Don Helms Steel Guitar

John Herb · Post by **John Herb** » 9 Mar 2020 8:40 am

I don't know if this picture has been shared before but this is quite interesting. Don helms steel on a stage with Johnny cash on what appears to probably have been some radio show.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 9 Mar 2020 10:35 am

Great photo; thanks for sharing. Looks like John is busy activating his Tube Screamer.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 9 Mar 2020 11:11 am

Here's a better picture of Don Helms.

John Drury · Post by **John Drury** » 11 Mar 2020 7:00 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:Here's a better picture of Don Helms.

Erv,

Here is how I remember Don, we used to get together for breakfast several times a week and one day he asked if I would do a repair on his Sierra lap steel. He brought it to Mickey D's and he could not resist making it into a lesson situation with Ronald.

He was such a funny man! I miss the guy terribly!

I remember asking him, "Don, aren't there enough clowns playing these things?"

There will never be another Don Helms! Hope you enjoy the pix!

J. D.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 11 Mar 2020 7:08 am

That was cute!

Erv

John Drury · Post by **John Drury** » 11 Mar 2020 7:15 am

Erv,

This was a scary moment, I had just done some work on his Gibson "Old Red" as he called it, and delivered it to him at some show somewhere, NTSGA? Can't remember.

Anyway, I was really nervous working on that axe! What an experience!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 11 Mar 2020 7:19 am

He's the first steeler I heard of who tuned his first string higher than an E.

Erv

Wesley Medlen · Post by **Wesley Medlen** » 11 Mar 2020 7:24 am

Don told me Marty Stewart offered him $100,000.00 for his Gibson but said it was going to hall of fame.

John Drury · Post by **John Drury** » 11 Mar 2020 8:07 am

Wesley Medlen wrote:Don told me Marty Stewart offered him $100,000.00 for his Gibson but said it was going to hall of fame.

Wes,

Thats cool! I guess I had a 100 grand steel on my bench! Thats gotta be a record for me!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 11 Mar 2020 8:14 am

Don Helms must have made more money playing steel for Hank Williams than Little Roy Wiggins did playing for Eddy Arnold to turn down an offer like that.

After Little Roy Wiggins died they wanted Eddy Arnold to chip in for a head stone for Little Roy and he refused.

Erv

Joe Naylor · Post by **Joe Naylor** » 11 Mar 2020 8:18 am

He was on Patsy's Crazy and more

Joe

Darrell Criswell · Post by **Darrell Criswell** » 11 Mar 2020 7:53 pm

I was at a steel guitar show, I can't remember which, where Don Helms played and he told a story about loaning Alan Jackson a steel he had played with Hank Williams. Alan returned the steel to him with a big fat check, he didn't say how much.

Wesley Medlen · Post by **Wesley Medlen** » 15 Mar 2020 11:50 am

Don was at a local opry here south of Kansas City about 3 months before he passed. Had me sit down and told me a lot of interesting stories a great gentleman. Wes

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 16 Mar 2020 6:31 am

Joe Naylor wrote:He was on Patsy's Crazy and more

Joe

No, that was Walter Haynes that played steel on Patsy's song "Crazy".

Larry Baker · Post by **Larry Baker** » 17 Mar 2020 3:29 am

Don played on Walkin after Midnight.

Glenn Wilde · Post by **Glenn Wilde** » 17 Mar 2020 4:52 am

Larry Baker wrote:Don played on Walkin after Midnight.

The whole melody of that song seems to be taken from one of his riffs he played with Hank, kinda like " I'm so lonesome i could cry".

Nigel Mullen · Post by **Nigel Mullen** » 30 Mar 2020 9:00 am

Don Helms actually toured with Johnny Cash. I attended a Johnny Cash show back in 1955 and Don played some Hank Williams songs in the middle of the show. It was the first time I had ever saw a steel guitar and when the show was over, I was hooked. I've been playing steel ever since that time and I actually got to talk to Don about it. He was such a gentleman!!!!!! He sent me some pictures and tunings he used on different recordings etc. Great guy. NM

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 30 Mar 2020 4:41 pm

Was it DH on Walkin' After Midnight ?

John Herb · Post by **John Herb** » 30 Mar 2020 5:08 pm

It sure was Don on "Walkin After Midnight".

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 30 Mar 2020 5:22 pm

I got to travel with Don when we were doing Hank tribute shows with the Malpass Brothers. He let me play that guitar at sound checks. I was playing guitar and we did the iconic twin guitars stuff on Ray Price's "Release Me" ,"Mud Hut" and a bunch of his classic solos like "I Feel Better all Over". He was a funny guy and shared a lot of his memories with us. A special chapter in my life.

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 30 Mar 2020 8:31 pm

I have a gig bag in the shape of a boot that belonged to Don. Still has his name & address on the tag.

John Drury · Post by **John Drury** » 12 Apr 2020 12:30 pm

I asked him what it was like playing behind Hank Williams when Hank played the Opry for the first time.

He said, I don't know, you'll have to ask Billy Robinson that question, I wasn't there.

I did ask Billy later, and he said yes, it was great!

I always thought it was Don Helms on the opry debut!

David Zornes · Post by **David Zornes** » 15 Apr 2020 4:27 pm

Erv Niehaus wrote:Don Helms must have made more money playing steel for Hank Williams than Little Roy Wiggins did playing for Eddy Arnold to turn down an offer like that.

After Little Roy Wiggins died they wanted Eddy Arnold to chip in for a head stone for Little Roy and he refused.
Erv

[size=0][/size]

I think I can believe that Erv.