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Topic: "Little" Roy Wiggins |
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 31 Mar 2008 5:44 am |
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There is a thread in another section about Eddy Arnold and Jerry Reed. So as to not Hijack that thread and the comments on Litle Roy, I thought I'd start this thread.
Little Roy, like apparently a lot of steelers (me included), inspired many to take up Steel Guitar from hearing him on Eddy Arnold Records. I used to buy Eddy's records mainly for Little Roy's steel that was on most (but not all) of them. I started with 78's and then went on to 45's. I still have a couple of the old 78's.
I had the honor of working for Little Roy at his lower Broadway "Music City" music store I was primarily the Amp Tech but the store's business cards listed me as "Repairman"). When Roy got his Gibson out of the "attic", He had me clean it up and restring it. We used to do a lot of "shows" from the stage of the music store and I got to pick rhythm guitar for Roy on most of those "shows" (with Bob Browning on vocals). I used a refurbished Grammer Guitar that was sent from the factory to the store for sale and when I left, his generosity was evident as he told me "You like that guitar so well just take it with you". I still have the guitar 35 years later.
Someone asked Roy, at the store, one day how he developed his "ting a ling" lick and he said he heard the Dobro players on the Opry using it and used it on "electric" steel. Roy was a Nashville native and he said that Jerry Byrd and he were the two main session Steeler's in Nashville for many years in the 40's.
I'm saddened that his former "boss" didn't see fit to at least donate to his headstone when he passed away. |
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 31 Mar 2008 5:58 am
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| Jack, that's a very cool story. "Little" Roy Wiggins is one of my favorites. |
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John DeBoalt
From:
Harrisville New York USA
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Posted 31 Mar 2008 6:17 am
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| Jack, I asked in a thread about a year ago what tuning little Roy used. I never really got an answer from anyone. Perhaps you could help. John |
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Jim Harper
From:
Comanche, Oklahoma, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 31 Mar 2008 6:24 am
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| Jack, Thank you for the great story about Little Roy. He sure did help me along the way and i tryed to play every lick just like Roy did==Jim Harper |
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Charley Wilder
From:
Dover, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 31 Mar 2008 6:50 am
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| "Little Roy" was the first steel player I ever heard. Way up in upstate New York we could get Eddy's fifteen minute radio show when I was little kid. "Brought to you by Checker Board Square". He had such a distinct style I could identify some of his signature licks at my young age, long before I ever played. At his store back in the 70's he took a great deal of time with me talking about different tunings an wrote some down for me. To this day I can't think of anybody I'd rather listen to. |
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Bobby Caldwell
From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 31 Mar 2008 7:06 am
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| "Little" Roy and I had some great musical monements playing music together. I loved his playing but just as important I loved "Little" Roy the man. He was a wonderful person full of humor and was so nice to everyone he met. My wife, Linda and I got to know Roy and Faye very well. They became like family to us. Not a day goes by that we don't think of them. He may have been know as "Little Roy" but to me he was a big big man in my eyes. I miss him so. Bobby BTW I "ting-a-linged" once on my guitar and he made pay him 10 cents, which I did. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 31 Mar 2008 12:06 pm
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Roy, if I remember correctly used an E13th tuning.
1 - G#
2 - E
3 - C#
4 - B
5 - G#
6 - E
7 - D
8 - B or E
To add to my previous post about me playing rhythm guitar, Roy wanted "open chords", no "closed chords" although I would have to play closed on his instrumental version of "The Cattle Call" as he did it in B or Bb - the same as they used for their Theme Song (I don't remember - it's been a long time).
Another "gotcha" that Roy pulled on me one time at St Louis. My wife, daughter and I were sitting in the audience and my wife and daughter went to the "little girl's room". While they were gone, two people came in and sat beside me. As I looked over to say something about the seats I discovered it was Roy and his wife and Roy busted out laughing. He said he ran into my Wife and daughter in the back and she told him where I was sitting. |
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Blake Hawkins
From:
Florida
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Posted 31 Mar 2008 6:11 pm
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Jack, Nice thread about Little Roy. He was also one of the first steel players I recognized. Bought Eddy Arnold records for the same reason.
I still have some portions of a couple of the transcribed Eddy Arnold Shows made on an old Wilcox-Gay "Recordio" which was a home disk recorder.
Blake |
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John DeBoalt
From:
Harrisville New York USA
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Posted 31 Mar 2008 7:18 pm
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| Thanks for the tuning Jack. My favorite Little Roy stuff were the 2 albums he did with George Morgan. I still have the records packed away, and I'm pretty sure they're out of print now. John |
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Ken Mizell
From:
Lakeland, Florida, 33809, USA
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Ernest Cawby
From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 3 Apr 2008 5:37 pm hi
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It was stated in Don Herlms book he and Roy used the same tunnings.
ern |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 3 Apr 2008 10:07 pm
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At the ISGC one time Little Roy said that he played FOR Eddy Arnold, but he played WITH George Morgan.
Roger |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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