHOICE. In fact many disabled people achieve success in many areas despite to their disabilities.

If any of the 'jokers' doubt the truth of what I am saying, I respectfully suggest that they go along to their local hospital rehabilitation ward and there they will find a great variety of disabled people who may be delighted to "perform" for them and may even invite crude tasteless puns and 'jokes'. Of course, if they are "paid" presumably that makes it all right.

As a disabled person myself, as a result of severe trauma, I can state that there are certain intimate parts of my ablutions that would probably bring about great mirth and amusement in certain quarters which I would not really appreciate. If I CHOOSE to sell tickets to this "entertainment", I will. I don't. Mr. Meyers probably had no choice.

As a closing comment and in order to return to a more musical note I would like to say that as a newbie with relation to the Hawaiian guitar and the culture that produced it, Mr. Meyers played an Hawaiian guitar after all. I am saddened to see that Mr. Meyers has been denied the benefits of the Aloha Spirit by these adverse comments and would ask that we all remember him with admiration and humility.

I would respectfully wish to second Mr. Kirby of Tennessee's nomination of Mr. Meyers for the Hall of Fame. I am not sure which HOF but he surely deserves better recognition than just as a source of amusement or idle curiosity.

Here endeth the rant.......chocks away chaps.......I've set the controls for the heart of the Sun.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 3 May 2006 7:56 pm

Robert, I agree with you that the "bathroom humor" is juvenile and uncalled for. As far as Mr. Meyer’s "show" and his reasons for performing at fairs and other venues, I don’t know. Maybe he had no other options in life, or maybe he did. One thing’s for sure... Ray promoted himself as an oddity. The picture you see below is one of Ray’s promo pictures. I admire the man and his accomplishments, but I think a bit of humor is acceptable here because this man was an entertainer. Yes, I did crack a few jokes in this thread, but not in a mean-spirited way. I apologize if I offended anyone. I started this post because I was curious about this man and his music.

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Donna Dodd · Post by **Donna Dodd** » 4 May 2006 1:10 am

I spoke with Brett yesterday and insisted that none of the remarks were meant to hurt. I know the guys who posted these remarks. Their comments would have been completely acceptable in the HUMOR section. We light-heartedly play with words and jokes – About men, women, Baptists, ex-wives, dogs, possum, blondes, etc. All in fun.

The difference here is that the post was about a real person, rather than being a generality. Maybe that makes it too close -a little too personal.

Like everyone else, I am awed by these people. Did they have a choice? Yes! Their choice was HOW they would live their lives.

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Donna Dodd
Secretary, Georgia Steel Guitar Association
www.GeorgiaSteelGuitar.com

[This message was edited by Donna Dodd on 04 May 2006 at 02:11 AM.][This message was edited by Donna Dodd on 04 May 2006 at 02:12 AM.]

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 4 May 2006 4:13 am

So, where did Janice Wisnant find a left-footed National?
Hey, I'm just asking???