The Steel Guitar Forum

Jeff,
another Year has gone, missing You!
Werner

Werner,

Yep, he was something! Such a great player, instructor and had the quickest wit and sense of humor! What an entertainer, Jeff was.

Tom

He did so much for Steel Guitarists and Steel Guitar. He left us to early. RIP Jeff Newman

I first met Jeff in about 1969. He was playing in a Nashville bar outside of town, (Harold's Club)as part of a house band that would back singers and song writers from the crowd. They would be called up to the stage, and Jeff would just ask them to sing, off mic, the tag line of their song. And then Jeff would play the best damn intro you ever heard. I was just learning at that time, and had a D-10 Emmons P/P... I think Jeff was also working at Sho-Bud, and he said I should buy a Sho-Bud, and he would help me learn. I ordered one with Jeff's Day set-up. And that's when Jeff started making instructional record albums with tabliture. I guess he was just trying them out on me, because he was sending them to me free. I would report back to him and let him know what I thought of the method. Of course, they were great. Then he started sending me multiple copies on consignment, that I sold to other players in my area. Next is when he started doing seminars. My brother Mike and I would always attend. Some of the other players there were Pete Finney, and Tommy Hannam. So anyway, Mike and I became close friends with Jeff and Fran. Mike even recorded an instrumental album with Jeff. He's the reason I play the Day set-up. I'm so glad I started that way. And, I usually recommend Day set-up to any new players that I meet. Thanks, Tommy....P.S. Sorry if I misspelled your last name, Tommy

I always say that Jeff Newman is one of the three men who changed my direction in life, the others being Johnny Bush and Charlie Norris. Bush because he brought me out of a prolonged semi-retirement from steel guitar, Charlie Norris because he kicked my ass enough to get me onstage, play steel shows, become involved with the TSGA, and in 1995 started my recording career as an artist, such as it is.

I "officially" met Jeff in 1995 or so, when he came up to me after my set at the TSGA Jamboree and said "man, I loved your set! What kind of picks are you using?" I pulled my two Dunlop .025s out of my pocket and showed them to Jeff, who immediately took them out of my hand and threw them as far as he possibly could into the parking lot of the hotel. He then placed 4 JF picks in my hand and said "these are now your picks." And so they have remained.

So, in 2000 I recorded my second album, Texas Dance Time, and at ISGC that year I gave a copy to Jeff. Jeff being Jeff, he insisted on paying for it (I took his money and bought JF picks with it ). Six months later he came up to me at the TSGA Jamboree and said "man, I love your album! But it's not just an album... it's rhythm tracks and a course! Go back in the studio and remix the album without the steel guitar and burn CDs. Now, tab out all your solos, make a book, and combine them with the original and the rhythm tracks CDs and you've got a $50 product."

I had the necessary desktop publishing skills but I still complained. "Jeff, that sounds too much like work! " Of course he came back with "Hey, it IS WORK, punk! Now get on with it. And don't worry, I'll write a blog about it in my newsletter when you finish it."

Well, I did what he told me and when it was finished I sent him a complimentary copy. Jeff being Jeff, he sent me $50. Then he wrote a glowing FULL PAGE review of the album and the course in his newsletter, which got me my first 12 customers. From there, I started creating steel guitar tab courses, which I pursued until retiring from that line of work 3 years ago.

I have many more wonderful Jeff Newman stories I could tell but I'd like to end with this one. At the TSGA Jamboree in March of 2004, Jeff left his table with Fran and came over and sat with me at my product table. He wanted a good seat to see Buddy play. He complimented me on my product catalog and said he was proud of me, and I thanked him but told him that we were now competitors, and he said "no, we're colleagues." Buddy Emmons was just starting so we both shut up and listened to Buddy. The room was jammed with SRO folks right up to the edge of my product table, had to have been 1500 people in the concert room. Jeff turned to me and said, "see all these people? That guy onstage is the sole reason why they're here."

I told him that I thought he was just as important to the world of steel guitar as was Buddy. In typical Jeff fashion (he was stubborn about his opinions, of course ) he said "WRONG!! And I can't believe you said that!"

I told him that while Buddy showed everybody WHAT the steel guitar could do, Jeff Newman showed everybody HOW TO DO IT. I told him that unlike Buddy, he CREATED steel players, and many of the players he started became teachers themselves, expanding the numbers of steel players and greatly expanding the market. The number of people standing in front of us would be much, much smaller without his influence.

"Sorry, Herb. Wrong. You don't know what you're talking about" was his reply in typical Newman fashion.

The next day was Sunday and the Jamboree had ended. A bunch of us went out to eat BBQ, and Jeff and Fran were in great moods, much laughter and cameraderie. Jeff and I had some sincere and wonderful conversations at that dinner as we sat next to each other. It was a great ending to a terrific Jamboree.

Three weeks later, he was gone and for me, a light was extinguished.

What a heartwarming and wonderful story from Herb and Tommy. Thanks for sharing that with us.

Herb Steiner wrote:I always say that Jeff Newman is one of the three men who changed my direction in life, the others being Johnny Bush and Charlie Norris. Bush because he brought me out of a prolonged semi-retirement from steel guitar, Charlie Norris because he kicked my ass enough to get me onstage, play steel shows, become involved with the TSGA, and in 1995 started my recording career as an artist, such as it is.

I "officially" met Jeff in 1995 or so, when he came up to me after my set at the TSGA Jamboree and said "man, I loved your set! What kind of picks are you using?" I pulled my two Dunlop .025s out of my pocket and showed them to Jeff, who immediately took them out of my hand and threw them as far as he possibly could into the parking lot of the hotel. He then placed 4 JF picks in my hand and said "these are now your picks." And so they have remained.

So, in 2000 I recorded my second album, Texas Dance Time, and at ISGC that year I gave a copy to Jeff. Jeff being Jeff, he insisted on paying for it (I took his money and bought JF picks with it ). Six months later he came up to me at the TSGA Jamboree and said "man, I love your album! But it's not just an album... it's rhythm tracks and a course! Go back in the studio and remix the album without the steel guitar and burn CDs. Now, tab out all your solos, make a book, and combine them with the original and the rhythm tracks CDs and you've got a $50 product."

I had the necessary desktop publishing skills but I still complained. "Jeff, that sounds too much like work! " Of course he came back with "Hey, it IS WORK, punk! Now get on with it. And don't worry, I'll write a blog about it in my newsletter when you finish it."

Well, I did what he told me and when it was finished I sent him a complimentary copy. Jeff being Jeff, he sent me $50. Then he wrote a glowing FULL PAGE review of the album and the course in his newsletter, which got me my first 12 customers. From there, I started creating steel guitar tab courses, which I pursued until retiring from that line of work 3 years ago.

I have many more wonderful Jeff Newman stories I could tell but I'd like to end with this one. At the TSGA Jamboree in March of 2004, Jeff left his table with Fran and came over and sat with me at my product table. He wanted a good seat to see Buddy play. He complimented me on my product catalog and said he was proud of me, and I thanked him but told him that we were now competitors, and he said "no, we're colleagues." Buddy Emmons was just starting so we both shut up and listened to Buddy. The room was jammed with SRO folks right up to the edge of my product table, had to have been 1500 people in the concert room. Jeff turned to me and said, "see all these people? That guy onstage is the sole reason why they're here."

I told him that I thought he was just as important to the world of steel guitar as was Buddy. In typical Jeff fashion (he was stubborn about his opinions, of course ) he said "WRONG!! And I can't believe you said that!"

I told him that while Buddy showed everybody WHAT the steel guitar could do, Jeff Newman showed everybody HOW TO DO IT. I told him that unlike Buddy, he CREATED steel players, and many of the players he started became teachers themselves, expanding the numbers of steel players and greatly expanding the market. The number of people standing in front of us would be much, much smaller without his influence.

"Sorry, Herb. Wrong. You don't know what you're talking about" was his reply in typical Newman fashion.

The next day was Sunday and the Jamboree had ended. A bunch of us went out to eat BBQ, and Jeff and Fran were in great moods, much laughter and cameraderie. Jeff and I had some sincere and wonderful conversations at that dinner as we sat next to each other. It was a great ending to a terrific Jamboree.

Three weeks later, he was gone and for me, a light was extinguished.

Yes Herb and all others,
that was Jeff, and I never vergotten the Time with him and Fran. All of my visit in NV I visit him an the last Place there.
Thanks, Werner

I started as one of Jeff’s students, and ended as great friends. At one of the Watertown shows, Jeff, in addition to everything else he was doing, was trying to keep the sound system balanced with the player changes. He asked me if I could help him with that. It was a privilege to even be asked to help. Later in the day, he came back to the board and gave me money, saying that was a refund on my price of admission. “You’re not going to work for me and pay to do it”!

We all miss Jeff. He was one of the best teachers!

Roger, so you were that guy to blame. Haha. I miss those shows in Watertown. That was the ultimate steel jam. Jeff knew how to put on a steel show. Those poor backing band members had to endure endless cycles of repetitive music. One year the great Johnny Cox was holding down the bass slot. He later went out front and proceeded to play every steel on stage. Junior Brown stopped his tour bus and sat in for a few songs. Just wonderful memories with Jeff.

Yes Herb, you are right. Buddy showed us what he was playing and Jeff taught us how to play it. Jeff could take someone who did not know A chord from a C chord and at least teach them, in about a half an hour, how to play a simple melody. He was like the very few in Nashville, during our day, a musical genius.

I remember the first time I went to Jeff's Top Gun School in February 99. Jeff and Fran picked me up at the airport, on the ride back to the house, Jeff asked which of his courses I was studying. I told him "Up From The Top: A & B Pedals", and asked how far I got, I told him I finished the course. Three days later I realized I barely touched the surface. Jeff had the ability to know where you were at and how to move you forward. Every time I went back he asked the same question and my response was"barely touched the surface"

I can’t match the great posts in this thread other than to mention I went to his school and several of his road-trip seminars. I learned so much. He was an INCREDIBLE teacher, player and human being. Just amazing.

Through the years there has always been a discussion of this event with no real outcome. At a seminar in Phoenix 1976 Jeff was trying to show how much pressure there was in playing steel in public. I actually have a tape of Jeff Telling this story, so who knows how much is apocryphal and what isnt. He said he was starving in Nashville and somebody called him up to play at the Black Poodle in Nashville. He asked how much it paid($50.00) and promptly accepted. And now the story becomes less clear: According to Jeff Chalker was playing the standard guitar and Emmons was playing bass. He tried to avoid getting up on stage but they said you are it and away they went. So Jeff was hiding behind the two of them on this tiny stage and someone yelled out for a steel solo. When the song started his right foot started to shake providing a really dominant sound and I guess he managed to finish. So Chalker comes over and says "Man, your tremolos on" This was the end of the story but it put everyone at ease. As time went by I asked Emmons who said he did not recall the incident and Chalker who had no similar recollection. As far as Jeff goes he quit telling the story and I really never had the sand to push an answer out of him. As John ford said if you should print the legend or the truth print the truth.In my heart of hearts it doesnt matter he was such a wonderful teacher...and player

He told that same story at a seminar in the Boston area in 1974 or 1975. Several seminars and shows later he always blew me away as a teacher/entertainer etc.

Well the lesson of the story was the important part, not the actual details of the truth..... Many a salesman, teacher, preacher, CEO, etc. has used a little embellishment here and there to make the story interesting to the audience and hold their attention. Jeff was all of those things, and darn good at it.

God Bless Jeff and Fran, RIP. They helped me a lot in many ways.