Early pedal steel player

Gil Berry · From: Westminster, CA, USA

I remember back in the middle fifties (I think) seeing pedal steel played on TV in a talent show (Ted Mac Amateur Hour ?) (Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts?) I can't recall - but it was a great hit. Few people had ever heard pedal steel before and the contestant had to explain how the instrument worked on live television.

Does anyone remember that show? Maybe one of the older forum members was that contestant? I'm nearly 70 so the guy on that show must be 80 - or more - by now if he's still alive.

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

Hi, Gil,
I remember, in the early sixties, seeing a rerun of one of those amateur hour shows (in glorious B&W of course) and there was a pedal steel player on there who gave a description of how the guitar worked after he'd played his song. It may have been a rerun of the very show you're talking about.

I could be totally wrong as it was such a long time ago, but it seems that Arthur Godfrey sticks out in my memory as possibly being the host of that show. As far as who the steel player was, I don't have a clue.

My main memory of it is seeing/hearing that guy play steel and I remember telling my dad, "I like that thing he's playing. Can I have one?" My dad just looked at me in a way that made me shut right up.
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Eric Stumpf · From: Newbury, NH 03255

That would have been Rico Turchetti playing a modified Epiphone to which he added pedals. Mr. Turchetti is no longer with us but his son has produced a fabulous CD collection of his father's 1950's recordings including those selections performed on the Godfrey show. If you do a Forum search you might be able to find the link to a post where there's contact info that will put you in touch with Turchetti's son. Rico was a very accomplished player and an unsung pedal pioneer with a style similar to that of Alvino Rey.

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

Here is Rico in the mid 40s.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Pre-elastic socks!

Gil Berry · From: Westminster, CA, USA

Eric, I did the search as you suggested, and WOW, what a trip. I wonder if Rico's cd is still available? Chris?

Ransom Beers · Posted 9 Mar 2010 5:04 pm

Chris Turchetti · From: Rhode Island, USA

Hello - Though I can't be 100% sure that your talking about my Dad, Rico Turchetti , It certainly SOUNDS like you are.
I'm Chris Turchetti, his son. Thank You all, as usual, for all the kind words and for keeping his memory alive and active in these forums. Everyone please feel free to contact me at any time chris033@cox.net with questions and or stories , I can't get enough !!
The CD is always available through this forum ??
I Always feel bad that I can't just Give them out for free, but...... I did ALOT of work , fixing pictures in photo shop , getting old 78 Rpm records onto CD , Making the cd's muyself, I spent Alot of Money, Alot of time and it took Alot of Work, but before Dad passed , I never quite understood what a labor of love was, well, now I do, and I enjoyed each second !! Thanx Dad .

Gil Berry · From: Westminster, CA, USA

B0b, I did a quick peek at your listing of Cd's for sale and didn't find Rico's CD listed. Is it still available through the forum?

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

It indeed was Mr Turchetti, a recent inductee into the HOF. I am pretty sure it was, as Jim Lindsey said, the Godfrey show. Rico was a super player and in one of my many conversations and visits to Mr. Rey, Alvino made a point to mention Rico's many accomplishments and his contributions to the pedal steel guitar world.

Matter of fact Rico's ideas encouraged me, along with several others, to drill holes in the Keyhead Pans of my Fender Custom and insert the famous "clothes hangar pulls". What a mess!! Gas pedals with hinges added were the cat's meow. We drilled a hole in the pedal and inserted an all thread screw with adjusting nuts to "get close" to where the stops were. A lot of playing by ear followed and keeping the screw adjusted was very time consuming. It was so bad some of us used wing nuts on the top and bottom of the pedal. Oh Well

All of this was happening in the '48-49 time frame. We've come a long way baby.

phred
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Ransom Beers · Posted 10 Mar 2010 10:25 am

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

In 1955 JODY CARVER appeared on ARTHUR GODFREY'S TALENT SCOUTS. He was playing a FENDER 3 neck String Master guitar.

Jody Sent me an audio tape of his performance on Talent Scouts, dated 2-7-1955. Cool

ROGER

Eric Stumpf · From: Newbury, NH 03255

.............

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

Thanks Eric. Correction made to former post. Smile

Roger

Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

I bought this old Epiphone on e-bay a few years back when I was on a 7 string kick, any chance it is Rico's old guitar? The somewhat rusty contraption next to the peghead was mounted over and around the 7'th string tuner with the pulling arms facing the backside of the guitar when I received it and in the shot from the bridge end of the guitar you can see holes and the remnants of studs where something was mounted on it at one time.

Chris Turchetti · From: Rhode Island, USA

Jay Jessup ...... I Wonder if that COULD be my Dads Guitar too .........

Chris Turchetti · From: Rhode Island, USA

Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

Chris, I am thinking that has to be his old guitar, mine has a custom made roller nut that looks the same. The bridge/tailpiece on the one I have looks to be a stock Epiphone piece which is appears different than on your pictures but the pickup end string pullers had been removed by the time I bought the guitar. It came with some of those skinny bars like he was using too!
Thanks for reminding me, I have that guitar for sale in the classifieds and couldn't remember this post from 2010.
Jay

Daniel Policarpo · Posted 25 Sep 2012 8:13 pm

This is simply amazing. I can't wait to hear what Mr. Rico Turchetti's music sounds like. I suppose I will contact you directly , Chris.

Kirk Eipper · From: Arroyo Grande, Ca.

Great Post!!!!!!!
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Dan Carey · From: Mahopac N.Y

..Roger Shackelton wrote

Jody Carver, played a Fender triple neck stringmaster on the Arthur Godfrey show back in 1955.

I'm in touch with Jody......he played a triple neck custom on that show.....

Regards

Dan Carey

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

Ultra Cool !
Homemade hardware store parts!
On national television!
Ultra Cool !
Thanks so much for showing us this!
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