| Author |
Topic: Country Music History - Jerry Brightman's Last Steel |
Mike DiAlesandro
From:
Kent, Ohio
|
Posted 13 May 2022 10:03 am |
|
Today I met up with the son in-law of Jerry Brightman, in Akron Ohio. Twenty minutes from my home I picked up the last pedal steel he owned.
A Performance steel guitar, that Jerry built in nearby Cuyahoga Falls in the early 2000's. A setlist was still in the case, and many strings and a volume pedal in the seat.
Just as I found it. Apparently, it sat in Jerry's Mom's garage for some years until, Dave the son in-law received it. Wanted to get some photos before cleaning it up.
Here are the photos for those interested.
Last edited by Mike DiAlesandro on 14 May 2022 4:34 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Joe Krumel
From:
Hermitage, Tn.
|
Posted 13 May 2022 10:44 am
|
|
| Pretty nice looking guitar. Hope you post some pics when you're done. Bet that thing will sound great. |
|
|
|
J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
|
Posted 14 May 2022 6:46 pm
|
|
I think these are one of the best designed steels ever. I have had a SD-10 for a few years now and just love it. It has a ringing resonance about it without being turned on. It was all gummed up when I got so tore it all down and cleaned it good.
And this is my keeper guitar. I have no other now. I just wish I could still play some but all I do now is just dingle. It is a beautiful guitar. Black of course. Good Luck Mike. J.R.
_________________
NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
|
|
|
J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
|
Posted 14 May 2022 7:11 pm
|
|
Hey Mike, You got your hands on a very good looking Black D-10 Performance. And what a story to go with it. Jerry Brightman was a very nice guy and a genius with his design. Plus a very good steel picker. Wish you had found the serial number book of all the guitars in the case. No record is around that I know of or that anyone will admit too. I learned quite a bit about the guitar when I redid mine. If you have some questions just PM me. J.R. Rose
_________________
NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
|
|
|
Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
|
Posted 14 May 2022 11:45 pm
|
|
WOW- Nice Steel ! Speaking of Jerry, he was a heck of a nice guy, very friendly and a great player. We lost him way to early. While we were not really social friends, we spoke now and then on the phone about "stuff" in general. Before he built the Performance he explained the entire concept to me, after he concluded I just said, What did you say ? He laughed .
I don't recall what year but I attended some sort of small gathering ( Nashville I think) where he and Russ Hicks were talking "Steel Guitar "
This D10 discussed in the thread is a real barn find. Cherish it.
t
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
|
|
|
Mike DiAlesandro
From:
Kent, Ohio
|
Posted 15 May 2022 4:21 am
|
|
Thank you for the nice posts. Joe, JR, and Tony.
I have not had the time to do much but remove the old strings and wash her down, but the quality of the build is obvious. I believe it has spring-loaded cross shafts which is not extremely common. It also is fairly light for a D-10, and the reversing mechanism is a great design, as pointed out by Forumite John Billings in a separate thread.
John worked with Jerry rodding up some of the Performance guitars. I know John back from about 30 years ago when he would frequent a vintage guitar shop in nearby Streetsboro, OH. I hope John is doing OK, as he hasn't posted in about 3 years, and he was quite active at one point, a big Kline, Sho~Bud guy.
I saw Jerry play one time at the Hummingbird Music Steel Guitar show in New Philadelphia, OH in 2002. He was very good and quite the entertainer, and I believe he used pre-recorded backup tracks for part of his show. And I see the young Jerry playing on the Hee-Haw reruns that are on from time to time on some of the local tv stations around here.
Yes, it's still amazing to me how these lost treasures just pop up for sale from time to time.
Mike D |
|
|
|
Jeff Garden
From:
Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA
|
Posted 15 May 2022 4:58 am
|
|
| I had lunch with Jerry one year at St. Louis and instantly became a fan. What a nice, enthusiastic, and talented musician. |
|
|
|
Bob Watson
From:
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
|
Posted 15 May 2022 8:13 pm
|
|
| I met Jerry at the St. Louis Steel convention one year and hung out with him for awhile. He was celebrating his 50th birthday. I also went to one of Chubby Howard's Steel Guitar Shows and Jerry was one of the featured steel players that year. He was one of the most positive people I've ever met and truly a world class steel player along with being a great guy. He left us way too soon. It's good to hear his name and to know that someone will be playing his steel guitar again. Thanks for sharing this with us Mike. |
|
|
|
Mike DiAlesandro
From:
Kent, Ohio
|
Posted 3 Jun 2022 10:21 am
|
|
Thanks for the nice words about hanging out with Jerry. The pac-a-seat has lots of cool stuff I will be going through when I get some xtra time.
Anyways, as the say, I can’t keep them all…
So if anybody has an interest in this guitar, email me and we can discuss the details.
 |
|
|
|
J R Rose
From:
Keota, Oklahoma, USA
|
Posted 5 Jun 2022 10:18 am
|
|
Would Loved to own this Mike but done got too old. It is as fine a Steel Guitar you could ever have. BEAUTIFUL. J.R.
_________________
NOTHING..Sold it all. J.R. Rose |
|
|
|
Mike DiAlesandro
From:
Kent, Ohio
|
Posted 5 Jun 2022 2:53 pm
|
|
Thanks J.R., it is an excellent sounding and well built steel guitar. I believe someone will be quite happy with her. 
I put an ad on the For Sale page. Hope to find a good home for this guitar, as I promised Jerry's son in-law that I would.
Mike D |
|
|
|
