The Steel Guitar Forum

This was posted in another section but is too good to be missed http://www.vintageguitar.com/12628/bobby-black/

Bobby was my intro to steel, both from hearing the Commander Cody LPs and seeing the band during the early and mid 70's, usually standing in the alley alongside the infamous Golden Bear in Huntington Beach where Bobby would always perch himself right at the open door where he could get cool fresh air. I didn't know what I was watching then, just knew he, his guitar, and the band were the coolest thing ever. And they still are.

I saw Bobby today. Playing with the Kapalakiko Hawaiian Band at The Palace Of Fine Arts in San Francisco. They were playing in the lobby before the show and during intermission for Patrick Makuakane's hula show. He was being the consumate side man. I was wondering to myself as I watched him play, how many people in the audience knew who he was and what a giant of the steel guitar they were fortunate enough to be seeing.

http://www.kapalakiko.org/Kapalakiko/Front_Liners.html

Norman Markowitz wrote:I saw Bobby today.

I wish I could say that! Well, I can but it was a different Bobby, yet still a great steel player so it's all good I guess.
Thanx for the link to his Hawaiian band, Norm.
I'm wondering how many of those watching him even appreciated what he was doing?

I got to see Bobby Black years ago at one of the Tom Bradshaw steel conventions. He played a Fender Custom (T-8 ) and did an assortment of Western Swing classics and Hawaiian. I was awestruck. This was before the internet took the mystery out of a lot of this, and getting to see and hear this music being played live was incredible.

Several years ago, I encountered a gentleman named "Black" that was into Bigsby steel guitars.

WOuld that person and this one be one and the same?

Bobby did play a Bigsby long ago. I've never seen him play it, though. These days he usually plays a Fender Stringmaster or a Carter D-10.



Joaquin Murphey and Jerry Byrd were his idols growing up.

This was before the internet took the mystery out of a lot of this.

I've got internet. Believe me, there is still plenty of mystery and magic in the great steel players like Bobby Black. I've never seen him, or anyone, live. I'm jealous!

Douglas Schuch wrote:

This was before the internet took the mystery out of a lot of this.

I've got internet. Believe me, there is still plenty of mystery and magic in the great steel players like Bobby Black. I've never seen him, or anyone, live. I'm jealous!

Bobby Black


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biaumV7w1BQ

With someone of his caliber it's always been frustrating that there is so little to enjoy from him other than the legit releases, and even to this day with the net he's sorely represented. Thanx bOb for posting the best pix from the article.

Ray Montee wrote:Several years ago, I encountered a gentleman named "Black" that was into Bigsby steel guitars.

WOuld that person and this one be one and the same?

Ray, you are probably thinking of Mike Black, who has owned a number of Bigsbys and Bigsby-inspired guitars. Some very spectacular Bigsbys. At one time he had the pairing of Lee Buck Standel 25L15 and Lee Buck Bigsby steel.

As it happens, I just got a CD in the mail today called, "Steel Swingin'." Bobby Black is on steel with Tony Marcus and Paul Anastasio. Can't wait to get home and put it on. The last couple of times I saw Bobby, he was playing a 6 string lap steel. He did a bang up job of playing, "Estrellita," on both occassions.

I had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with Bobby at the Asleep at the Wheel 40 year reunion.Nice,nice fellow.We hit it off immediately.And what a great player.He was one of my main influences when I was learning in the 70s.Still sounds as great(if not better)as ever.Eddie

He plays steel in my buddy, Don Burnham's, band "Lost Weekend", a very hot Western Swing band.

Edward,

Please tell us more about the Steel Swinging CD.

How can one be ordered?

Thanks,

Bob

http://tuxedorecords.com/tuxedo-records ... ings.shtml

I wish they had downloads.

Thanks Jouni.

I met Tony Marcus years ago here at a dance camp here in Florida.

Best,

Bob

About 20 years ago I had the incredible good fortune to hang out with Bobby at his house in Tahoe. He played a bunch of tunes on a Rick D-8. One of the necks was tuned to Jerry Byrd's diatonic tuning. What Bobby did with that difficult tuning was mind bending, I will never forget it. He also told some great stories about Jerry and Hank and others.
The man is a true giant and you won't meet a nicer person.

The "Steel Swingin'," CD pissed me off!! . I have been working on a pedal version of, "Estrellita," thinking I was being very inventive. Bobby has an excellent pedal version on the CD. Grrrrr....... Otherwise, nice work on jazz standards.

I just got the CD, too. Wonderful new renditions of the old songs. Highly recommended.