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Topic: Ever heard of "Bill Steele" in Archer, Florida? |
Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 12 Dec 2002 5:50 pm |
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Back in the early 1980's I lived in Gainesville, FL and used to drive to the little town of Archer, FL to take steel lessons from a guy in his 60s at the time, named "Bill Steele" (that was his "stage" name, he said, but I never got his original name). He lived in a small trailer with his wife, had longish white hair (shoulder length), and also played saxophone besides steel.
Just wondering if any of you guys ever met him or have any idea who he is? |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 12 Dec 2002 8:43 pm
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| Don't know of Bill Steele, but I remember the sink hole and drives to St. Augustine. Them's were some days..... |
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Joe Casey
From:
Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
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Posted 13 Dec 2002 9:19 am
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Heck I never heard of Archer.  Billy Bacon used to use the Name Billy Steel when he went up to Sacto...However I never heard him play a steel.Good guitar player tho, who I think resides in Colo. now.
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CJC
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Joe Casey
From:
Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
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Posted 25 Apr 2014 4:45 am
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I finally found Archer last week driving up Highway 41.  darn near missed it tho if it wasn't for a slow horse in front of me.  |
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Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
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Posted 30 Apr 2014 2:35 pm
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Jimbeaux,
I live in SW Gainesville, less than 10 miles from Archer. In fact a few years ago I played a few jam nights at a bar there.
I will look into Bill Steel and see what I come up with.
Here's a photo from a birthday party at the Archer Bar in 2004.
At every gig he ever played the saxophonist, Sebastian Camillo (who I think was originally from Philly), would announce over the PA: "Any requests? We had one request but the microphone don't fit."
Best,
Bob
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 30 Apr 2014 3:00 pm
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Thanks, Bob. I lived in Gainesville from '80 to '84, so that's when I knew him. He must have been at least 65 or 70 years old by then. Might be hard to find someone who remembers him but thanks for asking around.
_________________
www.JimCohen.com
www.RonstadtRevue.com
www.BeatsWalkin.com |
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Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
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Posted 1 May 2014 3:46 am
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Jimbeaux,
So Steele would be 95-100 if still alive. Hmm...
I enjoy this sort of digging and have some folks in mind who may have known him or heard of him.
Can you tell me any more? Was he well known regionally or nationally? Had he gigged with any stars? How or where did you meet him?
Best,
Bob |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Scott Truax
From:
Florida
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Posted 1 May 2014 7:05 am Billy Steele
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Jim,
Billy Steele (stage name, I think) lived in Hernando, Florida when I met him in 1992.
(Hernando is about 20 miles SW of Ocala, in Citrus County)
He bought a D-10 EMCI from me. Came to my house to
pick it up. He had an old (70's maybe, station wagon) He pulled out a shoe box on the floor in the back seat and showed me an 8X10 picture of Barbara Mandrell, age 14/15, maybe. She was standing next to the steel she had with her name on it. At the other end of the steel was Norm Hamlett. The pic was signed: To Billy Steele with love Barbara.
He told me that his wife had retired from service
in some capacity with the State Police in MA, if I remember right.
He called me about 6 months later and asked me to come look at the changes he had made to the EMCI.
He had ruined that EMCI. (He removed the top 2 strings of the E-9th neck and all the rods, tuners, bellcranks..everything. And removed the C-6 neck and everything with it underneath. He had it sitting on a piece of pine and strummed it, like an out of tune lap steel.) Needless to say, I was sick. Of all the guitars I have owned, that one was THE one I regret selling. Never heard from him or saw him after that.
Don't know if we are talking abut the same Billy Steele, but I expect we are.
Scott Truax |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 1 May 2014 2:40 pm
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Fascinating story, Scott. Thanks for the info. I seem to recall that he also had his name across the front of his guitar. If it's the same guy, he would have been at least 75 years old by 1992. Does that sound right to you?
_________________
www.JimCohen.com
www.RonstadtRevue.com
www.BeatsWalkin.com |
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Scott Truax
From:
Florida
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Posted 1 May 2014 4:48 pm Billy Steel
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Jim,
I would guess he was mid to late 70's when I met him
in (about) 1992.
I also sent you an email. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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