The Steel Guitar Forum

I did a tour with Marty around 1990. It was great fun playing all those Merle songs with Marty, without the pressure of it being Merle.
When we went through Arizona, we hit a big snow squall. I got nervous because people were inexperienced with driving in snow
I always loved playing, "I Never Go Around Mirrors".
I also remember playing at a biker bar in Cut 'n Shoot, Tevas. Quit the town name.
Here's his show with the steeler in question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ6qQFxs9To

John Ely

Wow! I used to see John at many AATW shows. I was so impressed with John's knowledge of Hawaiian steel players. https://www.hawaiiansteel.com )
I was honored to have him come to my session in Santa Fe in 1989
I had obligated studio time at the end of the session, so I played what I consider the quintessential steel song, "I Love You So Much (It Hurts Me)". I never had practice it and did it from memory. When I sent a cassette to jerry Byrd, he wrote back that I played the melody wrong. :0(
Check out John's amazing playing on Hawaiian steel.
David Toland on bass, Jeff Sussman on vibes, and Ian Wallace (King Crimson) on drums:
https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.c ... h-it-hurts

Different John Ely.

OK, thanks Craig.

I guess I should have explained. Jon Ely worked with AATW. This is John Ely from Minnesota. He is a pretty darn good player. He gets a lot out of that old Fender.

Must be John (AATW), he lives in Minnesota. He used a Fender pedal and a double neck Fender stand-up (trapezoid) with The Wheel.
Glad to see he's "dropping the bar" again!

There are two John Elys living in Minnesota.
One lives in Ely, where else, and the other lives in Minneapolis.
Erv

I just asked Larry Rose who works Midwest Country with him and yes, he is the former AATW player. I stand corrected.

Erv Niehaus wrote: One lives in Ely, where else, and the other lives in Minneapolis.
Erv

Thanks for getting that ironed out, Erv!

Don,
The one in Ely is the AATW picker.
Erv

What a coincidence, how many steel players can boast of a town named after them?

The town was settled by and named for his family.
Erv

Erv, you missed my attempt at humor! (OR maybe you didn't )

Thanks for getting that ironed out, Erv

Humor aside, it's fascinating to find steelers not only in the more predictable and expected places, but also in so many lesser-known locations.

Here is a young John Ely with AATW killing it on a Fender 400 pedal steel through a Twin Reverb….reminding me not so sell mine!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S2U3IinMyO4

I noticed a Stringmaster behind John.
Erv