Wow!!! Mesa Show Was The Best Ever

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 29 Jan 2006 6:57 pm

I am back home tonight after such a great 3 days at the Holiday Inn in Mesa. I am overwhelmed by all the great players, great music, and terrific talent that helped us out with the show. I can't begin to repay all the people who worked so hard to get this event to the level it has become. We had visitors from all over the US, Canada and beyond. Enjoyed talking with so many people, made new friendships, got to hug a
lot of old friends and just had ONE GREAT TIME. We had a very moving tribute time dedicated to Hal Rugg and to Jerry Byrd. Thanks to all who came and contributed to this wonderful weekend. There are no words to express our sincere appreciation to everyone.

Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ

Jody Cameron · Post by **Jody Cameron** » 29 Jan 2006 7:32 pm

Wow, it really was a great show. I made new friends and saw old friends as well. This is a great show, and the SWSGA is great organization.

Thanks to Billy and all the folks involved with this show for having me. And thanks to a tireless and wonderful back up band, too. Roy and Paul and all the rest of the guys are great to work with and great folks, too.

I had a tremendous time!

JC

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 30 Jan 2006 4:45 am

Billy thanks for all of the hard work, I had a great time slapping backs and telling lies with all of my old friends and some new one too.

Jody thanks for the time.

Larry Behm

Chris L. Christensen · Post by **Chris L. Christensen** » 30 Jan 2006 6:37 am

The Mesa event was my first steel show and I had a FANTASTIC TIME!!! Everybody was so friendly and I made so many new friends! I was awestruck by the players and incredibly inspired, each player I saw was great and each was approachable, friendly, and very easy to talk to. I am greatly touched by the comeraderie and friendliness in the steel guitar community. As a new player it makes me want to practice every minute, excel at the instrument, and become a giving part of the community. I also really enjoyed Joe Wright's seminar and I wish I could have attended both days. Billy, you were a great Emcee and were a pleasure to meet, you deserve a huge amount of credit for such a successful and inspiring show as well as Muriel, Peggy Porter, Dave Beaty and all the others that made the event such a smashing success in my opinion. I can't wait until next year and someday when I'm up on stage too! [This message was edited by Chris L. Christensen on 30 January 2006 at 04:04 PM.]

Donna Dodd · Post by **Donna Dodd** » 30 Jan 2006 7:23 am

Murial Easton and Peggy Porter. These Ladies did an outstanding job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll post pictures sometime this week with highlights of MY favorite moments!!
Thanks to the entire SWSGA team for a superb show and their wonderful hospitality!!!
Donna Dodd[This message was edited by Donna Dodd on 31 January 2006 at 02:04 AM.]

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 30 Jan 2006 7:34 am

Hi Billy,

we Got home at 1:30 this morning. The Mesa Show was great! Peggy and Muriel are 2 really hard working ladies. They were non-stop. Your whole organization deserves a great big pat on the back. I enjoyed it so much. There was so much talent there that it's hard to choose a favorite. Everyone that played deserves credit for a great job. There is no way I could get up there and do the things they do no matter how much talent I had.
Wonderful Show.

Judy

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 30 Jan 2006 8:18 am

A big ditto on the above, I had a fantastic time. Highlights for me were seeing Tommy Cass for the first time in on over 30 years (he got me started as a steel player), going out and seeing Mike Smith and Danny Sneed Friday night north of town, and the surprize arrival of Wayne Yakes

.

It's a great show--very intimate and friendly. Thanks to everyone involved that made it run smoothly and all the great players that laid it on us

...

KarlKoch · Post by **KarlKoch** » 30 Jan 2006 9:34 am

Thanks to Billy and all involved. I really took advantage of everything; I took the Joe Wright seminar (which was great, entertaining, and is inspiring me to really get my butt in gear)-I also traded my Carter in on a new one and John Fabian was kind enough to take my old one with him. Anyway, I can't imagine the amount of work involved in putting something like that together. Thanks again!

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 30 Jan 2006 9:39 am

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 30 Jan 2006 10:56 am

I'd like to add my thanks to all the fine folks at SWSGA for putting together another outstanding show and inviting me to be a part of the show. I had a great time and only wish I could have stayed longer to catch more players. The band was superb as always; what a treat to play with these guys. I threw them some curveballs (like "Nights in White Satin") and they came through with flying colors. Thanks, guys!
Jimbeaux

Wayne Franco · Post by **Wayne Franco** » 30 Jan 2006 11:57 am

One of the best ever. Such diversifacation in the music. Everyone played REALLY GREAT Thanks Billy, Murial,Peggy, Fred Justice and all of you SW steel guitar association folks for all your hard work. I had so much fun with all my friends and I got to meet so many more new friends this time! Thanks to my room mate Larry Behm for putting up with me.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 30 Jan 2006 5:42 pm

Wow!!!!
Sure wish I could have made it, but my day job kept me busy all week-end.
Maybe next time.

Larry

Jim Stahlhut · Post by **Jim Stahlhut** » 30 Jan 2006 6:43 pm

I really enjoyed being part of the show. It was great as always to play with Chuck Lettes, then with Chuck and Scotty, then in the MSA room I played with David Wright for about an hour. I was seriously having too much fun. Great show all around. Jim Cohen was killer!!!!!

Jim

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 30 Jan 2006 6:47 pm

Yep, it gets better every year. How about that Jonathan Candler, is he a prodigy or WHAT? It was almost unbelievable how he had improved just since last year. And the material he chooses to play, AMAZING.

As usual, I really enjoyed Al Vescovo's set, a great player, and I love that big band style music. Chuck Lettes and the Stahlhuts did a nice set too. Its amazing how much music Chuck can get out of those 6 strings. And being a huge fan of good Jazz guitar music, I really enjoy hearing Jim Stahlhut play. If you don't have the CD Jim did with Maurice Anderson, you need to get it, its great.

Also, Johnny Davis blew me away with his guitar playing, I would have liked to hear him do a set on the steel too. Hint Hint.

Of course there were lots of other great players there, but most of them I hear at other conventions, so I really enjoy hearing the Southwest, and West Coast guys play.

Keep up the good work Billy and the rest of the gang.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Mike Sigler · Post by **Mike Sigler** » 30 Jan 2006 8:36 pm

Just a Huge THANK YOU! to Billy & His crew for a great weekend!
I sure had a great time, enjoyed all the great pick'n.
Mike Sigler

Paul Polish · Post by **Paul Polish** » 31 Jan 2006 4:26 am

Just a quick note to say [THANK YOU] Billy and the SWSGA members for having Dee and myself there as a small part of your show. We truly enjoy the trip to Mesa every year, and hope to keep coming.
Roy, Ben, Leon and our helpers Denny on bass ,Johnny and Chuck on guitar, and Jim Petty ,who filled in for me a couple of sets,on drums. Workin' with these guys makes my job easy...Thank You my friends.
All of the players did an excellent job. Some made this old boy work a little harder than others,but,thats the fun of doing these shows.
It was great seeing all of our old friends and meeting some new ones.
I feel blessed to be a small part of the Steel Guitar FAMILY..
A GREAT way to kick off the new year.
Thank you all... Paul and Dee

autry andress · Post by **autry andress** » 31 Jan 2006 4:37 am

Where's The Pictures???

Lonnie Bennett · Post by **Lonnie Bennett** » 31 Jan 2006 6:11 am

I would like to thank Billy and his staff for a fine time. Thanks for the chance to try out my new MSA, Hope I didn't scare anyone away. Would also like to thank MSA for the superb job done on my steel. The backup band was great too, Roy you never cease to amaze me. Thanks again Billy I had a great time.

Roy Rosetta · Post by **Roy Rosetta** » 31 Jan 2006 3:34 pm

Barbara and I just returned from what was a great show in Mesa, Az. WOW..three great day's in "the Valley Of The Sun".
"Thanks" to Billy and Murial Easton and Troy and Peggy Porter and all S.W.S.G.A. for having me and Barbara be a small part of this this great southwest show.
The show had a superb line-up of steel guitarist who were all in the "Pro" category. And what a wonderful and tearful tribute to one of mine and Barbara's dear and long time friends Hal Rugg, who was a charter menber of this great organization.
It was a pleasure to work with all of the players, and as always, with my brothers in the staff band, Paul Polish, Ben Brogdon and Leon Chambers. I'd be remiss if I did not mention the outstanding help we had from Denny Sarver, Johnny Davis, Chuck Back(another great steel guitarist and vocalist)and Jim Petty.
I'd like to send a "special" thanks to VANGIE who did a great job of helping me, from time to time, with the piano duties. We'll do it again........
Like Paul said "a great way to kick off the new year".
Thanks again to all the S.W.S.G.A., we are already looking forward to next year and a great weekend in Arizona.
....Roy and Barbara

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Music is a "gift" with many wrappings....
....Roy

Paul Polish · Post by **Paul Polish** » 31 Jan 2006 4:40 pm

Thanks Roy for mentioning "VANGIE". I did remember this afternoon long after I posted this morning. I had a SENIOR moment.
Sorry, one more time Vangie. Thanks for your help. And hopefully next time I won't be so forgetful.
Paul. See you in Dallas

Bill Stafford · Post by **Bill Stafford** » 1 Feb 2006 7:20 am

This was a great show. Sure sorry it had to end so soon. Thanks to Billy Easton and all in the staff and especially the superb band members. Just being able to sit on the front row and listen to Al Vescovo play all those great big band songs on his S-14 C6 tuned pedal steel was the highlight of this show for me. I do not know two steel players who would be qualified to give chord structure and playing lessongs to Curly Chalker, but Al would be the other one. It was a pleasure to finally meet Al Vescovo. Thanks for this opportunity Billy Easton and staff.
Really enjoyed the dynamic playing of Jody Cameron also.
Bill Stafford

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 1 Feb 2006 7:52 am

I have to agree with Bill. Al is in a league all his own. And he plays guitar just as well.

Thanks again Billy and Vangie and LaRue and everybody else involved for a wonderful weekend.

And thanks also to Roy and Paul and Ben and Leon and Johnny Davis for all their hard work playing behind all the great players. You guys are real heros.

Miguel e Smith · Post by **Miguel e Smith** » 1 Feb 2006 10:41 am

Thanks to everyone involved with organizing the SWSGA for another fine show. Because of gigs I had every evening, I was only able to drop by for a few hours on Friday and Saturday. That meant that I missed sooooo many players' sets (dang!@#$@!~!).

Joe Garcia and I throughly enjoyed our short set on Saturday and he was really blown away with the whole scene (he's never worked with a steel player before me so he's basically a steel virgin).

Looking forward to next year and hopefully being able to hang around to enjoy more of the festivities!

Mike

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 1 Feb 2006 7:36 pm

Same kudos from me to the SWSGA family, great show again, very well organized, just tremendous fun and inspiration hour after hour!

I talked four students of mine into coming to the show, and have heard nothing but raves from them all.

One question: I wonder why the great Mike Smith's set was so short? Next year please give him an hour! It's using steel in music genres outside of country that's the chief hope for keeping our beloved pedal steel relevant in modern music, and in my book no one does it better than Mike.

See you in 2007!

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E9 lessons
Mullen D-12/Carter SD-10/Webb amp/Profex II/Lexicon MPX-110

Bob Case · Post by **Bob Case** » 1 Feb 2006 8:17 pm

A big thank you to Billy and all of the SWSGA and an especially big thank you to the band. You guys are the best!