Wade Ray in 1957, who's the steel player in the photo?

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 2 Oct 2007 11:19 am

Here's a shot of Wade Ray & his group taken around 1957. Does anyone know who the steel player, or for that matter, any of the other players are? From the printing on the lower left hand corner it was probably taken in Las Vegas.......Thanks, JH in Va.

Bill Fisher · Post by **Bill Fisher** » 2 Oct 2007 11:52 am

The guitar player looks like Buddy Merrill. Not positive, though.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 2 Oct 2007 1:42 pm

Could that be a very young Red Rhodes on steel? I'm also thinking the drummer may be Jody Walker.

I agree - lead player sure looks to be a "pre-Lawrence Welk" Buddy Merrill!

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 2 Oct 2007 2:31 pm

The steel guitar player appears to be 6'2" or more. Too tall for Red.
Can anyone contact Buddy Merrill for info?

Roger

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 2 Oct 2007 3:17 pm

I don't think it is him, but does sort of look like Buddy Merrill. Also, he doesn't have e-mail. He does have a website and you can go to it and get an e-mail to a guy who has contact with Mr Merrill.

Terry Wood

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 2 Oct 2007 3:18 pm

On second thought Buddy was from Salt Lake, Utah area and if that is a Vegas photo could very well be him.

Terry

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 2 Oct 2007 10:04 pm

I do want to know who he is since he has one of the very early Bigsby steels. It has screws on the front apron which means it was made pre -50.

Randy Phelps · Post by **Randy Phelps** » 2 Oct 2007 10:14 pm

Monty Mountjoy-drums, Buddy Kendrick-bass, Cameron Hill-guitar, my guess for steel is Noel Boggs.

the Morgan brothers(guitar and bass) played in Wade Ray's band during 57 as well...

any chance that could be Joaquin Murphey? He got fired from Wade Ray's band, but was fairly tall... and it looks a bit like him....

another pic of Wade's band about that time... Freddie Tavares played steel with him about that time too.

Here is Noel...

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 3 Oct 2007 12:30 am

The very tall steel player at the Bigsby, doesn't seem to resemble any well known steel player. ??

I met Joaquin in the mid 70s at Scotty's convention. I'm 5' 9" and Joaquin couldn't be more than about
5' 6". Michael Johnstone knew Joaquin very well.

Noel Boggs was known as Pee Wee Boggs in his early years. He may have been 5' 4"--5' 5"??

I think the person who would know for sure is Tom Bradshaw.

Roger

Bill Fisher · Post by **Bill Fisher** » 3 Oct 2007 10:47 am

OK. I just received an e-mail from Buddy Merrill's sister. She called Buddy with my questions, and this is what he said. He knew who Wade Ray was, but he NEVER played in his band. He also did not know any names of band members. So, back to square one.

Tom Bradshaw · Post by **Tom Bradshaw** » 3 Oct 2007 3:54 pm

Sorry guys, but I don't recognize this fellow at all. I'll ask some friends of mine who might know and see if they can post an answer. ...Tom

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 3 Oct 2007 5:13 pm

I guarantee that it is neither Noel nor Joaquin. I knew them both well.

bob grossman · Post by **bob grossman** » 3 Oct 2007 7:26 pm

I think I saw Wade Ray's band in Salinas somewhere around tht time. The steel player was Eddie Martin, but I can only vaguely recall what he looked like. I think he was older and not tall, but I am only sure about the name.

Randy Phelps · Post by **Randy Phelps** » 3 Oct 2007 10:36 pm

Everyone else except the steel player matches up to pictures I have found and the two books I used for researching who played with Wade Ray back then...

I truly wish I'd seen the players, I dearly love the music... Here's hoping someone comes along who knows.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 4 Oct 2007 6:38 am

The late 50s band was Roy Aldridge bass and vocals, Wade Ray fiddle and vocals, Kenny Smith guitar and vocals, and Jody Walker on drums, probably why we can see the name Jody on the drums.

The band was called the Wade Ray 5.

Curly Chalker joined them on steel around late 1958 or early '59, but I don't think that young fella is Curly.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 4 Oct 2007 6:49 am

If Jason Odd doesn't know the answer, then it is unknowable.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 4 Oct 2007 6:52 am

From his size and the fact that he's playing a Strat, could the guitar player be Bobby Whitten? I still don't know who the steeler is but it's not Curley. I'd love to have that old Bigsby though....JH in Va.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 4 Oct 2007 11:13 am

I just got a phone call about 5 minutes ago from my old bud in SoCal (Billy Tonneson) who told me that the steel man was a guy named Jim Corwin. He also said he used to work with the guitar player who's name was Jimmy Byrd or Bird, he didn't know the spelling. Billy also said that the stage the photo was taken on looked like the old Golden Nugget.....JH in Va.

Randy Phelps · Post by **Randy Phelps** » 4 Oct 2007 1:21 pm

jim leonard mentions Jim Corwin in this thread

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... ab90b1cf3c

maybe Jim has additional information?

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 4 Oct 2007 9:56 pm

I was actually suspecting it could be Jim Corwin. I was going through the names of Bigsby owners and Jim was the only one out of the appr. 70 names that fit. Never seen a photo of him before, but Jim's name is among the first Standel amp owners too:
http://www.standelamps.com/about_us/sto ... y_p06.html

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 4 Oct 2007 11:49 pm

Dude.. I forgot about Jim.. shame one me!

Jim joined Wade Ray's band in Las Vegas in 1957, he borrowed Larry Speer’s Bigsby steel and worked the Nevada Circuit with Wade through 1958.
While they were playing the Golden Nugget he quit the music industry for good. And yeah, Jim once told me he was replaced by Chalker in 1958.

Nice one guys.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 5 Oct 2007 12:05 am

Ok Jason, Larry Speer??????

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 5 Oct 2007 2:33 am

Don't know a lot about him, actually.. nothing other than the fact he had a Bigsby.

Steelers Jim Corwin and Jim Leonard have both mentioned him, can't think why I didn't follow it up further.

J.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 5 Oct 2007 2:36 am

Oh yeah.. Sammy Masters mentioned that he played with his band. check the '99 interview:

http://www.rockabillyhall.com/SammyMastIntvw1299.html

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 5 Oct 2007 8:08 am

If this is the same Larry Spears, the last time I heard him was at a club in Tulsa Okla. Good Player in any case. Wonder if he's still around??

phred

The Steel Guitar Forum

Wade Ray in 1957, who's the steel player in the photo?

Wade Ray in 1957, who's the steel player in the photo?

Guitar player

my guess.

Wade Ray's steel player

Larry Speer aka Larry Spears