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Topic: Billy Robinson used to play steel for Red Foley.......... |
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 11 Dec 2009 4:47 pm |
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Billy Robinson, undoubtedly one of the finest steel players the world has ever known..... used to play with Red Foley. Foley joined the Opry in 1946......and enjoyed hit after hit on Decca label.
Billy was just a teen-age kid at the time, as was Grady Martin, on lead guitar. These two were one of the first BIGSBY team-players in the country! Billy followed JERRY BYRD thro' the ranks of Foley's Cumberland Valley Boys. THAT, would be a difficult act to follow, would it not?
Oh, by the way; does anyone know who had a dog named "HOOVER" that became quite famous after his death? |
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Ray Harrison
From:
Tucson, Arizona, USA (deceased)
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Posted 11 Dec 2009 7:16 pm
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Ray, I don't know Hoover, but Billy is still quite an entertainer. I love to watch his slants and all the bar movement that he uses. I played bass behind him in St. Louis at the Hawaiian show and it was tough trying to watch him and pay attention to what I was suppose to be playing.
Great guy also.
_________________
Ray Harrison
Bass/sing/Love PSG
77 Stingray/Kiesel 5 string bass
Telonics , Fender Rumble500, Polytone Amps
D-16 Martin, 1970 Ovation guitars |
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Jody Sanders
From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 12 Dec 2009 12:19 pm
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| In addition to being a great player, Billy is one of the nicest people on the planet. Jody. |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 12 Dec 2009 1:43 pm Besides that.....................
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Everything you've said is true but...........
in addition to all that......
BILLY is a fabulous artist. His Steel guitar Xmas Cards are really great! They have pedal steel, dobro, etc. What a guy! |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 12 Dec 2009 10:53 pm
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And Billy designed the Sho~Bud logo. 
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Walter Stettner
From:
Vienna, Austria
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 12:55 am
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Billy is an "artist" in the true sense of the word!
Kind Regards, Walter
_________________
www.lloydgreentribute.com |
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Jack Harper
From:
Mississippi, USA
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 8:24 am
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wh-wh-who's death?
did hoover die and become famous?
did hoover's master become famous after hoover died?
or ....
did hoovers master become famous after he died?
meaning, thank god, ...hoover did not die.
i had a hoover vaccuum......it died!
inquireing minds wanna know........... |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 10:14 am Since you asked...................
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"Hoover" was a German Shepard that Foley had owned as a young boy. Sadly, a cruel neighbor poisoned the dog during the early 1930's and young Foley penned a song about the dog.
During the 1940's, it became one of Foley's biggest selling hits and one of his earliest records.
The dog: "Old Shep"........... |
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Bill Stafford
From:
Gulfport,Ms. USA
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 2:43 pm Ole Shep and Jerry Byrd
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Good memories here. Glad to see this about Billy Robinson too.
I had just recorded "Ole Shep" in a session in Nashville on one of my CDs. This was just prior to the Hawaiian Show in Joilet, Ill. Jerry was the major guest and I was fortunate to have a slot on their program. Sitting on that stage with Jerry right on the front row was just the best. Jerry had heard I had just recorded that song and he called out from the audience "...hey, Chief, play "Ole Shep". I reminded him that this was a Hawaiian show etc. He stood up, turned around, faced the audience and said- "you guys won't mind if Bill plays "Ole Shep" for me? Naturally, no one disagreed. One of the biggest moments in my music life. So I played it the best I could for him and that wonderful audience.
They put up with me and my pedal steel guitar that day.
Bill Stafford |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 4:00 pm
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I picked up a great CD from Billy in St. Louis in '07 after seeing him perform. It's on regular rotation here at the house all the time. What a player.
_________________
Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 13 Dec 2009 4:07 pm Have you made it a point..........................
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Some of Billy's BEST WORK was on the early 1950's Decca records of Red Foley.
Careless Kisses, Kisses on Paper, and a host of others were fabulous and his little single neck Bigsby really had the tone to burn!
If you haven't heard them yet (altho' I doubt that's the case!) one should try to give them a listen. |
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Bob Kagy
From:
Lafayette, CO USA
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Posted 14 Dec 2009 6:07 pm
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| I had the great pleasure of getting some advice from Billy around 1950 - he was in town backing up Red Foley when I was a teenager in the audience not yet understanding how to get "those" sounds from my lap steel. I approached him after the show; Billy had his 8 string Bigsby and showed me his tuning, the C6th; he was using the GACEGACE bottom to top at the time. He also showed me how to do the strum chimes he used on Foley's "Somebody's Cryin". He was really nice, helpful and friendly. Nice memory. |
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