The Steel Guitar Forum

Posted: **31 Aug 2001 11:45 pm**

Hello again...
Who are the Hellecasters ?
Fred Davies, an English Steeler/Guitboxer i met recently, turned me on to the sounds of the Hellecasters.
Great Stuff !!!

Could someone fill me in bout' this band ?
any links ?
Mercy buckets

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 01 September 2001 at 01:16 AM.]

Posted: **1 Sep 2001 12:15 am**

Well it did'nt take long ...
i hit the good ol' Search
Thanx to Ernie Renn and them Twang posts,
i am now aware

www.hellecasters.com
now i gotta find the Sides...
Steel what ?

Posted: **1 Sep 2001 2:23 am**

The Hellecasters are three guitar players who got together and did some recording and some touring. They were even on Music City Tonight a few years ago.

Will Ray: Worked with Carlene Carter. also did stuff with Steve Earle, Tom Jones, Joe Walsh, and Mike Nesmith. Has a B-bender on his guitar (and for a change,) he knows how to use it.

Jerry Donahue: With Fairport Convention, and has shared the stage and studio with Elton John, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Robert Plant, Nancy Griffith, and Albert Lee. String bender extraordinare!

John Jorgenson: Was in The Desert Rose Band, (with Jay Dee Maness,) and has recorded with the Byrds, Rose Maddox, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Bonnie Raitt, Dan Fogelberg and even Mike Nesmith. He's a master of Django Reinhardt's style. He's currently in Elton John's band.

Their first album "The Return of the Hellecasters", (my favorite one,) became a hit with guitarists and was named "Best Album" and "Best Country Album" by Guitar Player Magazine in late 1993.

They are all great players! Check 'em out!

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Posted: **1 Sep 2001 9:58 am**

They are three awesome pickers. Each has a distinctive style, which gives a lot of interesting variety to there stuff.

Posted: **1 Sep 2001 7:57 pm**

I once did a gig with Will Ray, and he was so good I literally forgot how how to play and just stood there feeling like a complete idiot. Will is an incredible plaer and a hell of a nice guy too, and he has a very strong (but quirky) sense of humor.

Posted: **1 Sep 2001 10:02 pm**

Will Ray is from Richmond Va.
He is a big fan of Roy Buchanan. He plays with two spoon slides that he made. The left hand acts as a slide, while the right hand creates a movable bridge.
Incredible player... check out "sweet dreams" his tribute to Roy.

Posted: **2 Sep 2001 1:34 am**

Thanks guys !
keep em' comin'

Steel dig ya' later...

Posted: **4 Sep 2001 4:14 am**

Jerry Donahue a string bender? 10-4 on that one for sure! He doe's it without using a B-bender though. Jerry is a master of pushing the strings behind the nut, sometimes two at a time. John Jorgensen's record speaks for itself as I think he's been the most visible of the three. As for Will Ray, he's totally insane and must be in link with some strange world to play like he does! He uses the HipShot B-bender unit as opposed to the Parson/White which most B-bender players use. I scored a copy of an instruction tape called "B-Bender Mania" by Will. If you can get a copy of this thing you won't be sorry. This is one wild man of the guitar.

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Have a good 'un! JH U-12

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 04 September 2001 at 05:15 AM.]

Posted: **4 Sep 2001 5:29 pm**

Ah yes, The Hellecasters. What a great bunch of players! Will Ray recorded, played on, and co produced (avec mois) my CD. He was trully amazing to watch. Didn't use his bender very much, as we had Senor Bovine doing the majority of slipping and sliding. He used several guitars that didn't have benders on them. Of course, this post is just a blatant excuse to mention my CD. Check it out-it's selling in the dozens!

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-Tom www.tompowell.org

Posted: **13 Sep 2001 8:59 pm**

So you had Ernest Bovine on PSG and Doug Livingston on Keys

Now thats what I call a great "Two for One Deal" !!

Saw him at St Louis this year didn't get a chance to chat though......of course I am talking about Ernest, I don't think Doug would ever go to a Steel Guitar Convention......

Tim

Posted: **13 Sep 2001 9:00 pm**

So you had Ernest Bovine on PSG and Doug Livingston on Keys

Now thats what I call a great "Two for One Deal" !!

Saw him at St Louis this year didn't get a chance to chat though......of course I am talking about Ernest, I don't think Doug would ever go to a Steel Guitar Convention......

Tim

Posted: **15 Sep 2001 5:32 pm**

Bovine is a great player.
Will Ray also. The rest of the Hellecasters, John and Jerry are also amazing. Their seperate solo projects and sideman jobs make it hard to find time to be Hellecasters. But they manage a few gigs. I've got to try to get Will and Bovine to come with me on my World Tour this winter. It starts in North Hollywood. Hope I can find a second show to do!!

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-Tom www.tompowell.org

Posted: **16 Sep 2001 6:15 pm**

Jerry Hayes, I would have been dissapointed if you hadn't posted here, how are you doing?

On a side note, Jerry Donahue was tied up with Plastic Penny, a group that Albert Lee informally worked with in late 1969, this group evolved into Heads Hands And Feet with Albert, while Jerry went to Fairport Convention, I've often wondered what would have happened if they'd stayed in a group together.