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Author Topic:  RIP "Big Bob" Martin
John Norris


From:
Peterson Strobe Tuners, Illinois, USA
Post  Posted 13 Mar 2017 1:08 pm    
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I just heard that SGF member "Big Bob" Martin has passed.

"Big Bob" was originally from Palestine IL and played guitar with Ennis & The Outlaws.
He later moved to Madison TN & was introduced to us at Peterson by steel player Jay Andrews in Nashville.
One of the nicest gentlemen you could meet and a great guy to talk guitars with, he used to come by our booth at Summer NAMM every year.

We'll miss you Big Bob, rest in peace.

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Jack Stoner


From:
Kansas City, MO
Post  Posted 14 Mar 2017 2:33 am    
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Sorry to hear that. We used to correspond quite a bit.
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W. C. Edgar


From:
Iowa City Iowa, Madison CT, Nashville, Austin, Phoenix, L or R Coast Soon!
Post  Posted 21 Mar 2017 6:09 pm     Big Bob
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Cal Sharp messaged me and told me the news.
Bob and Cal both played with me on the road and I enjoyed every minute of it.
You will never meet a nicer guy and such an infectious laugh.
Big Bob was one of a kind.
On a trip to KS to play the state fair Cal, Bob and the rest of the boys stayed at my folks' home during the week and picked almost every night of the week at a club after playing the fair in the daytime.
I remember one really hot KS night Bob couldn't seem to get cooled off enough.
The house had the AC turned down to 68 degrees and he was in a queen size bed with a big box fan on a chair on each side of the bed PLUS the ceiling fan on high.
I have lots and lots of stories and I get to them all in my book that comes out before Christmas this year.
I miss ya Bob.
WC
_________________
First owner of Steelseat.com
1980 Sho-Bud Pro II & 1977 Sho-Bud Pro l
Lawrence 610 Pickups
1979 Peavey LTD
1980 Peavey Nashville 400
Goodrich L-120
Toured with Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson & more
wcedgar.com
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Bob Watson


From:
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
Post  Posted 22 Mar 2017 12:28 pm    
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I saw a Facebook post about Bob's passing and I expressed my condolences to his family. He was truly one of a kind. I had corresponded with him on Facebook and the Steel Forum a few times, but I got to talk to him on the phone a few years back when I was down in his neck of the woods for the Mt. Vernon IL. steel show, it was great to hear his voice. WC, I remember hearing a few of the stories from you, Cal or Bob when you guys were playing together and I could tell it was a really fun time. I too miss Bob and I feel lucky that I had gotten to know him.
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W. C. Edgar


From:
Iowa City Iowa, Madison CT, Nashville, Austin, Phoenix, L or R Coast Soon!
Post  Posted 30 Mar 2017 1:55 pm     Big Bob
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I've never seen a guy eat like that in my life.
Cal Sharp, Bob, some drummer and a bass player all met up after Gabes closed down about 3:30 am one night and we all took off for somewhere in North Carolina to play a gig in Randy Travis' hometown. One of Bobs favorite drinks was to take a 64 oz BP travel mug and fill it one inch from the top with straight vodka which he referred to as 'tater juice' and then a splash of seven up and one small ice cube.
The old bus was chugging along and about daybreak we pulled into a big TA truck stop travel center just West of Knoxville Tennessee.
Bob asked the waitress how many biscuits were in an small order of biscuits and gravy and she replied 2. Then he asked how many in a large order and she replied 4 to that he said "I'll take two large orders".
We ate and returned to the bus to proceed heading East when Bob walked up to myself behind the wheel and says "WC can you stop at the next rest area? I need to use the bathroom".
Well, we did and after forty five minutes we were on the road again.
Bob took over the driving and somehow the next thing I knew we were lost and had just crossed the State line into SOUTH Carolina.
After quite a while we arrived at the venue and had an awesome show. I mean really, how could it not be a great show with Big Bob on guitar and Cal Sharp on steel?
So we get paid and stop at a Fina quick stop store to get some junk food and caffine for the road.
I see an elderly old woman I'd guess in her late seventies to early eighties cleaning up one of those hot dog cookers where they ride around on a feris wheel looking thing till someone buys them.
Bob says "how much are the hot dogs?" to which the old lady replies "how many do you want"? to which Bob replies "ALL OF THEM". The price was like .50 each and he took all 14, yes 14 and then proceeded to apply EVERY CONDIMENT KNOWN TO MAN including but not limited to mayo, ketchup, mus, onion, and jalapeneo.
Needless to say yes he ate all of them.
After becoming lost again later that morning and almost running out of fuel we safely arrived at our destinations back in Nashville and returned to 'living that honky tonk dream'.
It's all in my book that I hope is released before Christmas this year.
_________________
First owner of Steelseat.com
1980 Sho-Bud Pro II & 1977 Sho-Bud Pro l
Lawrence 610 Pickups
1979 Peavey LTD
1980 Peavey Nashville 400
Goodrich L-120
Toured with Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson & more
wcedgar.com
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Bob Watson


From:
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
Post  Posted 30 Mar 2017 7:19 pm    
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Smile
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