Looking for Frank Hardcastle

Kelly Hydorn · Post by **Kelly Hydorn** » 2 Apr 2007 9:27 pm

A friend of mine is trying to locate Frank Hardcastle, who is a steel player, and would appreciate an e-mail address or phone number if any of fellas can help out. Thanks.

Bill Myrick · Post by **Bill Myrick** » 3 Apr 2007 4:17 am

Kelly---Check your email please ?

Bill Myrick · Post by **Bill Myrick** » 4 Apr 2007 12:09 pm

Whoops Kelly--- I got a big surprise !! Frank's phone is no longer in service and he is not listed in the new book. He was in Rogers, Ar. right near me in Pea Ridge. I went by the house today and no one answered the door. I'll keep trying to trace down what become of him.

(Ben Jack--you heard anything ?)

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 4 Apr 2007 2:44 pm

I too know the Frank Hardcastle who was living in the Rogers, Ar area a few years ago. He played an Emmons push pull and had a synth. on his guitar. He played a time or two on our Little O' Oprey. Somehow, I think there are two Frank Hardcastles because I know there was one somewhere in Texas. I might be wrong but I think there are two steelers by that name and would not know which one you are looking for.
Jerry

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 5 Apr 2007 1:15 pm

There was a Frank Hardcastle in Southern California in the seventies also. I met him once or twice when he was working with a friend of mine (Drummer/vocalist) Toby Minter in a trio. It was just steel, bass, and drums. He was that good! He could carry all the leads........JH in Va.

Rick Nicklas · Post by **Rick Nicklas** » 5 Apr 2007 2:14 pm

I too saw the Frank Hardcastle in California... He played one night in the same place I was playing. They were just passing thru the Bay Area. I think he played an A6th tuning and he sounded just like a standard guitar picker (a really good standard guitar picker). I will never forget it.

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 5 Apr 2007 3:28 pm

The Frank that was in California worked in Great Falls, Montana for quite a while in the eighties, the last I heard he moved back to Alabama. I think he was from Selma, and if you can find him it's worth a long drive to hear him. He had a new Legrand, but he preferred his Fender, and he could make it sound like a Tele when he wanted to. I believe he is really a great player, I'd love to hear him again.

Bill Myrick · Post by **Bill Myrick** » 5 Apr 2007 3:48 pm

This is turning into something interesting. The Frank I knew has lived here in N.W. Arkansas I believe, since at least 1986, or at least that's when I first met him. He said he played for Haggard for a while and he claims he's the one that Merle named the "Daddy Frank" song after. I remember him telling of playing on the Old Ryman stage of The Grand Ole Opry years past, possibly behind Dottie West or some of them. I'm going to try to trace down where this one went. I have a fear he may be deceased, as his health wasn't the best, the last I heard.

Mike Spaeth · Post by **Mike Spaeth** » 5 Apr 2007 5:03 pm

I first heard Frank play a few years ago at Scotty's convention.He was using an A6th tuning,and he did tell the "Daddy Frank" story there as well.At that time he was introduced as being from Rogers, Ar.

Fred Justice · Post by **Fred Justice** » 5 Apr 2007 5:12 pm

Ok, if Jim Cohen is not going to do this I'll take care of it.

Will the real Frank Hardcastle please stand up.

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 5 Apr 2007 5:56 pm

I've got Frank on video tape. One is on the 1st show we had in Siloam Springs, Ar. in 1995. I also have him when he played with me at an Elks club in Fayetteville, Ar. Frankie played a Fender 1000 when he first came back to Arkansas and then got an Emmons. He could make that Fender 1000 sound just like a Tele as mentioned above. Bill, I hope you can find out about him and if you do, let me know! Ray

Fish · Post by **Fish** » 5 Apr 2007 7:44 pm

This seems like a good time for me to re-post something I wrote on the SGF about three years ago. ----Steve Fishell

"Frank Hardcastle is a hero to me. I used to hear him play regularly in 1972-73 in my hometown of Oxnard, California at the Stallion Club in Wagon Wheel Junction and also at the Ban-Dar in Ventura. As Jerry Hayes mentioned, the band was a power trio with just steel, bass and drums, called 'Toby Rean and the Common People.' Playing a sunburst Fender 2000, Frank’s tone was sensational and he would dazzle listeners with his endless melodic vocabulary and extraordinary technique. He was a true master in every sense of the word, on par with many of your favorite hall-of-famers. He just wailed on the steel guitar, and I cherish the cassette tapes I recorded of him playing back then.

I remember Frankie’s technical command very well, particularly on 'Steel Guitar Rag,' and on country songs like the uptempo waltz 'Hello Mrs. Johnson.' He could rock on the E9th pedals so fast in his own unique variations of the West Coast Mooney style and he would always leave me grinning from ear to ear. I recall he played an A6th tuning on the back neck and E9th on the front, plus Frank occasionally played a mean electric lead guitar, too.

Once, the great Rose Maddox came to town and hired the Common People as her 'pick-up band.' The guys followed her famous left-hand cues and signals flawlessly, without rehearsal, and Rose brought the house down that night. Frank’s musicality that night was completely mind-boggling. Whatta pro.

Several players inspired me early on to study the steel guitar, especially the great Rusty Young, the incomparable Lloyd Green, the always-creative Sneaky Pete, and the coolest of them all, Buddy Emmons. But it was Frankie Hardcastle who taught me how to play the darn thing correctly, how to think like a musician rather than just copy licks, how to wear the cowboy hat and the horseshoe diamond ring. He was very patient with a naïve kid way back in 1973, and I’ll be forever grateful to him for it.

Wherever you are, Frankie, I sure hope you’re having fun with the steel guitar and I genuflect in your general direction. Thanks for everything."

Bill Myrick · Post by **Bill Myrick** » 6 Apr 2007 2:27 am

Guys I am going to do my best to trace down and post the answer to this mistory. Fred--be careful man---if he happens to be deceased, just ignore Fred's request please ? My old heart can take just so much shock !!!

Bill Myrick · Post by **Bill Myrick** » 6 Apr 2007 2:34 am

Guys I am going to do my best to trace down and post the answer to this mystery. Fred--be careful man---if he happens to be deceased, just ignore Fred's request please ? My old heart can take just so much shock !!!

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 6 Apr 2007 6:59 am

Steve F.....You mentioned Toby Rean and the Common People, that was the group. Toby's real last name was Minter and I'll never know why he changed it to Rean. At one point the bass player was Bill Kennedy who was tall and a little pudgy and also a good vocalist. Toby had worked with Rose Maddox before that group though as I worked with Fred Maddox at a joint he owned in Port Hueneme, Calif called "Jerry's Club". Fred had Rose as a guest artist a few times as she was his sister and he could get her cheap. You mentioned Oxnard as your home town. I lived there about 4 or 5 years and at one point played at the Club Vegas and also at the Crow's Nest. I don't know if those places are still there.

Getting back to Frank Hardcastle, he was really a master at backing up a singer. I wasn't playing steel much when I saw him as I was more into lead guitar but I think I picked up a couple of lines from watching him. The last time I saw him was at a show in the John Wayne Theater at Knott's Berry Farm. Toby & the group were one of the acts that day and Frank played his butt off. Being a lead player mostly at that time, I didn't even miss a lead guitar, he played it all.......JH in Va.

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 25 May 2007 10:01 am

Well I'll tell my Frankie story now.

back in the late '70s early 80's, Frank was playing that Fender 2000 at the Borden Hotel in Whitehall, Montana with owner Roy Caldwell on bass, Roy's son-in-law on drums, Dick Robbins on piano, and Roy Lundy on Fiddle. As stated before, when Frank was on stage, you didn't need a six string player. He covered it all.

He told my brother and me that Leo Fender had given him that Fender 2000 and that it was the first one ever made. To prove it he took us over to his guitar with a flashlight and showed us the serial number. It was something like 00000100000 - a bunch of zeros, a one, and more zeros. It had the old cable pulls on the pedals and I think there were 10 pedals and no knee bars.

In his book, Winnie Winston doesn't know what happened to the first Fender 2000. I think I do know. I think Frank has it.

Frank kicked around Bakersfield in the old days. He knew all the guys in Merle's first book: Dean Row, Lewis Tally, etc, and was personal friends with Norm Hamlet. I have asked Norm about this and he awknowledges Frankie as a friend.

More than anyone else, I was inspired by Frank Hardcastle. I would like to know what ever happened to him. He's my hero.

Joe

Jack Klein · Post by **Jack Klein** » 25 May 2007 5:03 pm

back in the 50s, there was a Frank Hardcastle playing with the Texas Musical Harts and played a Fender lead guitar and did Travis style very well.which one was he? Jack

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 26 May 2007 11:39 am

Jack,

It could have been the same Frank. The Frank I'm talking about started out on six string and was quite an accomplished guitar picker before taking up steel. He was also very accomplished at the Travis / Atkins style of picking and could play it on the steel too.

I'd say if old Frank is still around, he's probably in his late 70s maybe 80s by now. He was at least 50 when I knew him in 1980.

Joe

norm hamlet · Post by **norm hamlet** » 26 May 2007 8:05 pm

I met Frank Hardcastle when I was 15 years old and we were just starting high school. We were in different schools, he was in Hanford Ca. and I was in Visalia, Ca. My Dad would drive me and Gene Breeden over to Franks folks house and we would Jam for hours. At the time he played some great Jerry Byrd licks and I wanted to learn them. At the time Frank already knew how to play good and was way ahead of me. This was around 1950 and my dad had just bought a new Ford. We have been friends for a lot of years, but I have lost track of him also. The last time I seen him was in Arkansas.
The Frank Hardcastle I know is the one Jerry Hayes talked about he played mostly in california and worked a lot with Louis Talley in Bakersfield and Ridgecrest Ca. and worked Vegas and traveled to wyoming and other states with groups.
However I think the other Hardcastle in Texas is a little older than the one I know and at the time I met him he was living in California and was around there in the 50`s and later.
Just thought I would add what I know about a great player and a good person to boot.
Thanks.
Norm Hamlet

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 27 May 2007 8:31 am

Ok folks, you realize we are talking about the person who played on Leon Payne's monster hit I Love You Because!!??

I've received a couple of emails from him during the years and he's doind good playing at cowboy churches in TX. To those who are concerned about his Emmonses and Fenders I can say that he had the fifth Bigsby T8 ever and sold it to Walter Haynes who played it on Little Jimmy Dickens's hit We Could and a host of others. Just a bit of trivia for those who care...

Ya'll have a good one!!

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 28 May 2007 6:37 am

In the fall of 1977, I had recently moved back to Visalia, CA from Flagstaff, AZ. I had heard that Frank was giving steel lessons at White's Music in Tulare, but I delayed going to the store for a few weeks. When I finally went to White's, I was told Frank had taken a playing job and was up in Montana or somewhere in the North. I regret my tardiness in seeking him out.

Ken Thompson · Post by **Ken Thompson** » 29 May 2007 1:07 pm

I do not know Frank but I knew I had heard of him the minute that I read the post. I would love any information about Frank and his time here in Great Falls, such as the band that he was in and the other band members. I wish I had the time to do research and a story on all the pickers that sat down in Great Falls over the years. There have been many that made their fortunes in music later on in their careers. For years places like the J-T and the Flamingo Club were host to a lot of pickers. Great Falls is still one of the few towns that has a lot of live music going on during the weekend even though there are only about 56000 people here.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 7 Jun 2007 7:07 am

name has been bugging me for a while, I finally recalled where I knew it from:

http://www.talentondisplay.com/JohnPaulJones.html

cheers

J.

Larry Hamilton · Post by **Larry Hamilton** » 7 Jun 2007 3:46 pm

Frank Hardcastle, the guitar player, is a very long time friend of mine, over 30 years. He lives in Amarillo, Tx. I have had the pleasure of working with him many many times over the past 30+ years. He still teaches guitar at Tolzien's music here in Amarillo. Yeah he is geting up there in years, over 70 that I know of, but still plays his tail off.

Just thought I would let enquiring minds know.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Looking for Frank Hardcastle

Looking for Frank Hardcastle

Frankie

frank hardcastle

Same guy?

oh.. finally