Are You A Steeler From Michigan?

Dave A. Burley · Post by **Dave A. Burley** » 29 Aug 2008 9:23 pm

I am originally from Muskegon, Michigan and make many trips up home to visit my family. How many of you out there play steel in Michigan and what city and where do you gig? I'd like to visit sometime.
Thanks,
Dave Burley

Lonnie Zsigray · Post by **Lonnie Zsigray** » 30 Aug 2008 3:28 am

I live in St.Louis and play in Saginaw over here on the other side of the state.Know of a couple steelers who live over on the west side but don't know if they are forum members or not.

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 30 Aug 2008 6:29 am

Check my schedule. If you see a date and location near you email me to make sure it's a steel guitar gig.

http://www.drewhoward.com

thanks,
Drew

Jim Eller · Post by **Jim Eller** » 30 Aug 2008 9:12 am

Topic: Are you a steeler from Michigan?
Yes.

Check out Drew if ya get a chance!

Jack Klein · Post by **Jack Klein** » 30 Aug 2008 9:28 am

hi, Dave, Alpena calling here. steelers are scarce up north. my gigs are in the back room.
seating cap.-4
seats usually available.
hrs. vary, so call ahead.
Jack

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 30 Aug 2008 10:19 am

Hey Dave,Pontiac here..Don't gig out anymore but the coffe pot is always on.Usally a couple of Millers in the fridge too..[You gotta supply the girls]..

..PJ

Bob I. Williams · Post by **Bob I. Williams** » 30 Aug 2008 2:10 pm

I'm from Hardwood, Mich. (In the U.P.) I left when I was 16 and Came to Az. (in 1955). Been here ever since. Still playing now and then. BOB

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 30 Aug 2008 7:30 pm

Thanks Jim. I'll put in a word for my buddy and partner on the Steels Heal the World CD, Joe Wilson.

Gabriel Stutz · Post by **Gabriel Stutz** » 2 Sep 2008 9:42 am

I was born and raised in Woodland, MI. It's a town of just a few hundred people between GR and Lansing.... I didn't really start playing steel until I moved to Chicago, but I'm glad to know there's music to hear next time I go back.

Gabriel

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 2 Sep 2008 10:50 am

I'm from Sault Ste. Marie. Been out in California since 1963. Still miss the seasons ......

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 2 Sep 2008 11:06 am

I haven't lived in MI for many years, but will always carry the joys and memories of my fledgling steel days in the late 70's from the great scene around Kalamazoo, banging heads with forumite Larry Bell and many other fine, and fun, musicians.
Good times. Really good times.

Steve Branscom · Post by **Steve Branscom** » 2 Sep 2008 11:09 am

I'm from Southfield, a NW suburb of Detroit. Left in '75 for PacNW. Been here ever since. Still a Red Wings fan though.

Bill Moore · Post by **Bill Moore** » 2 Sep 2008 3:25 pm

I live near Manchester, which is about 25 miles west of Ann Arbor. The band I play the most with usually plays in the Jonesville-Hillsdale area.

Augustus Odell · Post by **Augustus Odell** » 2 Sep 2008 3:27 pm

hi, Lived in Michigan for 30 years .Live in Tampa Florida now.There were lots of steel pickers in Port Huron years ago .I dont know if they are still there .

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 2 Sep 2008 3:57 pm

Hi Dave
We met at a couple of the Michigan Steel Shows and discussed the sessions you produced in the 70s.

We have a bunch to choose from, but several of these guys have moved away. I'm sure Dave knows most or all of these guys, but, for the non-Michiganders, I'll submit these names

* Some guy named Franklin
* Gary Morse
* Leonard T Zinn
* Danny Dunn
* Frank Rogers
* Joe Wright
* Danny Hullihen
* Al Marcus
* Tom Stolaski (now in Alabama)
* Bud Vanderberg (who was in Bradenton, FL but recently moved back to MI)

and, of course, Drew, Mark, and the others who have already responded

and, I'm sure, a lot that I'm forgetting
(oh, yeah -- ME -- I wasn't born in Michigan but 31 years in Kalamazoo qualifies me as a bona fide transplant)

I miss all my Michigan buds (but NOT the Michigan winters).

Danny Hullihen · Post by **Danny Hullihen** » 5 Sep 2008 4:46 am

Hey Larry, I don't miss the Michigan winters either, I've been right here to catch every one of them.

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 5 Sep 2008 5:15 am

Rusty Rhodes is from Michigan also.
He's very talented!

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 5 Sep 2008 5:26 pm

Here are a few pickers that I know in Michigan.
Jerry Hendrix in Manistee
Bobby Wright in Kingsley
Marilyn Myers in Merrit
Butch Broad in Traverse City
Jaxie Hartman in Merrit
Jim Heady in Manton
Jerry Johnston in Roscommon
Gene Calkins ,great non pedal picker.
Skeeter Klott in Grand Rapids.

Bud Vanderberg, Rapid City Mi.

Terry Bethel · Post by **Terry Bethel** » 5 Sep 2008 6:11 pm

I was raised in Flint Michigan. There were a lot of steelers in Flint at the time.
Chuck Adams-Worked with Jim Reeves before Jim went to the opry. Also worked with Pee Wee ? and the Golden West cowboys.
Chuck Rich-Played with Casey Clark in Detroit when country music was big there. Went to the Midwest Hayride in Cincinatti in the 70's and is still playing there.
Jim Baker- Lives and worked in Nashville. Was with Mel Tillis when I went to work for Mel in 69'. Has
played on many sessions, before they started putting the players on the liner notes.
Dale Gray- Good player, don't know where he disappeared too.
Joe Dowdy-Good guitar player, he also disappeared.
Me - Terry Bethel, who haven't I worked with?

There are probable some I forgot, and I apologize for that.

Terry Bethel

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 5 Sep 2008 6:44 pm

And our buddy Wiz Feinberg..Last time I looked he was in Flint..

..PJ...

Tom Stolaski · Post by **Tom Stolaski** » 5 Sep 2008 7:34 pm

And then there is the original steel guitarist for the Twang Brothers Band from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Dean Daly

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 6 Sep 2008 2:00 pm

Larry and Willis(old Bud). that is quite a list , but you forgot a couple, easy to do, Fred Welch and Pete Domeier. A lot of top players on that list...al

Paul Mozen · Post by **Paul Mozen** » 1 Jun 2022 9:53 am

Grew up in Southfield (yayyy) Wasn't till I moved to Grand Rapids that I started playing steel. Played a bit with Larry Ballard there, also met Frank Rogers. On to KC where I played with a great bunch at the KC Opry.
Now I live in Fla. and havn't played in years. Dave, I did go to your 5 steeler show in Muskegon in the 70's Johnny Gore and Jimmy Bryant were there WOW. That started me on my PSG journey....

John Drury · Post by **John Drury** » 1 Jun 2022 10:14 am

Dave A. Burley wrote:I am originally from Muskegon, Michigan and make many trips up home to visit my family. How many of you out there play steel in Michigan and what city and where do you gig? I'd like to visit sometime.
Thanks,
Dave Burley

Born in Detroit, grew up in Farmington Hills, lived in Howell until 1983.

I was introduced to the PSG by Ron Blight in 1978, also of Howell. He was playing an MSA 12 string Ext. E9 with the Ron Coden band at the time, not sure if he is still playing or not. I knew then and there that I had to own a PSG after meeting Ron and hearing him play!

BTW, Ron took lessons from the same lady that originally taught P. F. Jr., also a Detroit Boy.

Moved to Nashville in the summer of 1983 and the very first thing I did was buy an S-10 Deckely from Duane Marrs. Played that for a couple years and then got a SHO~BUD LDG from Bobbe Seymour, went to work for him as a tech. at SGN shortly afterwards.

Bobbe lived in Detroit for a few years, I actually met him at a joint in Dearborn in 1966, he was playing bass for Johnny Rivers at the time. Shortly after that he had the first saw accident, he had his bar hand ring finger set straight and switched to steel guitar.

Currently playing a couple of Mullen S-10's.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 1 Jun 2022 2:02 pm

Did a wedding gig for a rich guy once on a lake outside Hesperia, back in a previous lifetime...

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