For Those of You Who Enjoy Johnny Farina look-------

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 28 Nov 2007 6:37 pm

Johnny Farina has just emailed me with the following.
He has a great collection of three cd's that are typical of the expertise of master of the non pedal Fender Stringmaster Steel Guitar, a stylist who has a history of accomplishments world wide Hall of Fame Members and deservedly so... if this thread seems disjointed it's because the thread is old I'm sorry about that...

Thank You

Jody

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 29 Nov 2007 10:23 am

Jody, am I wrong or wasn't Santo the steel guitarist when they did Sleepwalk in the original version? I'd always heard that Santo played steel and Johnny was the guitar player, am I wrong?.....JH in Va.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 29 Nov 2007 2:52 pm

Hi Jerry..yes Santo played steel on all of those recordings on Canadien Records. After they split up Johnny took over playing Steel. Sleepwalk, All Night Diner, Teardrop They are both good steel Players

Johnny called me and wanted to visit, he came from Eastern Long Island I gave him directions and he said Hey Jody, I have my GPS with me....he stayed overnight and I sat and listen to his playing, he spoke of his dad, with misty eyes he played YOU Don't Know Me which I believe was his fathers favorite song........ we had some fun going to the various resturants except for (one here) which is special to me) and I introduced him to some of my friends and they enjoyed meeting him and with the warm summer air I had the windows wide open as his steel sang beautiful. I will when time allows have him back here again. he is a gentleman and a fine steel player He will visit again and he's welcome here. This was before Uncle Mike Passed and had nothing but good to say about him ....that's it for tonight,

Thank you for you're time.. Signing off for the night and no, I didn't play my steel, I enjoyed listening to his stories and his playing.......he gave some of his compact discs which I play from time to time and signed to Jody a True Living Legend and that was kind of him. and I said Johnny I'm not a legend and he said Hey Jody you are to me and many others out there that was nice of him and I really don't consider myself a Legend I was there at the right place and the right time.......Goodnight

Jody-

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 29 Nov 2007 4:38 pm

Johnny played straight guitar,sometimes played lead as well, Johnny is every bit as a good steel player as Santo, I would have to say. his watching and learning what Santo did, was an incentive for Johnny to play very much as good as Santo..People underestimate Johnny..I DONT!!!! They are both good friends of mine and think very much of them. They are both fine musicians.One would have to be to accompolish everything they have.

Thanx

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 29 Nov 2007 7:37 pm

Jody, those CD's sound pretty interesting and yes, Johnny's playin is excellent. BTW, what's Santo doin these days? does he still play steel? Good to see you on the forum ole buddy.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 29 Nov 2007 11:17 pm

There's no mention on the website of what Santo is doing nowadays. Has he retired from the music business ?

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 30 Nov 2007 6:18 am

Santo is active in Italy.
Johnny is in New York.

The brothers have some long standing personal disputes.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 30 Nov 2007 8:05 am

Joey...yes...Santo is in Northern Italy and has his own group. The dispute is no longer an issue..blood runs thicker than water. They have been good friends of mine since I first met them in 1949...Thank you for your comments..

Andy Thank you and I have been off the Forum due to my health issues, which are now under control...

Alan...thank you as well for asking for information about Santo and Johnny..PS On the original recording of Sleepwalk Santo played a Triple neck Custom......
However on the LP cover shows him playing a stringmaster. Now both Santo and Johnny play Fender Stringmasters.

Thanx... All of you have a Merry Christmas..and a Happy and most of all Healthy New Year.

Gary C. Dygert · Post by **Gary C. Dygert** » 30 Nov 2007 9:53 am

I'm glad they resolved their differences. The Everly Brothers had problems, too. It must be hard for family members to be together all the time, on the road, on stage, in the studio. I wouldn't be able to take it!

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 15 Dec 2009 5:14 pm

Years ago,When I was doing a gig on Long Island at a club, The Log Cabin, Santo and Johnny would come in with their Uncle Mike Dee..aka DiVisconte
who played drums,I had them sit in and play my triple neck Custom, the three of them played great.....then I would go see them at a club on Long Island where they were doing their gig at a club called The Amber Inn..I offered to have Fender send me a Fender Custom so that they could promo Fender and they refused to take anything for nothing..They are the Cream Of Farina to me....It is my good fortune to have friends like Santo and Johnny and .I hear from Johnny he wanted to stop off here in PA as he was on his way to a concert to play steel with Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge...I wasn't able to accomodate him as I was going out of town..Johnny is now doing some cruise gigs with Jerry Vale as well and he told me he will do a cruise gig with singing star Al Martino as he play back up on the song..used in the movie Godfather, Johnny is a FINE steel player.
He will call again and when he does, I'll make certain to have him come and spend a few days with me and talk about those good days we had when we first met..When I was inducted 1n 2004..Johnny played before I did, I followed him, he gave me a nice introduction as being one of his best friends and complimented me on my playing over the years, there are many stories I can tell about these fine musicians..when people ask, what is that you're playing..we all I assume say a steel guitar, and those who ask say yes, Sleepwalk...Sleepwalk has made a major impact for the steel guitar and by far and large is the most popular and requested songs and will always be that. they will always be my friends for as long as I live....They have won more awards than any steel players in the world!

If any of you could search for the thread I started on this Forum...Titled
The Cream Of Farina..please post it for me to see, I can't find it anywhere..

Jody-

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 15 Dec 2009 5:58 pm

It's here Jody, http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum15/HTML/002584.html

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 15 Dec 2009 6:28 pm

Baz...thank you.I have nothing planned for anything regarding Santo and Johnny at this juncture but ya never know...thanks again. however, I will save the link to my computer...Have a wonderful and Healthy Holiday....Thanks again Baz.... :)edited for spelling... all of the chapters. are completed..I hope and pray that the book will satisfy all of you who have waited so long and that it will be all that you hoped it to be..

Jody-

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 16 Dec 2009 3:40 am

Jody Carver wrote:Baz...thank you..I don't know why I applied a copyright to that thread,,I have nothing planned for Santo and Johnny in my hopefully upcoming book..The Last Fender Guitar...thanks again. however, I will save the link to my computer...Have a wonderful and Healthy Holiday....Thanks again Baz....

No problemmo Sir Knight, one thing I would like to request, if you DO write about Santo and Johnny at a later date, is it possible that you could clarify to the readers that it was Santo who played on Sleep Walk, and also Santo who taught Johnny to play guitar.

I find it a little disturbing that Johnny advertises HIMSELF as the sound of Sleep Walk. I know he played rhythm on the record, but you and I know that SANTO (thanks Ken) wrote it, played it and gave writing credits to the other family members as a courtesy, or is there proof to the contrary ?

Do have a happy and holy Christmas yourself with the best wishes and blessings of this household to you and yours..

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 16 Dec 2009 4:09 am

basilh wrote:
Jody Carver wrote:Baz...thank you..I don't know why I applied a copyright to that thread,,I have nothing planned for Santo and Johnny in my hopefully upcoming book..The Last Fender Guitar...thanks again. however, I will save the link to my computer...Have a wonderful and Healthy Holiday....Thanks again Baz....
I find it a little disturbing that Johnny advertises HIMSELF as the sound of Sleep Walk. I know he played rhythm on the record, but you and I know that Johnny wrote it, played it and gave writing credits to the other family members as a courtesy, or is there proof to the contrary ?

Basil
Is this paragraph correct? You may have referred to Johnny when you meant Santo.

Jody
You have so much knowledge and personal experience in our field. This is a brilliant thread!

Ken

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 16 Dec 2009 4:17 am

Thanks Ken, apologies for the misdirection.

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 16 Dec 2009 7:02 am

Hey Baz..you mentioned awhile back that you would give some space or a reveiw on the Last Fender Guitar..is that still going to happen, that would be nice, need all the help I can get and I think we have a winner here..many thanks to those of you who have waited so long, I would appreciate your feedback and any thing you can do to help our book become one of if not the BEST of any books composed on Fender..It's a human interest story and nothing technical.What is needed is publisher

I have learned the Uncle Mike Dee ( Di Visconte has passed away in Florida, he was a good friend
And I might add the driving force for the success of Santo and Johnny Farina and wonderful drummer I have done many gigs with him.........silent drum sticks in the night for my good friend.......climb high on that mountain Mike, and God be with you through all of the gigs up on the Mountain Top Mr. Drummer Man
miss you and I'm sure Santo and Johnny feel the same The Beat will go on and on for an eternity.

Your friend

Jody

Jody-edited for spelling

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 18 Dec 2009 12:21 pm

1000% Jody,
I will review the book for our magazine and am eagerly looking forward to every tasty morsel..

There are a multitude of Fender addicts over here in "Auld Blighty" but our magazine goes as far abroad as did Capt. James Cook ..though with not quite as drastic results..YET.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 24 Jul 2010 7:12 pm

Looking for more info..

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 16 Oct 2014 3:25 pm

"Jody Carver"Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:02 am 2009 .....]Hey Baz..you mentioned awhile back that you would give some space or a reveiw on the Last Fender Guitar..is that still going to happen, that would be nice, we need all the help we can get and I think we have a winner here..many thanks to those of you who have waited so long, I would appreciate your feedback and any thing you can do to help my book become one of if not the BEST of any books composed on Fender..It's a human interest story and nothing technical.

You betcha

Jody-edited for spelling

A couple of UK publishers are interested but will require the right to correct typo's, spelling and grammatical mistakes, and of course give you the final say on any and all corrections..

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 20 Oct 2014 9:47 pm

I still miss Jody.
I am so glad I got to meet him and the Mrs.
He was a total sweetheart!

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 21 Oct 2014 4:59 am

Jody and I had some exchanges outside the forum a few years back. He had some good stories. For someone I never knew personally, I never 'met' a man who was easier to get to know.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 21 Oct 2014 9:57 am

David L. Donald wrote:I still miss Jody.
I am so glad I got to meet him and the Mrs.
He was a total sweetheart!

Hey, he's not gone yet, you know. He's still with us and active, I'm glad to say.

Kenny Foy · Post by **Kenny Foy** » 30 Oct 2014 2:03 pm

Charlie, You're right. Jody is a great person to know and he's full of===history-- also. Can't wait till the book comes out. Jody,if you've changed numbers,give me a call. =============Kenny

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 28 Mar 2015 8:39 pm

What happened ? I got notification of a reply, but there was none ?

Would love to know more about Santo and his whereabouts !

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 29 Mar 2015 4:02 am

It was a phantom bump in the night, or a rapid retraction.