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Topic: Leo's screwy gift to Beryl Harrell and the story behind it |
Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 19 Mar 2012 8:50 pm |
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Here we have an interesting historical tidbit concerning Leo Fender, Beryl Harrell, ebay, a fellow named Dave Ayers, and a screwdriver... only in the world of steel guitar.  Beryl, a beautiful Sol Hoopii taught steeler from the golden era, was a highly respected talent in the post-war days, well known by Leo Fender, and in hopes of promoting his new pedal steels gave Ms. Harrell this personalized driver http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leo-Fender-handed-this-to-Beryl-Harrell-/150779237056?pt=Guitar&hash=item231b2492c0
Many would dismiss the item being auctioned as a ripoff joke, but it's been determined to be authentic via correspondence with seller Mr. Ayers. In a brief email encounter between Beryl's son Don Triolo and Dave Ayers a further story evolved, one of disappointment and disgust thanx to racism and bad luck. Dave's military dad worked with radiated items and unintentionally poisoned his unborn children, all of whom had their skin turn nasty and dark, so dark dark that when Dave had great opportunities to become famous working alongside iconic musicians on projects we all know of he was shunned because of his temporary skin color. Famous folk like Rose Maddox were involved at times, but she wasn't part of the ugly side, so I feel comfortable mentioning her to impact the level of personalities involved. Dave is a very talented guy and his fuller story should be known, I'm sure it would blow minds. But he's never going to be mentioned, and his name wouldn't have ever been heard had this intriguing ebay sale and it's evolving behind the scenes event hadn't occurred. The potentially valuable screwdriver has now been gifted to Don by Dave, so we know this odd story, of which I've condensed, is all true, and Dave deserves mention as one who might have made a difference to many way back when, but is a substantial individual and makes a difference now to some who care and have crossed his path. |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 19 Mar 2012 10:04 pm
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I had one of those. It came with my Fender Double neck. It was used to adjust the string pulls on the old Fender cable Pedal Steels.
I played on many studio sessions in California, Played in Alaska and toured all over The lower 48 with that baby!
I am sorry I sold that sweet sounding steel guitar, but you can't go back!
Dom
_________________
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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Russ Wever
From:
Kansas City
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Hugh Holstein
From:
Rohnert Park, California, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2012 12:57 am
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| Maybe I should make reissues? |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2012 1:00 am
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..........
Last edited by Ron Whitfield on 21 Mar 2012 8:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 21 Mar 2012 8:05 am
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Deleted
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 2 Aug 2012 9:42 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2012 8:46 am
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| Wow..., THE Ralph Hanzel?! |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 21 Mar 2012 2:44 pm
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| I still have the wrench that come with my Fender 1000. However, I experienced it getting harder to fit into the slots when adjusting the tunings. The slots would round out and you really have to press in hard to make any kind of a turn,. |
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Terry VunCannon
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2012 3:04 pm
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| There is a rumor that Leo handled my Stringmaster in the factory...(I just started that rumor...but, is that not the beauty of the internet???? If you read it, it must be true.) |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2012 4:58 pm
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| Damn, Terry, with that mystery info now all over the internet you should hurry and buy that guitar from yourself before it get's away! |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 21 Mar 2012 6:41 pm
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Today is the 21st anniversary of Leo's death.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Posted 21 Mar 2012 7:07 pm
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I got mine from John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt... I wonder how much I could get for it on eBay?  |
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Garry Vanderlinde
From:
CA
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Posted 22 Mar 2012 9:47 am
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| I got mine from my brother. Unknowingly we got in a bidding war on ebay over it with each other. I lost the bid at $30. Christmas came around and he handed me this little box with the screwdriver in. We sure had a good laugh over that. |
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Russ Wever
From:
Kansas City
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Posted 22 Mar 2012 4:18 pm
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| Quote: |
from my brother. . . We sure
had a good laugh over that. |
Brotherly love in action, how lovely!
~Rw
_________________
www.russface
www.russguru |
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