The Steel Guitar Forum

Tim mentioned some names I hadn't thought of in quite awhile. Gary Adams is from the Washington Court House area and the last time I saw him he was playing a Tennesse Vols orange Zum. Ken Holycross is still very active around SW Ohio and does the lion's share of sessions in the area. I think he is living around Franklin. Both of those guys are outstanding players.

Leonard Bick is also from around Washington Court House. Bo Cantor used to live in the Fairborn area. My old friend, Francis Chamberlain lived around Miamisburg for many years. Francis worked for the same quartet I play with and recommended me to take his place when he moved to Kentucky. I still keep in touch with Francis.

Jerry Blair and Ken Langdon are also from the greater Dayton area.

I played steel on a session for Kenny Krupnick's gospel group once upon a time and he's from Ohio somewhere. Bob Cox is from Ohio.

Heck, we're just getting started! Lots of "bushes" in Ohio.

I was waiting for these guys to chime in. They don't get on here much.
Doug Goltz, plays a Zumm. Lives and plays around the Eaton/Brookville area

Mr. Wayne Hobbs (Marty Robbins, Connie Smith, Barbara Mandrell, Forester Sisters,ect.) Lives close to me.
It's great to have all these great players at my disposal! I wish some of them would retire or move so I could get some more work!

Jerry Miller in Coulmbus Ohio

I'm an owner. Northeast Ohio.

I'm smackdab halfway between Cleveburg and Dakron. Retired. Used to work for Brightman. He's about 15 minutes from me. This is still considered Kline Country, although there aren't near as many around here as there used to be. Joe's shop was over near Rootstown, and everybody had Klines!
JB

Again, thank you...

So many, but not all I'm sure. I've actually started two lists, one of the players that have chimed in here(consisting of the name and where they live, if known), another of names that have been mentioned(only the name), but for what ever reason haven't raised their hands. I realize a few names mentioned were of great players who have passed. Bless them.

List one: Confirmed players 16 (Chimed in on the forum)

List two: Mentioned players 24 (Unconfirmed)

Thank you Tony and Tim for remembering these players.

So then since you are making TWO lists and checking them twice we can all expect a nice card and steel guitar related gift at Xmas???? ...lol BTW...your seat is almost ready to try out......

Three lists...

For you that don't know it, Mr. Tanner is the guitar player/tellie picker, I am fortunate enough to be able to work with. I won't expound on it, but he knows what I think of his playing. I feel privileged to be in the same band with him, I've learned a lot of music and music theory because of it. And hope to learn a lot more.

Al you made the third list... Hahaha!

There are a few more steel players here in Nashville that originally honed their chops in the Ohio music scene back in the late 70's and 80's. Tony Paoletta is currently playing with Travis Tritt and had spent many years with Patty Loveless. Dan Galysh is another wonderful player that came from the Cleveland area and is currently working here in Nashville. And my start at the steel is firmly rooted in Cleveland music scene in the late 70's and 80's before I moved to Nashville in 1987. I have currently worked for Hank Williams JR. for the last 16 years and other artist along the way.
Tim Sergent....I didn't know you were a Buckeye... No wonder we get along so well...Also you might want to look up Al Moss from Kent,Ohio,another wonderful player who seems to have gravitated towards the alt-country approach and is doing some nice recording in that vein....Mike Daly

Hey, Mike,
Not quite a Buckeye...just across the river in Ashland, Ky...my blood still bleeds blue. I didn't know you or Dan Galysh either one were from Ohio. Nor Tony Paoletta.

Yep. I knew Mike from way back in his Deadly Earnest and The Honky Tonk Heroes days in Cleveland. I didn't know Tony Paoletta until I moved to Nashville. My wife's dad, Tony Riggs, was a popular steel player in the Cleveland area back in the '70s. He passed away in '82.

I'm born and raised in NW Ohio. Originally from Pioneer, 15 miles from Ind. line and 1 mile from Mich. line. I'm in Sherwood now, about 30 miles south of Pioneer. I seem to be pretty much alone in the steel guitar world up here I do have a few friends over in Ft Wayne, Ind. The man who inspired me doesn't play anymore. He is in Montpelier, Oh.(Dave Mock) Ohio is a musical stomping ground for sure!

the Late Jerry Taylor was originaly from Newark,ohio area.When i lived in Zanesville Jerry would come down for steel lessons ,when i moved to IL. to a full time gig, Myron Smith took over teaching him, I didn't know he was working Nashville till he had passed away,he was a great player i was told . May he rest in Peace. Rudy

Dan, thanks for posting. You mentioned Tony Riggs, and I am so sorry to hear he is no longer with us. I first met Tony, back in 1962, when doing shows for Tex, and Joy Clark. He was playing a very crude steel, that I think had a few pedals, and one knee. He used to go off the deep end when we'd do a song that had a bluegrass flair to it. He had a brother, Eddie, that was a singer. All that was gone, when Tex moved to Nashville, with his Brite Star Records, and tried to fit in. I didn't have a steel till about 1975. A Fender 400, and in 77, bought my LDG.

That's interesting Ronnie. I have heard many stories of Tony's stage antics.

I live in Lancaster and have been playing about 5 1/2 years.Actually,I am more of an owner than a player but I wouldn't give it up for the world. I'm 59 y.o. so being an old dog I don't learn the tricks very quickly(and then when I learn them I can't remember them). I play an s-10 GFI,blue,3 pedals,4 knees and just acquired a Nashville 112 amp. It makes my playin(hacking)sound prettier!

Thanks for the kind words from Mike Daly, although he's the guy that deserves far more praise than I for his terrific playing. I learned steel by osmosis, playing elec. gtr. in a band and standing next to Mike on stage, performing at lots of venues around the Cleveland area way back when. All of the former Cleveland area guys that are mentioned above are still talked about up here and proudly claimed as native sons.
Here's a name that may be conspicuously absent form the above posts and that is Rick Troyer at Hummingbird Music in Sugarcreek (south of Canton). Rick is a fine, fine player and impresario, teaching countless steelers and organizing steel-centric events that celebrate all things steel.

You're absolutley right about Rick Troyer, he can play it all. Al, I enjoyed the last time we shared the stage at the Bolivar jam awhile back. Hope we can do it again sometime.
Rudy

For my money, playing both necks, great tone, nice guy, you can't get any better than my friend Leonard Bick who lives in Washington Courthouse Ohio. I've had the pleasure of using him on some shows and he's the man!
Oh, he worked the road for a couple years with another Ohio hell-raiser named Johnny Paycheck.
Great player!

Let me chime in from Lima. Pronounced LY-MAH like the bean. Lost In Mid America (L-I-M-A) Lets see, Ron Dearth, Jerry Byrd,(met him when I was a kid, nice guy) Bob Hempker (Bob and I both graduated from Bath High School) Kenny Davis, Bob Caskey, Bill Pulford, and some others that I can't remember. My claim to fame? I played steel with Brent Mason and his family band,(they're from Grover Hill Ohio) it was quite the experiance! After 5 heart attacks and bypass heart surgery and a stent, I now play for my own amusement. Now chief engineer for Clear Channel Radio and blessed to be alive.

Steel going at it with my D-12 Emmons . Dont forget Chick Donner ,who lived in North Ridgeville,..gone but not forgoten .

I played with Freddie Little, when he played lead. Then Chick Donner took him under his wing, and Freddie played steel. Have no clue if Freddie Little is still playing steel, or not. Does anyone know?

Oh, another name. Was Bill West from Ohio, or did he move here with Dottie, from Tenn?

Ronnie, I haven't heard a word about Freddie in quite some years. He came and sat in with us once at The Touch Of Gold club. We were the house band there for years! Good gig! 5 nights a week.