The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi there everybody--I'm writing the biography of Merle Travis and trying to see if Marian Hall's husband, Larry Landers, is still with us. All the phone numbers I have don't seem to work, which isn't a good sign, but I also can't find an obituary online either.

Back when Marian died, quite a few of you chimed in and I think some of you knew her daughter, Shirley. They also had a son, Bill. If you have any information that could help me get in touch with Shirley or Bill or Larry Landers, I would really appreciate it.

Ron Whitfield? Randy Reeves? Michael Johnstone?

Thanks in advance,

Deke Dickerson

Email sent.

Hoping you're able to locate Mr. Landers, and that all is well with him. I certainly enjoyed his anecdotes in the Bibsby book. Most definitely looking forward to your new book on Travis.

Gotta wonder if Marion Hall had any idea how influential she was back in the early days of television in California. I grew up on a Navy base in the Mojave, and due to the ingenuity of the brilliant engineers who built one of the first (if not the very first) repeaters atop a nearby mountain, we would receive all the TV stations out of Los Angeles.

If it wasn't Buddy Merrill, Marion was the first pedal steel player who had an impression on me as a kid, when she played on Tex Ritter's TV shows. Her supreme musicianship aside, who could forget that wonderful smile?