| Author |
Topic: Billy Hew Len |
seldomfed
From:
Colorado
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Posted 21 Mar 2007 5:00 pm |
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Listening to the Hal Smith Archives .mp3s.
I think Billy Hew Len played A6 mostly - true??
On the cover of the 'archive' package he's playing a double neck. It appears to have pedal rods? Was it a Fender double 8? What tunings did he use on that thing?
Chris
_________________
Chris Kennison
Rhythm Cats - steel, guitar, banjo, dobro
Gold Canyon, AZ
www.rhythmcatsshow.com
www.seldomfed.com |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 21 Mar 2007 5:55 pm
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REMOVED
_________________
"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 28 Feb 2011 12:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Kevin Brown
From:
England
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Posted 22 Mar 2007 2:48 pm
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| Did I miss these archives , I put my name down and must have passed me by ! |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 22 Mar 2007 3:19 pm
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| FWIW: Billy played pedal for a short period but preferred lap. He told me the mechanism of the pedal rusted out in the sea air, also he didn't like the weight of the sritter nor the time involved setting up for a gig. He always did his best work on a lap guitar...he owned a JB Frypan which was passed along to his brother Buddy. When Buddy died, I think another member of the Hew Len ohana eventually got the guitar. Billy preferred the A6th. |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 22 Mar 2007 4:47 pm
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| Perhaps Billy prefered lapsteel for certain reasons... but he certainly preferred pedal steel too. And he certainly did not play pedal steel for just a short time. A great deal of his recorded work is of him at the pedals. Albums of Hawaiian singers Leina'ala Haili, Myrtle K Hilo, Kai Davis, Pua Almeida, Billy Gonsalves and the Paradise Serenaders, Bill Kaiwa, The Kawelos, Myra English and Lena Machado attest to this. For most of his life, the frypan Billy played was a long scale Rickenbacher. |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 22 Mar 2007 9:42 pm
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| I'll not dispute what you stated about the pedals Jeff. All I know is what he indicated to me back in 1987 when we were jamming together (along with some 'talk story'). At that time he was playing the JB and of course, totally blew me away with his genius. |
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seldomfed
From:
Colorado
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Posted 23 Mar 2007 4:25 pm recording
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Hi Jeff,
Could you recommend a couple of recordings of Billy, either all instrumental, or that promenently feature his playing, that I could easily find to purch? I enjoy the archive stuff - but would like to hear some studio recorded things that showcase his playing. Want to put it on my radio show.
thanks! Chris
_________________
Chris Kennison
Rhythm Cats - steel, guitar, banjo, dobro
Gold Canyon, AZ
www.rhythmcatsshow.com
www.seldomfed.com |
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Mike Ihde
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 24 Mar 2007 12:02 am
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I have a decent video of Billy ..."The Hawaiian Video"
This is now on DVD and is in 2 parts. The first half hour is a show called "Hawaiian Music, A National Identity in Sound" in which Billy Hew Len, along with Myra English and Sonny Chillingworth perform a live half hour set in the Blue Dolphin room. Billy plays great on pedal steel although he hardly ever uses the pedals. The second half hour is a mini documentary on the History of Hawaiian Steel. This DVD is a must see with Jerry Byrd, Barney Issacs and Alan Akaka. One Hour total $15. Free shipping.
Send an e-mail to mihde@berklee.edu if you want one. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2007 9:42 am
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| The 'Hawaiian Rainbow' DVD is another superb view of BHL, on stage with Genoa Keawe, incorporating excellant camera angles of Billy and his fry pan. |
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Gary Anwyl
From:
Palo Alto, CA
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Posted 24 Mar 2007 9:44 am
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Speaking of video, Billy Hew Len appears in the video "Hawaiian Rainbow". It's a documentary about Hawaiian music & the "Hawaiian music renaissance". It was filmed in the 80's. It's available on DVD.
He plays on two tunes. One is a medley of Hawaiian guitar tunes (including Moana Chimes). In the other he backs up Genoa Keawe. He plays a gold colored fry-pan. |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 24 Mar 2007 4:22 pm
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REMOVED
_________________
"Wisdom does not always come with age. Many times age arrives alone."
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 28 Feb 2011 12:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Gary Anwyl
From:
Palo Alto, CA
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Posted 26 Mar 2007 6:27 pm
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I ran across a very well done Podcast about Billy Hew Len. It has lots of examples of his playing. It has an audio clip from the "Hawaiian Rainbow" video, it has examples of his pedal steel playing & it has some out-of-print recordings from LPs. It's about an hour long.
Check it out! The webpage is here:
http://hwnmusiclives.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=175210#
The link to the mp3 of the podcast is at the bottom of the page. Here is a Direct link to the mp3. It's 62MB, so you probably want to do a right click on the link and "Save Link As". |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 27 Mar 2007 1:35 am
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| Quote: |
| Billy called his tuning A6+b5+9. The "top" is a A6. |
Would that be anything like the B11th ?
Where is his Fender 400 now ?
Baz
_________________
Steelies do it without fretting
CLICK THIS to view my tone bars and buy——> |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 27 Mar 2007 10:02 am
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Just heard Billy Hew Len play a great number, How D'ya Do on Hawaiian internet radio
AM 940
There is some good tradtional Hawaiian music on this station with quite a bit of steel guitar.
Aloha, 
Don |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 27 Mar 2007 1:07 pm
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Now, I have had the chance to go back and listen to the MP3 of Billy Hew Len posted by Gary and it is excellent.
A big thanks to Gary. This is a great contribution to all of us on the SGF.
This MP3 is a great tribute to Billy Hew Len and is an excellent educational piece about Billy.
I would urge everyone to take the time to listen to the MP3.
Billy was a steel guitar virtuoso even though he was handicapped. As someone said my two hands are my handicap.
Aloha,
Don |
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Gary Anwyl
From:
Palo Alto, CA
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Posted 27 Mar 2007 2:48 pm
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Don't thank me, all I did was post the link. I was very impressed too.
I don't know who created the podcast. He's obviously a Hawaiian music enthusiast. He mentions in the podcast that he plays steel guitar. I wonder if he's a Forum member or if anyone on the Forum knows him. |
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seldomfed
From:
Colorado
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Posted 29 Mar 2007 10:25 am podcast
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finally got a chance to listen to the MP3- very cool! This is a great recording. Ain't the internet amazing?
chris |
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Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
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Posted 29 Mar 2007 4:50 pm Bill Wynne
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| The podcast was created by a friend of mine, Bill Wynne. He's a fantastic Hawaiian falsetto singer (he won the annual falsetto contest here a couple of years ago). Also a steel player and guitarist, he loves the more classic styles of Hawaiian music. (I hope to collaborate with him on a project one day.) I feel he hardly gets the recognition he deserves for his efforts and talent because he happens to be located in New Jersey. |
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