Julian Tharpe Birthday!

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 27 Mar 2003 10:04 pm

Julian Tharpe would have been 66 today. He was born March 28, 1937 near Skipperville, AL.

Does anybody remember him?

For those who might not have ever heard his picking live or on recordings, Julian had one Unique Style of Steel Guitar playing, and once you heard him, you wouldn't forget it.

I miss him and his Great Steel Guitar Playing!

Woody

Fred Jack · Post by **Fred Jack** » 28 Mar 2003 12:39 am

Terry, I remember Julian very well and think of him often. He was certainly one of a kind and I,too, miss him. What a talent he was! regards, fred

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 28 Mar 2003 1:07 am

Oh yeah

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 28 Mar 2003 5:48 am

Happy Birthday, Joo-Yun -- WE MISS YOU!

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Michael Brewer · Post by **Michael Brewer** » 28 Mar 2003 7:01 am

I bought my first pedal steel from Julian. It was a Fender 1000 twin eights. Julian was having a bit of bad luck and couldn't keep up the payments. I met him at a dance at Ozark, Alabama and traded him my 4 neck Fender (26" scale) guitar for it and I paid off the pedal steel. Julian and I became friends right away. He came to visit me in LA later. He took me with him to visit the Mandrell family. Barbara was about 10 years old and had just received her new Bigsby. Julian was a great player and will be missed by all of us who knew him.

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Mike Brewer

Sam Minnitti · Post by **Sam Minnitti** » 28 Mar 2003 10:36 am

Do you have to be alive to get inducted into the Hall of Fame?

Leroy Riggs · Post by **Leroy Riggs** » 28 Mar 2003 10:44 am

i have heard of him a lot and, as old as I am, I am sure I have heard him play over the years but I cannot connect him to any specific song or artist. Can you tell me several songs I have heard him on?

L...

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 28 Mar 2003 1:42 pm

I first heard Julian Tharpe at the Demons Den on Broadway in Nashville in 1974. I was 18 years old at the time and had been playing guitar for 8 years. His playing inspired me to buy a pedal steel and I picked up a Sho-Bud Professional 6 months later. I've been at it ever since. His version of "On a Clear Day" off the Jet Age album is to this day one of my favorite steel guitar instrumentals. If my memory serves me right it seems that Mike Sweeney once told me that he had heard an album that Julian played an 11 string non pedal guitar on that was amazing, I would love to hear that sometime. Julian Tharpe was truly one of the greatest steel guitar players ever![This message was edited by Bob Watson on 28 March 2003 at 01:48 PM.]

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 28 Mar 2003 7:31 pm

Hi Leroy,

Julian played steel guitar and was a band leader for sometime with Barbara Mandrell and her sisters. He played with Ray Price, and in fact I've been told that he was with Ray when he recorded his hit "For The Good Times." He picked with The Allman Brothers Band for a while and bunches of others. He helped Scotty out on his L.P. a few years back too.

Julian had a real unique sound. I studied it for several years and he was a friend and a mentor. I haven't heard anyone, anywhere come close to his sounds. His playing could be pretty complex and was an unorthodox style, it's best described as Julian.

He cut several L.P.s most out of print now. They were " Take Your Pick," with the late Blondie Caldron of Ray Price's Band, next "The Jet Age," and "Southern Fried Steel," along with "12 + 14 = Country Jazz with the late Zane Beck," and his last "Deep Feelings." I believe that Tom Bradshaw still has copies of his "Take You Pick," on cassette tape. The rest you'd have to get through a collector.

We visited Julian's family last summer, and today he rests in a peaceful small country cemetary near Ozark, Al where he grew up.

He was without a doubt the most unique steel guitarist I ever heard. He used to frequent the Steel Convention in St. Louis.

I'm a positive thinker, and maybe someday Julian will be included in THE STEEL GUITAR HALL Of FAME, along with Maurice "Reece" Anderson. There is no valid reason why both shouldn't be included in it.

May GOD bless each of you and yours!

Terry J. "Woody" Wood
I Corinthians 1:18

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 28 Mar 2003 9:36 pm

I never met Julian, but I had his records. I think I once owned his Blue Sho-Bud 14 stringer. A great player, unusual tuning , like a E13th. I dug it.....al

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 29 Mar 2003 4:15 am

Saw him in Birmingham Alabama in the 70s. He was playing in a rock/disco band that consisted of a bass player a drummer and a singer and Tharpe. He played ALL the guitar stuff on steel that was on the pop tunes they played---lead guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboard/violin parts etc. Absolutely incredible. They did not play much country music.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 29 Mar 2003 8:37 am

I understand he met with an untimely death. Can anyone share any details,,or do we know what happened to those that were responsible?

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 29 Mar 2003 10:03 am

His family told me that he was assaulted by two guys while coming out of a small convience store. Julian had went to buy some bread and milk at the store. Then he was viciously attacked by two young men, he was hit in the head with a hammer and died shortly thereafter with hemorrage to the brain.

Julian was carry less than $11.00 cash on his person at the time. They robbed him and killed him for that. It will remind us of the evil and how little some value life.

It used to really disturb me, but the thing is they killed his body, but they can never touch his soul, nor the musical legacy he left behind. The man was an incredible steel guitar player. One of the best ever.

He died at the age of 57, leaving behind a young daughter, a son, family, a host of friends and fans.

What happened to the two young men?

May GOD bless each of you!

Woody
John 14:1-3

R. E. Klaus · Post by **R. E. Klaus** » 29 Mar 2003 12:45 pm

I knew Julian for a couple of years in the mid 70's when I lived in Nashville. He was a very talented and freindly (and some times very amusing) person. I lost track of him (and many other freinds) when I got married and had to get "a real job." I still listen to his music often and wish I had take more advantage of being able to learn for him.
I understand that his son is playing guitar in some where Alabama.
R.E. Klaus

Robert L. Clark · Post by **Robert L. Clark** » 29 Mar 2003 2:38 pm

I knew Julian very well. I've heard all kind of stories about how he treated some people, but he was always straght with me. I bought my second steel from him. A BMI 14 string that he played at Scotty's, I think he may have won that year with it. After hard times, the last time I saw him, he was playing a push pull Emmons D10 that he had all eight floor pedals hooked up on the front neck. He was truly a great, great musician. He is the only guy in the world that could play a 14 string guitar, smoke a cig, drink a mixed drink and carry on a conversation with someone while taking a break playing "Shake you Booty" at the same time. I will always remember Julian Tharpe.

Leroy Riggs · Post by **Leroy Riggs** » 29 Mar 2003 5:46 pm

Thanks Terry.

Reece Anderson · Post by **Reece Anderson** » 30 Mar 2003 8:28 am

May I extend a happy belated birthday wish to the memory of my dear friend Julian. A good man with a tremendous talent which was distinctive among all others I have ever known.

It's very disturbing to me when considering the distinct possibly his exceptional musical contributions will continue to slip into obscurity, due in great part to the fact he has not been inducted into the SGHOF for reasons which have never been revealed.

I personally believe he earned it, and is therefore entitled to that honor. It's becoming more eveident with each passing day that moment will never come unless those of us who knew him and appreciate his contributions to the art of playing steel guitar, allow our voice's to be heard.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 30 Mar 2003 8:46 am

What a selfless thing to say, Reece. We all know whose accomplishments and contributions warrant induction into the SGHOF -- and you and Julian are certainly at the top of my list, having been passed over for what many feel are personal vendettas for many years.

From my own point of view, you and Julian have influenced my approach to the steel guitar more than any living or dead. As much as I admire Buddy Emmons, Paul Franklin, and others, the two of you are the reason I play a single neck guitar today -- you proved it could be done with style, class, and musical creativity. Thank YOU.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Reece Anderson · Post by **Reece Anderson** » 30 Mar 2003 10:08 am

Larry B....You're very gracious statement that I have contributed to your enjoyment of playing, means more to me than you can possibly imagine. Thank you so very much for making my day.

Dave A. Burley · Post by **Dave A. Burley** » 4 Apr 2003 2:44 pm

Although I had played a little steel before meeting Julian, Julian's steel playing is what made me decide to promote the Jamfests and the steel concerts that we did in 74/75/76/77.
As Reece knows, we all had a great time during out travels througout the country with Julian, Jimmy Bryant, Buddy Emmons, Doug Jernigan, sometimes Curly Chalker and others.
Julian and I became quite close friends.
No doubt, he was different. NOt only his steel playing but his personality.
I recall producing a session for a young man from Michigan. I used Julian on the session and asked him to give me one of his great endings, a few thousand notes in a couple bars, as an intro. He about blew everyone out of the recording studio.
I have so many great memories of Julian that I will cherish forever. Some I can talk about and some I can't. <G>
I also have many unreleased live recordings of Julian that I listen to quite often.
He was the man.
Thanks,
Dave A. Burley

Carl West · Post by **Carl West** » 4 Apr 2003 5:27 pm

I had the privlege of being on the same bandstand with Julian one night at the Imperial Inn at a after hours jam. What a great player he was. That memory of working along with him will forever remain with me.

Carl West

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 6 Apr 2003 7:07 am

Belated birthday greetings Julian, one of the most talented musicians to sit behind a pedal steel. At one time I had a copy of Julian's tuning, I think it has something like maybe 20 pedals or so on the 14 string unit. I've lost it somehow, but if someone has it I would appreciate an email...Yes, it's certainly too bad that Julian isn't a member of the SGHOF, and there are a few of us perhaps that know exactly why that is so. One might go to the Board Members and ask. You probably won't get a straight answer, but I know he has been formally nominated. Maybe sometime......

FRED

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 9 Apr 2003 6:46 pm

I found this Julian and Red ..

[This message was edited by David Wright on 09 April 2003 at 07:47 PM.]

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 10 Apr 2003 8:43 am

What Larry Bell says- Says it all!

If Julian were alive today. He would be showing the way for a different approach to tunings and the steel guitar styles.

...........al