The Steel Guitar Forum

Have you ever had an experience like this?
When I was first learning to play the steel guitar; I had been practicing an Hawaiian tune from a Jerry Byrd recording. I had gotten, what I thought, was pretty close to the particular cut. About a week later, I had the opportunity to see him play the same thing in person. It was like he was pulling rabbits out of a hat, like a magician. What this man has done with the steel guitar still amazes me.

Rick

OH yes!!

He is truly the master of touch and tone. Also bar slants. No human on earth is better at intonation. In his prime his chimes were spine tingling. His choice of harmony notes and his embelishment behind a singer is matched only by Buddy Emmons IMHO.

The legacy he leaves us will live forever in the steel guitar world. Try to duplicate just one single note. Record yourself and see what you thought you did was NOT what he did.

I think Scotty put it best, "If I could get into this man's soul, I would"

He epitomizes the oft' heard phrases:

1. "Two ways to play a musical instrument; one, from your brain to your hands, and two, from your brain to your heart to your hands.

And,

2. "Three important things when playing music. They are: melody, melody and melody!"

Not much can be added to these statements. Guess who first said them?

God bless JB and all of you,

carl

And according to what he told Mike Johnstone, there is no magic to it. You can have that same tone, touch and expression, if you are willing to work hard enough. But you young punks are too lazy! You expect everything to be handed to you on a silver platter! Well, you'll never get anywhere unless you practice your tone!

OH BOY!! Excitement hits the forum,again. I can't wait to see the rest of this one.

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For all you Jerry Byrd fans. Jerry will be at the hawaiian steel guitar assc. convention in Joliet, Illinois on the 5,6,7 of October. He is the featured player of course. He hasn't said no to this date yet. The hsga on the web can tell you more.

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What is even more amazing about Jerry is that he told me that he always went in "cold" to a recording session and just did what came to him that moment! Never practiced nor rehearsed! Take a listen to Hank William's "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and hear Jerry go from the major to the minor in the same break! He said the last thing he'll ever record was on Tom Morrell's CD, and my favorite was his accompaniment to Chris O'Connell's "I'm Cofessin' That I Love You"; a MUST for any Byrd fans.

Years ago, JB did a thing with some unknown gal singer...the tune "Allentown Jail".
He did a simple, one note echo to the vocal. Not of the olden days Slim Whitman type steel. JB's thingy was so haunting, so beautiful and yet just a one note maneuver.
Those are the things I miss in todays playing. JB's simplicity...was not an accident. The same holds true on the old Rex Allen "Tag Along"....and many, many others.

Probably one of the best turn arounds JB ever did, was with Ferlin Huskey's recording of, "Next to Jimmy". Jerry's playing on this song is incredibly pretty and haunting.

How he was able to capture the complete and identifiable melody yet use brilliantly embellished harmonies is pure genious.

He was the antithesis of "chord playing" which so permeated the steel guitar genre of that era.

God bless Jerry Byrd

carl

Dixon...I agree with you totally! I first heard that tune on a juke box in Great Falls Montana after flying in, in a blinding snow storm. What a "SOUND" it was. At the time, I didn't even realize that JB had cut any of Ferlin's songs.
But then, what about the entire song by Bob Eaton on Decca, the hard, big record with the tiny hole in the middle, "Somebody's Been Steelin' My Sweet, Sweet Sugar"? If you haven't heard that one, you've missed a lot.
"I'm Saving Mother's Wedding Ring", "It's Just a Second Hand Heart" are two more from that same session. Byrd does all of the back up, intro's, and middle verse. Truly a one of a kind display of the JB talents. And then of course, Jimmy Wakely's "You're Only in my Arms to Cry on my Shoulder" is also a winner for top honors.
Of course, there's another one by the York Brothers on King, "60 Minute Man". Most unique tone and styling grace.
Okay, I'll go away again.

His work on the Don Ho record in the 70s was very good.

Jerry Byrd was an initial Texas Troubadour! What about his great work with ET! What genre of music hasn't he touched!

The LP of Don Ho which Andy referred to was recorded by Devonshire Sound Studios of No. Hollywood. It was recorded in Hawai'i and features Jerry on steel; Hiram Olsen and Sonny Nicholas as well as about 6 other r/guitarists; Kalani Fernades and 2 other bass players; along with Benny Kalama and Herb Ohta on ukuleles. Hell of a great line-up ! (It also features Piano, Vibes, Percussion, Congas, etc). 30 songs in all on a two record set with Don Ho vocalizing all the great hapa haole and authentic songs of Hawai'i Nei. I have never seen it re-issued on c.d. but perhaps CORD might have it...?
Worth checking out.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 25 June 2000 at 08:46 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 25 June 2000 at 08:48 PM.]</p></FONT>