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Hello Bob,

I was lucky enought to call Speedy West my friend. I became friends with Speedy thru my friendship with Jackie Burns who was lead female singer for Wynn Stewart and her friend Peaches Price who played drums for Wynn and Merle Haggard all of whom knew Speedy very well when all of them played in Los Angeles.

The first time I contacted Speedy was via e-mail and his response was immediate and very thoughtful. Over the ensuing months he sent me some absolutely hilarious and mischievous jokes.One day I got the nerve to call him back in Oklahoma and we spoke for over an hour, an experience I will never forget.

He was even kind enough to make me a cassette from his turntable of albums that him and Jimmy Bryant had recorded. He was just that kinda guy ,the likes we will never see again.

Since we have a site dedicated to the Bakersfield Sound at www.rockabillyhall.com/Bakersfield.html we discussed the Bakersfield Sound and unbeknowst to me he had played there several times. Also I am proud of the fact that I asked Speedy if he would do an article about his lifes accomplishments which he gleefully put together for us at www.rockabillyhall.com/SpeedyWest.html He was real proud of that site. Well I just wanted to let your readers know that not only has one of the greatest steel guitars passed but most importantly a real great human being has passed. I'm going to miss Speedy a great deal.

Glenn J. "The Ambassador Of The Bakersfield Sound" Pogatchnik

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