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Topic: Don Helms Steel Guitar |
John Herb
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 9 Mar 2020 8:40 am |
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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.
Last edited by John Herb on 9 Mar 2020 1:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 9 Mar 2020 10:35 am
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| Great photo; thanks for sharing. Looks like John is busy activating his Tube Screamer. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 9 Mar 2020 11:11 am
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Here's a better picture of Don Helms.
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2020 7:00 am
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
Here's a better picture of Don Helms.
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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.
_________________
John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
Last edited by John Drury on 11 Mar 2020 7:09 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2020 7:08 am
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That was cute! 
Erv |
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2020 7:15 am
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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!
_________________
John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2020 7:19 am
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He's the first steeler I heard of who tuned his first string higher than an E.
Erv |
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Wesley Medlen
From:
LaCygne,Ks
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Posted 11 Mar 2020 7:24 am
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Don told me Marty Stewart offered him $100,000.00 for his Gibson but said it was going to hall of fame.
_________________
Justice S10 Jr, Gibson Electra 6string, Boss Katana 100, Steelers Choice ,Gretsch 6 string lap, Hilton VP |
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2020 8:07 am
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| 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!
_________________
John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2020 8:14 am
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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 |
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Joe Naylor
From:
Avondale, Arizona, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2020 8:18 am
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He was on Patsy's Crazy and more
Joe
_________________
Joe Naylor, Avondale, AZ (Phoenix) Announcer/Emcee owner www.steelseat.com *** OFFERING SEATS AND Effects cases with or without legs and other stuff ****** -Desert Rose Guitar S-10, Life Member of the Arizona Carport Pickers Assoc., Southwest Steel Guitar Assoc., Texas Steel Guitar Assoc., GA Steel Guitar Assoc., KS Steel Guitar Assoc. (Asleep at the Steel) tag line willed to me by a close late friend RIP |
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Darrell Criswell
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2020 7:53 pm
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| 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. |
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Wesley Medlen
From:
LaCygne,Ks
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Posted 15 Mar 2020 11:50 am
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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
_________________
Justice S10 Jr, Gibson Electra 6string, Boss Katana 100, Steelers Choice ,Gretsch 6 string lap, Hilton VP |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 16 Mar 2020 6:31 am
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| 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". |
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Larry Baker
From:
Columbia, Mo. U.S.A.
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Posted 17 Mar 2020 3:29 am
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Don played on Walkin after Midnight.
_________________
Mullen G2 SD10 3 & 5 The Eagle
NV112 amp===Earnie Ball V.P. |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 17 Mar 2020 4:52 am
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| 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". |
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Nigel Mullen
From:
Cassilis, New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 30 Mar 2020 9:00 am
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| 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 |
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Don Walters
From:
Saskatchewan Canada
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Posted 30 Mar 2020 4:41 pm
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| Was it DH on Walkin' After Midnight ? |
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John Herb
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2020 5:08 pm
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| It sure was Don on "Walkin After Midnight". |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2020 5:22 pm
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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.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Harlow Dobro |
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Rich Upright
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2020 8:31 pm
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I have a gig bag in the shape of a boot that belonged to Don. Still has his name & address on the tag.
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A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag. |
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 12 Apr 2020 12:30 pm
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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!
_________________
John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr |
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David Zornes
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 15 Apr 2020 4:27 pm Little Roy Wiggins
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| 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 |
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I think I can believe that Erv. |
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