Seattle Steel Players ...

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

Hi, guys ... looking for steel players (and other musicians) from the Seattle area who remember the 1988 to 1990+ era when Whatta Band played there. I know Wayne Franco will surely remember them!

I'm putting together a Whatta-Memories of Whatta Band group on Facebook and I'm trying to track down players who'll remember Whatta Band and might like to contribute stories of their own memories of the group.

The steelers I remember off the top of my head when I was up there with Whatta Band are Wayne Franco, Butch Cornwell, Speedy Price and at least a couple of others, but I can't remember their names (have slept since 1990).

Thanks for any info you may have ... in case you'd like to see what the group looks like, here's a link to it: https://www.facebook.com/groups/756852120998231/

Thanks, guys! Very Happy

_________________
1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

Jim, I first heard a version of Whatta Band in 1980 in Tacoma. Around '83 Jerry Long took the bass gig with Gerry Andal and Paymela Faye was already singing with Gerry. I believe that's when Jerry and Paymela met.
I was playing in the band Stampede Pass from '81-'97 and we played many of the same places where Whatta Band was gigging 88-90, but I don't believe I saw the band during that time frame. Some of the players besides the ones you mentioned from that time would be John Ummel with Andal, Kin Alvers with Adobe Rose, Jim Webb with Tom Scott, Tom Phelps in Amaretto. I was playing steel and guitar with Stampede Pass.
Jay Dee Hoag was still around here back then as well as Nokie Edwards. A fine B Bender player Ray Murphy was here until the early 90's.
A few more notables will probably come to me later
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

Oh, thanks so much, Dave! You sparked some memories there along with teaching me a piece of Whatta Band's older past that I was unaware of. Very Happy

I knew that Jerry had met Paymela Faye up in WA, but I didn't know that their name Whatta Band extended back as far as 1980.

Oh, man, I remember Nokie Edwards ... One of the times we played at Gerry Andal's club, Nokie came in and sat in with us for most of the night. It was a blast playing with him that night.

I remember hearing the name Jay Dee Hoag, but I don't remember if I had the pleasure of meeting him. I believe I remember hearing your name mentioned as well, quite favorably as I recall. Smile

I joined Whatta Band in either late 86 or early 87 and they were still playing in the Fort Smith, Arkansas area at that time. In January 1988 we pulled up stakes and moved up to the Bremerton & Port Orchard area ... I was with them up there from Jan 88 until Mar 1990 when I moved to the Dallas area to start working with Ty Herndon. I loved it up there in the Seattle area and also the fact that we stayed busier than a one-armed paper hanger. Seattle (and the trips we made to Canada) were very good to us.

I don't know how long the band remained in Washington after I left the group, but I do know they eventually moved back to the Fort Smith area and played for awhile before finally breaking up.

Thanks again and look forward to any info that happens to come to mind. Smile

_________________
1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

here's a clip of Jay Dee Hoag from Mesa AZ where he now resides.
I remember some killer jams with Jay Dee and Nokie that were simply unbelievable. They would push each other up a notch.
http://youtu.be/gXiwIf_I2Uk
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson

Dale Rottacker · From: Walla Walla Washington, USA

Jim I seem to remember a Kenny Massengill, no jokes please, I believe he played around Kent...and then a fabulous steel picker named Ray Robinson, who was best friends with Don Rich and would have had the Ralph Mooney seat when he left Buck Owens, but they couldn't find him all the way up in Alaska at that time...Ray was really good on both necks and was a good friend, I wish I knew where he was now...I know that he had a stroke several years maybe 12 or more and didn't feel like playing after that.
_________________
Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
https://www.youtube.com/@steelinatune
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

Dale, Ray passed away a few years ago unfortunately. I didn't know him well, but yes he was a great player on both necks. Ray and Jim Webb both set a high bar around these parts.
Jim, another fine steel player from around 88-90 would be Thom Gustafson who was playing with Buckaroo blues. That band just broke up in the last year.
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson

Dale Rottacker · From: Walla Walla Washington, USA

Dave thanks for the sad update...Ray was also a very sweet man, we had a lot of fun together...he had me sit in for him a couple times when he knew he'd be a couple of hours late to a gig...don't ask me what he was thinking.

Jim Webb rings a bell too...If I'm not mis-remembering he played at a supper club thing up by the Sea-Tac Mall for a while...it was suppose to like a Vegas, dinner and a show thing, if I've got the right guy.
_________________
Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
https://www.youtube.com/@steelinatune
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

The Federal Way supper club thing was probably Soudoughs. I played there a few times with my band and Jim Webb played there with Tom Scott. If I remember right the band was Sierra. That would have been around 83-85. Didn't last too long. They had a manager that didn't want a bunch of beer drinking cowboys in he place. He was hoping a bunch of rich business suit types would fill the joint and buy about 10 martinis each.
Here's a clip of Jimmy playing with Shotgun Red Hildreth from a little over a year ago.
Jimmy just recently has decided to not play out much anyomore due to arthritis making it too painful. Too bad, he's a great player and super nice man.
http://youtu.be/1sEA9_tZrvI
_________________
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Andy Vance · From: Graham, Washington, USA

Hi Jim,

Unfortunately Whatta Band wasn't here when I arrived in 1995 but I did play in the same band with Lynn Collins for a few years and he had great things to say about Whatta Band. Seems him and Jerry were pretty good friends, musically and personally and both from Arkansas I believe. He may have some info for you but he isn't online. I'm sure I could dig up his phone number if you wanted it though.

I remember the guitar player's name was Eddie Ray, which I remembered because it was also my older brothers name.

Cheers,
Andy

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

Thanks everyone ... this is some really fine info and I appreciate it. Sorry I haven't kicked in until now, but I'm sort of down with a bad cold that's kicking me pretty good.

There were so many clubs we played at in the Seattle area and I've been trying to remember the various names of them ... Gerry Andal's Ranch (?), The Beanery, The Cascades, The White Elephant, and others.

There's one club we video taped at one night and in my head it seems it was The Beanery, but I'm not sure if that was the one. It had golden colored drapes that ran across the back of the bandstand. Can someone take a look at this clip and verify if that was The Beanery, and if it isn't, which club it was? Thanks most kindly. Smile

Here's the clip: http://youtu.be/Arc8yQoWbzI

Andy, yep, our guitar player's name was Eddie Ray Harrison. Our personnel (at the time of that video clip above) was Jerry Long (bass), Paymela Faye, Jimmy Lee Brummett (drums), Eddie Ray Harrison (lead) and yours truly on steel.

I remember Jerry talking about a guy named Lynn Collins. It'd be a great pleasure to meet him sometime. Smile

_________________
1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

Jim, pretty sure that clip is from the Cascade in South Everett. Beanery had a corner stage but If I remember right the back walls were fake wood paneling.
Don't remember White Elephant. White Shutters maybe near SeaTac airport?
Branding Iron, Outpost and Sportsman's were happening in Tacoma and The Riverside Inn in Tukwila was still going strong back then.
Miss those days when you could set up for a few weeks run.
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

Ah, yes! The Cascades! Exactly right! I remember now (amazing how easy it is to forget places when so many years have gone by). Thank you for jogging my memory ... I'll need to go into that Whatta Band Facebook page and correct the location on the video clips I'm posting on there. I'm not remembering exactly where South Everett is ... is that sort of an extension of Seattle (like Puyallup)?

And you're correct about the White Shutters (I think I called it the White Elephant because that may have been a humorous Jerry Long nick name for it).

We played in all those places ... Gerry Andal's club, The Cascades, White Shutters, Branding Iron, The Outpost and The Sportsman's, The Riverside Inn. We also played at The Mountain Way Inn in Spanaway, the Blue Moon & American Legion in Bremerton, the NCO club at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, and The High Tide in Port Orchard. There was also The Esquimalt Inn in Victoria, B.C. Canada, and we'd also go down to Smith River CA and play The Ship Ashore Resort there. There was a club in Portland OR we would play, but I can't remember the name of it.

Every year we were there we'd also play this thing called the Taste Of Tacoma with lots of wine tasting.

You're so right about going into all these clubs and playing a week's run and then off to another club. We stayed so busy we actually prayed for a week off a few times (never happened, though).

One of my favorite Whatta Band gigs was my wedding day at the Space Needle. My wife and I rented the entire Skyline Level and had our wedding, reception and the band there (it was my day off and my best man, Gary Hogue, played steel in my place with the band).

I loved being in the Seattle area ... aside from being so beautiful it looked like a piece of Heaven fell onto the earth, it was country music crazy up there and a country band could do very well for itself. Those sure were some golden days! Especially when a quick stop at Ivar's Fish & Chips topped off the day! Very Happy

_________________
1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

Everett is north of Seattle. Going north of the city limits it goes Shoreline, Edmonds, Lynnwood then Everett. In good traffic it's less than 30 minutes from downtown. Certain times it might take 1 1/2 hours.
In Portland you probably played Jubitz Truck Stop. I never played there except for a steel jam there about 5 or 6 years ago.
We used to call The White Shutters the White Gutters and the Outpost got tabbed the Compost.
I've been fortunate to still stay busy up here, but it's by playing in several bands and a real rarity to have more than one night in a row.
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

Thanks, Dave. Smile

I remember that we made good time going to The Cascades because we took the Bremerton ferry over (usually a ferry called the Walla Walla), but after the gig the ferries had stopped running, so we'd have to drive all the way down around the Puget Sound and back up to Bremerton ... always made for a very long late night drive. With Everett being north of Seattle, it's no wonder those drives from there were so long!

You might be right about Jubitz Truck Stop, but I can't be sure. I just know that about once every three months or so we'd end up in Portland. I just remember that, for a place that would hold quite a few people, the bandstand was barely large enough to put a five-piece band on without everyone feeling like sardines. Not really enough room for us to be really comfortable, but not quite so tight that we were touching elbows.

Hehe, seems I have a vague memory of hearing someone refer to the Outpost as the Compost! LOL I guess I heard Jerry & Paym refer to the White Shutters as the White Elephant so many times that I came to think of that as the name of the club.

I know there was one club back then, and it sticks out in my mind that it was The Cascades, that had a very serious A/C and they kept it on even in the winter ... on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the coldest, they had it set on 11 or 12. LOL It might have been one of the other clubs, but for some reason I think it was The Cascades.

Sure wish our paths could have crossed when we were up there. I was fortunate to meet and get to know several steel players while I was there and we'd all have a great time whenever we'd get together.

I'll never forget one evening at The Mountain Way Inn when there were at least 6 other steel players there that night (only two of them sat in, though ... Butch Cornwell and another fellow who was in the military, but I can't remember his name). It was a Wednesday night with not too many people there and Jerry & Paym laughed and said the steel players almost outnumbered the crowd! It was a good time that night and we all had a blast.

I remember the country music scene being so robust and lively ... it's hard to hear that it's slowed down so much. Glad you're able to stay busy! Smile

_________________
1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

Dale Rottacker · From: Walla Walla Washington, USA

Jim, the first time I met Ray was in maybe 74...I was over from Walla Walla for the weekend visiting my Dad...I was knew to playing Steel and thirsty for anything Steel...I must've called every Tavern in the area asking if they had a Steel player there when finally the person who answered the phone at the Rail Tavern in Auburn, said yay, we've got a good one...That night this 17 or 18 year old lad went in there to hear the best thing he'd ever heard in his life...I sat down with my Dad at a table and tried looking 21 until the 1st break...I went up and introduced myself to Ray and was so bold to ask if he minded me sitting beside him while he played the next set...He was just the nicest guy, and a great friendship insued...we spent a lot of time together over the next 20-25 years or so, but never much with him showing me much on the steel, and he certainly could have...that first night I heard him, he was playing an old fingertip with just the pedals and the E lower knee lever, but the stuff he could get out of it was to me incredible.

I think my Dad knew Kenny, but I can't remember where he played in Kent...it seems to me it was White something or started with a W...

Dave, I sorta remember that supper club earlier then that, maybe around 77, and I thought the performer was a lady who changed her clothes several times during the show...but yes it did seem to be pretty short lived.
_________________
Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
https://www.youtube.com/@steelinatune
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

Dale, the place I was thinking of was not around in '77 so we're probably thinking of two different places.
Jim, that sounds like Sourdoughs to me. The manager had a pencil thin moustache and always dressed in a light blue suit. He would have been happier with a Dean Martin tribute band. Smile

The White Shutters was sold around 89 or 90 and changed it's name to Liberto's and the new owner had a 2 part plan. Get rid of all the low life regulars who filled the place every night and fill it back up with a nice respectable clientele. The first part worked like a charm. Out of business 6 months later.
Dale, are you still over around Walla Walla or are you on this side of the state?
_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

You Guys Forgot The FLAME Club At Nothgate & The Lynnwood Tavern On Old Highway 99. Smile

I Saw Jim Webb Playing At Both Places.

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

Dave, I think you're right about Sourdough's. Your description of the manager sounds pretty accurate! I remember Paymela Faye saying all we needed for that place was Lawrence Welk champagne bubbles happening and it'd be perfect! LOL

I remember Liberto's! We played there twice in 89. We actually had it on our calendar several times, but those dates suddenly went away and we had to get other bookings to fill them. I was actually glad when Liberto's disappeared from our calendar ... let's just say that the owner had a personality like the southbound end of a northbound mule.

Roger, were The Flame and Lynnwood Tavern open during 88 and 89? Somehow those names ring a vague bell in my head, but I'm not sure about those two. During my stint with Whatta Band up there it seemed we played everywhere, at least once, if it was a venue with C&W music (we actually played at two biker bars as well ...) but, those are adventures for another time! LOL
_________________
1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

I had a number of friends that played The Flame in Northgate, but it was long gone by '88 as was the Lynnwood Tavern and that's why no mention on this thread.
Jim, sounds about like our experience at Liberto's. I think you may have been too kind in your description of the owner. Family friendly forum here I suppose. Smile

_________________
www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

If those two clubs were gone by 88, we certainly didn't play them ... Whatta Band, at least the incarnation of it that I was a part of, was in Washington from Jan 88 until 1990 (I left the group in Mar of 1990).

LOL, Dave, I will say there was a strong temptation to more accurately describe the owners of Liberto's in true down-home layman's terms, but as you say ... family friendly Forum and all! Laughing

I do really miss the Seattle area ... I even have a four and a half foot tall "architectural" paper model of the Space Needle that always sits near my steel in my music room. Very Happy

_________________
1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

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