Tribute to a great steel guitarist: Jody Carver

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 11 Jan 2005 12:22 pm

Today turned out to be one of those days with nothing in particular pressing to be done. I put Jody Carverâ€™s CD â€œHot Club of Americaâ€ and a separate CD he sent me of his three performances on the Arthur Godfrey Show on my Media Player and listened once again to them. I noticed the date on the Arthur Godfrey CD to be February 7, 9 and 10 1955 â€“ so this recording was made almost exactly 50 years ago. Itâ€™s hard to believe that any guy could get that much out of a non-pedal steel a half century ago. He was right up there with Noel Boggs, Joaquin Murphey and Speedy West and the other greats of that era. The Arthur Godfrey show was listened to by millions in those days â€“ so Jody probably gave the steel guitar more exposure to more non-country-music fans on those three occasions than most of us did in our lifetime. And to cap it off, he had already played to a nationwide audience with Perry Como and had recorded with Vaughn Monroe and the Fontaine Sisters â€“ all internationally known to pop audiences. Then he and his friend, Johnny Cucci cut a record session that turned out to be a highly sought after record which has now been released on a CD. Steve Allen was in the studio and heard Jody and Johnny play and suggested the name â€œHot Club of America.â€ Itâ€™s no wonder that the ISGHOF Board picked Jody as one of the 2004 inductees into the Hall of Fame.

If you donâ€™t have a copy if Jodyâ€™s recordings in your music library, your library is not complete.

I have no financial interest in Jodyâ€™s CDâ€™s â€“ but he is a very dear friend of Laurie and me -- as was his wonderful wife, Marilyn before she passed on -- and we admire him for his talent, his great personality, and his almost unending knowledge of Fender instruments.

So, I submit this post as a tribute to the well deserving Jody Carver.

------------------
Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.

Andy Zynda · Post by **Andy Zynda** » 11 Jan 2005 12:56 pm

Hear hear, and one more hear!
-andy-

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 11 Jan 2005 1:15 pm

When I lived in Pa. (’37 ’til ’67) I was so close to Jody Carver at times, but; never knew it until in more recent years. Now I know Jody and consider him a very good friend, but; still have never met him in person! I hope that little problem can be corrected before too long in the future. He's an encyclopedia of information and a genuinely kind individual that all should know! I also call him a ‘Fender's Best Friend’!

------------------
“Big John” Bechtel

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 11 Jan 2005 1:26 pm

I have a copy of the HCOA record and made my own CD,
A great, great performance from Jody and Johhny.

But I sure would like to see those old Godfrey Show tapes.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 11 Jan 2005 3:18 pm

Reading one of my posts is painful..reading two is AGONY..I edited this for double posting. Sorry.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 12 January 2005 at 06:26 AM.]

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 11 Jan 2005 3:49 pm

Roy and Andy and John and Donald, I am at home watching the snow pile up as I look out of my window.I dont know what to say or how to reply,It's not easy to ignore what has been posted by Roy and yet I dont want to blow my horn. Any horns that were blown were
the great CBS staff band that pushed me to a tempo beyond what we rehearsed.

Many of the band members such as guitarist Al Caiola and Tony Mottola were present that night on February 7th and it seems as though they and the rest of the band wanted one of their own do good.

The reason that February 8th was left out was because Jack Smith who owns the Tape & Disc factory thought it best to do so.

The reason? It was standard procedure that the winner of the show the previous night would do the same number the next day. The next day was more fun than the night before,maybe not as exciting but it was a bit more personal when I was asked by Godfrey to play along with him and the band which was a smaller 8 piece group,Sweet Lorraine. Arthur threw me a curve asking for me to play that ad lib..but being young and dumb I did and it was fun.

He asked me many questions about the guitar I was playing and I told Arthur and the audience it was a Fender, which back then was not nationally known or was it a household name. I have had many more shows with Godfrey after the CD that Roy refers to but I had loaned them to friends over the years and never got them back.

When I was told the night before that I was the winner of the show on February 7th I was not happy, I felt bad for the other two contestants who gave it their all and I would have liked to see all three of us win.

Beleive me it was not a happy time for me seeing the disappointment in the eyes of those who were not as fortunate as I. I had hoped Jack Smith were have left that second day segment in but Jack meaning well thought it best to omit that second day.

I am not a bragger, perhaps I was there at the right time and the right place during those years and was lucky to have accomplished what I have. I never ever listened to what I did back then because I am my own worst critic.

I am replying to this thread by Roy because unbeknown to Roy, I also felt that when I was inducted into the SGHOF that I was lucky because there are many others who are more deserving of that honor than I.

There are two that I can think of at this point that certainly belong in the SGHOF,,you
all know one of whom I refer to..the other is
someone who deserves it as much as anyone.

His long career and being the steel player with one of the most popular western bands of all time are his credits. His popular personality and his bragging about others is one of his many attributes, and since this thread was started I thought it may be a good time to tell Roy and all of you what I have in mind.

You know that Roy always fools with me by calling me "ugly" so I figured to show everyone that I am not as ugly as Roy calls me that I would like company next to me on the Wall in the Millineum Hotel in St.Louic and with that said I want Roy to be inducted
into the Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame so that people would see that I am better looking than he.

This caught me by suprise and I was going to start a thread regarding an uglier guy than I and announce that Roy Ayres should be considered for all his contributions and being Pee Wee Kings all time and spending more playing time with the Golden West Cowboys that he deserves the honor of being a member of the SGHOF. I have thought of that long before I was ever aware that I would be chosen.

Tit for Tat and since I feel as I do, I will
pursue to see Roy get nominated and inducted to a spot next to me in St.Louis and let those who see the plaque decide on who is the better looking of the two of us.

Thanks for all the praise. My heart is broken
over my recent loss, but having friends such as yourself make living a living a little easier for me.

Thank you Roy for your praise,but you are as much and more deserving than I.

And for that I hope I get my wish to show the world I am better looking than you.

Thanks to all of you. I cant say I dont appreciate Roy's intentions,but there are others to follow into the SGHOF and I am getting old and would like to see that happen
while I look better than Roy.

Thanks,,Marilyn would have liked to have seen this thread. I appreciate everyone of you for all you have done for me and Marilyn with your prayers and praise. I wished I could repay all of you back.

Your vote for Roy would be one.

Thanks.

Doug Seymour · Post by **Doug Seymour** » 11 Jan 2005 4:46 pm

Roy, I enjoyed meeting you at St Louis this year and I also was fortunate enough to meet Jody, too! Lots of great memories from that trip! Wasn't there a Rico Turquetti, maybe with pedals, on the Godfrey Talent show, too? Maybe you or Jody can fill us in on some of this early history?

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 11 Jan 2005 6:56 pm

Didn't I see Ricco many times on the Ed Sullivan Show?

------------------
“Big John” Bechtel

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 12 Jan 2005 6:21 am

Rico was the winner of the Talent Scout show a few years before I was. Rico played his own contraption with chains hooked up to activate his homemade contraption. He resides
in Florida as I have heard. John...I did the Ed Sullivan show on two occasions doing a solo spot. I dont recall Rico doing the Ed Sullivan show..PS edited to add Rico won the show playing St.Louis Blues..He was a fine man.I liked him and his playing,his guitar was an 8 string Epiphone Zephyr (sp)? He used
actual toilet type chains on his guitar. His original home was Providence Rhode Island.

All the information here is history and long gone. Vote for Roy Ayres to be nominated into the SGHOF..that would make me happy.This
is a non paid political announcement.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 12 January 2005 at 06:47 AM.]

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 12 Jan 2005 9:06 am

Jody,

Thanks for the confidence you seem to have in my musical background -- however, to my knowledge they have never inducted anyone based on the clinkers he has hit. Better looking than you, yes -- but outplay you on steel, no way.

------------------
Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.

Greg Sullivan · Post by **Greg Sullivan** » 12 Jan 2005 9:15 am

this is a nice tribute to a good friend ad poppy
I have stated this before,but will do so again in the event some have not read my comments of a year or so ago.

my dad was a trombonist at the cbs staff and he knew jody pretty well,my dad told me that the night jody was on arthur godfrey show the band was really swinging and that when jody finished his great performance the entire cbs orchestra stood up and applauded jody which later on they were told never to show partiality again.

my dad told me the band was so impressed by what jody did that they couldnt help themselves,it just got them going they couldnt resist.this was the first time anything like has ever happened and never happened again.

my dad also informed me that godfrey himself told the orchestra leader and a few members of the band that he himself (godfrey) flipped
over how great and exciting jody played.i have the original copy on cassette of that show and others and i could understand after listening to it for years.

i was born a year after that night jody was on the godfrey show and the funny part is that when jody was a fender salesman he was in my dads store when my mom had labor pains and jody drove my mom to the hospital and i was born that day.

i owe much to my granpop for all he has done for me and others. my dad passed away some years later and jody was the only salesman that attended my dads service. thats the kind of man he is.

he deserves this nice tribute and i thank you for remembering my friend.He is the best grandfather in the world. Thank you poppy

[This message was edited by Greg Sullivan on 19 December 2005 at 08:57 PM.]

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 12 Jan 2005 12:36 pm

Greg Sullivan the Smiling Irishman writes and
I quote.....................................

I had to edit my original comment regarding the reason the CBS ochestra was standing as Greg posted. I used the "H" word,so I wanted not to offend anyone,I'll put it this way they were standing because their "butts" were sore. You know what I mean,the medication for "H"

Hospital tested Doctor tested. Thank you..This is family rated entertainment.

Gotta go..I have the FLU....Greg snail mail me I cant reach your e address.
[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 13 January 2005 at 09:02 AM.]

Post by **Joey Ace** » 12 Jan 2005 2:51 pm

Next question for Mr. Carver, please...

Joel Johnston · Post by **Joel Johnston** » 13 Jan 2005 10:46 pm

Jody - I don't know you from Adam; but I've seen you all over this forum for the last few years and I have drawn this conclusion: You, sir, are one of the people that we on this forum all hold the deepest respect for. You are one of the pioneers of the trade. You hold a secure spot in the history and the romance that we all feel for the steel guitar. You are "one of them" whose shoes the younger guys are trying to fill. I've read of your loss and the heartbreak it has given you and it hurts my heart and brings a tear to my as I sit here writing this. You are a stranger to me, and yet I feel I know you. I think this comes from the fact that those of us who love the instrument and grew up with it, all carry inside of us a love and respect for the heritage and the history of it . . . and you are a part of that . . . a major player in it. So, we carry a piece of you with us wherever we go . . . it is contained in our love for the music and the instrument. And if you hurt, brother - we hurt. Please accept my deepest sympathy for the loss of Marilyn, and my deepest respect for your talent and what you have given all of us. You may feel alone at this time, but please know that we are all with you . . . and you with us.
With Love and Respect -
Joel Johnston
Spokane, WA

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 14 Jan 2005 8:17 am

Mr Johnston
Your comments without a doubt are one of the nicest things that has been said to me ever.
I appreciate every word and the meaning behind your words of praise.

It is people like yourself that make a Forum
such as this worthwhile and those words from me to you are the way I feel and I am being sincere. I will copy your comments and read them whenever I am feeling down.

Thank you. You are one heck of a man.

Best to you.

Jody. editd to add,,I see in your profile that you have been a Forum member since 2002 and have made a total of 7 posts. That in itself tells me that your comments are something special to me and that I will cherish your words and the time you took you write them. You seldom post according to your profile and I feel honored that you took the time to post what you did.

Thank You again.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 14 January 2005 at 08:20 AM.]

Donna Dodd · Post by **Donna Dodd** » 14 Jan 2005 8:39 pm

Jody,
The more I hear about you, the more convinced I am that Marilyn has a real jewel - as does the steel guitar community! Great post, Roy!!

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 14 Jan 2005 11:03 pm

Roy-Thank you for posting the tribute to Jody Carver. He sure earned and deserves it. I will add my tribute and good wishes for him.

Even though I have not personally met Jody, I know him from the 50's when we almost met a couple of times.
He was an exciting steel player and my old friend Jack Blanchette , Gibson Rep, and then CBS Fender Rep.and no slouch on the 6 string himself, used to tell me about Jody, and hoping we would meet. But ,sadly, it never happened.

Jody is Rright about Rico. Back in 1940 or so, Alvino Rey recorded an arrangement of "St. Louis Blues", A few of us copied that arrangement and Rico Turchetti played it on the Arther Godfrey Talent Scouts show and did a good job on it. I heard the show on the radio. Rico said it was a homebuilt pedal guitar and Arthur Godfrey was intrigued by that.
But I remember playing it with my D8 non pedal, I used a E13 tuning for the song...al

------------------
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 15 Jan 2005 12:59 am

[This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 23 January 2005 at 12:27 PM.]

Jerry Tillman · Post by **Jerry Tillman** » 15 Jan 2005 5:47 am

I agree with all the praise of Jody here but I would like to ad a couple of things.If you are reading this and haven,t heard Jodys playing you are missing something.His playing really needs to be heard to get a sence of what he was doing way back then.The percussive stuff is really cool and you can,t describe it.Also as interesting as his stories are on this forum you don,t get the whole picture unless you hear him tell them.I had a chance to talk with Jody on the phone a few times a while back and some of his stories can just floor you when you think about who and when he is talking about.One of my favorites was a story about when he first met Leo Fender and thier going out to dinner for some hot mexican food just so Leo could make a joke about ice cream the next day.I will not attempt to retell it but to hear Jodys voice tell this story was a rare treat that I will always remember.This post is getting almost as long as Jodys.

Sunny Callen · Post by **Sunny Callen** » 15 Jan 2005 10:13 am

Jody - You have -got- to write that book!

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 15 Jan 2005 11:40 am

Boy what a nice suprise. Everyone listen up
Sunny plays a big role in my book. Its a long story but his guitar was the triple custom that I played in St.Louis and told the audience I was playing it for a special friend and I will never forget Sunny or that GREAT ole Custom which has much history behind it..

Captain I just e mailed you.Keep in touch these guys are beating up on me,,call a cop.

E mail me when you can....this man is something special to me and the story is how my book starts off.

You are aware that you get the first one? I wanted to send you a cd of the hcoa..do you want one? sure you do and is your address the same? I'll check and if not I will e mail you.

Best to you and you are the BEST. I dont know if you are aware that my wife passed away and she always spoke highly of you and all you have done for me. I can never thank you enough.

edited to say,,,this guitar was what made me start my career with Fender.

Wait for the book. I cant say anything now.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 15 January 2005 at 11:42 AM.]

Kenny Foy · Post by **Kenny Foy** » 15 Jan 2005 7:33 pm

Roy, I'm glad you posted this about Jody. Your take on the cd's is right on the money. Anyone who hasn't heard the cds, hasn't heard the potential of a steel. Jody took it to another level. And I must say anyone who hasn't met Jody, well, you are in for the full effect when you do. It was a real pleasure to meet Jody,Marilyn,Roy, David Donald and Gene Jones at St. Louis. And alluding to the conversation on who is uglier,Jody or Roy, well let's just keep it secret ballot. As a matter of fact throw me in the race and I'll be taking the blue ribbon home. And btw Jody we're still waiting on the book. That will be your homework assignment before you post again. CLASS DISMISSED

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 16 Jan 2005 1:07 am

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 16 Jan 2005 7:34 am

Rick
Thank you for posting this photo taken by Forumite Walter Stettner at the ISGC. That is my long time friend Bob Maickel standing next to me. Bob is President of the very first ever Pedal Steel Guitar Club which he and a few others formed way back in 78 I beleive.

I have known Bob all of my adult life and we have become good friends over those years.
Bob plays pedal steel and non pedal steel,I am partial to his non pedal playing because thats where his roots are. His pedal playing if fine but excels in non pedal guitar of which he played a Fender Custom for years.

Bob would often come to the local clubs I was working and ask to sit in..of course I let him and he played his $ss off and many times I asked him "how'd you do that? He was an upcoming steel player and then decided to pursue a career in broadcasting and was a head enginneer at CBS for many years until his retirement a few years ago.

Bob was the driving force that gave me the honor of being inducted into the SGHOF,he and Scotty were the two who felt I deserved that honor and for that I can never thank them enough.

Bob and John DeMaille another fine steel player and VP of the PSGA make up a fine organization of a great group of people. John's wife Darlene is a fine country singer as well and they do a great job as a duo.

Jeff DeMaio a great steel player is bob's co-ordinator and does all the planning and sound
work at the shows. There are many others in the PSGA who are decicated to it's leader Bob Maickle. It is a team effort and the fact that is is the only steel club that has sustained itself over the years while many have not. The teamwork and love for steel guitar and those who play steel guitar are what makes the PSGA what it is today.

Bob is the last remaining person who saw my appearances of the Godfrey show and others over the years. I remember him telling me that when I was doing the morning show with Godfrey and his friends that he (Bob) asked his mom if he could stay home from school to watch me perform on the show.

The only other person who was with me the night I was on the Talent Scouts was my best friend..My wife Marilyn. One other was Leonard Stadlers wife who watched the show that night and when Len came home,his wife told him what he missed. From that time on Leonard "rest his soul" became good friends.
Bob Maickle and his wife Cathy are both hard working dedicated people who never gave up the ship even when things were looking bleak
when the internet started promoting steel guitar clubs,,but it is the PSGA that has proven itself over the most difficult times and the effort of dedicated people make this come true. Mike Gross who handles the MC work and is an expert of his knowledge of western swing and those past and present who keep it alive.

The staff band is about the best there is.
My friend Bruce Chappell,,Van Manakass, Larry
Eagle. and of course a great lead guitarist Don Cerce Jr, a whiz on lead guitar.

I know this is a long story but those people at the PSGA deserve my praise.
I will always remember Bob for his friendship to me and Marilyn and all the support he has offered over the years.

Bob and Scotty and Winnie Winston were the only people who were familiar with my playing
as most people remember me as a Fender Salesman. Those mentioned have made wife's final days the happiest and proudest she has ever been and it was after that ISGC she started to go downhill.

I am proud to call Bob my friend and for all he has done for me and to Scotty and Herb Steiner and all of you for making Marilyn so very happy. I will never ever forget any of you. I have saved this photo of Bob and myself and I can see the years that were once two young fellows just starting out and here,Bob stands proudly next to me and this photo is on my wall and I am proud to call Bob Maickel my friend. I have saved this photo of Bob and myself and I will never forget all of you who have honored myself and Marilyn..If it were not for Marilyn in all her pain and discomfort encouraging me to do the ISGC I would have never been there.

She had her last wish and it was Bob Maickle
who fulfilled her dream. And to Scotty I cant thank you enough. I am proud to be among the greats and idols of mine on the wall of the Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame, thanks to those of you who made that possible

They say One picture is worth a thousand words..I didnt want to take that chance so I posted a thousand words to go along with this photo..

Thanks to Gene Jones for all he has done and to Kenny Foy and to Smiley and Tony Davis for making Marilyns final days the proudest of her life. I will say this for myself and most of all Marilyn,,,we will never ever forget anyone one of you..sorry I didnt perform as well as I could have. Maybe someday I will play again and when and if I do it will be for the PSGA.

Thank You Rick, you are a "Gem"

edited to acknowledge a wonderful friend who knew me
when I was a young pup and would allow me to sit in with his fine western band "The Melody
Riders, my friend JIM HAND who has celebrated his 97th birthday this past November and resides in Louisville Kentucky

Jim is a gentleman and a fine steel player.
And most of all to my friends Roy and Laurie
Ayres who started this thread. You my friend
deserve to be nailed next to me on the wall of the SGHOF.

Thanks for being so kind to myself and Marilyn, and like that old tune that Blake Hawkins sent the lyrics to me...

"I miss her most of all "When Day is Done"

Thanks.

Jody I edited this as I remebered that Herb Steiner told me that when he was three years old he saw me on the Godfrey Show, and that he wouldnt finish his cereal until I did my bar crashes. Thank you Herb, You make me feel so young.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 16 January 2005 at 09:31 AM.]

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 16 Jan 2005 7:55 am

I counted the amount of words...987.

I color my hair pewter these days. Only My hairdresser knows for sure.

This was a double post of the post above.
I didnt want waste bob Lee's space.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 16 January 2005 at 08:02 AM.]