The Steel Guitar Forum

Jack, that was probably Cash Cotton. One of my nephews, Bert Parnell played bass with that group. Bert now is in the Branson, Mo. area and this guy is like the 800 pound gorilla-can play with anyone he wants to. Sings like an angel too and is a nice guy.
Bill Stafford

Bill Stafford wrote:Here is my new EXCEL that Mitsuo Fujii, EXCEL, is building for me.
Bill Stafford

OK Bill; I will ask "THE" question: why only 14 strings?

Evolution is kinda slow. Would love to have 15-looking for a string that will hold a high B note....lol New string one.??

Bill Stafford

Jim Owen was the disc jockey on WVMI there in Biloxi.<<

Bill, Do you remember the THEME song Jim Owen used for his radio program? I think it was a Jerry Byrd recording, a waltz type song, but I do not remember its name. Also, Is Sy's place and the Texas club still in existence?

Brad,
Will go through my Byrd albums and try to find that song. He did use a Byrd song for his theme.
Sie's place is a paint store. Texas Club is not in existance anymore. That was a real swinging block for the best in country music in those days.
When the stars came to town, they would all visit Sie's club after their show at the USO on the beach-by the lighthouse. Folks like Jimmy Dickens, Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Jim Reeves etc. When we quit playing at two am, Sie would lock the doors, keeping everyone there and he would have about a hundred pounds of shrimp boiled up. The band stand really filled up then with all the touring players and music and eats would last 'till daylight peeked around the corner. Then those of us still with itchy fingers to play would go across the Biloxi back bay to a place called "Mama Lous" and play there till we all fell asleep on a Sunday morning. Sie had music seven nights a week, so we would wake up in time to go back to work there. Curtis Gordon and his band from Mobile, Al would play there on Monday nights. Does anyone remember the to be very, very famous steel player that played in Curtis's band at that time? (Test on Friday)
Bill Stafford

Bill thanks for the information..sorry to hear about the demise of Sie's place and the Texas club..yes they were great sources of country music. In 1956, Ernie Harvey was a full time Steel player at the Club..I believe he worked there 6 nights a week..he did not do a day job..music was his only source of income. I do remember that Billy Gray's Western Swing band played at Sie's place when it came through town back in 1956. Billy Gray, of course, was a co-writer of those great Hank Thompson songs "Breaking the Rules and We've Gone Too Far"...man, that was when country music was great. Hope you find that Jerry Byrd song. Back in 1956 Jerry Byrd, Speedy West and Herby Remington were the Kings of the Steel Guitar.

Drad, you still have a good memory. That was the hey day of our good music. We called Ernie Harvey "the man with a thousand fingers" and that is just what you thought when you heard him play. He and Johnny Bobbvillion were the steel king pins in this area in those days. Along with "Little" Earl Artego. Jerry Byrd told me that he used to listen to WWL out of New Orleans in the early mornings and was highly influenced by the steel playing of Johnny B. Johnny has a music store these days in the New Orleans area and has visited and played with me in my home. This guy is one of the very best no matter who you can name.
Do you remember what Sie Simon did on a Wednesday night in his club to attract a full house on that "off" night?? Test on Friday.

Bill Stafford

Brad , sorry about the Drad......lol

BS, the real stuff, not that other stuff...

Do you remember what Sie Simon did on a Wednesday night in his club to attract a full house on that "off" night?? Test on Friday.<

I think he reduced the price by 50% for the female drinkers but I'm just taking a stab at your question.
Bill, one thing I do remember that drinks were expensive at Sie's place...a mixed drink was 65 to 75 cents...remember the prevailing hourly wage at that time was around $1 an hour..that would be like paying $12 for a drink today.

Brad, nope. Sie had tricycle races on Wednesday nights. And if you have ever seen a large supply of slilghtly intoxcicated (grown??) men racing around the dance floor to a fast polka beat from the bandstand, you have really lived. Prize was a hundred dollar bill and a case of beer. It was a three month long contest. Winner each week would be able to compete the following weeks, and at the end of the time frame, all the winners would race around the floor six times. No one could ever tell who really won. lol

Bill S

after their show at the USO on the beach-by the lighthouse.<<

Bill, I remember seeing Martha Carson and George Jones at the USO, George was just getting started. Do not know who the Steel player was but he had knee levers..remember, this was in 1956. Back in those days Steelplayers were very secretive about their tunings and equiptment. BTW, Did Ernie Harvey ever get into pedals steels, when I left Biloxi in 1956 he still had a double neck 8 string Fender?

Brad, as far as I know Ernie Harvey did not go to pedals. He did not need too. Sure wish he could still be with us so our world would know of a great player-called the man with a thousand fingers.
His single string playing was in the veins of Joaquim Murphey. He played lead guitar better than that. Steel was his main instrument though.
I'm still excited about my new EXCEL too.

Bill Stafford

Bill Stafford wrote:Evolution is kinda slow. Would love to have 15-looking for a string that will hold a high B note....lol New string one.??

Bill Stafford

I would like a G# between the low-E and thr B currently on string 13. I would also like to find strings which would allow me to use the B and the A pedals on the lowest G# & B. But this takes a good deal of tension and a smooth changer.

Reagrds
-E

Hi Bill ,
I am still playing my Excel that I bought after hearing how well you liked yours ....I'm still enjoying it emensly ....Thanks so much for your help .....So you went and bought yourself a new one huh ? .....VERY NICE !!!..... I'm sure you're gonna love it as much as the old one .....Good Luck with it my friend , and look forward to hearing more great music from you ....Sincerely, Jim

PS ...Thanks for the conversation of the good ole days !!.....It does the soul good to look back when things were just crazy enough to make you laugh !!!....Jim

Hmmmmmm!!!!.....I see that Mitsuo has the ball end of the string down at the changer end now and not up at the tuning end of the steel .....Please let me know how that works out for you ..... I appreciate it ....Sincerely, Jim

Bill, since you have one built, may I ask you, what is the appeal of having the tuning integrated in the right hand changer?

I have an Excel Superb, a custom built too. An excellent sounding guitar. 25 1/2" scale too.
I like that changer, especially since it MOVES to lower, it is able to have an edged finger, which in my opinion enhances the sustain and response even further (besides the long scale).
I seem to remember you playing a Superb at one time too.
Excel's keyless tuner is great. So, I don't yet see what the advantage of the integrated tuning/changer all on the right.
Can you explain?

Thanks! ... J-D.

Hi James, good to see you here. Glad you are still playing your EXCEL.
My current EXCEL, which is now five years old, still plays and looks like new. Mitsuo has made a few design changes over the years. My steel has the ball end on the changer side. Some models between when he built mine and now had the connection at the keyless tuning end. Makes no big difference to me as long as it works good. No complaints either way. In fact, no complaints have I ever had about my EXCEL and I am really excited about this new one. If you are in St. Louis, come by and see it. I hope it will be ready by then, Knowing Mitsuo, it will be.
Thanks for you interest. Send me email at SChiefsan@aol.com and I will send you a song from my latest cd if you want.
Bill Stafford

Hi J.D. Glad to see you here also, and gladder you play one of the best steels on the market.
Not many folks notice the subtle edg on the top of the changer finger. I suggested that change to Mitsuo quite a few years ago.
With the strings mounted directly to the base of the neck at the keyless head allows for a more solid connection of the string giving the string a very stable vibration platform. My scale is 25 1/2" also. Would like to go to 26" next. (Those 26" Fender Stringmasters sounded so good). As mentioned earlier in this section, even with the longer scale of 25 1/2", the overall length of the string on this steel is shorter than the standard 24 1/4" scale on other steels. Using the same ga. strings on this longer scale, the strings have more tension. Vibrates cleaner and better and allows the pedal and lever action to work faster and more responsive.
Thanks for you interest. Keep your thumb pick hot.
Bill STafford

I'm seeing all these names here like Cash Cotton, Pee Wee Maddox , Jack Youngblood, Jim Owen, Virgil Owen and many others that Bill Stafford introduced me to in the Late 1970's and a lot of these guys became good friends and well respected pickers in my eyes. I moved to the Gulf Coast from Nashville in 1977 and immediately started making more money than in The So Called Music City. My problem is my memory, I have been looking at all the names and trying to remember where I knew them. Thats what happens when we get OLDER. I do know that one would have to look long and hard to find a better fiddler than Jack Youngblood, I thoroughly enjoyed picking with him, He could light up a stage when it became time to pick.
I don't know about the Old Phart they call Mr Smooth, He's ok I guess, He Just don't give me any respect.

Wow Bill!...Thats a beauty!!

Truly a legend and we've got him right here in Mississippi! Maybe a book by Mr. Smooth? Hollywood could easily make a movie out of some of the stories he can remember. I know Johnnie Hank Lee fit in there somewhere along with Julian Tharpe. 15 stringer? EXCEL builds a class guitar right on the leading edge of the best minds and workmanship. Waiting on a "Stafford Model".

Billy
I know a Johnnie Hank Lee Tale or Two

Bill, one more musician question about Biloxi and I won't hijack your steel guitar thread anymore.

There was a lead guitar player that worked at a club on maybe Rodenberg Ave (between US90 and Pass Road) in the 59/60 timeframe. He played a Gretsch and was an excellent picker and did mostly a one man gig. I think that was the street the club was on - it's the street that on the US90 corner was the place that comedian "Brother" Dave Gardner used to appear at.

It's been a long time so my memory isn't real clear.

I played guitar with Ray Franklin's Orchestra several times at NCO club in the 1950's.

Bill,

Congrats on the new Excel Mitsuo is building for you. Are you having him transfer all of your licks from the old steel to the new one? If you have any left-over licks that you no longer need, tell Mitsuo to save them and I will have him put them on my Excel Superb S10 6+5. I need a few new licks, as both of my old ones are obsolete. (I don't play many hot licks, but my tone is lousy,)

Say "Hi" to Betty from Laurie and me.

Your friend and fan,

Roy Ayres

Roy, good to see you here. Boy, you sure do not need me to give you new licks the way you played and all the great licks and music you have given to all of us over the years.
I consider myself in good company playing EXCEL along with you, Jerry Byrd, Gordon Dodson, Steve Sanford, Margie Mays and a host of others. Thanks for leading the way Roy.
My new one will be in St. Louis I am hoping. It will have the new designed stainless changer fingers. Changer will be new also as the open tuning will be incorporated and that will give the strings a very solid connection to the unit. Hard to wait....
Bill Stafford