What If..........

Bob Smith · Post by **Bob Smith** » 16 Feb 2004 4:26 pm

Heres a recent moment I wont ever forget, Seeing Joe Wright play steel guitar with Doug Jerrnigan and John Hughey and Herby Wallace in the same room all playin at the same time. What a lineup huh? Theres no way I would be playing the steel without the internet and this forum. I couldnt find any info on steel guitar in any music stores around here. I stumbled on to the Carter website and actualy found a list of guys that teach steel guitar and one of the guys John Swain, was only a few miles away. He got me started and showed me this website and thats how i got my first steel. Bob

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 16 Feb 2004 4:56 pm

Paul, a great post. I have some great memories of you also. And some funny Lynn Anderson stories!
You have blazed a trail others will not soon forget, between you and your wonderful father, I'll never be without appreciation of your family and what it has done in the world of steel guitar and country music, or any music. Nashville is a richer place with you in it!
bobbe

Lynn Owsley · Post by **Lynn Owsley** » 16 Feb 2004 6:16 pm

Paul you started a great topic that brings old memories...I seem to remember a packed house at Deemans Den during DJ Convention,maybe 1972 or 1973, Neil Flanz was the house steel player and many of us were hanging out there...just listening and ocassionally joining in,when you and your Dad came by...many of us had heard you play at other venues and wanted you to play a set there...this could not be done because of your age...then many steel players gathered around you,walked you to the stage and stood in front of you while you played,so that the club owner could not see you...and you blowed everyone away!!!
Later the club owner,Len Miller told me that he knew what we were doing...and he enjoyed it as much as anyone...he just did'nt want to break the law.
These are fortunes in memories....

Fred Layman · Post by **Fred Layman** » 16 Feb 2004 7:01 pm

Ah, Alvino Rey and the King sisters on national TV in the early 60s. Ruined me forever! I had bought a National lap steel in '60 or '61 and started trying to learn how to play. In '62 I bought a D-8 National and kept plugging (plunking) away.

Then Alvino came on TV playing a S-10 Fender with 11 floor pedals and getting chords I had never heard on steel. I said to myself, "I've got to have one of those." I was fresh out of college and broke when I went to Wiley's music store in Wichita and there was a used Fender 2000 with ten floor pedals that was owned by Mr. Wiley's son, who had gone to the army. The new price was $1495 (!) and this one was on sale for $1250.

But I couldn't afford it. The college I was teaching at had a shop for industrial education and I (no doubt, foolishly) said to myself,"I can build one of those things." I found a fellow who had a pedal steel and I went over to his house and made drawings of parts and set out on the adventure of bulding a pedal steel. Over three years I built and rebuilt that thing several times until I learned what I was doing. I later sold it to a player in central Kentucky and he was still playing it twenty years later.

That steel got me to building steels and I turned out around 15 during the 70s and 80s. And the rest, as they say........

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 16 Feb 2004 8:10 pm

All the great times in Nashville during the D.J. convention's....and meeting you and your Dad....

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</a>David's Web Page

M.S.A.

M.S.A. Millennium
S-12 9 & 6
Bb is where it's at!
Peavey-2000-PX-300



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Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 17 Feb 2004 6:44 am

The Curly Chalker trio at the Hall of Fame Motor Inn in the late seventies was such an event for me. Of course, if we had had the internet back then I would have had it all scoped out in advance - as it was, it was just a fluke that they were playing in the hotel I was staying in.

I'd have also reported with excitement about hearing Bobby Black with CC & the LPA in the summer of 72. Or catching Sneaky Pete, Buddy Cage and Gerry Garcia (with NRPS before Cage joined them - Cage was still with Tyson) at Festival Express, 1970.

But the Forum has really opened up a lot of doors for us in terms of sharing what is happenning all over the place - not just in the big music centres with the big names. What about some of the real good regional players - we'd all have heard about a lot more of them if we'd have had the internet. And we'd have been sharing our local experiences on the Forum, too.

In the late 70's I got to spend a lot of time with a great player called Tom Keates in Kingston, Ontario. A lot of us could have and would have been talking about Tom - he was a terrific player, and a real inspiration to myself, Bruce Hamilton and no doubt a host of others in Eastern Ontario.

I also got to play a few nights, very early in my steel playing career such as it was, with a Kingston act that was well-known in Canada - Don Cochrane and Sweet Clover. I'd have been yakking about that experience on the Forum I bet, because it was a real thrill for me to be sitting up there playing along while Don was singing songs that had been regional hits.

Hearing guys like Al Brisco and Steve Smith in Toronto was always a treat - Al with "Johnny Burke and Eastwind" and Steve with "Whiskey River". And every Saturday morning in the latter 70's you could hear Al (with Johnny Burke et al) on a syndicated radio show called "Opry North" - I suppose if we had had the internet it would have been available for everyone to listen to. And we would have been talking about seeing Bob Lucier on the Tommy Hunter Show, as we used to do every week.

Oh yeah, catching George Essery with "Sneezy Waters and the Excellent Band" whenever they came through Kingston - George was an old-time steel player, looked about 60 at the time, played an old Fender 1000, i think, and also a bit of trumpet and fiddle, and was a really fine player. They were a real hot band, based in Ottawa. (George is credited with installing pedals on an axe for Neil Flanz back in Montreal. Heck of a player.

Or back in Lethbridge, Alberta in the mid 70's, hearing ("Stainless")Stanley Stewart playing CC & the LPA covers with some band out of Red Deer at a local bar - one of the first times I got close enough to the steel player to watch what was going on. And, years later (but still pre-internet), hearing the same Stan Stewart on a fantastic Ian Tyson album called "Cowboyography" (which, by the way, can still be acquired and is still one of my favorite albums of all time - beautiful version of "Summer Wages", among other things).

Thanks for the memories Paul.[This message was edited by Bob Blair on 17 February 2004 at 06:46 AM.]

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 17 Feb 2004 7:34 am

Mr. Franklin,

Thank you for sharing your story, it is very inspiring and positive.

thanks,
Drew Howard

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The Saltines

Jeff Sconyers · Post by **Jeff Sconyers** » 17 Feb 2004 9:13 am

Paul... Thanks for the story. I can remember back when I was 7-8 years old and my dad would get his Gibson Hummingbird out and play Hanks stuff. I thought if I could just make that sound of the G chord I would be on top of the world. Well he told me not to be bothering his guitar. However, while he was working late nights I would sneak in and work on chords out of a chord book he had in the guitar case. When I could play all of the chords I showed him that I could do so and he could not beleive it. He bought me my first stratocaster that Christmas and music has been my joy since. Furthermore, I played in a band with a gentleman by the name of Jimmie Miller.He was a very good steel player. He helped me get my first steel. It was a Sierra 14 string. I had no instruction in music theory or steel and got discouraged. However, about 3 years ago I decided that I would learn the steel and went to Bobbe Seymours place and traded for a single neck emmons. I now have a D-10 p/p Emmons and try my hardest to copy some your licks. I saw you set in at the stage the summer of 2002 and was amazed. I also watched Hal Rugg at one of the places on Broadway New Years weekend of 2002. I have been very influenced by all of you guys who have given music your all. I appreciate the inspiration all of you have instilled in me.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 17 Feb 2004 10:55 am

Defining moments?

Seeing John Hughey and Sonny Garrish at the London Paladium in 1971.

Hearing the Black Album the first time.

Seeing Reece Anderson display sublime musicianship at a show in my home town and then coming back to my home afterwards.

Watching Tom Brumley playing in the Stone Canyon Band.

Being in the audience at a Notting Hillbillies gig and being astonished at Paul F's technique.

Each one of these memories brings a smile to my face.

KB

John Parker · Post by **John Parker** » 17 Feb 2004 10:18 pm

What great stories and memories you all have!! I'm almost to embarrassed to tell you mine, but what the heck.

I remember when I was just a kid, maybe 6 or 7, listening to the radio and hearing The Steel Guitar Rag and falling in love with it. Also listening to Ray Price, Webb Pierce, Hank Thompson, Bob Wills, George Jones and all the others who had great steel players that really stood out.

Then one day I heard a song that absolutely blew me away.......Together Again. I started dreaming of the day I could call myself a steel guitarist.

As the years went by I saw a lot of artist in concert and always found myself closely watching the steel players. I remember in 1977 or '78 seeing Mel Tillis at Disneyland in California. When he introduced his steel guitar player he started by saying that the "kid" on steel guitar, that needed a hair cut real bad was "P..P..P..Paul Fra..Fra..Fra..Franklin." Mr. Franklin then proceeded to do his magic with the steel. And my dream to play got stronger.

But the years kept rolling by and having a family and trying making ends meet kept my desires a dream. It seemed I just never had the money nor time to pursue my dream.

Then after a couple of bad marriages I got lucky and found the best woman in the world. I had shared with her my dream of playing steel guitar and one day we stumbled across a Sho-bud Mavrick in a music store. She told me that it was time to either put up or shut up, if I wanted to play steel to buy that Sho-bud and get to work learning. So at the ripe old age of 44 I started trying to learn how to play a steel, even though I had never played an instrument before.

I had no idea how hard it would be to find a teacher. I found one guy in my area, Forrest Parker (same last name but I don't think we're related), that played steel and talked him into helping me. It wasn't long before I realized that I needed something better than a Mavrick and found my Zumsteel SD10 3x5 at a music store in Magee, Ms. But due to our work schedules conflicting Forrest and I couldn't get much time together. Then I had to relocate for work. So for almost 4 years I've mostly been trying to learn on my own from tapes, tabs and CDs. But I will not give up!!!! I've been getting brave and actually playing (or should I say hacking) at a barn dance every other weekend. The other players have been helpful and patient, thank God. Plus I have met a couple of other steel players who have been extremely helpful. I just keep practicing and trying hard to improve and maybe I will be worthy of being called a steel guitarist.

Well I guess I've rambled enough, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

John Parker
Zumsteel SD10 3x5
Peavey Session 400

Mark Switzer · Post by **Mark Switzer** » 18 Feb 2004 2:19 am

I made a few on the list; Rusty Young with Poco, Doug J with Vassar and Sneaky Pete with all kinds of people (some very non-country, BTW). I was too green as a steel player to know what was going on, but it sure was inspiring.
My favorite steel memories (sounds like a song title) include Ralph Mooney with Waylon sandwitched in between The New Riders with Buddy Cage and a 5+ hour show by the Greatful Dead at Kezar Stadium in S.F.,Buddy Emmons at a little steel convention in Reno,Nevada c.1980,Curly Chalker at a long-gone club in Ontario, Ca., and the man who started this thread at a N.A.M.M. show in Anaheim blowing bebop with Bucky Barrett (where is he now BTW?) and a bass player whose name I didn`t get.
Thanks for this topic. Mark

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 18 Feb 2004 2:57 am

I've got a numer of them, but the most memorable was watching Curly in Printers Alley in the Western Room play E9th for Emmons and Day one night in the 70's. Absolutely fantastic and Hilarious at the same time. Curly could put on a show when he had the right audience.

Another was at Deemans Den in the 70's, The Bartender was no less than Julian Tharpe, A young group of guys were jamming and they consisted of Randy Houser on Drums, Randy Hillman on Bass, a Red Headed little guy named Les (?) on a Gretsch guitar and a young Paul Franklin on Steel. The place was almost empty and I sat at the bar talking to Julian. We both were amazed at the music that came off that stage. Julian then predicted that Paul would be THE Steeler in Nashville in years to come.
Appears he may have been Correct.

[This message was edited by John Floyd on 18 February 2004 at 03:08 AM.]

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 18 Feb 2004 7:06 am

My musical highlights are many and include much non-steel guitar music. Just a few ...

- Hearing Mike Auldridge's first record and having my 17-year-old mind blown ... "what the heck IS that instrument!?"

- Coming in from a howling rain storm to dry off and bask in the glow of the Pachelbel Canon played by an orchestra.

- Seeing the Charlie Byrd trio live at a free concert in the park on a summer night as 1000 people swayed to his beautiful improvisations on Bossa Nova standards.

- Seeing Dizzy Gilespie and Max Roach live. Max picked up his drum throne and his high- hat and sat in front of his kit to produce an astonishing solo using only a stick, a brush and the high-hat.

- Seeing Tal Farlow live in a smokey club in Boston. Tal had a raging head cold and should have been home in bed but instead sat there and filled the room with chorus after chorus of breathtaking harmonics as he soloed over Body & Soul.

- Seeing Stan Getz on a Jazz boat cruise trade horn blasts with a passing container ship in the middle of his solo.

- Meeting Ralph Kolsiana and learning about his life as a steel player then having my butt kicked as he swung into "What is this thing called love". Not to mention holding the 4th frypan ever made and then listening to Ralph play the sweetest Hawaiian tunes on it.

- Having Bobbe Seymour take my place behind a Fender custom and leave me with my jaw on the ground as he played a Travis-style version of Sweet Georgia Brown complete with string pulls and slants all over the place.

- Hearing Wu Man play the Pipa (Chinese plucked lute) in person. Transcendentally beautiful.

- Hearing Jack McDuff go head to head with Joey DeFrancesco in a friendly B-3 cutting contest. The kid had chops galore but the sly old dog put him away with fewer notes played in just the right places.

- guess that's enough bandwidth for now

Chris Forbes · Post by **Chris Forbes** » 18 Feb 2004 10:51 am

I thought it was pretty cool when Billy Cooper showed me Emmons serial # 001 in his shop. How neat is that? That and playing on an album and doing a live gig with Redd Volkaert and Ricky Davis. I've enjoyed the few gigs I've got to do with Gary Lee Gimble smokin' both necks. Then, a couple months later getting to play a gig with Buddy Charleton!! WOO-HOO!!!!

Dave A. Burley · Post by **Dave A. Burley** » 20 Feb 2004 9:32 am

What great reading, bringing back memories that I lived myself.
My first recollection of meeting Buddy E. was in Muskegon, Michigan.
Buddy was playing a show in town with, I believe, Ray Price.
I talked Buddy into going out to a local pub called the Town Tavern.
A friend, Louie Thompson, was playing steel and Buddy was asked to set in.
After about an half hour of Buddy tipping Louie's guitar upside down and changing the tuners, we heard the best steel player in the world, bar none, for about an hour and a half.
Louie told me that it took him about a week to get his steel back to what it used to be but he said it was the highlight of his life.
Another memory.....The company I was working with promoted the show in California that Spade Cooley died backstage after doing his show.
I don't recall Murphy because I wasn't really into steel that much. Sure wish I had of been.
My first big bite, though, came in the early seventies when I, too, went to a DJ convention in Nashville. After hearing the great playing of Julian Tharpe on Broadway, although I always did love the steel, I fell in love again with the steel. That trip is what prompted me to start the Jamfest/Seminars, taking Buddy, Julian, Doug, Curly, Jimmy Bryant and Johnny Gore on the road doing six hour jamfests at different cities. I didn't have any money in those days, just guts, but somehow it happened.
Oh, would I love to relive those days traveling with the best in the world and being the promoter. I didn't deserve to be in that position but my guts and love for the steel put me there. When doing those things back in the seventies with those greats, although I had had a decent career up to that point, I discovered that I really couldn't play electric guitar so I quit.
That was back in 74/75 and I haven't played professionally since.
Thanks,
Dave Burley

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 20 Feb 2004 10:21 am

Having been in music for over 60 yeare, I have experienced many, many memorable moments. But, one of the greatest memories I have is seing a rare, spontaneous jam session at a time and place where you would not expect it. Joaquin Murphey -- who was my number one idol and later became a good friend -- was playing with Tex Williams at the Riverside Rancho in Glendale, California. The band took an intermission, but Joaquin stayed on the bandstand and began quietly playing some impossible riffs. Several of the other band members joined in and the place really started jumping. The stuff Joaquin was laying down became more complex and dissonant with each chorus. One by one the others lost track of the progression and dropped out. Finally there was only Joaquin and the drummer left on stage. Then Joaquin started playing a lot of syncopated licks, and the drummer finally gave up also. Joaquin played a couple more chourses alone -- stuff that defies description -- then quietly got up without any sign of emotion on his face and went into the other section of the building where the bar was. I would give half of everything I own if I had been able to record it. There were enough licks there to keep me and a dozen other steelers busy for the next 50 years. A phenomenon if there ever was one.

John McGann · Post by **John McGann** » 20 Feb 2004 10:54 am

So many great moments of discovery through recordings via Tom Bradshaw...got started in the '70's by Mike Idhe at Berklee...but the killer live moment was Buddy Emmons and Danny Gatton at Jonathan Swift's, Cambridge MA 1979. I was 19 and had been "playing at" steel for a few months.
My head was torn off by these two masters and I'm still trying to grow a new one!

Bill Bailey · Post by **Bill Bailey** » 23 Feb 2004 10:13 am

I will jump in here at some point when I have a lot of time, thought I would bring it up to the top so I can find it again.
Thanks Paul.
Bill Bailey

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Kenny Foy · Post by **Kenny Foy** » 26 Feb 2004 6:36 pm

Very good topic. Last year in a little town, Fulton, Ky, and Don Helms and an unknown band doing a show for the city festival. Mr Helms gettin the spot light and telling his story of the Hank Sr. days and telling of everything and everyone gone from that era EXCEPT himself and that old guitar, which recorded all those Hank songs. Then telling of and playin Hank's favorite song on that old guitar. Just him and that old guitar playing alone. What a silence in the crowd and a standing ovation afterwards. Brought a tear to my eye. Won't never forget it. When any of the GREATS start playing always take heed. And grant you there is hundred's of Greats out there. Wouldn't ever try to list them for fear of leaving someone out. Stumbled onto another one just this week. Thanks for the post Paul.

Donna Sherrard Williams · Post by **Donna Sherrard Williams** » 27 Feb 2004 8:29 am

OH MY what an awesome story Paul.... knowing how much my daddy loves the steel guitar and his lifelong devotion to the promotion of it.... my memories of the things he has told me and the conventions and the steel guitar itself hold a special place in my heart and I truly appreciate your post !!! oh yeah, my dad is "Boogie" Sherrard and he has been playing and jamming at those conventions for years... and his absolute love of the steel guitar is incredible. thank you for the memories

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Donna Sherrard Williams "Boogie's Daughter "

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 27 Feb 2004 9:17 am

Off the topic here, but Donna I always look forward to seeing and hearing the "Old Flat-Picker" get behind his steel at Lexington. Seems like I always run into him out at Scotty's too.

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HagFan

[This message was edited by Ron Page on 27 February 2004 at 09:18 AM.]

Bill Irsik · Post by **Bill Irsik** » 27 Feb 2004 2:35 pm

Back in the middle to late 70's we were visiting Nashville and of course the old ShoBud store on Broadway. Some one told us to go over and check out Music City Manufacturing where they were building the ShoBud guitar at the time. A gentleman there was selling a record of his son on Steel Guitar and told us he would be one of the greatest players of all time. That man was Paul Franklin Senior and he was right. I still treasure that album today and have been a fan of that mans Son every since.

Randy Pettit · Post by **Randy Pettit** » 27 Feb 2004 2:56 pm

Seeing Reece Anderson in '77 or '78 playing at the Grapevine Opry was probably my all-time "live" highlight. He was jamming with a five or six-piece jazz band made up mostly of Univ. of North Texas music profs. And it was real jazz, too - not just big-band and old pop standards. It may have been the best live jazz I've ever heard.

Perry Hansen · Post by **Perry Hansen** » 27 Feb 2004 3:26 pm

Watching and hearing Buddy Emmons play "Coquette"(sp)with the Little Jimmy Dickens band at the Bostonia Ballroom in El Cajon Calif. Mid to late 50s. Awesome.