My First Email Letter From Al Petty.

[Fred Shannon]

I'll cut and paste this letter from Al Petty who is now incarcerated in the prison at Texarkana, Texas. He is able to conduct email correspondence with certain people who have been cleared by the penitentiary officials. There is the possibility that several more can be cleared.

Al has requested a church member in Tyler help us obtain some stuff and the move is already under foot to do that.

I would like you to remember that Al is a minister so be prepared to hear about The Lord, and if that isn't your bag, then you probably won't enjoy this. His new innovations with "finger pulls" might be very interesting to steel guitar buffs. You can email me with anything you want passed on and with your email addresses. Al has to make the request for anyone to be included in his neighborhood so we can get it done that way. Here's the Email Letter from Al Petty:
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From: PETTY JR, ALLEN [09638078@inmatemessage.com]
Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 8:03 PM
To: fjshannon1@suddenlink.net
Subject: FWD: Our Friendship and Beloved Steel Guitar


Dear Fred:

After 5 1/2 years of incarceration and seperation from most persons who share my passion for
the Steel Guitar, I am thankful to be able to communicate with you. I know that much has
happened in your life during this time and, believe me, I treasure any contact I'm able to have
with the "real world".

Meantime, at the risk of asking you to read a "Book", I'll attempt to bring you up to date on
myself during my time in prison. If you have questions about WHY I was given a sentence of
"DEATH IN PRISON", i.e. 24 1/2 years at the age of 70, thereby exceeding my life expectancy
by some 14 years, even tho I've never broken a law, other than traffic violations, please go to
the Web Site I've written since my incarceration; "alpettytrial.com".

For the first 5 years of my incarceration, I was really in a "HELL HOLE", the prison in Beaumont, Texas. Things are considerably more "bearable" here in Texarkana. But, believe me, ANY LOSS of your
Freedom, especially your "Freedom to choose", is indescribable, ESPECIALLY if you've broken no law, committed no crime, hurt or misrepresented yourself to ANYONE, only helped hundreds of people enhance their lives financially.

In summary, without a miracle, I am locked up till I'm 92 years old, (with 'good time'), because the
corrupt prosecution told an enormous lie. They convinced the jury that, SOMEDAY I WOULD HURT
SOMEONE IF I COULDN'T GENERATE $920,000,000,000, (nine hundred twenty BILLION DOLLARS,
almost a "govt figure of a TRILLION DOLLARS!) In other words I'm here because the government
has now assumed "Prophetic Powers". BUT, God has a plan! I consider my present circumstances as just
another chapter in the exciting and productive "three-quarters of a century" journey God has thus far allowed me on this earth! I'm asking, and believing God for another 50 years to fulfill
his callings and purposes in my life. (Those 2 primary purposes are the Study, teaching and
memorization of God's Word-I quote the 16 chapters of the Book of Romans, quoting 5 to 14
Chapters of the Bible 7 days per week. PLUS, I feel called to do my best to develop our-
relatively new, when compared with the guitar, piano, drums, strings, etc., STEEL GUITAR, to
the greatest expression of music EVER attained. And, I feel I'm ON MY WAY!)

Now, let me get to our subject of mutual passion, the beloved Steel Guitar. One of the "miracles
I'm thanking God for is that I've been able to transfer my prison environment from Beaumont
Texas to here to East Texas. My mailing address; Al Petty---09638078---FCI---A3---
Texarkana, Tx---77750. I'm thankful that we are one of the few prisons on a "pilot" Email program. I would love to communicate via email with ANY of our Steel Guitarist friends, so please spread the word.

Until my transfer here, I was not allowed to receive an ELECTRIC PEDAL STEEL GUITAR in the Beaumont Prison. However,about 3 years ago, some friends did make it possible for me to get an ACOUSTIC, NON-PEDAL, 13 string Steel. Prior to that time, on July 29th, '04, on my 71st birthday, in the Beaumont Prison, in FAITH, I started one of the most exciting musical journeys of my life, "Life without Pedals". I was able to start practicing 3 to 8 hours a day,
(that's another MIRACLE in prison because it"can't be done!"!); to develop a NEW system of
making music. I call it the "FINGER PULL" system. (Many of you have seen our long time
friend, Gene FIelds, use this technique in a limited way).

During the past 4 1/2 years, this has developed into one of the most difficult, yet REWARDING,
"musical trips" of my life! For example, during my first year the index finger on my left hand
was totally numb from the extra leverage required of it on the bar. I now pull the strings with
my 3rd and 4th fingers, but at first I could not pull even one string, one fret, accurately with
my finger next to my little finger on my left hand. And I could forget about pulling a string
with my little finger for a long time. Then, SLOWLY, I was able to pull one string, one fret.

However, from the beginning, I excitedly realized that virtually, playing ANYTHING would
now be possible, once I became proficient at this technique, utilizing variations of the
"C-Diatonic-Chromatic" tuning that, as you know, I've played since "89. Slowly I was then
able to pull accurately with my little finger, then, after a LOOONG TIME, I could raise strings
accurately-1,2 and 3 frets, in combinations- with BOTH fingers! My goal was to be able t
o ADLIB fluently, which has long been my chief pleasure in making music. I expected this to
take me about five years. PRAISE THE LORD, the results have FAR SURPASSED my wildest expectations!

The best way I can describe this method of making music is to say; it's like playing in 7
different tunings, each with about 25 pedals, and or, knee levers on them; that's like having 7
steels with about 200 pedals and knee levers total! It far exceeds the musical potential I've had
on the "D-12-24 Pedal-7 Knee lever Steels" I've had in the past. Literally, I can play
ANYTHING that comes to my mind. WHAT A DREAM COME TRUE!; After 54 years of too-
often being frustrated to hear other instruments play chords and single note passages that I
simply could not play on the steel!

In the manual I wrote for the Fender Pedal Steel over 50 years ago, there were 48 chords and
pedal combinations. As near as I can estimate, there are about 2750 chords and inversions on
my 14 String single neck, and I find new ones EVERY day! I added 3 Knee Levers to my "Acoustic"
Steel to help change the tunings. The third and fourth fingers that I pull the strings with are so
much faster, and offer FAR more expression than my knees and feet could ever play.
Like, have you ever tried to dial a telephone, caress your children or loved one, or drive a
car with your feet or knees???)

As I mentioned previously, at the Beaumont Prison, I was not allowed to receive a regular Pedal
Steel. However, here in Texarkana I play steel and sing in 3 Chapel Services each week. Plus I
practice with 3 different bands each week, and because of my playing in these services, I am
allowed to practice Steel 4 to 8 hours most days in the chapel. I'm now using retrofit pickups on
the acoustic steel at this time. I added the 3 knee levers by using scraps of wood, aluminum and
metal-as I was able to scrounge them up in Beaumont, (at the risk of being thrown in the
"Hole!"). The levers, however, do not come back in tune and I'm continually working on, and
tuning, this steel. I also have only about a 40 watt amp to carry the 14 Strings. This means that I
cannot even play my lower 3 or 4 strings in performance because they distort the amp. Also, I
can't LOWER Strings with my fingers, only RAISE them, hence I NEED a Pedal Steel, mainly
for lowering the strings and changing the tunings.

The GOOD NEWS is that, because of my service in the chapel, I will be allowed to receive a
Pedal Steel and decent amp IF IT IS DONATED BY A CHURCH. My Pastor, Fellow Steel
Guitarist and Dear Friend who brought me back to God 28 years ago, Jerry Phelps, is doing all
he can to come up with a 14 string Steel, as well as an Evans, Peavey, or Fender, etc, Steel
Guitar Amp with Reverb, Delay, Chorus, etc. Reece also has mentioned a Stereo amp he is
using and excited about. I wish I had some info on that amp, and anything else that you, and or,
your friends could come up with? And I REALLY NEED a Steel with 5 Levers and 5 or 6 on the
floor. Like I said, I use the pedals and Levers almost exclusively to get various chords and
inversions. However, for all the effects, licks and passages, and most chords within those
tunings, I utilize the much-more-expressive and fast "Finger Pulls". This technique has enabled
me to write and play some exciting Classical, Jazz, and of course, a lot of Country and Gospel
tunes that I never dreamed were possible on the Steel. If a 14 string was available somewhere,
that would be great. Sierra made a few of these years ago. I know that our friend, Bill Stafford,
plays one.

If you or any of our friends can help Jerry Phelps come up with a 14 String Steel, and or, Amp,
please contact him; Jerry Phelps---Cell, 903-372-4158---Home 903-566-4764---email,
info@tylermetro.com. Jerry will explain the procedure for making it possible for him to be able
to donate an amp and Steel to the chapel here for my use.

But the main thing I want to get across you is that I'd love to hear from you, as well as any of
my Steel Guitar friends!

Also, feel free to use any, or part, of this letter on the forum, or in any way that you can, if you
feel it could enhance the status and future of our beloved Steel Guitar. Please remember me in your prayers.

God DOES have a plan, and you and I are a part of it! Let's help each other do our parts!

Looking forward to hearing from you; about you, your life and your loved ones. I spend a lot of
time in prayer here, so if you have need of prayer, let me know. As I often say, "You need the
prayer and I need the practice!"

Love and appreciation,
Al Petty

[John P. Phillips]

Unkle Phred,
Thanks so much for posting that e-mail.
I've never met, nor heard much about Al Petty
but from reading this letter
I have gained a respect for him.
I'd love to communicate with him if he would
like to hear from a steel wannabe. LOL
Thanks again for the post !

[Michael Hardee]

Once Madoff is incarcerated they should ship him to Beaumont to keep Petty company. The two of them could discuss the finer points of Ponzi schemes.

[Kevin Hatton]

Fred, you are not going to find any sympathy here for a convicted Ponzi scheme felon who hides behind religon.

[Reece Anderson]

Fred....I consider your posting of Al's letter to be kind, compassionate, caring and compliant to His word to....Do Unto Others.

There will always be those who live in the Big House, as well as those who live in a Glass House, and we're all His children.

[Fred Shannon]

Michael H. if comprehensive reading was a crime, there would be many folks incarcerated don't you think? BTW Al Petty is not in Beaumont detention. The email plainly states he's in Texarkana, Texas. The US Justice Department paid just about as much attention in the trial as you just did while reading the cut and paste.

Kevin H. I see no place in my post that asks for "sympathy" for anyone. You don't like it, don't read it or ask b0b to remove it. You're entitled to your opinion and the ability to publicly state it, but don't feel bad if someone calls your hand. BTW I covered the entire 8 days of the trial for a newspaper in the Dallas area, and I don't recall your being there, but of course the US Government won't lie, ask any Vietnam Vet who suffers from Agent Orange.

Now back on track: I was particularly interested in Al's dissertation on how he has learned 'finger pulls' (accurately) on his non-pedal guitar. Do you two guys have any comments along those lines?


phred

[Frank Harris]

Please bump

[Herb Steiner]

Some folks only know of Al Petty the convict, while others amongst us have known Al for years as a super-intelligent, quite eccentric, and yes, very religious, human being with a big heart, who suffers from the same weaknesses, frailties, desires, and demons that ALL of us harbor in our souls, and hopefully try to subjugate.

I'm in the latter group, and I chose to look at the whole person.

When I read my email from Al, which contains much the same information that is in Phred's post, I visualized Al speaking the words to me... I can do this because I've had many, many conversations with him. It puts a different perspective on the matter for me.

[b0b]

Let's keep this topic on the subject of steel guitars. Much of Al Petty's email was about steel guitar, and is worthy of response in this forum.

Ponzi scheme discussions can easily get political and opinionated. There is no place for such discussions on this forum.

Thanks for your cooperation in keeping this Steel Guitar Forum "on topic".

[Jody Sanders]

Thanks Bob. Jody.

[Alan Coldiron]

Fred - Thanks for the post. I too hope to someday email Al but have not gotten any word on my application. When you email him please send a hello from me. Al was a wonderful teacher and extreemly intellegent man. He still has much to offer not only the steel guitar community but music in general. I can honestly say I learned more about music from him than anyone else.

[Les Green]

Thanks B0B........

[Don Drummer]

AL,I can't imagine a "fast and exspesivily" executed finger pull on anything other than the first string if that. Looking forward to a little more explaination about your technique. Don D.

[Gene Jones]

****

[b0b]

CLOSED at Fred's request.

I deleted the last off topic response.