The Steel Guitar Forum

Some real highlights for me in the past few years. The steel world is unique in that you can meet your heroes up close.

Skip Edwards and Jay Dee Maness


John Hughey


Lynn Owsley


Don Helms


Buddy Cage and Neil Flanz (three Canadian steelers!)

Yes, Chris!

I didn't know Buddy Cage is Canadian...

Hey Andrew! Another fellow Canadian picker!

Here is a cool interview with Buddy:

http://www.thecoolgroove.com/cage.html

It was a real thrill meeting him. He told me about playing on Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, which was really cool. He was really laid back and super-friendly. In fact, all of the guys above were approachable and easy-going. Meeting Hughey was crazy, because he's one of my all-time favs. He said he knew me from the forum, which was wild! Ha! I love being a musician, but I also love being a fan.

Nice pics you have Chris. I may have jumped the gun in posting some of mine. I apologise.

Wow...I'm flattered to be included in such good company.
Right back atcha, Chris.

Skip, I hope I'm still allowed to be your friend and fan!

James and others, please feel free to post pics of you with your favourite players. I should have mentioned in my first post that I was hoping for that!

Andrew, Buddy Cage was born in the U.S. but grew up in Canada. He lived about a mile from me. I met him when I was about twelve years old when I started taking steel guitar lessons at The Ontario Conservatory of Music. We lived just west of Toronto, went to high school together, and got back stage at a lot of Country music concerts. This allowed us to get to meet people like Buddy Emmons, Buddy Charleton and many other famous steel players. when we were just teenagers. We got back stage courtesy of Ollie Strong, who played steel in a lot of the Canadian bands that opened for the Nashville acts of the day.
John

Ok, I thought I jumped the gun just a little.
Hal Rugg

Lynn Owsley, Ralgh Mooney, Steve Robinson, and me.

Tom Morrel

Chris, that's a fine looking family of steel Buddys you have there,super players. My hat is off to you as well.If you are ever in Halifax give me a call--E-mail we will go jamming somewhere if you like. Bob.

Hey, Chris: Thanks for the link to that great interview with Buddy Cage.

John: Thanks for your tales about going to school and concerts with Buddy. I had no idea about his Canadian connection.

I began my career in music in Winnipeg playing in a band that did a lot of Dead and New Riders along with bluegrass, doing week-long gigs in rowdy prairie bars. Seems like there was a fight most nights. I played electric guitar and 5-string banjo, but heard a lot of Buddy with the New Riders.

I took the bus to Nashville when I was 19 and landed a job at Sho-Bud. Total culture shock. And a great experience. Funny how all these years later it leads back to Buddy Cage.

Back in the 70's...(no pics) I showed up to audition for a band in Gadsden AL...The steeler was Julian Tharpe....Who knew?..I didnt even REALLY know what a steel was back then...lol...(Still dont?)..
I really enjoyed the BC interview Chris...great post...Mick in Dallas

Hey Chris great pics!
I only have one pic with my idol. Not the clearest..it's taken with an Instamatic camera and, 30 years later, scanned.
This is Lloyd Green and me at the ISGC in 1977.

I was within a few feet of the great John Neff, but I didn't know how to go up and introduce myself, so I didn't get to meet him.

Hey everyone,

Thanks for chiming in and also contributing pics! As we all know, we're so lucky in the steel world to be able to meet and chat with such great musicians.

Bob, the next time I come to Nova Scotia, I'll be sure to get in touch. I'm planning a trip there to jam with my buddies at the Lower Deck after Christmas, so I'll let you know. I'll have my steel with me.

James- where did you get that Sho-Bud hat, if you don't mind me asking? I want one!

Nice pics guys

Kyle Dosskey wrote:James- where did you get that Sho-Bud hat, if you don't mind me asking? I want one!

Nice pics guys

My pal Red Kilby makes these hats. He's a forum bro, so look him up.