Remembering Rob Parker

Jeffery Self · Post by **Jeffery Self** » 10 Mar 2023 8:18 am

Remembering our ole friend, Mr Rob Parker. A fella that had a voice the size of Texas!!! Miss you Rob.

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 10 Mar 2023 9:21 pm

Jeff, thanks for remembering Rob. He was a great guy and a good friend to the steel community. We had some great conversations over the years. You have a picture of us sitting and chewing the 'fat'!

Jeffery Self · Post by **Jeffery Self** » 11 Mar 2023 5:55 am

Yes Ben I do! I’ll see if I can locate that picture! Hope your doing well!

Jeff

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 11 Mar 2023 6:48 am

Rob was the voice of the Convention in St Louis. Putting his touch on many of the players sets. Always a pleasure to hear Rob at so many of the shows. He is sorely missed.

Jeffery Self · Post by **Jeffery Self** » 11 Mar 2023 7:03 am

Rob doing a set with the great Herby Wallace

Larry Baker · Post by **Larry Baker** » 11 Mar 2023 11:36 am

Thanks for the post. Rob was a great friend. He was a big influence on my getting advice on playing the steel guitar. He also got Jean and I aquatinted with so many great people.
We have lost so many great players. They are so missed.

Jeffery Self · Post by **Jeffery Self** » 11 Mar 2023 3:35 pm

I believe this is the pic Ben

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 11 Mar 2023 8:28 pm

It is Jeff, thanks. I have a copy of it somewhere but I only find it, when I'm looking for something else. So many of our friends have left us, I hate to think of who may be next. I came close but my doctors, hopefully, caught everything in time.

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 12 Mar 2023 5:42 am

Always a pleasure working with Rob, great guy.

Donna Dodd · Post by **Donna Dodd** » 13 Mar 2023 4:20 pm

Everyone loved Rob! He often graced the stages of our GaSGA shows both playing and singing! He was quite the gentleman! Some of us gals would compliment him on looking dapper in his Western wear!

He always blushed!

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 13 Mar 2023 8:17 pm

Rob Parker became the M.C. for my Annual Steel Guitar Shows starting in 2007.

I hosted my very first Steel Guitar Show in 2006. Rob was there the first year as a guest artist. After that he hosted all my Steel Guitar Shows from 2007 through 2010.

Rob Parker, DeWitt "Scotty" Scott, Ray Qualls and a few others really encouraged, helped me, and their advice, friendship were absolutely essential. I probably would have thrown in the towel years ago if not for them.

Since 2006 thus far, I have hosted 20 Annual Steel Guitar Shows, this year 2023 will be our 21st Steel Guitar Show since 2006.

You might say well the math don't add up. Yes it does because 5 years we had a regular Steel Guitar Show and a Gospel Steel Guitar Show and at different times during those years.

We have had many Steel Guitarists perform on these Steel Shows. Here's a partial list just of the Steel Guitarists alone that have performed on these Steel Shows.

Rob Parker, Don Helms, Terry Bethel, Herby Wallace, Dave Musgrave, DeWitt Scotty Scott, Gene Fields, Doug Jernigan, Mike "Cookie" Jones, Russ Hicks, Zane King, Keith Hilton, Mike McGee, Curt Shoemaker, Jerry Roller, J.D. Walters, Rudy Osborne, Russ Wever, Steve Melchi, Larry Baker, Jimmy Burrell, Dan Burnham, Jerry Smythe, Phil Coontz, Virgil Watts, JoAnn Kreder, Janice Zilm, Austin Stewart, Tyler Hall, Dennis Detweiler, Jerry Horne, Jeremiah Hanley, Gordon Dotson, Jimmy Dreadfulwater, Jack Musgrave, Eddie Lane, Lonnie Detmer, Bob Tuttle, Jerry Foster, Larry Gerdeman, Jimmie Sentlinger, Cliff Waterman, Bill Dobkins, Ray Qualls, Hank Ruf, Scotty Henderson, Gene Crain, Larry Garrett, Monty Lafoon, Jacob King, Terry Wood and more.

Rob Parker was a Great Guy, Singer, MC and a sold out Steel Guitar Man all the way. I sure miss him! I miss a lot of these Steel Guitarists that are now gone.

RIP Rob Parker, Scotty and others! Love You Guys!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 14 Mar 2023 12:52 am

Rob was not only a great talent but a pleasure to be around. I didn't really know him all that well, he was more of a Steel Show friend. I recall I attended a show one time years back , Rob was talking with a few others and then he came to me , "Tony how you doin" ! I didn't even realize he knew me . That was Rob.

RIP my friend.

Michael McGee · Post by **Michael McGee** » 17 Mar 2023 5:22 pm

Thanks for the reminder to remember this wonderful man and dear friend!

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 18 Mar 2023 5:44 am

Rob Parker was not only a great friend to me, but he was the steel guitarists best friend all around the country.
You could not stump him with a song and he would even sing it in any key you wanted.

I remember one year at the Gulfport show, Rob was the emcee and every steeler he introduced, he would say "and now my favorite steel guitarist - ******).

I asked him how everyone could be his favorite and his reply was "That is the truth. Every person that plays or attempts to play this instrument, in my favorite".

We were close friends for some 30+ years.

When he was anywhere near Atlanta, he would always come and stay with Linda and I.

Miss you Rob

David Zornes · Post by **David Zornes** » 18 Mar 2023 7:04 pm

Rob recorded a cd and as I can recall he sang a few bars of each song and let various steel players shine. I cannot find that cd anywhere. Any thoughts or ideas where I can obtain one?

Bill Ferguson · Post by **Bill Ferguson** » 19 Mar 2023 6:16 am

Actually David, if I remember correctly, Rob recorded a Cassette Tape with a different steel player on each song.

I don't think Rob ever had those put on CD, but I could be wrong.

He pretty much either sold or gave them away at steel shows and to my knowledge never sold them through any media outlet.

Michael Breid · Post by **Michael Breid** » 10 Aug 2023 8:55 am

Worked a steel show with Rob Parker a few years ago. What an amazing fellow. He said something I will always remember him by. A fellow asked him about a country singer's wealth, and Rob replied, "He's got enough money to burn a wet mule on a windy day". I got out my pen a pad and wrote that down. You don't want to forget something like that. Rob's voice could rattle windows if he wanted. What a talent.

Jim R. Harrison · Post by **Jim R. Harrison** » 15 Aug 2023 11:37 am

I recall Rob always leading us in the "Star Spangled Banner" at Scotty's in St. Louis.

Jeffery Self · Post by **Jeffery Self** » 24 Oct 2023 8:08 am

I always thought Rob did the best version of “My window faces the South”, what an outstanding voice he was gifted with.

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Remembering Rob Parker

Remembering Rob Parker

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Rob and his cd

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