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Topic: Burma's ONLY steeler |
David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 27 Jan 2009 11:46 pm |
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Apollo Jolly 80 years young
and gigging 5 days a week.
I did 'Across the Reef' with him and a Hank Sr. tune.
His lap-steel is Czech, I can't remember the name.
Apollo doubles piano, guitar, alto sax and lapsteel.
His Hoffner guitar is ancient...
I heard scores of melodies from this non-singing duo.
I played drums two different nights with them.
There was no bass available, but drums right there.
Here he is will musical partner Walter Pru.
They started playing together in the early 60's.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many! |
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 5:25 am
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| David, these guys are the equivalents of our old bluesmen, don't you think? What a riot it must have been gigging with them. Eighty years young; you ain't kidding. Where do they play music; is it in a hotel? stevet |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 6:12 am
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Apollo Jolly and Walt Pru.
I actually told them that exact thing when I learned their names.
'You guys sound like old, black, Memphis blues musicians
moved up from the deep south. Pickin' music not cotton!'
That got a smile out of them.
They are actually ethnic Karen, Christians, from north east Burma.
Some of the other Karen villages have the brass ring wearing "long neck women".
They have a huge, wide ranging repetoir of classics.
From Duke Ellington and Fat's Waller through Hank Williams,
and off into A.C. Jobim, and a bit of Pop and rock.
They do " Itsy Witsy Teeny Ween Yellow Polka Dot Bikini."
Like Surf Music.
Sadly the grand piano is REALLY in need of pin blocking,
can't keep it tuned, as I told the hotel manager specifically.
So Apollo's piano playing is not as clean as it could be.
But I can tell he is playing it right. A natural musician.
He'd play piano and then solo'd on sax and switched back.
And a lot of guitar picking too.
Sort of like Dick Dale if he lived in 1938.
I booked into the Kandawgyi hotel in Yangon (Rangoon) completely at random.
http://www.kandawgyipalace.com/
Liked the look and the price on the internet,
but then found there was a duo playing the lobby most nights.
And when he pulled out the lapsteel I bout fainted.
The are far left in the lobby Bar area.
I found the ONLY steel player gigging in my hotel!
What BIZARRE luck.
Many years back, he had a Fender 1000 with cables,
but a local 'heavy' decided he wanted to play it too,
and made him 'an offer he couldn't refuse'...
Then, of course, the guy found it wasn't as easy as he thought...
But he wasn't about to return the instrument.
So maybe it is still langusihing in some guys back room.
But those are the ONLY known steels in the country.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many!
Last edited by David L. Donald on 28 Jan 2009 6:01 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 6:23 am
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Apollo also had a 'Shobud Maverick music booklet,
with a Pro II, fat pedal, on the back cover.
I had told him I had a Pro II and was flabergasted when I met him again
and he pulled this out; "Is this your steel?"
"Yep, pretty much, give or take a few years."
But the open music page is all he has left.
I said I might be able to 'fill in the missing pages' through the forum.
So if anyone has a .pdf of these lost tunes,
Apollo would be most grateful.
I have a contact who can print them for him.
I will get him a forum membership if he likes too.
He can't send $ cash or paypal etc, like most of us can.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many!
Last edited by David L. Donald on 29 Jan 2009 7:58 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 7:19 am
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| David, do you think Apollo would enjoy playing pedal steel again? If so, maybe we could get him something used that is half decent. He sounds pretty busy with all the instruments he plays now, though. Did you bring your own bass into Burma and how were the customs folk there? If you brought one in, I'd be curious to see if customs check to see you took it out. On the other hand, perhaps that Cro-magnon man who "borrowed" his Fender 1000 would just add to his collection. steve t |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 7:48 am
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I very nice thought from you! 
I think he would love to have a 'light' E9 or C6 PSG.
A Carter Starter would no doubt thrill him.
Actually for his musical style C6 is right for him.
But his lapsteel is a E9 variation, a rather Hawaiian sound.
He plays by ear, but clearly understands theory well.
Spells chords out with sulfege etc.
I think he would tear it up on C6 with a few pedals.
Sadly CroMag did this many years ago. 70's maybe, not sure.
I hate to think this Fender 1000 is just sitting lost for years...
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many!
Last edited by David L. Donald on 28 Jan 2009 7:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Nathan Golub
From:
Durham, NC
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 9:18 am
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| Cool thread David, thanks for posting the info and pics. Any chance there are recordings or video of them playing? |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 11:37 am
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| 200 guys at $5.00 each and we could get him a steel over there. Lets do it. |
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 1:51 pm Jolly Pedal Steel
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| David, would we be able to bring a steel into the country and not take it out again without any customs trouble? What has been your experience? Kevin, thanks for the support. I woud toss in $100 to get things rolling. & could bring a guitar back but I'm not going to get to Thailand until late September. I could bring it back to China in Early August. A used single neck set up for C6 would be nice (maybe a keylessBMI, WILLIAMS; something light & compact. Anybody have any ideas? steve t |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 2:40 pm
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| Please list your name here if you would be willing to contribute. I would act as agent if we get enough people here. Steve I could send you the money.100 guys at $10.00 would do it. |
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 2:50 pm Customs Question
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That sounds good to me Kevin, but let's wait to hear about the customs question from Mr. Thailand himself, David Donald. I'd hate for customs to confiscate what would be Apollo's guitar. We would also need to figure out how to get the steel from Thailand to Burma, whether David or I would take it in.
Maybe one of the Forum members has a guitar he/she could sell us. I will be in the USA from June 15 to August 4 or 5.
I know times are hard in the USA & elsewhere, but maybe we can make this happen. Thanks, Kevin, steve t |
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 28 Jan 2009 5:01 pm
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Wow! you guys are cool!
I of course also would contribute.
If that is the customs fees, then so be it.
If I send it with my wife via bus and she 'carry's it',
then we can put most any reasonable price on it,
call it a gift and not be an issue for much.
Thai customs would be an issue.
I paid about %15 for the S-14 Sierra I think.
On my trip Myanmar, wasn't even looked at me
coming or going, customs just waved my past,
but if I fly it is more expensive of course.
But sending Chacha via bus is cheap enough.
The Myn. gov. seems more intent to not have gems go out
the other direction without their cut being included.
We got patted down at the airport leaving the very northern Katchin state,
but never looked at, at all, in Yangon.
Confiscation is not an issue, just whether 'someone' wants
a customs cut. Certainly this is doable.
And would reinstate a certain nice mans faith in humanity too. 
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many! |
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 29 Jan 2009 12:19 pm
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This sound sbetter all the time, David; I have managed to bring into Thailand a D-10 pedal steel & my 6 string on two seperate occasions without any duty. Guess it is just the luck of the draw. Did Thai customs have a clue about your Sierra as to what it was or its value?
The blue GFI in the photo does not have have a changeable copedant, according to the owner. steve t |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 29 Jan 2009 6:16 pm
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Hi
Well unless it's welded like a Carter Starter
it's changeable if you know how.
Did you fly in and just carry it in?
My S-14 was shipped in roadcase from Jim Palenscar,
so it went through the usual customs clearances etc.
But fly in and it's just walk by. Things like this
they are not so worried about.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many! |
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steve takacs
From:
beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)
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Posted 29 Jan 2009 6:20 pm
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| David, I will write to the seller of the GFI and ask about how the copedant is set (if it is welded.) Would be nice to get a guitar that could be changed around esasily. When I came in both times, I brought it in by air as luggage and would do the same. stevet |
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Justin Brown
From:
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2009 12:14 pm
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| Sign me up, Kevin. |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 30 Jan 2009 5:45 pm
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Cool Justin.
Don't let the snazzy lobby fool you,
these guys get paid, no doubt, in the local currency
$1 = 1,000 Kyat....
It's like 70's Italy,
but they haven't just cut off several zeros yet...
And there is NO bigger bill than 1,000 kyat, pronouned 'jat'.
Nothing like a $5 or $10 or $20 bills,
so you can imagine how much that buys...
You need a shoulder back just to carry enough to go to market in the AM.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many! |
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Bernie Gonyea
From:
Sherman Tx. 75092 ,U.S.A. (deceased)
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Posted 30 Jan 2009 6:08 pm The GFI Guitar For The Burma Musician
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Hi Kevin : Count me in for ten bucks; just let us know where to send it, O.K? It's amazing to hear this story about an eighty year old playing a steel guitar and all those other instruments..Bernie 
_________________
2007 Zum S-10; 1967 Sho-Bud [ D-10 ]; 85 S-10 Sierra; 1953 Multi-Kord [ 6 String- 4 pedals ] A Sho-Bro six String Resonator Guitar; Nashville 112 Amp; hilton Vol. Pedal |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 30 Jan 2009 6:44 pm
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I Bernie, thanks for the good thoughts too.
Apollo knows NOTHING of all this.
I did point him to the forum since he would enjoy it.
His english isn't bad, and he loves all kinds of music,
including classic country and gospel.
I think I will have Silas go to the hotel and fill him in.
And ask him if he prefers a E9 or C6 etc.
Not a rush of course.
Young Silas is a fine guitar player too.
Maybe I will push him to take some lessons from Apollo
and create a steel movement there.
_________________
DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.
Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many! |
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