Jimmie Rivers & Cherokees-Steel Player?

Larry Robertson · Post by **Larry Robertson** » 9 Jan 2007 9:05 pm

A friend gave me a cd he copied (i don't know where he got it) of a band named Jimmie Rivers & the Cherokees with no liner notes or song titles. It's almost all instrumentals featuring electric 6 string & steel. It sounds like a circa 1940' or 1950's recording and tunes are swing era style. Really hot playing! fast and swingin' Has anyone heard of this group and who was the steel player? Thanks in advance for any info.

Jeff Bradshaw · Post by **Jeff Bradshaw** » 9 Jan 2007 9:12 pm

I think that it is Vance Terry!! Best regards. ..jeff

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 9 Jan 2007 9:17 pm

Vance brought a tape recorder to his DeMarco 23 club gigs in Brisbane Ca from 1960 to 64 and made these recordings. They weren't able to find a bass player that often so only one tune on that record has one. great record.

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 9 Jan 2007 9:52 pm

Billy,

Do you know if there was any connection to Tommy DeMarco, who was a singer and nightclub owner in Sacramento in the 60s and 70s??

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 10 Jan 2007 1:52 am

I don't know about that.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 10 Jan 2007 6:08 am

I had Chuck Wright on the liner notes of the 23 Club CD I had.

Great stuff. Dancing starts at 9, the fights start at 10.

Jimmy said he got kicked off the Res cause the pelts he brought home had holes in them...

EJL

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 10 Jan 2007 6:27 am

Larry,
Vance Terry and my Dad were the steel players in the band in the 50's.. Vance took My Dad's [Chuck Wright0 place in I think 59 when we moved to Red Bluff... if you go to my web sight, I have two clips of the band when My dad was playing steel...

Bill Bradford · Post by **Bill Bradford** » 10 Jan 2007 12:14 pm

Does anyone have any information on what copedant Vance Terry was using at the time of the 23 Club recordings? There are posts in the archives saying he used unusual tunings, but no specifics.

There's some incredible psg playing on that Jimmie Rivers cd ("Brisbane Bop") and I'd be interested to know more about how he did it.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 10 Jan 2007 12:34 pm

Years back, a pal I met on this forum turned me onto that CD, one of many great connections I might not have made otherwise. Fantastic playing, Vance is highly inspirational. I love the note-for-note Charlie Christian guitar too. Definitely one of my "desert island" collection!

Larry Robertson · Post by **Larry Robertson** » 10 Jan 2007 5:22 pm

Hey Thanks guys! Their playing really knocks me out. I had no idea it was a home made recording. I sure have a lot of work to do before I even get to know the tunes. I really like that bob phrasing. Are any of those guys still playing?

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 10 Jan 2007 5:38 pm

Sounds awesome, where does one go to find out more about this CD?

Larry Lenhart · Post by **Larry Lenhart** » 28 Feb 2018 2:38 pm

Lately I have been listening a lot to this recording, and it just knocks me out each time...the steel work is great and so is the guitar work...has a great swing to it that I really love ! Was Vance Terry playing a pedal steel or the real steel, as Carco Clave likes to call it

His playing makes me think of Tom Morrell !
I did some reading of this group but one source said "pedal steel", but you know how that goes.
This is an old thread but that group and recording is worth bringing up again, IMHO !
Thanks in advance for any more input.

Norman Evans · Post by **Norman Evans** » 28 Feb 2018 3:16 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgE1-wu ... wCTa82kWd3

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 28 Feb 2018 9:38 pm

Was Vance Terry playing a pedal steel or the real steel,

I believe it was a Bigsby pedal steel. I always thought it was his double neck Wright with 19 pedals but I think someone on the forum confirmed it was a Bigsby.

Does anyone have any information on what copedant Vance Terry was using at the time of the 23 Club recordings?

That album blows my mind!

Does anyone have any information on what copedant Vance Terry was using at the time of the 23 Club recordings?

I saw it posted but I think the poster deleted it. He's one for his double neck though:

Cartwright Thompson · Post by **Cartwright Thompson** » 1 Mar 2018 11:28 am

Vance told me that there are several different steels on Brisbane Bop. I think they were all built by Chuck Wright. Vance said they all sounded slightly different and he could tell which was which.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 1 Mar 2018 12:20 pm

How Vance Terry wound up is terribly depressing.
Not an easy read, especially for such a talented player.
Erv

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 1 Mar 2018 12:42 pm

Andy - I received this album as a Christmas present this year. I think it came from Amazon. Great album.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 1 Mar 2018 5:39 pm

How Vance Terry wound up is terribly depressing.
Not an easy read, especially for such a talented player.
Erv

Indeed. A cautionary tale for the ages..

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... ffba989a79

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 2 Mar 2018 8:10 am

Yes, so sad.