As many of you know, Kayton was Hank Snow's steel player for over 30 yrs, up to the death of Hank.
What you may not know is; Kayton was NOT hired to be Hank Snow's steel player. Rather; he was hired to play a type of rythym on a regular guitar that Hank loved.
In fact, it was Chubby Wise that heard Kayton play rythym this way down in Florida when Kayton was playing rythym in a band eons ago. Chubby called Hank and told him about Kayton doing this, and Hank called him and paid his way up to Nashville. The next week Kayton auditioned for the job and Hank hired him on the spot to play rythym guitar.
Jimmy Crawford was playing pedal steel for Hank at the time.
Later, when Jimmy Crawford left Hank, he then selected Kayton to play steel for him. That began the legnedary career. Kayton was also the bus driver for Hank and the band.
To see 30 yrs worth of wear and tear, click on the following links:
Note: This Fender D-8 "Custom" was purchased in 1951 or 52 (can't remember exact). He has never used another steel since. Amazing!
All of this information was given to Hazel (my wife) and I during our awesome visit last August to visit Kayton in his home with his precious wife IvaLee.
May Jesus bring Kayton comfort and peace during his mourning of IvaLee, who passed away this past Sunday.
I had the pleasure of getting to hear Mr.Roberts play his steel guitar with Hank Snow almost every weekend at the opry for 2 years as I was playing there with one of the opry artist in the early 80's. IMHO Kayton is one of the greatest steel guitar players ever to play. I'm very sorry to hear of the passing of his best friend, may god comfort their family.
IMHO Kayton is one of the greatest steel guitar players ever to play.
I could not agree more.
In all the years somehow, I had never seen Kayton play, but I did buy an album of him playing many years ago. I had heard about him often and was told that he played with Hank, but somehow, I never got to see him play.
Then some years ago I got cable for a very brief period (before and since I have only had an outdoor antenna) and I recorded the GOO a couple of times. And to my suprise I got a video of JUST the ending of the opry TV show where Kayton was playing behind Hank as the WSM credits were scrolling up thru his awesome abilities.
Beyond that I had never seen a thing. All I knew was, Kayton sounded great in every recording I heard with him playing for Hank.
Then a strange thing happened. I wondered why Kayton had never played at the ISGC. Then I heard Scotty mention one time that he had invited Kayton for 25 yrs. But he flatly refused.
When Hal Rugg and Larry Sasser asked me to produce Atlanta's first steel guitar convention in 1997, I was determined to get Kayton. And I must admit, it did take some doing, since he flatly refused me too.
But I would not take no for an answer. Finally, he relented. And he agreed to come and play. And did he ever. Three standing ovations. While the fans were raving over him, I walked over to him and asked, "Kayton If I held this show next year, would you come back and play?"
Whereupon, he replied, smiling from here to eternity, "You'd HAVE to drive me away!". Never have I seen a player soooo excited and happy. I was thrilled beyond words.
Then David Russel en-impromtu, kicked off Hank's "Moving On" fiddle intro, and Kayton sat back down, and played the whole thing solo. I shall never forget that thrill, As the fans went crazy. What a perfomer! And what a wonderful person is he. Oh how I wish that event was captured on video.
That began a very close relationship that I shall take to my grave. And the greatest thing of all, is I now too, believe that he is one of the greatest steel guitar players of all time.
He can play ANY thing and he can emulate ANY thing on that worn and tired old Fender Custom. Few players on this planet have impressed me as much. In a word, he is AMAZING.
Simply a gifted from God player. My wife and I sat and watched him and Ivalee (for 6 hours over a two day period) dazzle us with a musical virtuos show I wish I had recorded. It was an experience that even my wife could not stop talking about driving to Chicago.
But my most treasured memory is when Kayton called and said he would come and play at Hazel's funeral. She died just 6 days after that event. That will forever be in my heart.
May Jesus bring Kayton comfort and peace and may he rest precious Ivalee's soul as well as Hazel's dear soul.
He and his wife greatly entertained us last year at the Lexington Show. I hope he'll be back this year. The guy has so much energy and talent. I'd seen him play at Scotty's before but the Lexington show sticks in my head, probably because it was the most recent.
