Picture of Al Petty & his 21 pedal Sierra

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 7 Aug 2012 5:44 am

Paul Redmond sent me this, along with Al's notes for more copedants, which I'll post in the Pedal Steel section.

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 7 Aug 2012 7:11 am

Quite a machine!

Arch.

Tim Heidner · Post by **Tim Heidner** » 7 Aug 2012 8:58 am

that's giving me a headache just thinking about trying to remember all those changes

I'd like to see a pic of the underside

Keith Hilton · Post by **Keith Hilton** » 7 Aug 2012 9:06 am

Why 21, and why not 20 or 22? Think about keeping all those 21 pedals and 20 strings in tune. Is he still in Federal prison in Tyler Texas?

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 7 Aug 2012 9:52 am

You need to shorten your response Keith to just Why? or WTF?

This thing would give me nightmares.

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 7 Aug 2012 10:19 am

Whatever became of Al Petty?

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 7 Aug 2012 11:07 am

I had to help build and tune one of his dual rack guitars when I worked for Sierra..........it was a nightmare!

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 7 Aug 2012 11:59 am

Niels Andrews wrote:Whatever became of Al Petty?

He is in prison, apparently for the rest of his life. I don't know exactly why, but I believe it had something to do with a Ponzi scheme.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 7 Aug 2012 1:29 pm

Why 21, and why not 20 or 22?

Because it's one more than Vance Terry had on his? Who knows.

Here's something that has been floating around the internet for awhile that may (or may not) explain what happened to him.
http://www.alpettytrial.com/LifeofAlPetty.html

Douglas Schuch · Post by **Douglas Schuch** » 7 Aug 2012 4:36 pm

Mike P:

He is in prison, apparently for the rest of his life. I don't know exactly why, but I believe it had something to do with a Ponzi scheme.

If you are interested in the details, this archived article from the Dallas Observer covers it in detail. A quick google search turned it up:

http://www.dallasobserver.com/2003-01-0 ... the-music/

Not a pretty picture, although not malicious, I think.

Doug

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 7 Aug 2012 5:20 pm

I once saw an MSA with a double row of pedals at the MSA Micro factory.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 7 Aug 2012 6:24 pm

Al is no longer in Texas. Because of his health, he's been moved to a Federal prison in North Carolina, according to the last letter I received from him. Unfortunately, each prison has different rules about possession of musical instruments, and apparently his new residence doesn't allow him to have a pedal steel, only an acoustic guitar. But he's making the best of a terrible situation. I think he has a music ministry in prison.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 7 Aug 2012 6:56 pm

I remember when Al Petty and Danny Michaels were playing together at the Saddle Club on Vermont Ave near Florence Ave. in So. Los Angeles. Besides their great Solo playing, they were playing "Parts" together of mostly Jazz which was very new to a lot of us fellow L.A. Steel Players. Eddie Spears was playing Bass and Lou Pieta was playing Drums.

Sorry to hear that Al is having health problems !

Bob Tuttle · Post by **Bob Tuttle** » 7 Aug 2012 8:20 pm

When Al left to form his own band, I worked with Danny Michaels at the Hitching Post in Gardena, and later at George's Roundup in Long Beach. Eddie and Lou were still with him at the Hitching Post, but at George's Roundup we had Bobby Boydd on bass and Billy Jay on drums.

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 8 Aug 2012 8:34 pm

Wow, that thing is intense!

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 8 Aug 2012 8:38 pm

I read the articles on him, I wonder what the real story is. Interesting to say the least.
Thanks for the info everyone.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 9 Aug 2012 3:37 am

Can someone post any recordings of Al, if they have any? I'd love to hear him, as I'm sure many others would, too.

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 9 Aug 2012 4:57 am

Mike, this is all could find on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDJwokxaDy4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR5LpK8z ... re=related

I've been wanting hear more too!

Larry Danley · Post by **Larry Danley** » 9 Aug 2012 7:23 am

I bought a guitorchestra, from Al, I use it sometimes, I have a special pedal that was made by Goodrich, gives me steel and effect at same time, its kind of fun to play around with. I don't know about artical saying never sold one, I'm sure there are some out there.

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 9 Aug 2012 7:49 am

You would think there would be tons of videos and recordings of Al's as big as he was in TV and recording

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 9 Aug 2012 7:56 am

I think the system just made and example out of Al. Whether he was guilty or not is not for me to say but even if he were, his punishment was way to severe for what he had done. People kill their own family and get lighter sentences.
Al is a true musical genius. I had the honor of spending a little time with him back in the late 80's and he is a wealth of information. Very interesting guy.
I also believe that is the guitar he had with him at the time. If it is, I played on it a little and really not that complicated to play. It had a regular Emmons set up plus all the other pedals that did other stuff if I remember correctly.

Larry Danley · Post by **Larry Danley** » 9 Aug 2012 8:00 am

I will say he was always fair with me, sometimes slow, but did what he said he would do. I think I have a video of him somewhere, I'm on the road now, when I get back I will look and see, also I have a video of Reece Anderson also using a guitorchestra.

The pedals were set up, so you could play it like pedals on a organ.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 9 Aug 2012 8:42 am

I first became aware of Al and this guitar several years ago at a music show. Al had a room where he demonstrated the results of his several months of self-isolation in a wilderness cabin developing it.

He was marketing the many applications that his work could achieve. It was interesting, but complex, and not something a working steel guitarist could or would use on a regular basis. A recording venue would be the best use for Al's system.

Al is obviously a very talented individual who somewhere in his life encountered or initiated circumstances that was not in his best interest.

Al, if you read this, I pray for you and that you have another chance to develope your talents.

Gene

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 9 Aug 2012 10:03 am

Billy T. and Bob T.
Do y'all remember when Al used to broadcast live on KFOX from Evelyn's Panama Club, and Danny Michaels did the same from George's Roundup? I was too young to get into the clubs, but was a faithful listener on the radio.

Those were great days in SoCal.

Bob Tuttle · Post by **Bob Tuttle** » 9 Aug 2012 11:11 am

I do remember that, Herb. In fact, I was playing with Danny when they were doing the live broadcasts from George's Roundup. We were also doing a spot on Cal's Corral.