Was Jerry Byrd an automobile parts innovator?

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Whilst perusing the Internet I came upon this bit of steel guitar trivia.

From the Detroit Free Press dated June 10, 1964.

quote:

Did the Detroit auto industry knowingly rob the great steel guitarist Jerry Byrd of millions of dollars in royalties?

Byrd's weekly program of island themed music graced the radio airwaves of Detroit station WJR in the early 1940's. His STEEL guitar's BELL like tones could be heard on the RADIO airwaves throughout the Great Lakes region.

Auto magnates Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone and the Dodge Brothers loved Byrd's music. They would gather weekly at Ford's Grosse Pointe mansion to listen to Byrd’s radio show. Byrd's music quickly became the soundtrack to their high powered think-tanks. Firestone called these meetings their "STEEL BELL RADIO" summits.

One day Harvey Firestone was walking along a railroad track jotting down a few notes for that week's upcoming think-tank. Whilst kneeling down to pick up a railroad spike, a train whistle sounded startling Firestone. His pen slipped and he mistakenly wrote the words STEEL BELTED RADIAL.

The rest is history.

I never understood this album cover until today.

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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
Board of Directors Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 21 April 2006 at 12:00 PM.]

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Cool article!

[This message was edited by Jeff Strouse on 21 April 2006 at 11:21 AM.]

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

Cool picture GB !!!!

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Ger ... are you 100% certain of the authenticity of that article ... or just 99.9999% ???

I have read the exact same story ... but the steel player was Joaquin Murphy and the radio show was Spade Cooley Time on LA's KFVD. ...

I think we need Howard Ah Sol to get to the bottom of this controversy ... or worse ... this conspiracy.

Millions of dollars (US) are at stake ...

As is the "Speed w/ Taste" vs the "Put the Hurt On" ... dilemma.

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Hawaiian Steel Stuff
The Casteels

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 21 April 2006 at 01:04 PM.]

basilh · From: United Kingdom

Ger, I think you have just too much time on your hands !!

Join the Club !!

Mitch Druckman · From: Arizona, USA

I didn't think steel belted radial tires were even available until the 1970's. What was going on behind closed doors between 1964 and their release? I smell conspiracy.

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