The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi everyone,

As some of you know, I'm completing a biography of Buddy Emmons.
I have a need for one great photo of Buddy playing on the main stage at the International Steel Guitar Convention,
preferably taken between 1975 - 1985.

Let's have a contest!

Please post your best photo of Buddy onstage at ISGC between 1975 - 1985. No offstage shots, only photos of Buddy on the main stage please.

The winner will receive a signed copy of Buddy's book when it is published. If the photo meets critical and technical standards, your photo will be published in the book along with your photo credit. Only detailed, well-focussed photos please. Remember, Buddy was a perfectionist. Let's pay him our respects with a sharp photo from the Convention. Again, I have space for only ONE photo.

The contest will end at 12pm Central time on June 22nd, one week from today.

Okay friends, let's see 'em! Thank you so much for your help!!

Steve Fishell

Sure wish I'd had a nice camera and lens back in those days, Fish! I've been shooting steel shows for the past 10 years or so, all post-Big E. Good luck with the hunt, and I really look forward to your book. You have a publisher?

Pretty sure I have some from My Dad's collection I just brought home. My Pops left us on March 2, 2021. I may have even more personal pics of Buddy as my Dad and Buddy were old friends from their early 20's.I have a container full of polaroids from then. I made all those trips to St. Louis with Pops back then...I just posted an authenticated poster of The Big E before I saw your post...

Hi Fish...
I have a really nice photo of Buddy. I was working at Kodak at the time..covering a show he did with Ray Price, and Jerry Lee Lewis..at our Auditorium Theater in Rochester NY...
The picture is sharp and I'm not sure of the exact year..Buddy is sitting at his steel..playing through a Standall Amp..
It was shot with my Nikon Zoom lens...and the print is
on a 3/1/5 x 5..if this is of any help to you..I'd be happy to make contact with you..and forward the print on to you.
Would you email me..or call me at my home number so we can make the arrangements necessary to accommodate your duplicating schedule.
Again, this was NOT taken at one of the PSG shows..as you asked in your Forum request..
My phone number is 585 269 XXXX pls use my email for security reasons.
or my email..VALSWISSLEE@AOL.COM
I would be honored by this opportunity..dick lee

[/img]


Would that work? I wasn’t there, but I think it’s a cool shot of his Derby and of course The Blade.

Bell bottoms??!!

Has to be the ‘70’s.

Frank Freniere wrote:Bell bottoms??!!

Has to be the ‘70’s.

and a perm under the bowler!

There’s this one too. Definitely 70’s and the backdrop looks like ISGC.

I tried a little enhancement of the ISGC shot above.



Another version:

I always liked this one I took from 1998… He was having a blast! You just can’t see it’s at the convention…

We're off to a great start!

Hi John: yes, we have a distinguished publisher in the university press world, to be announced soon. Thanks to them, Buddy's book will always be in print.

Everyone, please remember I can't use a photo unless you, as the rightful owner, can give us written permission to use it. If you don't own it, I don't have time to find the owner and secure permission. Please don't forward photos you found on the internet unless you know the owner.

Thanks for continuing to share your new photos of Buddy onstage at Scotty's convention between 1975 - 1985!

Ernie Renn wrote:I always liked this one I took from 1998… He was having a blast! You just can’t see it’s at the convention…

one of my favorites Ernie. do you happen to have it in higher resolution?

Brett Crisp wrote: [/img]


Would that work? I wasn’t there, but I think it’s a cool shot of his Derby and of course The Blade.

I really like this one.

But what is that red jack and cable coming out of his volume pedal doing?

I know what a challenge this can be. Our group publishes various transport-related books and we're well aware that the cover-photo has to be an eye-catcher. Some photos are of great interest, content-wise, but are technically sub-par. The image we may have captured on our instamatic camera may be a treasured memory for us, but no amount of enhancement can improve the resolution - it's just not inherently there.

The ideal photo for this project will show Buddy convulsed with mirth - probably just after he'd made a blunder - and, if it's nice and sharp, will demand that a casual browser will want to pick up the book.

Yes, a lot can be done to save a seemingly hopeless pic... This quick-fix took about two minutes – but, as Roger wrote, out-of-focus and low resolution are terminal illnesses.

If you cannot find that perfect shot, you could always try a collage of less-than-perfect images, let's say 6–9 pics arranged to look like a bunch of Polaroids, white edges and all...


[/img]

Here is a photo of Buddy from one of Scotty's shows, I bought the framed and signed picture at the PSGA show a few years ago. The late Clay Savage took it, I snapped this from the picture but could probably get it scanned for better quality. I think it captures the humor of the MAN!




BTW, I think Chris Templeton told me that Buddy witnessed the Challenger Space shuttle tragedy first hand, such a sad event.

Craig-
Very nice!
Now is a good time to mention that all photos are required to have a minimum 300 dpi (dots per square inch) file resolution. Craig, if you go to the trouble of scanning this, please shoot for the 300 dpi minimum or higher.
I wonder what year this is, and I also wonder if more of the ISGC banner behind Buddy can be seen in your print?
Did I mention this is "very nice?"
thank you,
Steve

Steve, my son has a very high def camera, I’ll have him work on it. Buddy is focused and the banner behind is not, but it’s recognizable. That’s the whole picture that I posted. I’ll also send you the signature on the back

Here is a pic of Buddy that I took at the '81 St Louis Convention. I was using transparency (slide) film.

IMHO, One of Scotty's best events

Photo one of two

"Cream of the Crap" organized by Jeff Newman....when all the Pros played lapsteel

BE on Melobar

At left side, Scotty on stand up steel

others in picture = Speedy West, Jeff Newman, Herby Wallace, Hal Rugg, Stu Basore, Zane Beck, Bobby Garrett

Photo 2 of 2 for "Cream of the Crap"

Speedy West now holding Scotty's steel upside down while Buddy plays

BE 'gettin' on it' with Ray Pennington

Though not taken at ISGC, here's a good pic from Jeffran school with Buddy and Johnny Cox.

Buddy was ready to 'lock horns' with anybody.