The Steel Guitar Forum

I thought some folks here might enjoy this as much as I did - it's a rare and ravishing set of duets for steel and organ:

Bud Tutmarc - Sacred Hawaiian Melodies (Sacred Productions, LPS-7-6027)

Bud Tutmarc is well remembered by steel guitar players of the Aloha International Steel Guitar Convention in Winchester, Indiana for his playing of Sacred Music in his programs. He played these Sacred Songs in the Hawaiian style with great sensitivity. Of the songs listed in the album, he most often played and sang the beautiful song, My Beautiful King Of Kings, to pay tribute to his friend and mentor, Sol Ho'opi'i, who wrote and composed the song. He also had a very good solo voice to sing it.

He is considered to be one of the best steel guitarist on the single string. Here is an example of his playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-57IGcg8sjo

Aloha,
Don

I love the "To You Sweetheart Aloha" record; Bud's phrasing is sublime (eg, the opening of "Sweet Lei Lani"). Not just monophonic lines either: a lot of pregnant double and triple stops (again, cf the gorgeous ninths on "Sweet Lei Lani").

Keoki - do you recall what he was playing through? His tone on that album is the best ever recorded, imho.

I just checked, and at least "To You Sweetheart Aloha" is available from Amazon as mp3 download. I'll have to grab this when I get home.

George Keoki Lake wrote:Bud produced many lp albums, one of which was "TO YOU SWEETHEART ALOHA" recorded in HNL. (I played e/bass on most of the tracs). It's an album very difficult to find these days, but well worth the search...featured Nina Kealiiwahamana, Hawaii's greatest vocalist who was also regularly heard on "Hawaii Calls" many years ago.

Ah, George - I didn't know you played on that record. That's the CD I cut my teeth on when I first learned hapa haole tunes 14 years ago. I learned each one of Bud's personal versions on there note for note. Learned more from Bud on that album than from anyone else. Viva la Bud Tutmarc.

Mark...As I recall, there were no amps used. Each of us wore headphones, our instruments were channelled through the main studio (known as "D.I."). The only mics I noticed were at the vibes and drums...(The drum trac was eventually deleted, as were a couple of my bass tracs which were redone in Seattle by another bassist).

Wow, that's interesting about the DI'ed steel. It is a very "hi-fi" kind of sound.

Scroll halfway down this oddball site http://ghostcapital.blogspot.com/ to find a rare LP by Bud of Sacred melodies in his typical Hawaiian style.
It can be downloaded by clicking on the DL: linkage.
Wondering if Sol's Bakelite is still in the Tutmarc family's care?

RON: The only guitar I, (and most probably others), ever saw him playing was the 6 string steel he made for himself. Bud had a couple of sons, perhaps Sol's old Ric is in their possession ?

I exchanged a few emails in October 2010 with Greg Tutmarc. Sol Hoopii's Rickenbacher was still in the family's ownership at that point but they were considering whether to sell it . I haven't heard since then what they decided ....didn't one of the US guitar magazines ( Vintage Guitar maybe?) do a feature on the instrument a while back?

Missed that article if indeed it happened, but thanx for the info, Les. Let's hope it finds another good home.

I was just in communication with Greg Tutmarc. Sol gave his bakelite rick to his father, Bud, just before he passed in the fall of 1953. It is still in the family.

The February, 2012 issue of Vintage Guitar magazine did a spread on the guitar with text and pictures.

Aloha,
Don

Hello fellow steelers.
My first post here.
Just wanted to add a bit to the conversation on Sol's B-6 steel.
Sol's Rickenbacher has been officially passed along from the Tutmarc Family to me and my family.
It is good hands and I endeavor to provide a wonderful home to Sol's steel, one filled with Hawaiian music and especially with love and respect for the music and memory of Sol Ho'opi"i and the musical history of the Tutmarc's.
I look forward to keeping the sound of this steel alive for many years to come.
Much respect to you all.

Tim

Congrats on capturing a piece of steel history, Tim. Please tell us more, share some pix if possible, and maybe an audio clip!
Good to know it'll retain it's proof of provenance