Lessons from Jerry

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 11 Dec 2005 3:23 pm

Did anyone get any personal instruction (lessons __ live) from the late and great Jerry Byrd? I did not; but I wish I had had the opportunity. It would have made my entire musical life.

I'd like to know:

Had you developed a lot of bad habits, teaching yourself?
Was it intimidating?
Did he have a lot of patience with novices?
What was the most important things you learned?
Did he sound as good up close, as he did before an audience?

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 11 Dec 2005 5:37 pm

I knew Jerry going back to 51 I believe. Like an idiot I was too timid to ask for lessons. Knowing Jerry he would say;now here is what I expect from you,, and if you agree we will go to work. I wish I had asked. cc

Mike Ihde · Post by **Mike Ihde** » 11 Dec 2005 10:56 pm

I had the honor and pleasure to study for 2 weeks with Jerry back in '97. We had and hour leson each morning every other day. He was a sweetheart and a perfectionist. We got along well and I even got to see him play live at the Halekulani one night. I keep telling myself as I watched people walk by on the beach, "Don't they know who this man is!!! Well, all that mattered was that I knew and will treasure every moment we had together.
Was he any good as a teacher? Within the first 15 minutes of my first lesson, I sounded better. That pretty much says it all.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 11 Dec 2005 11:09 pm

My timing of asking Jerry to take me on as a student WAS BAD. In 1974, I was living in Hawaii, met Jerry at the Blue Dolphin Room and put the question about taking lessons to him. At that time he had no studio for teaching, and he diplomatically let me know that he would be emphasizing teaching the young people of Hawaii. I left Hawaii in late 1974 for the Mainland.

Over the years when he would hear me play at conventions, restaurants, or other playing venues, etc., I would ask him, based on what he heard, how could I improve my playing. He would always answer the questions or show me by demonstration. He was always generous with his time for me during these contacts, which I appreciated.

Jerry always wanted to know the commitment of the persons he took on as students. If I had been one, know that I would have been committed.

Aloha,
Don

Ray Shurance · Post by **Ray Shurance** » 12 Dec 2005 2:32 pm

I was 54 years old and had been given for my birthday a beautiful Jerry Byrd Fry Pan. Arlene also bought his complete instruction program. A few days later I called Jerry leaving a message about my desire for personal lessons. I hadn't a clue at the time that he was the greatest steel guitar player in the world. A couple of weeks later he called me back and asked a series of questions. "What kind of music do you want to play? Do you now read music? What kind of instrument do you have? How great a desire do you think you have? And then the clincher! HOW OLD ARE YOU? When THAT question was answered...he said he was only going to teach young people so that the instrument and the Hawaiian music would continue. I too was disappointed... now I'm 74 and still can't find anyone who wants to teach me. I get my instruction from my friend of 35 years Don Kona Woods. But, good ol' e-mail helps answer some of my questions. I've watched his technique on only one occasion and wish we lived closer. Jerry and Sol Hoopii are my heros!

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 19 Dec 2005 6:21 pm

Ray......Jerry's questions were indeed valid.
I'm no real instructor altho' I've been playing for decades. During the past couple of years I've been approached by any number of older fellows wanting to learn to play steel guitar.
What I've found is a majority of males lack that burning desire. It's like teaching flying. They get the short-term bug to start but when they find it's difficult to master they go out and purchase a boat which they're busily driving around within just a few hours. They then dump the excuses on you as to why they "can't make it in today".
YOUNG is NOT a necessity to learning steel guitar but it just might be an important factor in the long-run.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 19 Dec 2005 9:12 pm

RAY M,

Jerry was often disappointed with the young people who would come to him but would not commit themselves, then there were others who came, started and skipped out on him.

Perhaps they were the same kind of reasons, it was too difficult, took too much time to practice, and then the discipline of it all.

It was easier to surf, drink Primo, toke you know what, and etc.

Then there were young people committed to playing the steel who wanted more lessons from Jerry, as communicated to me by Kaipo Kukahiko, but Jerry fell ill.

I admire Jerry for sticking with the teaching and not giving up on it.

Aloha,

Don<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 19 December 2005 at 09:20 PM.]</p></FONT>

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 20 Dec 2005 9:59 am

I guess I could claim to have had "ONE" lesson from Jerry.....sorta. I was visiting his home in Nashville in about 1960-61 and was looking forward to SEEING and HEARING him play "live" for the first time in my life. Instead he shoved his Rick stand alone
guitar and told me to "play it". I was over-whelmed by this "new guitar"...having never seen it before. What a thrill!
He had just released "Memories of Maria"...
I started to play and he said in a firm and commanding voice "You're holding the bar wrong!" He then deomonstrated how I should be bending the first knuckle of my index finger at an almost 90 degree angle to serve as the pivot point on the bar. WOW!
With that, every question I had planned to ask him was erased from my headbone.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 20 Dec 2005 12:59 pm

I had about "SEVEN LESSONS" that were impromptu just like your "ONE LESSON" on bar technique, slanting, glissing, etc.

In one performance he came on stage to act like he was going to cut my guitar strings, which was Jerry's way of complimenting you. I took it to mean that I was doing what he showed me.

Aloha,
Don