Red Kilby RIP

Al Brisco · Post by **Al Brisco** » 10 Oct 2011 5:26 pm

This is indeed sad news.

Red & I have had a great friendship over the years. Once special occasion comes to mind where we both were performing at Frank Caruso's show in Mass., it was just after I had put out my Ralph Mooney Style DVD, so I had my Fender 400 with me & Red sang all the Buck Owens tunes for the medley I do featuring the Mooney style.

He was always available & willing to participate at any of the shows.

My final visit with him was in the lobby of the The Millennium Hotel in St. Louis on the Sunday after the convention where we had a wonderful visit, at which time he informed me of his health issues, of which I was not aware of. Upon our departure he indicated that he was optimistic about his future.

We sure will miss you Red...& all your support for the steel guitar!
Out thoughts & prayers are with you & your family.
Al Brisco

Marlin Gengenbach · Post by **Marlin Gengenbach** » 10 Oct 2011 6:00 pm

We hugged one another at the Denver show after a wonderful, standard stellar performance...brought tears to my eyes...and when I heard the news today, once again my cheeks were moistened...rest in peace, Red.
Marlin

Ronnie Miller · Post by **Ronnie Miller** » 10 Oct 2011 6:26 pm

Fessy just called me, I am in shock. Last I knew he was doing better. So sorry to hear this....RIP Red..Ronnie

Larry Schoppe · Post by **Larry Schoppe** » 10 Oct 2011 6:51 pm

So sorry to hear this news. Red was one of the good guys.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 10 Oct 2011 6:58 pm

It was a wonderful experience to share the stage with Red once again at the ISGC this year. He was so happy to be 'back in the saddle' again and loved singing "Fly Me to the Moon" at the steel shows because he wanted folks to know that he could sing more than just country and that he was a capable "singer" not only a capable "country singer". Of course, country was his first love, but he also loved swing, Sinatra, and especially 50's Doo-Wop!

I will dearly miss his cheerful, enthusiastic personality. I can't believe this has happened. Rest in Peace, dear friend.

Merrill & Vangie Fich · Post by **Merrill & Vangie Fich** » 10 Oct 2011 7:01 pm

We were so shocked and sad to hear this news! We were so hopeful that Red was going to beat this! Our love and prayers are with Linda and family. May God's Presence give you peace and comfort.

Dan Galysh · Post by **Dan Galysh** » 10 Oct 2011 7:17 pm

I never did get to meet Red in person, though I wanted to. We conversed in the past and he was always very nice to me. I have a few of his Sho Bud hats to remember him by. RIP, Red.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 10 Oct 2011 7:25 pm

No!

Jack Dougherty · Post by **Jack Dougherty** » 10 Oct 2011 8:15 pm

It was great to have known him.

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 10 Oct 2011 8:24 pm

Oh this is very sad news. Red was always so kind to me and encouraging-and a great guy and talent. RIP Red.

JB

Debbie Johnley Glaub · Post by **Debbie Johnley Glaub** » 10 Oct 2011 9:14 pm

Will miss you "RED", will drink a miller lite and eat some pizza ...at your request to honor your life! I can't believe God took you so quickly, guess he needed you more. God speed my dear friend!

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 10 Oct 2011 9:14 pm

I won't even try to describe my feelings about this news.
Red and I enjoyed our visits each and every time we got together. I loved singing harmony with him and he used to tell me how he wished he could sing harmony so he could back me up.
I will miss his friendship very much. All the phone calls we've shared and emails.
Sometimes we just have to trust God and keep ourselves from saying," Did he know what he was doing"?
My mind isn't quite right about this at this time and haven't processed this news.
Great guy and a great friend.
RIP Red.

Chuck Cusimano · Post by **Chuck Cusimano** » 10 Oct 2011 9:58 pm

The first time I met Red was, of course, in Colorado. I was playing for a dance at the Silver Saddle in Pueblo, and he introduced himself to me and asked me to sing "When She Does Me Right She Does You Wrong". I asked where he had heard that song and he said he'd known that song quite a few years. I asked him if he wanted to sing it, and he did. We kept in touch through the years. Then about eight years ago, he called me and said he was going to cut my song on his album. I was here in Texas by that time, Team Roping. I went to the studio when he recorded my song and some others. Thank you Red for the Friendship. I will always be proud of you and your Love for the Steel Guitar and Traditional Country Music. Rest high on the Mountain and sing from Heaven... We'll hear you.
P.S. I just thought of another thing, about three years at the Steel show in Dallas, Red asked me if I had a copy of my song on a 45. I dug till I found one and sent it. You would have thought it was a million dollars. I'm tickled that it brought him joy!!

Thomas Cepek · Post by **Thomas Cepek** » 10 Oct 2011 11:52 pm

OH MY GOD... my dear friend Walter Stettner just mailed me with this bad news.

I don´t know what to say... I´m sooooooo sad with tears in my eyes. I was soooo happy to meet Red at Scotty´s Convention this year and seeing him getting better.

I prayed every day for him since he had this bad illness and always was happy to read here, that he gets better and better.

I will Red miss so much, he was such a nice, friendly and funny guy and such a great singer and entertainer. The steelguitarworld will not be the same without him.

And I´m so happy that he called me "friend".

Why in the world the good guys has to go much too early

My prayers will be with his family.

RIP Red, your friend Thomas

Mike Gross · Post by **Mike Gross** » 11 Oct 2011 2:51 am

This is such sad news. Susan and my prayers go out to his family.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 11 Oct 2011 5:20 am

Red was a fine ambassador for pedal steel guitar. I always enjoyed visiting with him at the steel shows. You will be missed, my friend. R.I.P. James and Tree

Junior Knight · Post by **Junior Knight** » 11 Oct 2011 6:04 am

such sad news! RIP my friend.

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 11 Oct 2011 6:34 am

Wow, just read this. I am totally shocked. We invited Red to our "sound/staff band" supper in St Louis. He was so appreciative.

Sent me an email thanking me just a couple of weeks ago.

My heart is heavy.

Bill Ferguson

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 11 Oct 2011 6:39 am

My heart burns. Guess God needed an Engineer to run the big train and 'Choo Choo' is just the one to do it. RIP good friend.

phred

Bob Callaway · Post by **Bob Callaway** » 11 Oct 2011 7:14 am

This is indeed very sad news. We just heard about it Monday. Red was in St. Louis and singing in the Derby room. He told me he was feeling good and the illness was in remission.We will miss you Red. God Bless and keep you with him forever.
Bob,Barbara Callaway& Margit Stepp.
Derby steel guitars.

Dana Stewart · Post by **Dana Stewart** » 11 Oct 2011 8:10 am

My internet has been down. I got a call from Austin yesterday telling me of Red's passing. I was shocked and saddened to hear this news. He will be missed so much. Our prayers are with Linda and the family.

Kurt Kowalski · Post by **Kurt Kowalski** » 11 Oct 2011 8:15 am

I too am shook up over this. Red and I were good friends, and after my motorcycle accident. Red, always was praying for me and more concerned with my health since I ended up in a wheelchair.

I am so very thankful that Red and I got to spend time together in St Louis and as well Red got up and sang his heart out on mine and LT Zinn's portion of the Gospel steel show in St Louis.

Red also had Barbeque dinner with all of us at the sound booth on Saturday night.

I know that I speak for many... But, Red, you were loved by many and a great friend.

I Miss you already Red.

The angel band just got a fabulous singer.

Rest well my friend - as Doug Rolfe stated, "Your healing is now complete".
with Love,

Your Pal,

Kurt

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 11 Oct 2011 8:49 am

very shocked and saddened by this news..
RIP Red..

tony

DeWitt Scott · Post by **DeWitt Scott** » 11 Oct 2011 9:43 am

My goodness! This is hard to believe. Red sent me a copy of the Country Music People magazine published in England just about a week ago letting me know that Curly Chalker and Lloyd Green were in the magazine. I did reply to him that I was in England when that magazine came out and was aware of it and thanked him sending it to me. I didn't get a reply from him and now I know why. He showed no sign of bad health in St. Louis or in his email to me. It was his dream to become a regular singer at the ISGC like Rob Parker was and was well on his way of doing just that. What a shock and I will really miss him! Scotty

Benton Allen · Post by **Benton Allen** » 11 Oct 2011 10:41 am

Go with God, my friend.
You'll be greatly missed!

Your Bud,

Benton