Chas Smith

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Chas took great pleasure and pride in the kinetic art (moving sculpture) that he built for artist Paul McCarthy. Would you like to see some of it?

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

It’s good to remember a multi-faceted person for all of their talents, even if some of the wellspring’s manifestations may seem controversial.

I just read an article about Chas Smith in which he described his introduction to the steel guitar:

While he was a student at CalArts, he went to a party one night. After some dedicated drinking, Smith lay down and got good and comfortable. Just then, someone put on Waylon Jennings’ Honky Tonk Heroes, and the record player was set for automatic repeat. The LP kept playing, over and over, even after his friends went out for a bite to eat. “I couldn’t get up to shut it off,” he remembers, “so I just laid there, listening to Ralph Mooney play, listening to the sound of his guitar. In the single notes, everything seemed to have this elevated importance to it. His chord structures were somehow changing while they were moving from place to place. I’d never heard anything like that in my life.”

After that, Smith went out and bought every record he could find that had pedal steel on it. And it wasn’t long before he bought himself a pedal-steel guitar—a single-neck Emmons. “I had no idea what I was getting into,” he says. “I started hacking away. Underline hack. I was so bad that the neighbors would throw their garbage into our yard whenever I practiced.” Of course, Smith had to listen to it too and he wasn’t particularly enjoying what he heard. “It takes 10 years to learn to play one of these f*ckers,” he says. “Not really. It actually takes 20.”
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I did not know Mr. Smith, or even know of him. Sorry I missed all the fun while he was here. My condolences to family and friends and fans.

Thanks for posting.

Tim Toberer · From: Nebraska, USA

Here is an article I found when I was first getting into building steel guitars. So sad to hear he is gone. What an inspiration... https://www.fretboardjournal.com/features/steel-guitars-chas-smith/

Bob Watson · From: Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

I’m sorry to hear this sad news about Chas. The creativity and innovation that he displayed in any and all of his endeavors was incredible. The steel guitar community was fortunate to have him as a member. My condolences go out to all of his family and friends.

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Andy, I would posit that Chas and you were opposite sides of the same very talented and valuable coin. We need all types to make this a great world.
I would also add that Chas was not the sculptor who created that art, just the wizard whose skills brought it to life.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links

Paul Warnik · From: Illinois,USA

I am saddened by this news chas could play more without pedals than many could with pedals I remember when he rebuilt the Ernie Ball double eight Bigsby for me that Bobbe Seymour nearly destroyed and claimed it was Bud Isaacs guitar Chas had great talent and he will be sorely missed

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

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