The Steel Guitar Forum

Pete Martinez is listed as the steel player on many tracks of a Merle Travis compilation tape I've been listening to. I believe I've seen his name _somewhere_ fairly recently as being still active (maybe in the TSGA?).
Anyone have more information (OF COURSE you do - this is the SGF!! ) ? as in, who else did/does he play with? pedal/non-pedal (the Travis tracks are defininitely non-pedal - I think ) ? tunings ? etc, etc...
Thanks in advance
Nick

Pete is a great guy. I had talked to him on the phone but finally met him this year at the TSGA Jamboree, when he was at last inducted into the Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. Tom Morrell had lobbied for a long time to have Pete inducted; interestingly, several Hall of Famers had not known about Pete and his musical career. I did, though (but I'm not a Hall of Famer). Pete worked with Merle Travis, Jimmy Wakely, and others in California in the late 40's but moved back home to Wichita Falls TX in 1950. He was a contemporary of Joaquin, Noel, Eddie Martin, etc. He worked for the Wichita Falls school system for years and retired several years ago.

He had a very early Bigsby but it was stolen a few years ago and that event took the enthusiasm out of steel playing for him, though he still has a Fender. But in talking to him after the induction, which included a reunion with his first Hawaiian guitar teacher (who is quite elderly but still spry ), he was so emotional that I felt he would get back into playing for the people that obviously appreciated him.

True enough, he is scheduled to play at the 2002 TSGA Jamboree. I will definitely be in the front row watching this hero from days gone by.


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