Why is Jerry Byrd held up so high in the Steel World?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 15 Feb 2014 11:03 pm

A fun JB Read I found while looking for the "hick" comment...

The word you used in you original post was "hack", not "hick".

Jim Smerk · Post by **Jim Smerk** » 16 Feb 2014 7:56 am

Opps, sorry about that, hack is the word i was looking for.....

Thanks for catching that!

Wally Pfeifer · Post by **Wally Pfeifer** » 16 Feb 2014 9:42 am

The answer is quite obvious. Why was the original post even posted?

Jim Smerk · Post by **Jim Smerk** » 16 Feb 2014 1:43 pm

Wally Pfeifer wrote:Why was the original post even posted?

Go back one page, 3rd from the bottom.....

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 16 Feb 2014 1:47 pm

Hey JIM:

You realize that JERRY BYRD used to live and did much of his playing in and around LIMA, OH.?

Rich Gardner · Post by **Rich Gardner** » 16 Feb 2014 4:29 pm

Here's what Chet Atkins had to say about Jerry Byrd:On the Jerry Byrd album, "Admiral Byrd", Chet wrote this in the album notes:

"Since Jerry has offered me this space to say anything I'd like, I'll sketch a pet story of mine for you.

The average young musician begins his career with a head full of high ideals; he tells himself, and everybody around who'll listen, about his determination to play only what he honestly believes in.

By his third or fourth day of working for the public, he has discovered it's probably going to be just a little tougher than he imagined to reeducate the whole world to entirely agree with his own personal tastes. And then, not more than a week passes until he has become a 100% realist who sees that he'd better hurry and get with the popular trend of the day if he's going to be able to survive in the business at all.

Now, there are two ways to react to such an unfortunately true story: (1) you can shrug your shoulders and say, "Oh well, I guess thats life", or (2) you can join me in paying tribute to the remarkable individualism represented by Jerry Byrd a rare bird in the modern menagerie of musicians, because he has gone against the odds to prove a man can hold fast to his ideals and still have immensely successful career.

My association with Jerry dates back to a 1947 recording in Atlanta's old Fox theatre. Later, in the Fifties, we shared a three-year experience I'll look back upon gratefully for years to come, playing together five afternoons a week on a WSM radio series called "Two Guitars". From that close relationship I learned there are no shortcuts, no compromises in Jerry's approach to his music, and he has within him no tolerance whatever for the sort of entertainment which must be classed as "musical noise". Combine these ideals with the gift of perfect intonation and you've got yourself an exceptional steel guitarist.

Seven of this fine collection of instrumentals were written by Jerry, especially for this album, and steel guitar fans will be surprised to find that all but three are played in the old E7th tuning*, a new experiment and a new sound for Jerry Byrd.

I know there must be a much more sophisticated phrase to describe the kind of thing Jerry plays, but to me it's simply Pretty Music. Unquestionably some of the prettiest music on the steel or any other instrument. Jerry is interested in no other kind. I wish the same could be said of everyone who plays and everyone who listens.
Chet Atkins "
Thanks to George Beasley on the Chetboard
RG

Dan Hatfield · Post by **Dan Hatfield** » 17 Feb 2014 11:38 am

Jim, I consider your question a sincere attempt to get opinions on what makes Mr. Byrd such a revered figure in the steel world. So I will tell you about a personal experience I had related to the playing of Mr. Byrd. I think it was in the late 90's and one of his last appearances at the St. Louis Steel Convention. Mr Byrd and a couple of Hawaiian side men came out on stage; the lights were turned down and a hush settled over the audience. Here is this diminutive old man standing behind a very simple steel guitar with his buddies on each side. They begin to play this beautiful Hawaiian music, and it is like the gates of heaven opened up and this simple music, perfect in its delivery, washed over the crowd. I don't consider myself a fan of Hawaiian music, but I have to admit I was crying like a baby and struggled to stop. I noticed that tears were flowing all over the place. How can one explain such a spiritual experience? I don't think people were moved because they were listening to Hawaiian music; no, they were moved because this little old man, who was in the December of his life, still had the touch and tone that could touch your very soul more than any other player. I have to admit I don't have any Jerry Byrd records and I'm not a big fan of non-pedal steel, but I will never forget that experience as long as I live. I don't think anyone can really appreciate the soulful playing of Jerry Byrd unless you have seen him perform live.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 17 Feb 2014 11:42 am

Thanks for sharing that, Dan.

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 17 Feb 2014 12:23 pm

Jim:
I think you have to realize that to most of the steel players starting out in the forties and fifties, didn't have a whole lot to listen to. Country Music was more often referred to as " Hill Billy Music "
In my area there were no steel guitar teachers. We did have a Honolulu Conservatory of music that taught a number system for Island music. So it was records and WSM and WLS and a few local stations with live music.
There was a lot of Fiddles, Banjo,Mouth organs,Dobro's , accordians, lead guitars and sometimes brass or woodwinds in the mix.
A lot of us listened to Roy Wiggins,Don Davis, Johnny Sebert and tried to pick up what we could that way. Almost everyone started out with an E or A tuning. I remember hearing Byrd play 'Limehouse Blues " and drove myself nuts until I figured out there had to be a sixth in there somewhere. I always thought Red Foley kept raising the bar for music and Byrd kept doing the same.Later as the music was called Country Western then Country , the pedals came in and changed everything.
I remember hearing Emmons on the old Fender with no pedals and it was still Emmons. If Byrd had chosen pedals there is no doubt in my mind that he would have been right at the top. Emmons and Byrd have one thing in common,their music can be beautiful and yet simple. A lot of folks trying to emulate these two, try to make it complicated and it's not.
There was never a higher motivating factor in my music life than Emmons and Byrd. Sorry to say I don't even come close.
Ray Montee, thank you for your years of dedication to Jerry Byrd and his music. You have provided us with a great insight to the man and his music.

Old Bud,at Eighty, still learning..

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 19 Feb 2014 3:17 pm

Willis Vanderberg wrote:...Ray Montee, thank you for your years of dedication to Jerry Byrd and his music. You have provided us with a great insight to the man and his music...

I'll echo that.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 20 Feb 2014 1:56 am

I started on lap steel playing E13, and my mentor, Kealoha Life, knew that I like country steel guitar. Life said to me (and this was in the late '60's) "There are 3 top steel guitar players in the world. Jerry Byrd, Joaquin Murphy and Buddy Emmons. Each one is an incredible stylist and each has their own sound".

A few years later he played me Jerry Byrd's version of Danny Boy from a compilation steel guitar album. I was stunned that someone could play with so much soul with the combination of absolute perfect intonation and beautiful tone. From that time on I started collecting JB recordings.

Bob Powell, editor of Country Music People magazine, did 2 special editions in the early 70's that purely featured steel guitarists from the USA. All of the steelers that he interviewed, including Emmons, Chalker, Hughey, Brumley, Garrish and Myrick all cited Jerry Byrd as the first player to inspire them to take up the instrument. Brumley was certainly a massive fan, and his love of Byrd is apparent on the segment of his In Time album where he plays a number or two on a Rickenbacker lap steel. Tom's version of Hawaiian Wedding Song is just sublime.

Jerry Byrd is a giant in the history of steel guitar, and anyone who can't hear why should struggle to call themselves a musician.

Jim Smerk · Post by **Jim Smerk** » 20 Feb 2014 11:42 am

OK folks, I am still searching for where I read the "hack" comment. As soon as I find it, or the thread where someone said it, I will post it here.

Ken Byng said "Jerry Byrd is a giant in the history of steel guitar, and anyone who can't hear why should struggle to call themselves a musician."

It is comments like this that do NOTHING to help, and there have been a few in this thread. If my serious questions offends you or your sensibility's, then I do apologize, really! But it is not that much harder to just write WHY JB has such respect & leave the negative comments out, is it?

Once again, I REALLY DO appreciate each and every response to this thread, it has been extremely helpful to this beginner player.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 21 Feb 2014 9:46 am

Hopefully this can of some help to you Jim.......

In reading over a long list of posts I chanced to run across a post by long time SGF member Andy Volk
and therein he states that "HE" is only a "HACK".
This was in a topic about 'slants'.

Perhaps it wasn't Jerry Byrd.........

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 22 Feb 2014 6:10 am

Jim Smerk wrote:OK folks, I am still searching for where I read the "hack" comment. As soon as I find it, or the thread where someone said it, I will post it here.

Ken Byng said "Jerry Byrd is a giant in the history of steel guitar, and anyone who can't hear why should struggle to call themselves a musician."

It is comments like this that do NOTHING to help, and there have been a few in this thread. If my serious questions offends you or your sensibility's, then I do apologize, really! But it is not that much harder to just write WHY JB has such respect & leave the negative comments out, is it?

Once again, I REALLY DO appreciate each and every response to this thread, it has been extremely helpful to this beginner player.

Jim
It only needs brief listening to JB to appreciate his musicianship and technique, and if you compare him to most other non-pedal steel guitarists you will hear for yourself why he is considered such a great player.

You ask why JB generates so much respect........it is actually because he was so unique and his playing still stands up today.

David Shepack · Post by **David Shepack** » 22 Feb 2014 11:02 am

I don't know if it was the parameter, and or function of PSG at the time, But from where I sit…..Jerry Byrd surely knew how to not step on the vocalist. Buddy E. seemed to be conscious of leaving space for the vocalist as well. ( just an opinion )

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 22 Feb 2014 1:49 pm

Well, the question was meant fairly, calling somebody stupid when you didn't even locate and read the original comment is pretty indicative of... something. Maybe the best comparison for a slightly modern perspective would be Jimi Hendrix. Whether there's a certain part of his playing that lines up just right with your neurons or not, EVERYTHING about electric guitar that came afterward was changed. And if it's stupid to compare Jerry Byrd to Jimi Hendrix, try going to a rock guitar site and compare Jimi Hendrix to Jerry Byrd....

Sir Edmund Hillary, then?

Jim Bob Sedgwick · Post by **Jim Bob Sedgwick** » 22 Feb 2014 7:31 pm

When Curly Chalker played at Jack Laux's club in the mid eighties, He stated over the mike that Jerry Byrd was his favorite player of all time. Curly then played one of Jerry's tunes. Curly had the technique and tone down pat. This had to be the result of thousands of hours of practice. One could shut their eyes and swear Jerry was playing. Who would've thought?

Larry Tracy · Post by **Larry Tracy** » 23 Feb 2014 4:46 pm

Some people are asking why Jim would question JB's playing. I am glad he did because there has been a great response with great stories and samples of his playing.

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 23 Feb 2014 8:27 pm

Just to take in the extent and scope of J B's work let alone to listen to his work it is pretty obvious to a hack like me, why he was held in such high esteem.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 24 Feb 2014 2:50 pm

I am just responding to the OP, haven't yet read any answers. He was called "The Master of Touch and Tone."
Others could play faster, cooler, flashier, better-fitting lines. But nobody could play them and sound as sweet.
If you ask me (and I guess you did, by posting the topic), the Hank Williams recordings provide a perfect illustration. Jerry played most of the stuff from the middle of Hank's career, Don Helms on the last year and a bit. Jerry's lines were more cleanly and sweetly played (and with more soul, IMO), but Don's lines FIT Hank's style better.
Jerry may or may not provide any illumination of WHAT to play, but he damn sure made it clear HOW to play whatever you're gonna play.
Kinda like Mike A. on the Dobro. Sure others played more technical lines, but nobody could touch Mike's tone (except the first few years of Douglas' career) or soul.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 25 Feb 2014 11:50 am

Jim, your questions are fair and legitimate to ask.

I can only agree with all the other other posts about Jerry Byrd's influence and almost supernatural technical skills. However, if we look at Byrd's music as a body of work from a critical point of view, ignoring his huge influence and other issues such as technique, I think it's accurate to say it was uneven.

At his best, with sympathetic accompaniment he was capable of the highest levels of artistry. With the wrong producers, he applied his heart, soul and technique to substandard material. Like everyone else, he had a family to support so it's pretty amazing how much courage he had to dive off the high dive and walk away from his career for an unknown future in Hawaii. He's neither among my primary influences or favorite steelers to listen to but I have tremendous respect for what he accomplished and the way he could deeply move both musicians and non-musicians.

At one time, I held a slightly more derogatory view of Byrd and his music. Having been a jazz guitar snob for many years, I initially viewed a lot of Byrd's output as "easy listening dreck". Then I listened carefully and began to really hear him. Much later, I recall a conversation I had with the late Bruce Clarke, one of Australia's greatest jazz guitarists before starting Cumquat Records. Like me, Bruce held a mixed opinion of Byrd's work.

On the phone he said, wait a moment - I want to play you something. It was a Japanese recording of JB with a female singer with JB using an eBow on his steel. The steel swooped around the singer like a tropical bird (no pun here, please). It was really ear and eye-opening to hear the level of control and artistry JB was throwing down. Bruce reminded me that day that none of us are just one thing as musicians or as people and sometimes musicians don't get the opportunity to record all that they can do. Check out some of the YouTube clips of JB's live performances. It wasn't just being in the studio with time for re-takes, he could whip out technical perfection at will. Like few others (Django comes to mind) the man just didn't stumble or falter when playing - ever.

My best advice is to listen to Byrd's best work. Like it or not, that's part of who he was and why he's still being talked about today.

Oh, and Ray, yeah, I'm a still a hack but I have fun.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 25 Feb 2014 1:25 pm

I wasn't for a nano second referring to you as being "a hack".

I believe I read it in one of your earlier posts.

Just trying to help this poster out.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 25 Feb 2014 1:27 pm

Never thought you were, Ray. I understood you were just pointing out the possible source of the reference.

Scott Hay · Post by **Scott Hay** » 25 Feb 2014 7:52 pm

Jim, check out the album "Admirable Byrd". Personally, I really enjoy that album.

Jim Smerk · Post by **Jim Smerk** » 25 Feb 2014 9:15 pm

Thanks once again for the thoughts folks!

And Scott, thanks for the album title. I Have been listening to "Jerry Byrd - By Request" the last few days and am really enjoying it...BUT....and I am putting my flame suit on for this one....I just don't see the "head & shoulders" above all the others that has been pointed out thur out this thread. He IS good, but IMHO not light years ahead of most of the other players I am familiar with...sorry........

**UNTIL**

I grabbed the "Jerry Byrd Live At The Halekaulani Hotel-Waikiki 1985-86 - Cass Transfers" from Chris T, and NOW I get it. As a life time LIVE musician I have always "judged" a player by the performance, not their recordings. Most of the YT videos I seen were great, but again just not that impressive TO ME....you can hear all sorts of players sound just as good with all the "post processing" that can be done.

But these raw, live performances that Chris posted proves, TO ME, that the man could play and had a command of the instrument that most others do not. The notes are sure, and the slides are A to B, no B-...

I am still looking for the hack comment as time allows, but I wanted to post this for everyone that has gave solid views on what makes JB, JB......

The Steel Guitar Forum

Why is Jerry Byrd held up so high in the Steel World?

Just a comment...............

Hey Jim!

Now ANDY............