The Steel Guitar Forum

We'll be down on Saturday, 26th around lunch time. If you've got enough pickers, I'll just watch and enjoy seeing everybody, if not, I'll bring my MSA D-12 with me and get lost with the two extra strings on each neck. Great show. Great host!

Hi Billy, better bring your axes. Got you on the program at 1 pm Saturday afternoon and Country Jack Harper wants to have fun with you on stage and I want to enjoy both of you...Thanks, see you soon. I have a display table assigned to you also.
Bill STafford

We'll be there. Thanks.

Bill, I really hate that my work conflicts with attending this show. Look forward to playing it again one day.....

Joe Rogers

Me and the MAXTONE man Tommy will be there as well as a country singer John who will be with us. Looking forward to a great time.

I just returned from Bill's show in Gulfport and it again was an excellent and first class show as I knew it would be. The backup band did a great job and my friend, Hal Higgins, sat in and sang with me a did an excellent job. His feeling and phrasing really knocked me out.

Thanks Bill for having me down again.

Herby Wallace

Herby, you just have to know that the pleasure and honor was all mine, with you here. You have been one of our major supports since we started and your welcome mat here has no expiration date. Your playing is improving every time I hear you and we all are so proud that you give us your presence and talent. Thanks Again so very much.

Bill Stafford

Hey, Bill! Sorry I missed this one. I'll have to make plans for next year. Hope that Session 500 is still working out for you.

Bill...I can't tell you how much I enjoyed being in Gulfport for the DSSG Show this past weekend. There was, undoubtedly, some of the finest pickin' & singin' I've heard in quite a while. Herby kept apologizing...but had nothing to apologize for...he was fantastic, as was Billy Robinson and Lynn Owlsley, all of them truly worthy to be "Hall of Famers" in every sense of the word. We cannot say enough about another HOF member Joe Wright who just wooed the crowd with his amazing talent.
Bill Fergueson, a true professional, had that Carter just a singing. Gordon Dodson and his Excel was fantastic. Jack & Martha Goodson were great as usual. There's absolutely no one in the South LA area that can out-do Mr. Buck Grantham. He should be in the IHOF. Bob Saxton and the Jubilee band along with Patsy Triggs put on a great show.
We can't forget the local steelers, Burt, RJ, Billy Carr, Big Will Stewart who were great in their respective sets. Stevie Sanford brought his band along with a nearly 18 yr. old songster that was fantastic. I forget his last name, but his first 2 names are William Michael (somebody help me)....Tommy Oliver and band came in from Fulton, MS and did a great set, too. Don't want to forget our great staff band leader Mr. Roy Rosetta and all of the guys who worked so tirelessly. We also had some great singing by Wendall Gurley. Our MC's, Jerry Jaye, and Country Jack Harper, kept things going. And then there's the man who made it all possible, IHOF member, and awesome master of the steel guitar, "Mr. Smooth" Bill Stafford. I'm always awed by this mans playing. If I left anyone out, it's not intentional. Oh, we certainly have to give the VFW club with Doug and their staff a very big thanks for the great food prepared both evenings. Their hospitality is unsurpassed.

let me say thanks to bill stafford for inviting me down and to all the players for puttin' up with me during the finest two days of classic country music in the entire state of mississippi, bar none, and a special extra thanxx to hal for tendin' to the mix, when his stage time was over. that made everybody sound even better.
also, i thank hal for pullin' julie musgrove out of the ahdience as the show was windin' to a close, as her rendition of "sweet memories" said it all. ....
folks, when hal and bill, twinned the tag, the hair stood-up and saluted ....
man what a way to end a show....now that's country....

country jack.........

Hal, sure thank you for the accolades for all our great players and wonderful , genuine, friends. But, please note that IHOF membership is not one of my qualifications.
I thanked all the players personally before the show ended and I am glad you wrote it all up. Better coming from someone like you, who really awed everyone there. Your rendition of Our National Anthem was better than anyone I have ever heard attempt to play that very tough song. And then you even topped that off with "America, The Beautiful" and with that powerful voice of yours tears were in the eys of many folks there and especially a lot of us veterans who really know what our country is going through these days-hoping that our America, The Beautiful will become strong again and stand up for our precious freedon.
The talented lady, Julie Musgrove, ended our show with the best rendition of "Sweet Memories" heard by anyone in a long time. Julie and Glenn Musgrove had other obligations this weekend but did manage to squeeze us in at the last moment. I was sure glad to see them come in those doors.
The VFW staff really produced for us all weekend. We will have to build a high rise parking building soon.
Country Jack, Jerry Jaye and Randy Blackeney were superb as our MCs. Finally we got to hear Jerry Jaye, RockaBilly" Hall of Fame Member play his steel guitar and sing a few tunes for us at the end. Jerry is one of the best entertainers with a talent in his music equal to that of Wade Ray.(I oughta know because Wade was one of my very favorites in Wade's hey days. I was stationed in San Diego during the Korean war and used to hitch hike to the Los Angelos area to stand outside the club where he and his band played and listen to them till they closed. Then hike back to the ship in San Diego. Was not old enough to get in the club). Never met Wade or any of his band members then, but later in St. Louis, Wade was on the band stand with me and that was something I thought would never happen to me. Thanks goes to Scotty for all these shows all around the world. Thanks , Scotty. And thanks to all my dear friends for making this show of ours one of the best. The band stand is not complete unless Roy Rosetta is on it-and he certainely was this past weekend. Thanks again , Roy and Barbara.
My son, Bill,Jr. drove down from Huntsville. This was his first time to see what his dad likes to do with all his musician friends. He was amazed with my talented friends and had no idear that our steel guitar had so many different "voices". So, we won over another convert-took all you guys to do it as ole dad never could....So proud of that.
Bill STafford

Bill, Thanks for having me on your program of the Deep South Steel Guitar Show. It is one of my favorite shows and I am proud to be a part of it.

Gordon Dodson
Ozark, Alabama

Bill et al:

I sure hate I had to miss this one. Sounds like St. Louis and Dallas had better watch out; here comes Gulfport. With my present health situation, I just can't handle a trip that long -- although Laurie does all of the driving. (All I have to do is just sit there and hold the steering wheel.)

Congratulations on a great show.

Gordon, it is always one on my highlights for you to be here and bring us close memories of our dear friend, Julian Tharp. No one plays his style as well as you do on your 14 string EXCEL, and that new EXCEL pickup really sounds the best. Thank you for being a big part of our show.
Roy, you were missed and are always thought about. You were well represented by Billy Robinson, Lynn Owsley, Joe Wright, Herby Wallace etc.
I want to extend gracious thanks to WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN and Steve Sanford for bringing their grrreat band. William was another big highlight this weekend.
The Jack Hammer Gung-HO Trio was tops in their field of country music entertainment. This was a very special treat for me to see their big bus pull up-knowing that the audience was really going to have much more enjoyment with with group on stage. I was really thrilled when they wanted me to play behind Shorty Davis when she sang "I'm Not Lisa". This lady is one of the finest in the business-I don't care who you are, she is the best. Thanks Jack Hammer for giving me that special honor as I would rather try to play in the holes behind a singer of that calibre than anything else. BTW, the harmony this group gave us was also in the best there is category. Tommy Oliver was their steel player and his Ralph Mooney style of playing would have really impressed Ralph. Glad Tommy was here and I got to meet another outstanding steel guitarist. Thanks for that honor Tommy.
Then, good ole Wendell Gurley showed us what it is like to have another really, really good singer with a deep resonant voice in the realms of Perry Como, Jim Reeves, etc. More later, I am still on a music high from this show and have to come down and think straight to not leave anyone out. I was so proud of all that helped us have this wonderful event...
Bill STafford

Mr. Bill sure enjoyed the whole show i had a blast this was first show i have been able to attend in over a year and a half i really enjoyed it and many thanks for allowing me to be there with my MAXTONE -MODS

Dearest friends,
Looks like we missed another great show. We truly miss each and everyone of ya'll.

Cayla, we sure missed you and all in your family very much. Not the same without you folks=and especially you. I am so proud of you. WOW-finishing college before you get out of high school. What a major event!!! Those past years in Mississippi laid down a good foundation.... Love to all.
Bill Stafford

Hi Billy, I really enjoyed the deep south show. The show was great. Thank you for the opportunity to be on the show and play my Excel. Roy Rosetta really helped me with some of the kickoffs and setting tempos, man he is great. I really enjoyed everyone. as always it is good to see all our friends. Thanks to jerry jaye, Doc rickles and Hal for singing on my show. I had a couple good steelers ask me where i got my style' they liked it but never heard it before, i replied it's the R J Buras style that's all i know. HA! Also I throughly enjoyed Mr Ivan and Wayne on their nopedal steel guitars, boy they were great. if i decide to go lighter' that's the way i'm going. The house band was awesome, and tiny was very good on that bass guitar as was the drummer thanks to them all.
We missed Miss betty, hope she is doing better.

Sincerely;

R J Buras
Excel S12 7x9 only playing 4x5 for now

All the effort for this show goes to all of you that made the music. Especially glad that Bill Ferguson was able to come down from Atlanta. Really enjoyed his magnificent playing.
Pardon me for this late response as I have been doing nursing duty the past three weeks. Betty looks like she is improving a little starting this morning.
R.J., glad everyone got to hear our Mississippi Blues Steel guitarist. Neat to have a style that everyone likes and able to recognize later when they hear you play. Keep up the good work.
Our band was one of the very best, thanks to Roy Rosetta and all the others that have already been mentioned..
Rob Parker was missed by all and I only hope we payed the proper respect to his memory and the memories he gave us. (I really missed him the most, as he kept our program on time and running smoothly).Now, Rob knows just how much he is missed, not to mention his great singing and playing and most of all his friendship to all of us.
Thanks to Scotty for sending us his fellings via email-these were read to the audience.
Bill Stafford

Great show, Bill. Hate I had to leave a little early but I had to go home and put my dog back on her chain. No telling what she'll do when she gets loose. Thanks again and enjoyed seeing everyone.

Hey Mr. Bill, sorry to be so long in posting about your great show, no real excuse except very busy.
What a great time we had, seeing old friends and making new ones. You had a very well rounded group of players and singers on the show. The staff band was sure good and Jerry Jaye and Country Jack really handled their duties so well. I hesitate to start naming steel players as I know I would leave some out that really impress me every time I hear them, but I do especially want to thank those that allowed me to sing on their set--Buck, Billy, Lynn and Bill--what a pleasure!!
Thanks for all your hospitality and for making us feel special and at home. You are a great host.

Enjoyed the show Bill and enjoyed seeing a lot of people i havent seen in a while. Cudos for a good show.