The Steel Guitar Forum

P.S. I think I have and answer for some of the previous questions.
1)Pete: a)Gordon Wells was in Cowtown when they first started. He had a "white elephant" MSA D-12.

b)Gorden as far as I know always lived in the New Brunswick area. The only steel player that I knew from Westfield was Frank Kizer (sp.?) but I cannot remember the name of his band.

c)After Gordon, JImmy Ryan played steel. He now owns
Loria Music in Rahway.

d)The bar in Clark was "Charlie Kelley's". It was a place that we used as an example of why our bands needed to get better because "we don't want to be playing Charlie Kelley's our whole lives". Now I wish it was still there. Now it is a Steak and Ale.
A lifetime thrill for me was meeting Buddy Cage there playing with a Staten Island bar band shortly after he left the Riders. He plays around here enough
that we can call him an honorary Jersey Steeler.

e)Jack Stanton is still the only man alive that looks good in a leisure suite. He will do in a pinch
on steel also.

f)Michael D. I'm exit 13, Gordon's exit 9, and Jack won't tell anybody.

P.S.S.
More N.J. steel players
The wild and wonderful Bob Williams (New Providence)

The best kept secret of a great steel player is Berganfield's George Constantino. (Let's keep it a secret because the rest of us need the work.)

Ben,
Gene Shible didn't talk to me the first five years I knew him. I thought he didn't like me for some reason, but turns out he's just a quiet kind of guy. Once you know him he doesn't stop talking!He was THE benchmark Jersey steelers were judged by. Anybody know how he's doing these days?I didn't include him on my list because he lives in PA.
Another one I thought of-Tony "Shotgun" Fiocia, the pride of Clifton (although he also lives in PA now).

John,
I still have that suit, by the way (though it doesn't fit quite the same way it used to)!

New Jersey steel players....ah duh...Robert Randolph

Jack, Gene lives in Lambertville N.J. He's been there since before the beginning of time I think.
But he really didn't like you for five years....just a little Joisey humor.
Gene still plays as good as ever and he's at a point now where he can choose to play only when he wants to. If you get a chance check out the Landslide on rt 173 just west of Clinton N.J. I believe he's there on the third weekend of the month with JW and the Honky Tonk Buicks.
I get to fill in for him every so often and it's the most fun playing I've had since Les Severs.

Hey Bob Grado, saw my name in your post. Thanks for the compliment,
I'm blushing now !!

Bo, you mentioned Josh Dubin. Great steel player !!! Josh played my wedding
some 21 years ago with a bass player (Hank Bones ?) They did a duo and were fabulous playing all kinds of music. He went on to play with Holly Dunn (I even think he is in 1 of her videos)


Bob Miano

Don and Bo,
Count me in on that movement to secede. I live in N.J. and own a steel (a long time) but am not sure if I am a player or not. When can you claim that you are a steel player and not just an owner?

Don, E-Mail me if you have a chance - gotta question for you.

Bobbee Seymour use to be a Jersey player back in the '60's when he was with Sally Starr!

I'm told Gene has been playing the Landslide as of late-last time I played the hayride Jim Thompson said I should come check him out ... "if you want to hear 'class' playing "

unfortunately I haven't got there yet.

I'm not a New Jersey player, but I play in New Jersey on occasion...

Hey, John Ciano -- Do you stay in touch with Michael Ferguson? I don't have his current email address or phone number -- it would be great to get that from you.

In the late 70s, I used to play a Thursday night in a little bar in Manville (I think it was Manville!) with a singer named Willie Samples. He was really a great country singer ... someone told me that he passed away a number of years ago.

Does anyone remember Lee Arnold, a deejay from WHN? I used to back him up at a lot of country music shows in NY and NJ -- he had a minor regional hit with a CB song.

When I saw a show opening called "Jersey Boys," I thought it was about all you guys! Boo

Hey Boo, I sent you an e-mail 6/4 @ 1:40pm est. Let me know if you got it. John

Boo that was the Starlite room in Manville that Willie Samples was playing at. Willie died in the mid '70's. He was only 43 at the time. I've been told he couldn't or wouldn't stop drinking.
He was an outstanding singer. He did right on imitations of many stars of the day; Larry Gatlin, Narvel Felts, Merle Haggard and quite a few more.

Since I’m at the GSP Exit 130 & NJTP Exit 11, I figure to qualify one way another for this reply!

Wow, I’m just coming in out of the cold, cold 60’s……this forum is so great.

I professionally played top forties, Beatles, Wilson Picket, S&J stuff from 1960-1967, then went cold turkey into the airline industry. Kept/stored all my gear, came back about 3 years ago. I really enjoyed some of the replies!

Work was non-stop from weekends to 6 night, two matinees for many, many live groups back then, pick what you could handle. Played the Copa NYC, through hole in the walls, lounges and Jersey shore (Chatterbox in Seaside), then out on the road, one nighters, etc. Staten Island, the Dutchman, Castaways with all the brawls, then to the Beachcomber, better deal. Jersey, Rahway Bowl Mor near the prison, Holiday lounge, Thunderbird, Col. Garter, Play Pen, etc, etc. Mostly central Jersey with a group called the 5 Coachmen and the Four Most. Played opposite the killer Jerry Lee Lewis (unbelievable), Little Anthony and the Imperials, Jay and the Americans, Glen Campbell, etc, etc. Music Life was good back then.

Sadly, in all that time, not once did I know of, hear of or saw another Steel player, except to see and meet the great Santo & Johnny and only once giging in a Roselle Park lounge show. As far as I knew, I was the only weirdo playing a Fender Stringmaster D6 on the planet. Why? Well, as much as I loved C& W, in the sixties there was no call for that work at Exit 130/Exit 11 for me. I only knew of one group, Smokey Warren and the tumbleweeds (I think) and I never got a chance to see them. I’m sure he carried a Steel player.

Alas, every Friday and Saturday Star Ledger was one page full of live bands at oh, so many lounges, bars, venues, etc. The competition was great and fun. You were rated by getting the better lounges for work and in the paper…..amazing, now it’s all, all gone…….

Well, a few years ago, I found the forum and with it a good friend in Ron Victoria & Jody Carver. Due to the forum, I met a few of you at a steel Jam in Red Bank, Ben Lawson, Bob Grado to name a few.

Anyway, I retiring in 20 months or so from the Ailing Airline business and I got back to playing a few gigs with a Southern Rock group at a few car shows. Picked up a PSG D10 from Bobbe Seymour (right, he did work in south Jersey)……and I’m having the time of my life working that PSG and learning more every day……thanks to the great steelers here in Jersey and all over the forum, this is the best…….TX

Rgds,

Ron

Exit 130, Exit 11

I'm glad I started the post as it was interesting to learn about players from here. I have some nice memories with a few names. I've become very friendly with Ron B., can picture Bob G playing lefty with his socks off, have heard John S. play at the Rt. 18 flea market a few times, recall Ben lending me a thumb pick at our first meeting in Red Bank. I thought there were newer SGF members from central NJ but maybe they don't read this section.

ron

John Ciano wrote:P.S.S.
More N.J. steel players
The wild and wonderful Bob Williams (New Providence)

The best kept secret of a great steel player is Berganfield's George Constantino. (Let's keep it a secret because the rest of us need the work.)

Yeah I remember George,, played a Bud,, A friggin' monster player too!.. Nice guy... Haven't seen him in 30 years... bob

I'm all for it ! Let So. Jersey secede !!
Gas taxes,cigarette taxes, beer taxes,and property taxes not to mention insurance,tolls, etc..
stands between me and a new steel !!
Who needs a better reason??
Rick

Hey, as a former South Jersey Boy I played Bass all through the 70's and early 80's. Does anyone remember a steeler named Bo Bo Wade. I bet Bo Borland remembers him. Bythe way Bo haven't heard from you in awhile.....shoot me a message.....thanx

Bob Carlucci wrote:btw, Marc Muller who tours[ed] with Shania Twain is a Jersey steel player also.. He may not remember it but we did many shows together in NJ rock clubs back in the 70's.. I was in a band called Badlands and he was in a band called Molly Cribb...... I miss NJ bob

I saw Marc at this years Brookdale Guitar Show, his seminar was great. I think is also doing some teaching in the freehold area.

BTW - I am from Jersey but wouldn't call my self a player - just learnin


Bill

Yeah I remember Ronnie Toth. I went to Catholic School with him in Greenpoint Brooklyn New York. I remember seeing him play in Bay Ridge Brooklyn in a club called Henry's. I heard him play the intro to Nite Life, and i said wow this guy is good.I remember the Shobud he Had. I went to his house to see it. That was the very first Shobud i ever saw in person.

I know this is an old posting, but back when I lived in Jersey there was a great steeler named Arty Payne. Great tone and very smooth. One of the best vibrato with his bar. I use to watch him in the 70s at Rainbows End night club.

Regards,
Ron Hogan
Nasville, TN.

Ron there was a post on here a few years back asking about Arty. I had heard the passed away and Arty responded to it himself. He let me know in no uncertain terms that he was still with us. I haven't heard from him since then. Maybe we should start a new post asking about him.

Thx Ben.

He really was smooth and did some tasty things on C6th. I had heard he played for Lefty Frizzell at one time, but may be a rumor. Myself and two other steelers use to go see him. Hank Thomas and Gary Holt.

Ben,
You got me thinking about the old days in New Jersey and playing still guitar for a living. We speak about Tom Gillis in the country heritage band. Working for that group cleared the path for a lot of steel players to go to work in Nashville or to work for some country music stars. For working for that band, you're on the road for months at a time working throughout the country. It gave you a good chance to get contacts and work with some Nashville musicians are over the years. Maybe some of the players on this group could list they work for after Tim Gillis. I'll try to list some. Please jump in here.

Ben Lawson
Johnny Rodriguez
Tiny Olson
Gene Watson
Ron Hogan
Billy Walker, Faron Young, Mel McDaniel, Freedie Hart, Darrell McCall, Little Jimmie Dickens (sounds like he can't keep a job).
Boo Bernstein
Freddy Fender
Dana Williams
Diamond Reo
Jeff Jared
Darrell Worley and a host of others

Regards,
Ron

Ron I worked for Johnny Rod after Dave Burns. Dave has a great coffee shop in downtown Princeton on the square, I think it's called Rojos.

Hi Ben, Hope you're enjoying FL.
For years I've wondered what ever happened to Dave Burns. I heard him in Levittown one night at a jamboree. He'd only been playing a few months, I seem to recall it was a Sho~Bud maverick, but you could easily tell he "had it". It wasn't long 'til he was with Johnny R. Does Dave still play at all? Anybody here ever know a NJ steel player named Ed Van Cleaf, or a singer named Stormy Dawson?

Craig