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Topic: Great, great song............... |
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 2 Mar 2010 10:26 pm |
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Hi Forumites everywhere!
If you're game for some steel guitar musical excitement......
rush right down to your nearest music store and grab
a copy of Bill Stafford's latest CD.
I've had the honor of hearing one of the fabulous cuts.."My Mother's Eye's".
If you cherrish hearing fabulous TONE.....great pedal and bar technique....and songs with a recognizeable melody......you won't want to miss this one.
He plays this on his Excel and I personally had no idea that an Excel could produce such great, full-bodied, warm tones. It just has to be Bill's hands. |
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Ray Harrison
From:
Tucson, Arizona, USA (deceased)
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Posted 3 Mar 2010 5:18 pm
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Ray, some really great comments about my long time friend Bill.
He and I met years ago while in the Navy and have maintained a great friendship for over 40 years.
I have had the pleasure of working club dates with Bill, Steel shows and just jammin and I have never been disappointed with his playing. He has always had the goal of getting the very best tone that he can get from a steel.
His CDs just get better and better. When he did his "Unforgettable" CD, he ask me what I thought and I told him that I always enjoyed his work, but it seemed that he had just been practicing with his past CDs. This is another Topper.
Really great selections, execution and arrangements. Just as his steel guitar says, Superb...
_________________
Ray Harrison
Bass/sing/Love PSG
77 Stingray/Kiesel 5 string bass
Telonics , Fender Rumble500, Polytone Amps
D-16 Martin, 1970 Ovation guitars |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 3 Mar 2010 5:40 pm
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| What's the title of his new CD? I looked for it on the internet and couldn't find it. |
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John Floyd
From:
R.I.P.
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Posted 3 Mar 2010 6:46 pm
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Bill's New Cd along with all of his others are at http://www.mrsmoothu14.com/my%20Products.htm
Ray Montee, You're Right the Great Tone is in Bill's Hands. I 've been knowing him Slightly longer than Ray Harrison and he has always sounded the same on a multitude of Guitars I've heard him play.
Why he could even take my guitar or yours and get a great tone out of those, but don't be fooled by the Excel Steel Guitar, its a terrific steel guitar and built to exacting standards, otherwise Bill wouldn't be playing it. I know him too well.
They don't call him Mr Smooth for Nothing.
Bill has Surrounded himself with some great musicians on this Cd "Great Melodies" and has shown a confidence That I have not seen in him in almost Fifty Years. Listen to "Ashokan Farewell", The great Violinist Clinton Gregory starts it off and you don't hear Bill until about halfway thru the song. This shows some Confidence in his own musical abliity that you don't usually see on other artists CD's.
I always say that this is the best one yet, every time he has a new release, but I don't think it can get much better than this. He will probably prove me wrong again, I'm getting used to being wrong.
Another thing worth Noting is , you don't see Bill Stuffing money into Aftermarket Pickups and other Steel Guitar Shiny items, He play's exactly what is in front of him and it sounds Great. This should be a message for all of us in this.
Last edited by John Floyd on 3 Mar 2010 7:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 3 Mar 2010 7:13 pm Some kind of a SPECIAL AWARD.....................
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Didn't Mr. Stafford win some kind of a SPECIAL AWARD for his musical talents?
I seem to recall that JERRY BYRD had something to do with making that reward?
Anyone have any more details that they might care to ad to this? |
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John Floyd
From:
R.I.P.
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 3 Mar 2010 7:27 pm THANKS...........John..
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THANKS to you John........
I knew the award was quite significant and I'm embarassed I couldn't recall exactly which award it was. I knew someone out there in Forum Land would know and that was a great post you were so kind to include here. THANK YOU. |
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Ray Harrison
From:
Tucson, Arizona, USA (deceased)
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Posted 3 Mar 2010 9:10 pm
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John, it's good to see you posting on here. Look forward to sometime getting back together, you, Bill and I.
Ray, As John said Bill works well in any given situation, with any equipment.
_________________
Ray Harrison
Bass/sing/Love PSG
77 Stingray/Kiesel 5 string bass
Telonics , Fender Rumble500, Polytone Amps
D-16 Martin, 1970 Ovation guitars |
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John Floyd
From:
R.I.P.
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Posted 4 Mar 2010 3:22 am
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Ray Harrison
Remember This?
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Ray Harrison
From:
Tucson, Arizona, USA (deceased)
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Posted 4 Mar 2010 9:12 pm
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John, how did he get away with that in the Navy. Hell I had to get my hair cut short.(and Combed)
_________________
Ray Harrison
Bass/sing/Love PSG
77 Stingray/Kiesel 5 string bass
Telonics , Fender Rumble500, Polytone Amps
D-16 Martin, 1970 Ovation guitars |
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John Floyd
From:
R.I.P.
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Posted 5 Mar 2010 1:08 am
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This Was Bill's First Tailor Made Pedal Steel Guitar. Before that he rigged his own with a Studebaker Accelerator Pedal and Other state of the art hardware store items.
I Always wanted a guitar like this, a Ric S-8 with 6 Pedals With a C6th Tuning. Mr Smooth played a lot of music on this Guitar and Guess What?, He Sounded the Same as he does today. Incidentally, I saw this Guitar in a Music Store in Gulfport Ms in the late 70's and it was trashed out by somebody who had bought it after Bill Traded it in on something. While Bill owned it it was immaculate just like Bill's other equipment, He has always maintained his equipment better than anyone I have ever known.
Bill Told me this story
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When I was at Sierra, guys would come in and want to change pickups, amps etc to get a tone like I had. One day, a man came in with his steel and amp. set up, played it, and then I played mine through my amps. Then played my steel through his amp and settings and he was surprised that my tone was still there. Then I had him plug into my amp and he sounded just like he did through his on his steel. Then I had him play mine through his amp, still sounded like him. Next I played his through his amp set up and he was a believer then. No need to spend anything of "upgrading" any equipment to get to sound like a different player. Not possible. I told him to get a six string acoustic lap steel, or the basic Hawaiian guitar and play it until he liked the acoustic tone he was producing, then he would have a more pleasing "tone" to his personal liking.
"What goes in, comes out". |
Some pretty good advice there.
Sounds like the old Computer saying GIGO = Garbage in - Garbage out.
Your Tone is You.
Thats Why Buddy Emmons Sounds Like Buddy Emmons, Why Curly Chalker Sounded Like Curly Chalker, Why Jerry Byrd Sounded like Jerry Byrd and So Forth and So on.
If they put it in a bottle folks, Everybody would Would have it. You can't buy it.
I've had the good fortune of being friends with some Legendary Steel guitar players in my years in Nashville and each sounded great in their own way and style.
They Sure didn't buy their Tone from Aftermarket pickups, Strings,Special picks or A new guitar every time they changed their underwear. They worked and practiced and developed it with TALENT and years of experience.
Me personally I don't have a problem with tone,Its not my big problem, My 29 year old dekley sounds great with all of its original equipment. My tone sounds like Bill Staffords, probably from the influence of many years of being on the same stage with him. I know I'll never be a good Steel Guitar Player, but thats OK, I know a lot of people who never will be either. Some living not so very far from me right now, have a Flawed mindset and never will play music the way it was intended to be played. I don't care to be associated with this type of people. You have to pick the caliber of music that you are influenced by.
Thats what seperates Pickers from the Ordinary hacks. |
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Joe Casey
From:
Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)
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Posted 5 Mar 2010 11:21 am
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| Nice to see you back on John..I agree whole heartedly about sound..I was alway lucky to be around good serious musicians, many different styles but never the less serious enough to be good..There was never any playing everything they almost knew while setting up before the sets started..And there never was any complaining about others volumes or over steping on others solos..Everything was worked out at serious practises..But the thing is they knew the difference to start with..Thus the good Jobs and top money was always availible..There are many albums released by players who seemingly just do their versions or imitations of songs done by 100s of others..No imagination just trying to sound like so and so and pick as fast as them.(try)..Bill has his sound and its smooth and thus his own identity..There was a time in recording when a signature lick would identify the picker easily.. Many like to mention how they played for this one and that one and are friends of this one and that one..Thats worth about 2cents towards improving ones own abilities..Most Musicians like to hang with Good Musicians..Russ Hicks has a killer CD coming out,talk about creativity..And GREAT.. |
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Bill Stafford
From:
Gulfport,Ms. USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2010 9:16 am Song
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John Floyd knows me better than I thought he did. Thought that photo was destroyed years ago, but leave it to ole John.
We had some great times there in Key West and me trying to be a pedal steel player-better luck next time around John. lol
I really appreciate all this wonderful friendship and thanks to all you guys for all of this.
Guess I had better get to practicing longer.
Highly recommend Russ's CDs along with Joe Casey.
Don't forget that our Deep South Steel Guitar Assoc. will have its summer special show on June 11 & 12 here in Gulfport, Ms. See other threads here for additional information.
Bill Stafford |
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John Floyd
From:
R.I.P.
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Posted 8 Mar 2010 1:38 am
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Bill introduced me to Curly Chalkers music on this old Ric S-8 in the 60's and I knew I had to get to know Curly. When I moved to Nashville in 1972, I accomplished that goal and became friends with Curly. Later on in 1978 or 79 I was able to introduce Bill personally to Curly and they became friends. Bill introduced me to Jerry Byrd and that was a high point in my life. To watch Bill's Accomplishments has been one of my life's joys along with my own few small ones. I can look back with satisfaction secure in the knowledge that Bill and I played GOOD music. When you've played music of this quality, then its not acceptable to play with the ordinary. This is not musical snobbery, its just boredom on my part when I am asked to play with the ordinary and I choose not to do it in my later years.
There's not too many people in this world, you can stand on a stage with and know what they are thinking, what they are going to do and when they are going to do it. Bill and I have this kind of Mental communication. I know its not a fluke, We did it again in Saluda, S.C. in 2000 after 20 years of not playing together.
Bill, I got it right the first time,I don't need any better luck, I got hooked up with one of the most talented Steel Guitarists to ever come along, Mr Smooth. I know I'm not wrong because Jerry Byrd agreed with me when he said if he were ever to play pedal steel, he would want to play it like Bill Stafford.
Recently, I've been learning and appreciating how hard it is for you to play your instrument so well, when I got my first pedal steel last October. If it was easy, then everybody, including me could do it. |
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