Julian Tharp

Wally Taylor · From: Hardin, Kentucky, USA

Does anyone know of any videos on UTube or elsewhere, where I can view this great steel player? He is one of the fastest players I have ever heard! Yet, I don't hear much about him on the forum and I wonder why this guy is not talked about more often.

Thanks,
Wally Taylor

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Wally have you done a search for Julian in the archives of the forum? There is some info on him there. Look up under the "Add A Reply" line and you will see the word "search". Just click on it and fill in the asked for info and see what comes back.

He was a remarkable player with a style and a way all his own. No doubt that he was one of the greats of the instrument. Many here knew him and hold him in high regard. Unfortunatly some hold his personal problems against him. Very petty thinking in that his musical accomplishments can never be diminished by whatever these folks think about Julian. Sort of like saying Ty Cobb was not a great ball player because some did not like him. The records adn stats are there to prove he was. Julians records and his live performances and his legacy playing the steel guitar also prove how great he was.

Wally Taylor · From: Hardin, Kentucky, USA

Thanks Bill,
I did the search and I am absolutely delighted to find there are many others who are still fans and appreciated Mr. Tharp. I don't know anything about his personal life and could really care less. All I know is forum member Dan Burnam let me hear a recording he had of Mr. Tharp and I was absolutely blown away with his speed and clarity. The fact that he is not in the Hall of Fame is a shame, an absolute shame. I think there are many like myself who are not aware of this man's talent and contributions to the steel. There is a lot of talk of how the steel is not being used much in musicals styles other than country. Well, Zane Beck and Julian Tharp sure showed me what the steel was capable of. Now, I am off on a quest to get some recordings of this fantastic player. Again, thanks for your help and I hope others on this forum take the time to discover Julian Tharp and his immense style of playing.

Wally Taylor

Terry Wood · From: Lebanon, MO

Wally,

Julian was my friend and mentor. There were a few albums and one tranfered to cassette tape by him, no CDs. Julian was murdered November 1994 in South Carolina, while staying with his sister.

The albums were these titles:

"Take Your Pick" recorded with Blondie Caldron of the Ray Price band days. Julan was working with Ray when "For The Good Times" came out.

"The Jet Age," recorded at The House of Cash features horns and great guitar work Bobby Caldwell.

"12 + 14 = Country Jazz" recoreded with Zane Beck, who along with Don Fritsche built at least 3 or 4 of the 14 stringers Julian played.

"Southern Fried," recorded with Jimmy Day on the Bass. Mix on his steel on this one is terrible but Julian's playing makes up for it.

"Deep Feelings," last L.P. he recorded at St. Louis for Scotty. It feaures alot of easy listening type tunes and one fiddle tune where he burns up the steel guitar.

I miss Julian and his genius of the steel guitar!

He was the very first inductee into the Alabama Steel Guitar Hall of Fame last February 2006. They got that right and hopefully he will be included in The Steel Guitar Hall of Fame at St. Louis in the future. Many are in agreement that he should already be included in The Big Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

There was a rather lengthy thread on the Steel Guitar Forum on him several years past. I contributed to it as did many others, incuding new Steel Guitar Hall of Famer Maurice Anderson. Reece and Julian were friends and Julian used to play a 20 stringer that Reece, Bud Carter and others built for him.

I hope this helps you!

May GOD bless you!

Terry Wood

Bill Simmons · From: Keller, Texas/Birmingham, AL, R.I.P.

Just a follow up note about Julian Tharp...what an innovative player for sure. It took about 5 seconds for us at the Alabama Steel Guitar Association to agree we wanted to honor Julian's musical genuis by being the first inductee into our Alabama Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

Last week I was watching an old video of Julian and the great Bobby Caldwell playing incredible stuff at a live event!

[This message was edited by Bill Simmons on 14 December 2006 at 03:44 PM.]

Russ Little · From: Hosston,Louisiana, USA

You may know about this but here it is anyway.http://www.beckmusicalinstruments.com/8401/8422.html
RL

------------------
BMI S10 3&5
Zb custom s10 3&1
Fender2000D10 8&1
NV112

http://usera.imagecave.com/ruslit/Guitars/BMISTEEL.jpg

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

Russ-I would like to hear that. If you would put "[url] in front and "[/url]" at the end of you link, it might then enable us to clik on it. Dont put in the quote though.Thanks...al

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

Russ Little · From: Hosston,Louisiana, USA

sorry al
ITS NOT A MUSIC FILE IT'S FROM BMI STEELS
HE'S ON THEIR WEB SITE
jUST THOUGHT SOMEONE MITE BE INTERESTED.
RL

Bobby Boggs · From: Upstate SC.

http://www.beckmusicalinstruments.com/8401/8422.html

Lyle Clary · From: Decatur, Illinois, KC9VCB

Saw Julian at one of Scotty's doins' in the middle 70's at St. Louis. He was backing Barbara Mandrell who was on the show. He was playing, if memory serves, a single 14 string with 14 pedals and unknow knee levers. Maybe some one can help me on the brand.BMI maybe. He placed his left hand in his lap and played "Danny Boy". I have it on a cassette that I was allowed to bring into the show .

Charles Pompe · From: Illinois, USA

I was at that show. I don"t remember the brand of steel although I "think" it was white. I was just beginning then and Danny Boy almost made me give it up. I'm glad I didn't, not because I'm any good, but because I get so much enjoyment out of it.

------------------
1973 Emmons P/P D-10, 2005 Carter D-10, Session 500,Nashville 400,Nashville 112

Bernie Gonyea · From: Sherman Tx. 75092 ,U.S.A. (deceased)

Bobby [ BMI ]Can you tell us if Julian's special guitar was a BMI? Thanks..
Oh, yes, where are these guitars built?..Bernie

Russ Wever · From: Kansas City

Charles

The white guitar that you refer to was a (Chuck) Wright guitar.
It was a 14-string neck with 15 floor pedals layed out in two rows and six knee levers.
Julian later played Sho-Bud then BMI then Sierra.

~Russ

Bobby Caldwell · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.

Julian, as many of you know, and I were good friends. We spent many many hours playing music and just having a great time. We worked many a DJ convention in Nashville back when and where ever Julian set up his steel a crowd a people were not far behind. He was a hoot to work with. I miss my friend. Bobby

[This message was edited by Bobby Caldwell on 17 December 2006 at 07:49 AM.]

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

Hi Bobby, Do you recall the jam session you did with Julian in Oct. 1971 in Nashville. It took place in a hotel room. Julian was playing a Black, S-12 Wright Custom Steel Guitar, which he had received from Chuck Wright one day before the jam session. It had 11 pedals and 6 knee levers. You took over the guitar chair from another guitar player.(Bucky Meadows?) Julian was working for Barbara Mandrell at the time. Speedy West was in the room that evening.
Julian played on the Grand Ole Opry with Barbara the following night. Some of the Opry musicians were standing behind him while he played: Hal Rugg, Kayton Roberts & Spider Wilson.

Terry Wood · From: Lebanon, MO

Somewhere in the back threads (archives) on the Steel Guitar Forum there are some postings on Julian. On one of those threads, I posted a black and white picture of Julian playing that white Wright Custom Steel with Barbara Mandrell you refer too.

I never saw that particular Wright steel other than that photo. THe photo was passed on to me from a guy from Quebec Canada. However, somewhers I do have its sounds on a live cassette of Julian picking with Barabara and her band. He was her band leader for a few years.

After the Wright Customs he played MSA steel for a period of time. I have a couple pics of him with the 12 string MSAs. Our mutual friend Reece Anderson cmmented at length on the postings on Julian too. Of interest about this time, Julian played a 20 string MSA that Reece, Bud Carter and others built for him. Reece said that Julian played that monster steel as soon as it hit the floor, just like he'd been playing ot all along.

Julian also played SHO-BUDs and one is pictured on the cover of his "Jet Age Album from around 1976-77. I think a man in Florida owns that steel these days.

Julian then played at least 3 or 4 different BMI steels that were all custom built for him by Zane Beck and Don Fritsche who built them for him during the late 70's and early 80s. One was Brown, one Green, and there was also a red one. Two of those steels that I know about are gone for ever. THey burned up in club fires.

Next, there was a beautiful bright cherry red BMI that Zane built for Julian at the same time he built my black 14 stringer like Julian's. I remember seeing that last BMI steel at Zane Beck's house at Littlerock. It was the most beautiful steel guitar I ever saw. All of the metal work on it was gold plated. Zane's wife Faye told me that Zane liked to never found someone who would gold plate the metal on that particular steel guitar. If I could locate that same guitar, I would purchase it myself. I have inquired all over the USA for its whereabouts and Julian's family doesn't even know where it wound up. I am sure somebody has it stashed somewheres. I would pay a hefty some for it. Also, it was so unique that I would recognize it immediately. There were some other particulars about that steel guitar. Again it was the most beautiful steel guitar I ever saw!

After that Julian went back to a Seriera steel this was his last steel guitar and you can hear him playing it beautifully on his last album titled "Deep Feelings," around 1984.

Hope this shares some more light on Julian. What a Master player he was! Like Bobby and others who knew him, we miss him geatly!

May GOD bless!

Terry Wood

David Wright · From: Pilot Point ,Tx USA.

I too was and still today was a big fan of Julians..but for the record of when he was playing the Wright my Dad built .. He played MSA first...in the early 70's my Dad built him the 14 string ... he left Dallas and ended up in Nashville...then on to sho~Buds and the other guitars heplayed, then ended up with Sierra...

------------------

M.S.A.
M.S.A. Millennium
S-12 9 & 6
Bb is where it's at!
Peavey-2000-PX-300

David's Web Page

Wally Taylor · From: Hardin, Kentucky, USA

Well, once again, thanks guys for easing my mind about wondering if there were others that felt the same way as I when it came to the musical accomplishments of Mr. Tharp. I am envious of some of you who knew him personally and got to play with him. You are blessed for sure.
Can someone please tell me how I may obtain some of his records?

Thanks,
Wally

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Wally. Hang on. Help is on the way.

Terry Wood · From: Lebanon, MO

Cool Picture David. I have a couple from probably around the same time but they are black and white.

Are you still possibly planning to come play our next 2nd Annual Marshfield Steel Guitar Show? I saw a great DVD on your playing!

GOD bless!
Terry Wood

Wally Taylor · From: Hardin, Kentucky, USA

Thanks Bill, I will be hanging on.

Wally

DeWitt Scott · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.

Julian Tharpe - A name I know quite well. I produced three LP's on him. The Jet Age, Southern Fried Steel and Deep Feelings. Somehow I wound up with Take Your Pick on my Midland label but I didn't produce that one.

If you have a copy of The Jet Age the first 1000 copies has a mistake on the front cover. The company didn't know what those strange looking rods hanging from the guitar were so they removed them! The 2nd thousand have the rods put on. We recorded it at Johnny Cash's studio in Hendersonville, TN and Julian arranged the horn parts, got with Bobby Caldwell and then we cut it, mixed it down and was out of the studio in 6 hours. The quickest recording we ever did was Zane Beck Meets Bobby Caldwell", We recorded it at United Studio's in Nashville, mixed it down and gone in 3 hours. That must be pretty close to a record time to cut a complet album.

I could re-release these recordings on CD in a heartbeat and may do it. Plus I have about 7 cassettes that were were recorded live by Julian and the above recordings are also on them. I have asked several people if they would be willing to listen to them and pick out the best recordings and taking out the many repeat songs but only one person offered to help. I sent him copies of the cassettes and that was at least 3 or more years ago. I guess it is just too much of a monster job for anyone. I have since scrapped that idea but I would like to have my cassettes back.

I have several video's recorded live by Julian either at the Moose Lodge in St. Charles, Mo or at the International Steel Guitar Conventions in St. Louis. No plans to do anything with them at this time.

Julian and I had many good times together. Either here in St. Louis or in Nashville.

One guitar that Julian played that I didn't see mentioned. It was a Marlen. It was a single neck and had 25 or more strings and there was a few small strings in the middle of the tuning. I seen him playing this guitar at one of the DJ convention at the Andrew Jackson hotel with Thumbs Carlile on guitar. They play for 3 or 4 days and nights with very little breaks for sleep or food. What a fun time that was.

I think all the guitars that Julian played had a 3 octave range in the open position. That is how he was able to play Danny Boy and not use the bar.

A couple of other tricks he would he had was he would talk over the pickup and he would click his teeth in time with the music and it would come through the amplifier.

One more quick story. When I was recording my "Keepin' It Country" I had a problem with playing an ad lib part to "Driving Nails In My Coffin". I'm mostly a melody and ballad player. I called Julian at the Demon's Den night club on Broadway from the studio and asked him if he could help me by playing that section for me. He agreed, I knew he would, but I was prepared for him to come to the studio the next day but he seen a player at the club that would sub for him and he came to the studio right then! He walked into the studio with his steel under his arm, listened to what he was supposed to play and cut it in on the first time through! He also took the time to kind of dress up a few other parts of the song and then back to Demon's Den and finished the night. If you have this record you can easily recogonize Julian's playing. Is that a friendship thing to do or not? We were friends. Both Bobby Caldwell and myself really do miss Julian coming to St. Louis. We had so much fun with Julian. If Julian or Bobby ever made a mistake in their playing I never heard it. Scotty

David Wright · From: Pilot Point ,Tx USA.

yea Terry.... love to be there....))))

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

When MSA had there shop in South Oak Cliff, Dallas I used to see Julian quite often. I think this is on the linear notes on one of his albums( too lazy to get uo and check), that watching Julian you wondered how in the world he was ever going to get back home base. This is true. Every one would stand around with their mouths open and eyes bugged out.Even Curly Chalkeras great as he was, marveled at Julians playing. I miss him too. CC

Fred Shannon · From: Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.

CC, I remember those days well. I lived on West 10th street where they built the big Baptist church addition. Joe McHam and I were students with Julian. What a perfectionist. Nothing but absolute perfection was tolerated. I think Joe was living in either Sherman or Dennison and came down for lessons. I know that Reece went to Blondie Calderon and offered to play bass if Blondie would hire Julie on steel. Just a tidbit for chewing on this AM.
I miss the guy too.

Phred

------------------
"From Truth, Justice is Born"--Quanah Parker-1904

Forum Index > Steel Players	Goto page 1, 2 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic