This man began learning to play steel guitar in 1937 at age 8 using old Spanish guitars belonging to relatives. He got his first steel guitar (Dobro style) in 1942 at age 13 as a birthday present from his parents. He bought his first electric steel (Supro) in 1943 at age 14 from a pawn shop in Mobile, Alabama. His first job was on a daily radio show on WCBI in his home town of Columbus, Mississippi, in 1944 at age 15. He then hired on full time with a professional band in Meridian, Mississippi, in 1945 at age 16. He built, and still has, his first lap steel, in 1945. He was fortunate enough to join Pee Wee King and Golden West Cowboys in 1946, just before his 17th birthday. He played on The Grand Ole Opry, with King, from 1946 through 1948. This guy played steel with Golden West Cowboys on dozens of RCA recordings between 1946 and 1954, including "Tennessee Waltz", "Bonaparte’s Retreat", and "Slowpoke". He and the group played Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. to a record crowd. In an eight year period he played in all 48 states. Aside from all this he found time to teach steel guitar for several years in Louisville, Kentucky. He played steel in a Columbia Pictures western movie,"Riding the Outlaw Trail", with Charles Starrett and Smiley Burnette in 1949. He was a member of the Golden West Cowboys when the band received the Cash Box award for “Best Western Swing Band” for two successive years. While with King, he wrote several songs that were recorded, such as; "Crazy Waltz" (also recorded by Helen O'Connell, Gizelle McKinsey and Dave Cavenaugh's band) and "Don't Forget To Love Me". Unfortunately the man had to leave the Golden West Cowboys in 1954 to care for his terminally ill father. After his father passed away, being a glutton for music punishment, he joined the famous Boyd Bennett and the Rockets band. He not only played steel guitar, but also played guitar and trombone with the group. They recorded several songs that made the top of the Rock and Roll charts, including "Seventeen" and "My Boy Flat top". He also played the Kate Smith national TV show on NBC out of New York. He wrote several songs that were recorded by Boyd Bennett including “Let Me Love You”, “Banjo Rock and Roll” and "High School Hop.” He left Bennett’s band to enter college in 1956. He earned and was awarded both a B.S. and M.S. degree in physics with minors in math, geology and psychology at the University of Louisville. After graduation he worked for North American Aviation in California as a research physicist for several years, and developed the training display used by astronauts in training for the Apollo mission to the moon. He also worked at Fender Musical Instruments in Fullerton, California as Director of String Instrument Development shortly after Leo Fender sold the company to C.B.S. He worked directly with Leo Fender (who stayed on as a consultant) on guitar designs that eventually became Music Man models. He personally designed the Fender Bronco guitar. He obtained, and holds, several patents on items he invented while at Fender for improved bridges, pickups, etc. Also during the time he was at Fender, he helped develop the first ceramic pickup, assisted in research on the use of hydraulic system of pedal guitars, designed urea formaldehyde nuts to replace bone nuts, conducted research on aging of finishes, and developed improved pickups for the Coronado series of thinline guitars. After leaving Fender, he designed and built a solid-body electric guitar, and began selling plans from which one could build the guitar using common tools. The plans sold over 1000 copies. Receiving a better job offer he left California to accept employment with Texas Instruments in Dallas as a research physicist in laser applications. When aerospace went in the dumper, he took employment in local government in Garland Texas. He continued in mid-level management positions in local governments in Texas and Florida for the next 32 years. This guy recently retired as County Manager for Bradford County, Florida. He purchased a Sierra double neck pedal steel and a Nashville 1000 amp in May, 2003 and resumed the playing of steel guitar as a hobby. He tells me he is presently practicing 2 to 4 hours daily with the goal of regaining enough proficiency to play in steel guitar shows. He also said he's not making any money with steel, but having one heck of a good time.
WOW!!!What a bio!!Who is this Johnny Come Lately who has, and can, probably do it all?
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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real
