Aloha to All

Jack Byrd · From: Kalamazoo, Michigan

For the past few years I have been Jerry’s mouthpiece to the forum. After sending him the different threads I thought he might be interested in he usually responded with an audio tape which I transcribed and put up on the forum. It was an interesting thing to do because not only did many of you learn from his answers so did I. These many answers of his are still available in the archives by doing a search on my name. With the recent death of Jerry I no longer have the source of my information, and I therefore have very little of interest to put up on the forum and will not be monitoring the forum in the future. I am not a musician in the least and know next to nothing about playing the Hawaiian steel guitar and therefore cannot add anything of value when questioned about what Jerry did or didn’t do over the course of his musical career. He left quite a history for all. In a recent tabulation I did I was able to document the fact that he recorded over 230 different steel guitar instrumentals during his life. This does not include the many hundreds of recording he did with other artists. Along with his autobiography, he left us a great legacy of his career. So along with the book and all of his recordings there is a great wealth of his work still available for the curious to seek out. Many of his recordings can still be obtained, two or which were recently re-mastered. They are HI-FI Steel Guitar and Master Of Touch And Tone.

So with that said I want to thank the many fans of Jerry who supported him on the forum and God bless each and every one of you.

JB

Blake Hawkins · From: Florida

Jack,
The work you have done in communicating Jerry's thoughts to us is priceless.
It was truly an act of love.
Thanks for all your understanding and patience in working with Jerry's fans.
You have done a great service both to Jerry and the steel guitar community.

Blake

[This message was edited by Blake Hawkins on 20 April 2005 at 07:59 AM.]

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Thank you for all your work here ...

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

Thank you Mr. Jack Byrd. I read all of your posts.

Are there still some of the tabed sheets available?

Rick Collins
Claremont, CA

Russ Young · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

Jack --I never realized that you're not also a musician! That makes your contributions here all the more remarkable.

Thank you.

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Well Jack, it just proves that you are a good brother! God bless you in your loss, and may God bless Jerry in the next life.
www.genejones.com

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Dear Jack,

Thanks so much for your priceless contributions to this Forum. My deepest sympathy for your loss.

Kindest regards,

Bob Stone

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

A big Mahalo to you, Jack! Stop by from time to time and let us know how you're doing. You've given us (Jerry's devoted fans and students) such a wonderful gift.
Take Care!

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Thank you for all your dedication Jack.
It was wonderful to have a liason to Jerry.
You're welcome here anytime.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Jack, thanx for all you've contributed to the SGF's wealth of info, and the utmost of condolences to the family for your loss.

Rarely do we see someone become 'the best' at what they do, but with Jerry Byrd, I believe we saw just that.
For him to be as kind, giving, and live the life of a pure 'simple man' with his earned stature is hard to fully comprehend.

How fortunate we are to have had him in our lives.
His story will never fully be told.

If by chance Jack, you have saved the audio Jerry sent you over the years, please do not under estimate it's value even tho it's been transcribed and not intended to be heard by anyone else.
I know I'd sure like to some day hear The Master's voice again.

Jerry Byrd
One hell of a (nice) guy.

Bob Kagy · From: Lafayette, CO USA

I'm very grateful for what you did Jack. It was helpful, instructional and very welcome.

Thanks for the trouble you took to bring us Jerry's thoughts, and please drop in to the forum every now and then if you miss us.

Thanks, Bob

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

I too enjoyed readin all your posts Jack. It was the next best thing to actually talkin with Jerry to me and I thank you for makin it all possible. I know I'm not the only one who's still interested in Jerry's tabs, Will they still be available?

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55" Fender Stringmaster T8, 54" Fender Champion, Carter D-10, two Oahu laps, two National laps, and two Resonators

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

Thank you Jack for doing all this for us, so that we could know more about Jerry and even get to know Jerry a bit, and yourself, through your posts here. You've been a great brother to Jerry and a real friend to us all here in the forum. My deepest condolances on the passing of your brother to you and your family.

Thank you, God bless you and your family.

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Jack, I'd just like to reiterate what the others have said. Jerry was doubly blessed, with his talent, and in having a brother like you. May God bless you in all ways!

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

Thank you Jack for all the work and obviously love that you have put into this over the years. You have been a great benefit to us all.
Thanks,
Paul Arntson

Bill Stafford · From: Gulfport,Ms. USA

Thanks so much Jack for all the shared information you presented to all of us. I lost my older brother to Parkinsons last year and I agonized with and for you on seeing this dreadful disease take its effect on Jerry. Your support to your beloved brother speaks volumes about the man you are. It has been a great priviledge for me to have been able to meet you personally also. The Byrd brothers have certainely graced my life. Aloha to you and Jerry and all in the families.

Bill Stafford

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Jack Byrd......while I respect your decision to move away from the Forum.......and I do understand your position......I can't help but express my sadness in your decision to do so.

For those of us that have followed Jerry's life and musical career and who have participated in it in a wide variety of different ways........we have come to feel like we were at least, a very small part of the BYRD Family.

Your occasional posts here on the Forum were always positive and provided a key link with the man we have loved most. You were not only a source of "inside information" but in time became an equally important member of our Forum and Steel Guitar Family.

With your announcement, those of us who have just lost an important, life-long element in our personal lives and musical careers, now feel a DOUBLE WHAMMY! Now, Jack Byrd.....is turning his back on us, walking away and leaving each of us TRULY ALONE.

Somehow, this just doesn't seem right. Perhaps you might reconsider your decision and consider for a moment, the "GOOD" to be shared via your continued participation here on the Forum. It need not be anything earth shaking.......but allowing "us" to maintain that interaction, could well prove to be most theraputic for his countless world-wide fans. How about it Jack? Don't you leave us too!

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

Thank you so much for having been his voice here on the Forum. I think we all realize that you invested many many hours of work to transcribe his tapes and shere them with us.
Your brother Jerry Byrd lives on in the hearts of his loved ones like you but he will also live in our hearts, in musical histoy, our music and therefor on this Forum and I hope that now and then, after some time has cure some wounds, you will feel welcome to come say "hi" again or to just visit us silently.

I just picked up my little guitar the other night and after a couple of notes I stopped playing, looked up to the seiling and thought; "God... he could be watching me now"... it's a heavy heritage he left us there.

Thank you and your brother... J-D.

Paul Osbty · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

Good luck to you. I admire your involvment.

It must have been a great thing to give your brother further validity to his life. I'm impressed. I know such validity will never be given to my life.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Jack, to all of us, you're a hero. You have done us and your brother a great service.

We can't thank you enough. Be well and please say hello from time to time.

Denny Turner · From: Oahu, Hawaii USA

Dear Jack,

THANK YOU for your very important and deeply appreciated contributions to The Steel Guitar Forum, to American Music history and to the inquisitiveness of our Art form. Your contributions were much greater than your modest Farewell suggests. YOU are our Fo'Bro, and I too hope we hear from you as often as you might see fit. Please remember our appreciation as we remember what you have so generously done for us.

Aloha,
Denny Turner

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

Thank You very very much Jack
it was a most wonderful trip reading the many posts here on the Forum
may God bless you & yours & keep Jerry close to Him

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Thank you, Jack, for the contributions you've made to our Forum. We all appreciate your efforts on behalf of your brother.
Don't be a stranger!

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

We appreciated all that you shared with us Jack and you certainly did Jerry proud. I am sorry for your loss and hope you'll check in from time to time. Aloha.

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Jack-Thank you for keeping us well informed about your brother. I am sure we all appreciate it.

If you are up in the Cedar Springs area, stop in and say hello, the coffee is always Hot....al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

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