The Steel Guitar Forum

There's a commercial for Blue Bell Ice Cream running on tv here showing a country band playing "Happy Birthday"(Blue Bell's 100th). Lots of steel in the music!! Is this just a regional spot? I'm in Arizona.
Who's the Hero? Looked Good!
Anybody else see this?

I have not seen it, but dang, I love their ice cream....

Saw it this morning and I was wondering the same!

Ok guys I live and work close to Brenham which I will state is the reason I have a new pants size. I haven't seen the spot but will inquire about it. Blue Bell eat all we can and sell the rest. If it's a local band Jody Sanders or Jody C. might know who they are??

Frankie Juricek from the Brenham area may have some knowledge of this. He was the steel player with Leon Payne back in the 1940's and was still playing when I last talked to him a couple of years ago. Well worth the drive to the Brenham area to see the Bluebonnets, sample the ice cream and listen to Frankie if he is playing.

[quote="billchav"]Frankie Juricek from the Brenham area may have some knowledge of this. He was the steel player with Leon Payne back in the 1940's and was still playing when I last talked to him a couple of years ago. Well worth the drive to the Brenham area to see the Bluebonnets, sample the ice cream and listen to Frankie if he is playing.[/quote]...amen..amen..amen to blue bell (strawberries and cream) and bluebonnets, indian paintbrush.....and all the other wonderfull wildflowers along the highways in the brenham area..we make a trip from east tex every year to enjoy the beauty.....

The ad's playing here in the Tampa Fl area, too.

I was going to ask the same thing, "who is the steeler"?

Bobby Bowmans love of Blue Bell Ice Cream is legendary, perhaps he got a sponsorship from them and all the free ice cream he could eat in exchange for the steel playin?

I sure hope so. Mr. Bowman is a cool cat.

Could the steel man be Johnny Cox?

Haven't heard the commercial, but agree that is a pretty part of the state, especially this time of year. And home to one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Royer's Round Top Cafe in Round Top, just a few miles from Brenham...Bud makes the best pies in the world! I heard he sold, anyone know if it's still open?

Sorry for the slight misdirection of the thread, but I googled and Royer's is alive and kicking. I thought they may have sold when they moved to Houston, but see now they have opened a 3rd place in Austin. On their website Bud's you can click to see a short feature done in Round Top by The Food Network. It's brief, but may give you an idea of the flavor (ice cream thread) of the area, and a possible reason why one living there may think that extra steel in a Blue Bell commerical ain't a bad idea?

It probably depends on who their ad agency is. It could have been recorded anywhere from New York to LA. I've heard the commercial in Austin too.

Maybe it's "Larry Bell".!!! He's got the right credentials and last name... Go Larry

My solid Texas upbringing tells me it's a totally Texas production, promoting a Texas product, made by a Texas company, owned by Texans!
Hence the excellent use of the pedal steel guitar and country band.

New York City?....LA?.......Git a rope!

I did see the spot last night but have n0 idea who it is.

Darn! I wish I watched TV more! But learning steel takes up most of my TV time!

Larry 'Blue' Bell has a nice ring to it.

I haven't seen the ad but I sure do like the ice cream.

It's not Larry Bell, unless Larry has gained a lot of weight.

Well Steve, hold off on the rope for now. According to the Web, Blue Bell has their own advertising department, and they also work (or did work) with the Metzdorf Advertising Agency in Houston. The jingle could have been recorded in Houston. I'll bet Bobby Bowman can find out who played on it if it was recorded in Houston.

Dallas used to be called the jingle capitol of the world, Rainbow Recording on Irving Blvd. was host to lots of those sessions. Maurice Anderson did a lot of recording there. So, it could have been recorded in Dallas, or Austin, or ??????

I still have not yet seen the commercial, but did find out some info on it. It is done by a band from Houston, recorded in Houston, and the singer's name is Clay Farmer. Jim, the advertising head at Blue Bell, hired the band directly. I checked Clay Farmer's site briefly but did not find a listing of band members. Someone will know who the steeler is.

I also found out that this must be the birthday commercial, and was also done in a gospel version and a German um pah version. As some may know, that area has a large German population, Czech as well.

One last note on Royer's Round Top Cafe, if you visit there and order a slice of pie, they will charge you $1.50 more if you DON"T order a scoop of Blue Bell ice cream.

Boys,
I don't have a clue. Haven't seen the commercial yet. But, I do need to run down to the store and get me some more "Home Made Vanilla",,,,Lord, it's soooo gooood!
BB

It's playing here in south central S.C., tried to get a look at the steeler, but the camera doesn't stay on him long enough.

"Old Steelers never die----unless they overdose on Blue Bell Ice Cream !!!

Brandon the only really reason I got to see is Karen had recorded a show earlier in the day and she called me in to view it. Did you ever get your volume pedal adjusted???