Remebering Curly

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 19 Jul 2003 7:44 am

Saturday morning in the desert Southwest. I put an old vinyl LP of Hank Thompson's "Cab Driver" on the Stereo, and being blown away all over again by one of my all time heroes, Curly Chalker. Just loved his big chords and phrasing. Makes me aware of just how much I miss Curly's playing. But I am so glad that I have a pretty good collection of his playing. Ahh....Curly playing "Gloria" right now. Sooooo good.

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Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Southwestern Steel Guitar Association

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 19 Jul 2003 10:19 am

Hi Billy, How about the album Curly did with Merle Travis, before he went to Nashville. He must have been playing his Fender 2000.
I wonder if he had knee levers on that guitar?

Roger

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 19 Jul 2003 10:21 am

The thing I liked about Curly was his totally different approaches. His C6th playing was so bold, brash, and dynamic, with punches and his "gutting" technique being so reminiscent of a Hammond B3 player's jazz stylings.

Conversly, his E9th stylings were gentle, smooth, expressive, and hauntingly beautiful. He was truly a player with two different stylings and sounds.

Mike Sweeney · Post by **Mike Sweeney** » 19 Jul 2003 11:45 am

Roger,

Curley told me that the "Travis" album was cut with a Fender1000 and 2 Fender Bassman amps. He cut Big Hits On Big Steel with a Fender 2000 and a Twin and a Standell.

Mike

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 19 Jul 2003 1:30 pm

When I interviewed Dave Allen for the Fretts series in '65, he had a Fender 1000 set-up like Curly's. For what ever reason they did this, I don't know. But Dave had taken the rollers out of the bridge and was pulling the strings over the shaft itself. He said Curly had showed him that. I didn't understand it then and still don't today but he said it had something to do with the tone.....

Jason Odd and some others including myself, have been trying here on the Forum to find Dave Allen but nothing what so ever turned up. As far as I know, the only information about him was what I wrote in Fretts and then he vanished from the steel guitar scene.

I loved Curly's work then when it was only on the Merle Travis album. There was no other way about it. He was GOOD !!

I said when I heard Dave's playing from the street in Anchorage, Alaska; that I thought Curly was playing inside. I'll leave it at that.

No I won't......Johnny Cox does the same thing every day of the week and THAT says it all !!

Regards, Paul[This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 19 July 2003 at 02:51 PM.]

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 19 Jul 2003 4:07 pm

Billy, I too need to have my fix of Curly's playing. How strange the name of Curly also is my favorite Stooge. Okay, off the subject. His reign from the early sixties into the eighties on the greatest C6 playing in MHO may never be equalled but at least we have some great recordings to keep us for the time being.[This message was edited by Gary Walker on 20 July 2003 at 12:20 PM.]

Ronald Riddle · Post by **Ronald Riddle** » 19 Jul 2003 8:34 pm

Billy I have the original album Big Hits on Big Steel
do you have that one?

Ron Riddle

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 19 Jul 2003 9:06 pm

Yes, I do have that album, Ronnie. It is great. I have a lot of his recordings, but there are still several that I don't have. I would sure like to get hold of Hank Thompson's "Stirrin' Up the Ashes" with Curly. They tell me it is one of the best. Anyone know where I can get a copy of that?
Saturday morning in the desert, listening to Curly....it don't get any better than that for me.

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Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Southwestern Steel Guitar Association

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 20 Jul 2003 8:26 am

Billy, I have that and I am your friend and what are friends for? Yours is only a copy away, Gary.

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 20 Jul 2003 11:32 am

Gary...
Thank you sooo much!!! I am looking forward to adding that to my Curly Collection. Another bit of trivia here. Do you remember that video of Curly at the California Country Club? I have it, and the lead guitar player on there is Johnny Davis, a friend of mine. He just called, and he is coming to Glendale, AZ to work the annual Marty Robbins Tribute show with me. I have worked that show for the past 6 years, and now Johnny is gonna help me out! He is a monster player, and has some teriffic stories about Curly. The show is on Saturday night, Sept. 20th in Glendale. Free to the public, but they do pass the hat for donations. They have recently purchased an older house in the Glendale historic district and opened a Marty Robbins Museum. It has pictures and memorabilia from Marty's career. There is even a picture of me with Marty when I was about 14 years old (Lots of years ago) taken at the old WSM studios at 7th and Union in Nashville. Come and join us!

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Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Southwestern Steel Guitar Association

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 21 Jul 2003 2:10 pm

. But Dave had taken the rollers out of the bridge and was pulling the strings over the shaft itself. He said Curly had showed him that. I didn't understand it then and still don't today but he said it had something to do with the tone.....

The early Fender Pedal Steels (Fender 400 &1000) from '58 till about '63 didn't have rollers. They just had a smooth strait metal bar at the bridge and a slotted nut at the head. In '63 they started using rollers and they also changed the pickup and a few other things.
They probably took the rollers off to try and get the same attack and decay that the early Fenders had.