Old Gibson Players And Pictures

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT DON’T HAVE ANY OF THE OLD GIBSON MASTERTONE MUSIC SYSTEM FOR LEARNING HAWAIIAN GUITAR, I HAVE COPIED THE PICTURES OUT OF THE SHEETS I HAVE AND POSTED AN ALBUM AT THE SITE BELOW. EVERYTHING IS GIBSON OF COURSE. SOME OF THE PICS I THINK ARE VERY INTERESTING. THERE IS ONE OF (THE LATE) ERNIE MAGANN OF TORONTO PLAYING HIS CONSOLE GRANDE ON HIS LAP. I’VE JAMMED WITH HIS LATE SON RON WHO PLAYED AN EPIPHONE DOUBLE 8 ON HIS LAP. I FOUND IT SOMEWHAT AWKWARD!!! ERNIE’S PICTURE IS ALSO IN THE RICKENBACKER BOOK. SOME NIFTY GUITARS AND AMPS CAN BE SEEN.. http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/rout_geo/album?.dir=/1eb4

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

That was pretty cool stuff!

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

I thought it was kind of nifty, even if it was all and only Gibson items!!

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

It sure seems that in those days, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a steel guitar and/or guitarist. I'd love to hear an entire steel guitar orchestra.

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

Hey George..Those are great pics. The one showing "Myrtle" has almost become a classic! I have a pic of myself amongst a huge aggregation of student steel guitarists which was taken at a concert in 1943 when Hawaiian guitar classes were all the rage. Today, I teach a class of 20 steel guitarists and 17 ukulele students...(all of them 55+) and they are almost a throw-back to those good olde days. We have put on many concerts for seniors and the gang sure sound good. They call themselves the "Hawaiian Treasures" simply because we are still on the top side of the grass.

Roy Thomson · From: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada

Thanks for all your time in putting those up
George.
Fun to look at and read the comments.

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

I was given a whole bunch of Oahu and Mastertone music recently, and although I had some, it gave me the idea to put all the pics together. I'm glad they're of interest. The old man who gave me the music, used to own a music store here, and went to these Hawaiian Guitar Conventions (I guess they were called), and a Norman English used to have a huge Hawaiian guitar orchestra there. I think he's mentioned in Lorene Rymer's great book. There were, and still are I believe, mandolin orchestras and guitar ordhestras. Never heard of a banjo orchestra though!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I took lessons in the 1940s from a gentleman who used the Gibson Masterton system, and I still have some of the lessons around here someplace. I have never done the tab stuff, too old and maybe too dumb!

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

My "Clayton Delaney" was a fellow ,Jack Schidler In Mishawaka IN, in late 30s early 40s taufgt me under the Gibson system while I was taking lessons from the Oahu Pub Co. Herb Remington was also taking lessons from Oahu and was three or four classes ahead of me. Herb tells the story about when Oahu took 200 or more students to Soldier Field in Chicago, tuned up to within 2 or 3 half tones of each other and murdered "The Stars and Stripes Forever", Herb was in the front row and my class which was in its 4th wk of lessons was in the rear. If it hadn't of been for those smart alecks in the front row we would have sounded pretty good CC

Geoff Brown · From: Nashvegas

George, those photos are priceless. Really enjoyed the tour. Thanks.
The steels were all great, but man...those archtops really had me going!

Chris Walke · From: St Charles, IL

Some of these orchestras were pretty big, featuring several steel players. Are there any recordings of these types of big bands?

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

I'm glad the photos have had some interest. As for any of the "orchestras" recording, gosh, I don't know. I've never seen anything, but I have had very little music on 78's. Maybe somebody like Keoki Lake can comment on any possible recordings. In Nova Scotia, where I learned to play in 1948, I never heard anybody mention Hawaiian guitar orchestras, and I never saw the Mastertone music. My guitar school used the Oahu method in both "diagram" (now called tab) and notation.

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

(The late) Norm English was quite a character...very comical at times, but who was also a very serious guy when it came to the steel guitar. He was associated with O'AHU PUBLISHING CO., (Cleveland), for many years and worked very closely with the publishing founder, Harry Stanley. Norm told me he had many large Hawaiian Guitar Orchestras during his lengthly career of teaching and indeed, claimed Wayne Newton as one of his best students. On stage, Norm would let it 'all hang out' to the delight of his audience...not a dry eye in the house due to so much laughter. He was affectionately known as the "Victor Borge of the Steel Guitar". Though he would never fall off a piano bench as did Victor, he would bring special "guitars" which he made to his performances. His (infamous) "Latrinitar", was made from a toilet seat, or he would perform on a simple plank of lumber 6' in length with strings and a pickup. These were but a couple of "guitars" which folks loved to hear him play...and he played well with a lot of humor thrown in.

I am not aware of any recordings made featuring Hawaiian Guitar Orchestras. I entertain little doubt that these types of recordings must exist in someone's collection as Hawaiian Guitar Orchestras were very popular in the twenties, thirties and early forties.

My old (departed) friend, Billy Reid Sr. had a large guitar studio Halifax when he was at his peak. He often mentioned the Hawaiian Guitar Orchestras he conducted. There were many such orchestras across Canada, of which I was a member of one in 1942. Unfortunately, I doubt if any recordings of these groups were ever made or if so, even exist today

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Thanks Keoki. This guitar orchestra has me really interested now. Since the great Hawaiian music historian (musicologist???)John Marsden isn't online, I will write to him to see what he knows of any recordings. I wonder if Billy Reid Jr. who lives just 40 minutes from here knows anything. I will also give him a call.

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

I have been in touch with Billy jr on a regular basis,but not in regards to guitar orchestras. Bill jr commenced playing steel a few years after his father passed away in October of 1990. Like Billy sr., he adopted the D9th tuning. His main forte in music is as a one-man entertainer in the Burlington, Ontario area on steel using backup tracs he has developed from "Band-in-the-Box". He's also an excellent vocalist who is comfortable with Hawaiian lyrics. Bill's progress on steel has been nothing short of excellent! I am certain, were his father alive today to hear Bill jr on steel, he would be tremendously proud of his son.
Incidently, Billy sr., (known as "Makuakani"), was internationally recognized as "The Dean of Hawaiian Music". He was a prolific composer, (with whom I colaborated on many of his songs), and had possibly the longest running radio program on Canadian radio..."HAWAIIAN RENDEZVOUS" which aired in excess of 35 years....almost as long as "Hawai'i Calls" !

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Thanks folks. Since Billy Jr lives not too far from me, I will touch base with him and I've also got a letter off to John Marsden for his comments on any guitar orchestra recordings. I'll post any news I receive from both sources.

George Rout · From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Just to close the loop thus far on the question "Did Hawaiian guitar orchestras ever record"? I received a mail response from the kind John Marsden in the U.K. who advised that he has never seen any. Geo

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

I studied a bit with George Bjurmark.He had his studio out on Eastern LOng Island..nice man and a good teacher.Our only disagreement
was when I tried to see him Fender steel guitars and at that time Gibson steels were the thing for quality. We were always friends after that. I beleive his son took over back in the 60's. Sure had a nice inventory of those Gibson beauties. I couldnt say I blamed him Fender was an unkown
at that time and George was loyal to Gibson and in spite of that I admired him.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 12 March 2005 at 03:53 PM.]

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