The Steel Guitar Forum

There are quite a few Forum members who are fine steel players who also have other hidden talents some of us might not be aware of. I'd like to spotlight Jim Bob Sedgwick of Missouri (formerly of Southern California). When I went to the Foothill Club in SoCal for the first time in the late seventies the front man and lead guitarist was none other than ol' Jim Bob. He was/is a great vocalist with a nice range and can sing just about any kind of music there is from Rock to Pop to Bluegrass to Country or whatever. If that wasn't enough, he's a very accomplished lead guitarist and was one of the top players in the Los Angeles area for many years. Then to make things worse, he took up the steel guitar and has really excelled on the instrument we all love. JB currently plays a Williams D-10 and plays anything he wants on it. Now with all that said, he's also a fine bass player. On the DVD that Mike Perlowin put together of a couple of live shows starring Curley Chalker. On the shows in Southern California, guess who was the bass player? Jim Bob, that's who. Now we know, it ain't no easy task playing bass with CC.........I wouldn't want to do it...JH in Va.

IMO most good steel player and fiddlers are probably the better all around players in country music. I know many great lead and bass guitarist that moved on to playing pedal steel guitar, plus they could play a half dozen other instruments equally well. Right here in Missouri Tony Shafer and Brad Edwards can both play the tar out of at least a half dozen different instrument plus pedal steel guitar. Last year at the Dallas/Ft. Worth Steel Convention, steel guitarist Johnny Cox played bass on stage and his tempo and sound were excellent.

Thanks for the Kudos Jerry. You said it just like I told you to say it. (the checks in the mail). Apparently, (I haven't seen the DVD) , They must have left out the part on one song where Johnny Davis stated "We have to get you away from Jack", meaning Jack Laux, the club owner. Johnny stated this because at the time we were sight reading Curley's charts. I got totally lost on this tune. (Misread the chart and was not familiar with the song even though it was a classic). It was a blast working with Curley that Sunday afternoon.

Are you going to the convention this year? Hope to see you there.

Hey JB, yeah, I'll be there at the convention this year. It'll be the 20th anniversary of my first Steel Guitar Convention in '87. Speaking of Jack Laux, remember in '87 we did a set of West Coast tunes with you on steel, me on bass, Jack on vocals, and Harley Morris on fiddle. Seems like yesterday but it's been 20 years. That was the year that Kenny Dail and I went there together, it was his first one too.........JH in Va.

Hello Jerry and Jim Bob...sure wish I could be there with you guys this year. Lot of things have transpired since 1987. A lot of my heros and friends are playing for a new audience now. You guys have a good time and remember me once in a while.