Here's the Wizard of the Strings in his heyday ....
Matt Johnson
From: California, USA
Posted 10 Jul 2006 5:29 pm
Pricelsss Andy!
Thank you
Blake Hawkins
From: Florida
Posted 10 Jul 2006 5:53 pm
Andy, Thanks. After years of having his instruction books, I always wanted to see him perform.
He had quite an act.
I like the way he controlled the tone of the Hawaiian Guitar with his right hand.
Blake
Lee Baucum
From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Posted 10 Jul 2006 6:00 pm
Great slants! I wonder what that is attached to the headstock of his guitar.
Bill Hatcher
From: Atlanta Ga. USA
Posted 10 Jul 2006 7:15 pm
Looks like the end of the peghead has somesort of scroll carved there.
The opening title "Wizard of the String". I guess they did not notice he had a bunch of strings there. 8-)
Great clip!
Doug Beaumier
From: Northampton, MA
Posted 10 Jul 2006 7:34 pm
Excellent! Thanks Andy.
I saw a clip of Roy’s vaudeville “audition” about 20 years ago. I believe the clip was part of the documentary “Wizard of the Strings”, which was nominated for an Academy Award (Documentary, Short Subject) in 1985.
Smeck didn’t sing, so he really developed his act as virtuoso performer on several instruments. He often played instruments behind his back, on top of his head, etc. I always thought his act was part virtuosity and part hokum, but I do have the utmost respect for the man. He was known worldwide, played for Presidents, Kings & Queens, he released over 500 recordings, and he was the highest paid vaudeville performer of his day. He never retired from playing, and was still teaching music when he died at the age of 94.
Roy performed in my hometown of Northampton, Mass. back in 1982 at the Academy of Music. I was playing 7 nights a week back then and I couldn’t go to the show. In hindsight… I wish I had taken the night off!
Gerald Ross
From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Posted 10 Jul 2006 8:16 pm
Roy Smeck is considered a God in ukulele circles.
BTW - Joel Eckhaus the builder who is currently making some very nice non-pedal steels took uke lessons for many years from Roy Smeck.
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Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 10 July 2006 at 09:16 PM.]
George Keoki Lake
From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
Posted 10 Jul 2006 9:19 pm
I doubt there will ever be another quite like ROY SMECK. He was an absolute genius. Many often ridiculed his electric steel guitar styling with his wide vibrato and amazing tricks, but I loved everything he ever did. I particularly enjoyed the recordings in which he often used a clarinet player along with the steel. He was truly a master and the "Wizard of the Strings" ! Thanx Andy...this is a great clip.
Roy's electric steel guitar recording of Steel Guitar Rag was unusual that's for sure! One time when I put the recording on …my wife burst into laughter! She said it sounded like "Looney Tunes"... I'm not married to her anymore!
Seriously, I don’t think Roy's style translated well to electric steel guitar. I think that's because vaudevillians performed everything in an over accentuated way. They got 2 or 3 minutes to excite the audience, so they played wild and crazy, with lots of showmanship. Smeck was about showmanship, not necessarily about tone and feeling. His greatest work was on acoustic instruments. When he plugged into an amplifier, for some reason his flashy style sounded… goofy… for lack of a better term. The wide, strange vibrato and the weird slides… it just sounded like a comedy act IMHO, sorry. I have the highest respect for his ability on acoustic instruments, but at the same time I am amazed at how "unlistenable" his electric stuff is. I had one of his electric steel albums from the early 50’s I believe.
[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 10 July 2006 at 11:37 PM.]
Andy Volk
From: Boston, MA
Posted 11 Jul 2006 2:29 am
He was still teaching in New York into his ninties. I remember a Guitar Player Magazine interview years ago where they asked him his opinion on the then current crop of guitar gods like Clapton and Hendrix and Smeck said, "Who are they?" Apparently, he wasn't familiar with anyone who was prominant after about 1940.
Also posted an amazing uke clip in the Music section. BTW, no need to thank me. All I did was notice these clips on YouTube - I didn't post 'em.
[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 11 July 2006 at 03:37 AM.]
c c johnson
From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.
Posted 11 Jul 2006 2:42 am
Another quote from Roy when asked when he was going to go to 7 or 8 strgs; "Why? Theres more in 6 strgs than I will learn in a lifetime". CC
HowardR
From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
Posted 11 Jul 2006 3:16 am
In "Wizard Of The Strings', he points to a television and says..."That's the box that killed Vaudeville."
He lived only 10 blocks from me. I used to see his ads in the classified section of The Village Voice newspaper, for lessons. This was in the late 70s'. I took bluegrass lessons instead, thinking that at a later time, I'd take some lessons from Roy.
I put my music aside in the very early 80s (for 16 years).
If I could go back, I would have taken an apartment next to Roy.
Scott Thomas
Posted 11 Jul 2006 4:09 am
I'm glad someone else remembers that Guitar Player article too, Andy. I have been reminded of it from time to time when Roy Smeck's name has been mentioned.
After being asked about those more recent guitarists and saying no, he didn't know them, he added, "but I did get to play with Eddie Lang".
As I recall, that name didn't seem to register with the interviewer, either. Different strokes . . . (or different generations?)
[This message was edited by Scott Thomas on 11 July 2006 at 05:10 AM.]
He was like the freakin' Joe Maphis of his day...he's flat tearin' that Uke up.
Casey
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Known Coast to Coast as
"The Man with The Plan"
Carter-Starter, Fender Pedal 800, Fender Champion, Guyatone Double-neck, a cheap Artisan & a Homemade Double-neck!
Earnest Bovine
From: Los Angeles CA USA
Posted 11 Jul 2006 8:20 am
Quote:
on the then current crop of guitar gods like Clapton and Hendrix and Smeck said, "Who are they?" Apparently, he wasn't familiar with anyone who was prominant after about 1940.
He would fit right in here on the Steel Guitar Forum.
basilh
From: United Kingdom
Posted 12 Jul 2006 4:06 am
CC said Roy said
Quote:
Another quote from Roy when asked when he was going to go to 7 or 8 strgs; "Why? Theres more in 6 strgs than I will learn in a lifetime". CC
Well look again at the headstock of the Hawaiian guitar he played in the first clip, It's either 7 or eight string.
It's most clearest whilst he's playing the Ukulele @ 2:45 onwards.
To me it looks similar to the guitar Sam Ku West has on page 2 of the sleeve of the Les Cook produced CD
Jay Yuskaitis
From: Massachusetts, USA
Posted 12 Jul 2006 2:16 pm
My Favorite,
"Mexacalli Rose"
Thanks for the show!
Jay Y.
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George Keoki Lake
From: Edmonton, AB., Canada
Posted 12 Jul 2006 3:03 pm
Well Doug, laughter or not, there was never another "STEEL GUITAR RAG" quite like his or anywhere close. There were also many who didn't care for ALVINO REY's styling. Here again who amongst the pedal guitarists ever achieved such a distinctive tone as Alvino ? The moment you heard the first notes, you knew exactly who was playing. And so it was with ROY. That's the beauty of the steel guitar over most any instrument you can name...I like to think of it as being "individuality". I appreciated everything which both Roy and Alvino ever played. They were fine musicians of a by-gone era.
Yes, every great player is a unique Stylist. So many have their signature sound: Little Roy Wiggins, Speedy West, Jerry Byrd, Chet Atkins, and many others. As you said, when you hear a great player you can tell who’s playing after hearing a few notes. As always, however, great music is in the ears of the beholder, and what appeals to one person may not appeal to another.
[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 12 July 2006 at 06:16 PM.]
Doug Beaumier
From: Northampton, MA
Posted 14 Jul 2006 7:59 am
Speaking of Roy Smeck's electric steel playing, check this out.
[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 14 July 2006 at 09:01 AM.]
Duane Solley
From: San Antonio, Texas, USA
Posted 16 Jul 2006 4:28 pm
When I was very young there was a steel guitarist on the radio that could make his guitar sound like a baby calling for it's momma. Is anyone familiar with what I am talking about? Was it Roy Smeck? How did he do it? Thank you.
Doug Beaumier
From: Northampton, MA
Posted 16 Jul 2006 9:32 pm
It could have been Jerry Byrd, Alvino Rey, or maybe Roy Smeck. That effect is usually done with the tone control on the guitar. Set the tone to full bass, play a chord or a note with lots of volume and quickly turn the tone control using the little finger... bass to treble. That’s how the old timers did it.
It is more easily done on older guitars (and steel guitars) because on older guitars the tone goes from full bass to full treble instantly, not gradually like most guitars today (because of the capacitor I believe). So this boo-wah effect combined with bar slides creates the cry-baby sound. Jerry Byrd used this effect in his Wang Wang Blues.
A Volume & Tone pedal will achieve the effect, but I think it’s harder to get the sound with a pedal. I always had better results using my finger on the tone control. The Volume & Tone pedals died out when the Wah pedals came into fashion in the 60s-70s.
Colin Brooks
Posted 17 Jul 2006 10:44 am
The guitar Roy is playing in the 1st clip is an 8 string, but set up as an extended open E7 tuning for solo playing. His was custom made by Harmony and he called it his Octachorder. The knob on the headstock is a carved wolf's head.
Mike Neer
From: NJ
Posted 17 Jul 2006 10:51 am
Love it. Clip 1 is very cool.
Stephan Miller
From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
Posted 17 Jul 2006 11:43 am
You don't see that kind of ferocious fingerpicking on a lap steel too much.
Just wish his face would stop turning into Bela Lugosi's... I think I'm about ready for an ocean vacation.
I think I'm about ready for an ocean vacation.