The Steel Guitar Forum

Just got home to Las Vegas....what a time we had. In spite of the weather, our die hard steel guitar enthusiasts came out to hear what was termed the best steel guitar show yet!! Everyone pitched in and this show, I believe, was our best. We have set the standard pretty high so next year we have to try and top this year.
I cannot express enough gratitude to all the volunteers who made our show possible; John Hensch and his A/V crew, the ladies at the registration desk, the stage hands, the vendors, the badge checkers at the door, the staff band (I don't know how they do it) and of course all the wonderful players. This year we had several players who had not played on our show before, and they all did a wonderful job.
I am so grateful for all the folks who came to support our efforts and braved the weather.
God bless each of you, and after a few days, we will begin planning for 2011 (sounds strange to say 2011)!

Billy Easton
Las Vegas, NV

Billy,
I really appreciate all the work done by you and all the people you mentioned. This week's show, your 7th show, my 4th show, was your best so far.

I will turn 70 years old in march, and I had never been to steel guitar show.I went to my first one this last weekend, and it was awesome. Got to hear and even meet some of the best players in the world. Thank you Billy, Troy, Joe, and everyone else involved. One of the greatest things to happen to me in a long time. I'll be back next year. I am also a proud owner of a Steal Seat Lite. Great product. Gary

I have said this before I am still on Colud 9 or maybe 10

It was a great show and thanks for those kind words.

When I was told at the show that it was the best ever and many things like that it makes me feel great too.

Glad to be a part of the show.

As Billy said we set the mark high so we have to try to top that one.

Thanks to all that helped

Joe Naylor
steelseat.com

We would like to thank Billy and all the SWSGA crew for the invite and all the help they gave us. The show was a SUCCESS!!!!!!!!! We had to go the southern route home, but at least we got to see some new country. We got home this morning about 3:30am. Austin left for Kansas this morning. Should be home about noon. Thanks to all the band that played for Jerry and Austin. You always do a GREAT job. See some of you in Dallas!!!!!!!!


Donna

Billy and all of the crew,
I don't know how you manage to keep getting better and better every year. But you do. Even with the bad weather,from my vantage point,it seemed that the attendance was way up this year..
Thank You for making me a small part of this show. Looking forward to doing it again.
And Thanks to all of the players that made me WORK so hard this year. For me that is the REAL fun of the show.
Love all of you folks.
Hopefully will see several of you in Dallas this year.
Just got home around 2:30 this afternoon,Monday.
I'm going to CRASH now.
Paul

I, too, want to thank SWSGA staff, its volunteers, the great house band, and particularly John Hensch and His Henschmen (new staff name for ya, JH!), who work SO hard and give us such an amazing audio and visual experience. They are the unsung heroes of the whole show.

I want to publicly apologize to my bandmates: in the heat of the moment, I completely forget everything I wanted to say, including introducing them and thanking them for such great playing. The cats from Los Angeles were: Al "Too Hip for the Room" Vescovo on guitar; Doug "Earnest Bovine" Livingston on keys; Rick "Surf's Up Dude" Schmidt on bass and lead and harmony vocals; and the fabulous drummer Paul Polish (where you from, Paul?).

Also a sheepish apology to my San Pedro playing partner Ken Bedes, I should have given him a nice send-off before launching into my set. Oh well, nerves, you know, and in-the-moment excitement and tunnel vision.

This truly was a fantastic show, despite the weather, despite some customary big names not being able to participate. No matter what or how we played, the crowd loved it and showed their appreciation, which in the end is my main purpose, providing musical enjoyment for the audience.

Billy, thanks for giving me the opportunity to teach my 2 workshops, I hope I can do it again. I think they worked: on Saturday, Ike Eickhoff had already written a near-perfect Nashville chart for a song he likes! All my students were very sharp, very attentive, really worked hard to absorb a lot of material I presented.

I can hardly wait for the 2011 show!

---John McClung (Professor Twang)

Billy, Joe and crew (ladies included), you all did a great job with the show. The crowd seemed to be up this year and the players were fun to listen to. Keep up the hard work.

Thank you so much for having us out to be part of your show. We have so much fun. Randy said on the way home that he had a really good time. He hasn't had a vacation like that since he was a child (he always has to stay home and work).

Thanks again everyone!

The Stewarts

John McClung, speaking for myself as one of the "Henschmen" I want to say what a pleasure it is to work with John Hensch. This was my second year to run the stage monitor soundboard and I really had a ball mixing for all the players and the band. I especially enjoyed your set because you West Coast guys have taken the steel guitar to other dimensions. Hope to work with you in Phoenix again next year.

I want to add my compliments to the officers and staff of the SWSGA. It was my third time there and it just keeps getting better. The quality of your show is as good as any big show in the country!!

I had a blast hanging out with everyone and listening to some fine playing. There were many highlights but I really enjoyed meeting and finally hearing Rick Schmidt play steel and bass. It was also an honor and great fun to play bass with Tommy, Fred, Russ, and Doug. And in a rhythm section, it “don’t get no better” than being between Roy and Paul.

I hope to see ya’ll again next year if not before!

Lisa and I want to thank everyone at the SWSGA for producing such a fine show. It's great to see so many old friends and we are honored to be a part of it. Thanks to all involved and we'll see you next year (if we don't see you in Dallas).

Many thanks to Billy and ALL the gang for a first class steel guitar week-end...I don't know how it happened with the weather being what it was, but it happened in a BIG way....it was standing room only on Saturday afternoon and evening....it's great to see old friends and to make new ones, but the highlite of my weekend was getting to see my very dear friend Carl Richardson from California....he drove down to the show in spite of being in a lot of pain and if there were an award for the most dedicated and loyal fan of steel guitar, in my book he would definitely be the first recipient. Laney and I love this man and hope to see him again soon.
I am indeed looking forward to 2011 in Phoenix if it's in Our Lord's plan, and I have no doubt that it is.
See you in Dallas,
rh

WOW!!!!! What a great show. My thanks to Billy Easton and all of the staff of the S.W.S.G.A. who worked tirelessly to put on this great show. It was a privilege to be a small part of this show and I thank the club for having me. The weather this year was certainly different from past years but it did not dampen the enthusiasm and spirit of the huge crowd who were in attendance.
Thanks to all of the sound crew who did a super job, thanks to Joe Naylor for doing a great job of keeping the show on time and last, but certainly not least, "thanks" to all of my fellow band members Paul Polish, Denney Sarver, Chuck Back, Ray Harrison and Bill Cunningham for making my job so much easier. We're looking forward to being back next year. I hope to see many of you in Dallas.
..Roy

I also want to add my sincere thanks to everyone for making my very first steel show such a wonderful experience! I don't think I've ever been so nervous playing, but literally everybody there made me feel right at home and part of a really great family. It was so cool to meet and hang out with so many steel guitar heroes, (and great musicians in general), and get to soak up so much inspiration from what seemed like everyone I met.

I really hope to see all my old friends and new friends again next year!!! I'm hooked.

Thanks SWSGA for making it all possible!

I'd like to add my thanks to all you GREAT players who came to Phoenix this week and put on such a great show. I know that Norm Hamlet came in on Monday just to be sure he didn't run into bad weather to keep him away. To Roy, Paul and Chuck, I'd like to say thanks for letting me be a part of your great rhythm section. See you all at #8.

Thanks Billy & Crew!! had a great time.best show in the West !!!!

Great show enjoyed many players to mention afew would be Russ,Rick,David,Tommy,Bill,Doug,o!yes and Ray for a great show.

Many thanks to Billy, Troy, Joe, and everyone at SWSGA for a great show and a wonderful time. I think it was one of the best shows yet. SRO Saturday night!
Everyone attending had fun and heard some of the best Steel Guitar in the USA. Norma Jean, my wife and I plan on being there next year. The show keeps on getting better and better every year.

I also want to thank John Hench and his crew for the great Audio-Visual. It was superior.

Thanks again,
Al

I also want to thank Billy and everybody involved in this show. It's very well run, which makes it a pleasure to perform. Most important, it's just a great bunch of people who get together in Phoenix each year.

Here's a taste for those of you who couldn't make it:

Taste of Phoenix

Just returned home this afternoon and I cannot express enough thanks to all for my invitation to this wonderful show. Special thanks to the great Al Vescovo for the pleasure of being on the program with him. Thanks Billy for this opportunity. See you all in Texas soon.
Bill Stafford

As a newer player, the SWSGA show was pure inspiration. It's not often that you can walk up to several masters and chat with them about the craft and how to improve. It was a fantastic show. Hope to see you all soon, and maybe, if I practice, play the show one day.


mark mcconville

As everyone has previously stated, miraculouly, the show gets better each year.
The talent level was really exhibited this year. I enjoyed singing with some really great players and listening to some shows that I hadn't heard before.
Thanks Doug Jernigan for "The Shadow of Your Smile", Bill Stafford and Al Vescovo, Albert Talley and Mark Giles, all of the great Duo players and some new ones like Rick Schmidt. Too many to mention. It's always a pleasure to visit and sing with Norm Hamlett, how could it get any better for me.
I am extremely proud that I get to be a part of this show and work with the house band.
Thank you Roy, Paul, Chuck, Denny, Bill, and all the sound crew, Great job.

I am not even sure how to start this one. AMAZING ME LOST FOR WORDS ----

Emceeing is the best thing ever. First, I get to see every act since I need to be there, second I get to talk to all the musicians.

Amazing show and I am happy to be a small part of it.

When you get to help with something so sucessful it is a pleasure. I am often asked how I keep going for the whole show ---- I never think about it till Sunday --- when I sleep in and set on the couch most of the day.

Also thanks for all the interest and orders for steelseats too.

Thanks to all that helped and preformed - see everyone in Texas

Joe Naylor
steelseat.com

Billy Easton, it was great to see you. You and your crew did an outstanding job this year in Phoenix. I can only imagine all the hard work that goes into organizing a show of this calibre. To be fair, I've never attended the shows in St. Louis or Dallas, but I can't imagine a better steel show than the one in Phoenix. The diverse line-up was out of this world.

MC Joe Naylor, you did a great job entertaining the crowd between sets, you're a hoot! I love hearing your back stories. You build great seats, too.

Thank you, Roy Rosetta, I've said it before and I'll say it again...you're one of my heros, and one of the finest musicians I've ever known. I've now, although briefly, had the distinct honor of sharing a small part of the stage with you, twice! (Albuquerque/Phoenix) You add so much to every show.

There are way too many fine folks to thank and acknowledge, so I better quit while I'm ahead. I could go on and on about this one. Great job SWSGA

Hi Billy - Thanks for all the courtesies shown to me and Mary at your show. It is one of a selected few that I plan to attend EACH year. your work crew does a wonderful job for you and Troy. Having my family at my International Steel Guitar Convention is worth its weight in gold. They have been helping since the very beginning. And a few of our grandkids also are helping. I hope to be with you again next year. Scotty