The Steel Guitar Forum

I want to thank everybody for allowing me to come and play yesterday at the Ga steel show!

I also want to apologize for playing so bad on my set. No excuse but i will say that the rear-end collision on my car right before i arrived shook me up and along with some nerves i really stunk playing!

I promise if Bob, Mr. Bill and all the gang there will let me come back i'll redeem the trash i played yesterday!

Also, Mr. Bill you did an awesome job playing "Sweet Memories" with me and i can't thank you enough for taking the time! You are a great player and i hope now and good friend of mine!

Thanks again,
Kenny

Kenny, YOU DID GREAT! I don't remember if anybdy ask if you guys got hurt? I do remember a lot of folks asking "DID IT HURT YOUR GUITAR?" he!he!

I too, want to thank all of the Steel players an sidemen, who gave of their time and talent to make IMHO the best show we have had the priveledge to attend. Here is the lineup (in case you can't remember names) of the players.

AUSTIN TRIPP
JOE TURNER
DUANE REAGAN
JOHN SWAIN
KENNY MARTIN
BILL NICHOLSON
LARRY MOORE
ROGER CRAWFORD
RANDY SORRELS
TOMMY DODD
BILL FERGUSON
WADE MEDLOCK & COMPANY ("The Goatville Gang")

Join me in saying thanks and a "WELLDONE" to everyone who partisipated in the program.

PS: I welcome suggestions and constructive input from members of the GaSGA, to make our next show bigger and better.

Bob Evens
VP GaSGA

I thought all of the playin was great. It was great to have Woody Ledford there and he plays like it's so easy. Charley Vaughn sounded the best I have ever heard him. I don't think he was even on the lineup. We always have great players sitting in the wings who don't get to play. Sometimes they just show up to listen.

I would like to echo the comments about the Ga Peach Jam. I enjoyed being there and hearing some great music. I know one thing that Sho Pro is a good looking guitar. Both Bill and Charlie sounded good when they played one.

OH! NO!
I did forget to mention Charlie Vaughn.


He filled in and (I believe) even cut his session a little short to accomodate for the next player. KODOS to you JJ and Charlie.

Bob

I too want to take a minute to thank Bob and Bill and all the folks at the GaSGC for inviting me to come and perform! Thank you for the comraderie and kind words. And I was honored to share the stage with Woody,John,Wayne and Jim! What great musicians and friends!!!!JS

Thanks JJ for the compliment. When Bill Ferguson asked me to fill in, I was a little leary because I didn't have my steel, picks or anything. Thanks to Jeff Surrett for letting me play one of the Sho-Pro
guitars that he builds. It was a great guitar and it played and sounded so good. Thanks to Bill Ferguson for asking me to fill in and to the great backup band. Everybody sounded so good and my friend Randy Sorrells was outstanding as always. Thanks to all for a great show, I really enjoyed being there.

I am sorry I missed another show. Sounds like everyone had a great time. Always a good show. Miss seeing everyone, but had to be in the recording studio all day Sunday to finish playing steel on a songwriter project. Will try to make the next one.

Great show indeed, I was so glad to be off the road finally for a show, catch up with old friends and hear some great playing. It was really fantastic to see Randy Sorrels playing again after so long! And, yes, those ShoPros are some beautiful guitars.

Sorry for the double post...

Brenda and me would like to thank every one for being
so nice to us at the show. We had a great time.
All the steel players and the staff band did a great job.
Its hard to "stump the band" when you are playing
with players the caliber of Woody Ledford,Johnny
Thomas,Wayne Smith, Wayne Stowers and Jim Hartley.
"Great"job guys.Also,i would like congratulate Woody
on the well deserved award he recieved sunday.
He is such a great player and one of the nicest
people i have ever met in the music world.I'm
also proud to call him my friend."YOU GO WOODY".
Thanks to Bob and Bill for inviting me to play.I
really had a good time.You guys and the rest of
your staff did a great job putting this on.Keep
up the good work.
It's was good to see Ken Fox and his wife.He
is building a good looking and great sounding
'vintage'amp.
Brenda and me always have a great time visiting
with Jeff & Gloria,builders of the Sho-Pro steel
guitar.They are really nice folks.Bill Furguson and
Charley Vaughn had a wonderful tone playing one of these fine guitars.
I also had the pleasure of meeting the builder
of the Rittenbury steel guitar.I did not get back
over to his booth to try one out but,if it sounds
and plays as good as it looks it's got to be good.
It was also good to see and hear my friend Wade
Medlock.He's no stranger to the steel guitar world.
He's put on a steel show or two himself.
To all the steel players,"great job guys".

To Kenny Martin: I'm glad your accident was no
worse than it was.You don't have to apologize
for your set.I know the collision probably
shook you up.But,i think you still had a great
set. regards

Dang... glitch gremlins!

Yeah, it was quite a day. Kenny, no need to apologize, you were cookin'. And Charlie Vaughn gets blind sided when he comes in with just what he's wearing. You sounded great on all that borrowed equipment, my firend. Joe, if you heard any of my set, you heard what a Rittenberry sounds like. I'll miss the November Saluda show, but come February you're more than welcome to test drive it. Randy showed us all why he's working with one of the top acts in country music today. And yes, the staff band. Nuff said. Way to go, GaSGA!

Thanks Mr. Turner! It alwasy a blessing to see ya and sorry i missed you playing! I'm sure it was as good as it gets as always!

Yeah, glad Bob Strickland and John Swain didn't get hurt! I think we are all sore from though! $4800 in damage according to the estimate!

Thanks Roger and sorry we will miss ya in Saluda!

Funny thinh is when the car hit the rear where Bob was sitting the first thing i ask was about John and my steels back there!

I'll hopefully be back in February!
Thanks again guys and i have put Mr. Woody at the top of the prayer list!

Kenny,

I don't know you, but I know Bob and John, and I've seen your videos. My question is: If you drive as fast as you play, how could someone hit you in the rear? Was it the Batmobile or something?

Glad you guys are okay.

Kenny
I thought you sounded great. No need to apologize for anything. I am sorry you had an accident. I am glad you guys weren't hurt real bad. Hope to hear you play again soon.

Hey Rick!

I had two buddies with me so i scared them all the way from Columbia to Atlanta so i thought i would at least stop at the lights when i got in town!

Thanks Charlie but it was rough! I was wired up when i got there and then i had a few that only wanted the fast stuff! When you are already jumpy and with a few nerves, i tend to get what i call the "Steel Guitar Yips"! Its where your mind says you can pull it off but somehow it stops when it gets to the fingers!

It was only the 4th show i have ever played so Bob Strickland told me it will get a little easier after a few more!
I played with Alabama at the Big Spring jam in front of 100,000 people and wasn't as nervous as i was in Atlanta! I think with all the steel players around you want to get it right because you have so much respect for them! Just my feelings but thanks again guys!