The Steel Guitar Forum

Can anybody ID any of these guys?

That would be me, tenth from the right

Bob....I thought I recognized you.

Some people might consider the guy in the center to be making a vulgar gesture?

Scott,

I'm not positive, but I think the steel player may be Rocky Caple. The cigar in his pocket is a good clue. In the late fifities, and early sixties, he played with Marvin McCullogh and the Balogna Bandits around Tulsa. I think that is him (third from left) in the second picture also.

Do you know who anyone is in any of your pictures?

Great pictures, where did you get them?

Rick

That is Marvin McCullough's band, probably in the early 60s. Marvin is in the middle with the different shirt. Marvin was one of those singing Oklahoma DJs like Billy Parker and pretty good at it.

Any old-time Tulsa area hand could probably name all of them. Guys like Billy Dozier, Clarence Boyd, etc, but I don't have old pix of them.

Just found this cool video of Dozier from 2008. He can still get it done on guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVJTbovVHoc

Here is another pic of McCullough from about the same era:




I think Rick is probably right about Rocky Caple. Here is another pic of him from 1955 when he worked with Slim Rhodes in Memphis, when Slim had Rocky and John Hughey in the same band. Looks pretty much like the same guy.

Second from left is Jimmy Hall,Fiddle player and vocalist for Leon McCalliffe prior to working for Marvin.

I can't put the names and faces together, but here are the names I remember:

Rocky Caple - Steel
Clarence Boyd - Piano
J.C. Braughton - Fiddle
R.G. Mills - Bass(I think), Lead Vocals and Harmony
Melvin Bevenue - Drums
Billy Dozier - Lead Guitar

I didn't remember the band having nine memebers, but I do remember R.G. fronted and did alot of singing. Marvin was the star and was brought out for the big show within the show.

Of course, all of these don't match the picture as the band obviously changed over time. Any corrections or additions are welcome.

Rick

Thank for the info guys. I've been looking for the
originals that I scanned these from. I think they had the names with them.

The bottom one is Bobby Barnett playing at Cain's Ballroom. Bobby had Ralph Mooney playing on a few of his early records.

Rick, I think I remember R G Mills being mentioned in the captions to the middle picture. I have a 45 that he recorded on the Razorback label out of Muskogee. May have been Marvin's band backing him up on that I guess.

Bobby Barnett, Rocky Caple, Jimmy Hall, Austin Maxey, and Bill Kizzia all recorded some good stuff for that label. Rocky also recorded for the Sims and Alvera labels.

Do the names Gene Gassaway or Red Day ring a bell?
I think I remember their names from somewhere.

Scott,

I took some music lessons from Gene Gasaway when I was 10 or 11 years old. Not old enough to appreciate that I was getting lessons from a real Texas Playboy. He taught all string instruments and had a kids band called the T-Towners. We had four pieces with drums, bass, lead guitar, steel & even a chick singer.

I also got to play with Marvin's band at Cain's Ballroom when I was about 12. It was the only time I ever played at Cain's and only played one song, because I took lessons from Rocky too.

When I think about the teachers I've had, I should be alot better playing this thing. It's not their fault though.

Rick