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Topic: British Steelies Plus! |
David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 17 May 2004 3:18 am |
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Just got back from the British Steel Guitar Festival.
Gerry Hogan went out with a bang for the final version: A fine show.
And he did some fine steeling, himself, and with Mr. Albert Lee.
My fav from Jerry was the irish tune Star of County Down. Beautiful irish melody, with some behind the bar picking.
The main higlights for me included :
Doug Jernigan just burnin' the strings to molten steel, and Joe Wright in tip top form as a player and entertainer.
But the locals were wonderful too.
B.J. Cole on his Bigsby, was realy great, I have no clue what copedent it was, but he was very effective with just a few long throw pedals, and a truely unique tone.
Basil Henriques did some great Hawaiian stuff, almost a traval log of hawaiian steel with commentary. I will be getting some Waikiki Islanders for the collection.
And an old gentleman from Spain, did some wonderfull Hawaiian things on a D-8 too.
There is a pic I took of this fellow and Scotty.
Scotty made his fryingpan sing several times over two days. Held his own with only 6 strings versus, so many with 20 strings.
John Fabian did a nice set, coming out of retirement for the weekend, some sweet country licks. And he lent Doug J. a Carter for his sets, and was all smiles when ever Doug was playing.
There is a irish friend of Doug's I think he is called Richard* Nelson, very fine work from him, both country and jazz. Definitly a chord maven.
These are a few steeler hi-lights, but in addition, Albert Lee played on may sets as a sideman, and that was wonderful, even before he did his own show sunday evening.
I was just expecting him to pop in play his show and sod off, but he was there both days, just hangin out, and was totally accesable for just having a chat etc.
And that last guitar solo.... I have no words...
Sarah Jory started out the show with a fine set, and was as usual very entertaining.
And quite poingant when she did her tribute to her friend Jeff Newman. It took her a bit to pull herself back together to play right than.
But she played with a full heart.
There was a fellow played a Sho-Bud on a set of RnB with great singing, and much more, I am too asleep to remember now.
So if I forgot you, forgive and forget...
And I did meet lots o nice British, Irish, Scotish, German and french steelers there.
You never had a clue which accent was coming out of the next face.  [This message was edited by David L. Donald on 19 May 2004 at 03:29 PM.] |
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Andy Zahnd
From:
Switzerland
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Posted 17 May 2004 6:26 am
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Hi David
to bad we had no chance to meet us! I agree 100% with, what a great show, what kind of great players are around!!!!! Just to bad, that there magic is not jumping on me! 
I can live now for a few weeks with all these memories! Hope to meet you somewhere on the next show! Where is it?
Andy |
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Anne Marie O Keeffe
From:
Co.Waterford,Ireland.
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 17 May 2004 8:35 am
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Hi Andy and Anne Marie.
Sorry we didn't cross paths, this weekend; the both of you.
Anne, does Richard Nelson have dark hair and wear rectangular glasses, then that would be him? (I'll edit the above)
Had a great time yacking with Joe Ryan too. Waiting to hear him play sometime. We met at Scotty's last fall, and had a fine time then too.
Acttually I spent a lot of time with the Irish contingent there. Terrorising Burger King at clsoing time, and looking for Travelodges at the far corners of town in the wee hours, etc.
Another great thing was the video camera right on the neck on big screen projection.
It was just so educational to see both Joe and Doug as if your head was floating over the tuning pegs.
A master class in blocking and bar movement.
And more so because they have such different hands and styles.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 17 May 2004 at 09:41 AM.] |
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Rick Schmidt
From:
Prescott AZ, USA
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Posted 17 May 2004 9:06 am
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David...thanks for sharing with us! Gerry is one of my favorite guys on the the planet, and I really had hopes that I could somehow make it to his last festival...heavy sigh. Glad it was such a big success! I really enjoy his "Star of the County Down" BTW!
Thanks again!
Rick |
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Johan Jansen
From:
Europe
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Posted 17 May 2004 11:01 am
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seen some Dutchman too???
JJ |
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Andy Zahnd
From:
Switzerland
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Posted 17 May 2004 12:06 pm
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Hans De Jong was there and what he did.... was world class..... five life times apart from most of the guys! What a great picker and what a great taste of music he playes! There was a few pickers I really had fun to listen too, and Hans was one of theme!!!
But what I was surprised..... how can a man like Gerry Hogan staying in the shadow, he is a fantastic picker, tastefull, the right thing on the right place and........ he is just a great gentleman, on and next to the stage.......
Thanks again and why in the world Gerry won't do that festival anymore????
Andy |
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Roland van Beveren
From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Posted 17 May 2004 12:21 pm
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Guys, did you put some kind of announcement for this event on the steelforum?
I am sorry about this, must have missed it! Since it's easier to cross The Northsea than The Atlantic, I would've been there. If only I had known...
Maybe next time.
Roland |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 17 May 2004 12:36 pm
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In an Interview for the "Aloha Dream" magazine, Gerry only said that this was the last one "IN THIS FORMAT"
I believe that it's getting increasingly difficult to get the American players to fly..due to the international security situation.
But That won't stop some of us from flying to the Stateside festivals and conventions.
Pat and I are already making plans to attend the St. Louis,Joliet and Winchester conventions next year.. as well as our trip to Hawaii this November and Foundation HawaiianMusic en -Culture Netherlands at the Schakel theater at Heerhugowaard Holland, next Easter http://www.hmcn.nl/en/hpd.htm
BTW Roland I first posted the following on February the 1st this year http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum4/HTML/005758.html
Baz
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| Quote: |
| Steel players do it without fretting |
http://www.waikiki-islanders.com
[This message was edited by basilh on 17 May 2004 at 01:42 PM.] |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 17 May 2004 1:09 pm
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Oh I nearly forgot... "an old gentleman from Spain" as David says , was actually my very good friend Norman Fletcher see here. http://www.steel-guitarman.com/
And By The Way David, Could I have a copy of the pic for our magazine ?
Baz |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 17 May 2004 2:08 pm
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Thanx for the updates and the fone calls David  |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 17 May 2004 3:08 pm
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Basil, the pic was taken by me with Norm's wifes camera.
So when she gets it developed maybe you can post it here.
If there are any other photo's around put'em up folks.
I think I will have a few anyway. Gotta finish the roll.
And yes a met some Swiss and Dutch too.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 17 May 2004 at 04:10 PM.] |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 18 May 2004 6:11 am
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Removed because of complaints..[This message was edited by basilh on 20 May 2004 at 04:32 AM.] |
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DeWitt Scott
From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 19 May 2004 11:48 am
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| Thanks to Gerry and Barbara for hosting a great show. I want to thank eveyone I talked with at the show and I appreciate their kind words about my playing. I simply played the songs from the 1940's and 50' that I learned when I was a teenager. Don't count Gerry out just yet....I'm sure he will do another show but only when time permits. He is very busy playing on the road with his Hogans Hero's Band. He has little time to spend at home as it is now....I felt very honored when Gerry and I played together on one song. I will always remember that I have played a duet with one of the finest players in the UK and actually, in the world! Thank you Gerry for allowing me to have played on your very first show and your last scheduled show. Scotty |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 19 May 2004 12:26 pm
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None of these posts are from England!
Does B. J. Cole play at these events? |
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Anne Marie O Keeffe
From:
Co.Waterford,Ireland.
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Posted 19 May 2004 12:46 pm
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| Ernest read the very first post in this thread. David was at the show. Basil is in England someplace, not sure where though. |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 19 May 2004 12:54 pm
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I thought that David lives in France, and Basil in Ireland.
Can someone send me a phone number or email address for B. J. Cole? |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 19 May 2004 2:35 pm
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Earnest, I am in France, yes, but I was at the show.
I wrote the original post on about 4 hours sleep after I caught the red eye from Stanstead.
B.J. Cole was quite impressive on that Bigsby, I had never heard him, but will look for something of his on CD in the future.
Basil was in Ireland for a long time, but I believe he has moved back to Angleterre now.
But I don't think you will ever get Hawaii out of him no matter where he sets up his little grass shack.
Also Thanks to Clive for the Zane Beck and Julian Tharpe 12+14 = Country Jazz.
I had been wanting to here both of these legends for awhile.
The recording is quite dated, but the music is quite interesting too.
King Oliver with Louis Armstrong was recorded into a hole in the wall,
right onto the disc head acoustically, I like that too.
I also met a charming German lady steelie named Karen Adolph, who also gave me her CD.
And I must repeat a big THANK YOU to Ted Nesbit.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 19 May 2004 at 03:47 PM.] |
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Terry VunCannon
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 19 May 2004 3:03 pm
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Glad to here about all the steel action in England. I was playing lap steel with my band in a bar in North Carolina last week, and at the 1st break a fellow from England came up & asked "what is that you are playing, I like the sound, but what is it?"
I told him it was a lap steel, & he said he had never seen an instrument like that anywhere in England. |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 19 May 2004 3:17 pm
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| Wasn't MOE KABIR from England, there with his NEW BIGSBY? |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 20 May 2004 4:09 am
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Here is the re-sized picture of Gerry and his wife Barbara
and a GREAT picture of Scotty..taken by David Clark (With Bj's vintage Standell in the background)
I hope that keeps the OTHER 'Colonials' happy now..!!
Baz
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| Quote: |
| Steel players do it without fretting |
http://www.waikiki-islanders.com
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 20 May 2004 6:50 am
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I've played about 30 or 40 gigs in the UK in the last couple years and have only had one steel player come out to a show. And that is a guy I got to be friends with in Brooklyn. I always post where I'm playing but not a hint of a steel player from the UK ever shows up.
I did see evidence of steel players on Denmark st where I found a few steels set up at Hank's in London.( The pricing was wildly creative )
I do get over there pretty steady so I hope to some day meet some of you guys if in deed you actually do exist
Bob
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 20 May 2004 7:16 am
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Bob there were plenty of British Steelies around,
and several brave enough to jam with Joe and Doug...
Many more in attendance, and lots of picking on the Carters and Willams steels setup for demoing.
I spent about 50 minutes on the D-10 Doug played.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 21 May 2004 at 04:03 AM.] |
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David Rothon
From:
London, England
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Posted 21 May 2004 2:15 am
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| Bob, where do you usually post info about your UK gigs? If you play in London I'll certainly try to come along. Where/with whom have you played over here? |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 21 May 2004 7:11 am
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David,
I post over in the events and announcment page where people post there gigs. When I play with Hem we play at The Borderline or the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. This last trip was with a band called The Deadstring Bros and we played about 8 different smaller clubs around the city.
The sound guys all seemed to know what a pedalsteel was and did a good job so I figured that there are a few of you guys around. I did meet one guy that works at Hank's on Denmark st that seemed interested in playing but I guess he couldn't make it to the gig next door.
I should be over there again next fall or maybe sooner depending on some tour budget stuff. I hope I get to meet some more of you mysterious British Steelies at some point.
Its weird but out of 26 posts on this thread there are only 2 posters from England. I always have a ball playing over there and I would like to hear more about what its like being a steel player in England. The live music scene seems pretty happening to me. I always wish I could stay.
Plus those McVitie Hob Nobs must have something addictive in there !
Bob
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