George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 19 Aug 2008 1:37 pm |
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Held this past weekend was the 18th Hank Snow tribute in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. As he has done in the past, Kayton Roberts was there playing with some of the guys. The picture belows shows my friend Bill Fay who sang with a group in which Kayton played steel. Kayton is really admired by the folks at the Tribute.
Keep up the good work Kayton. We love you.
Geo
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http://georgerout.com
"I play in the A Major tuning. It's fun to learn and so easy to play. It's as old as the hills....like me" |
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C Dixon
From:
Duluth, GA USA
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Posted 20 Aug 2008 7:33 am
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A Bit of trivia:
For many years I heard but never saw Kayton Roberts. As some of you know, Kayton was Hank Snow's steel guitar player for over 30 yrs. I kept wondering, "Who is that steel player that sounds like Jerry Byrd, yet he has his own sound too."
So one night I turned on the TV when the Opry had that live portion, and Hank's portion was JUST going off and here was this steel player playing, bent over his short legged steel, playing his heart out as they ran the credits.
Later, I learned his name. Then when Hal Rugg and Larry Sasser asked me to produce the Atlanta show in '97, I was determined to get Kayton to come and play. But even Scotty had told me, "He won't play at SG shows, I have asked him for 25 yrs, and he refuses!".
Well I called him any way. And sure enough he let me know in NO uncertain terms, that he had NO intention of playing at SG shows. He also told me, "People want 'them' pedals, and I don't play pedals. So I aint gonna play no SG shows!".
Well I kept on and on. Finally I said, "Kayton, I really WANT you to play, I have admired your playing for over 30 yrs. They will love you! Won't you please consider this request?"
He said, "Well, I don't know, they don't want them pedals and I just don't know, but since you asked it that way, well, I don't know, I will think about it and let you know".
The moment we hung up, I instantly called Little Roy Wiggins and Herb Remington,
"I have him ON the fence, please call him NOW and push him over the fence". They did.
The next day Kayton called me, "Well I don't know. The WHOLE dadgum world is calling me asking me to play, so I guess I will, but them people still won't like what I play. But I will come."
I was so excited.
After he got two standing ovations, with people literally screaming for more, I walked over with the mic in hand and said, "Kayton, IF I were to ask you to come back next year, would you come"
He got a smile as wide as the missisip, and he loudly exclaimed, "You'd have to DRIVE me AWAY!"
Whereupon the crowd went berserk, and instantly David Russell did the kickoff to "Movin' On!"; as Kayton did his classic "train whistle"; as well as a solo of that awesome tune.
To my dying day I shall NEVER forget that moment. The man that I did not know; that I loved and admired sooo much; the man I had nevet seen but one time in my whole life; was sitting on my stage playing Hank's Theme son;, and the crowd was ON their feet just screaming for more. I lost it.
It doth NOT get ANY better than that folks.
Well maybe it does. Next Tuesday night I will be at Kayton's house in Nashville, Tn. He and his wife Iva Lee have invited Hazel and I to come and spend a day or two with them. I can only imagine what I am going to feel when he (and Iva on piano) plays some of his awesome renditions of songs I have loved for sooo many years. Talk about a private lesson. Wow!
May Jesus richly bless Kayton and Iva Lee, and all of you,
c.
PS. I will post some pictures of Kayton, after I get back from St. Louis
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A broken heart + † = a new heart. |
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