Steve Green
From:
Gulfport, MS, USA
|
Posted 1 Jul 2012 7:31 am |
|
Why is he referred to in his Hall of Fame write-up as "Mr. 4/9"? Is he only 4'9" tall? Is it because he moved to the 49th state? Anyone know?
On the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame website, the following is written about Bobby Koeffer:
BOBBY KOEFER
THIS SELF-TAUGHT WESTERN SWING PIONEER AMAZED CROWDS AND HIS PEERS WITH
HIS CHIMES AND JAZZ IMPROVISATIONS, WHILE USING ONLY A THUMB PICK AND A
FLAT BAR. TOURING AND RECORDING WITH BOB WILLS, BILLY GRAY AND PEE WEE KING,
HE ACCENTED HIS UNIQUE STYLE WITH SHOWMANSHIP AND AN ASSERTIVE STAGE
PRESENCE. EXTRAORDINARY IN EVERY WAY, MR. “4/9” MATCHED HIS MUSICAL
SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE WITH THE LIFE HE PURSUED.
BORN: AUGUST 18, 1928 CLAY CENTER, KANSAS
INDUCTED: 2004
On another website devoted to Texas Playboys steel guitarists, I found this write-up about him:
Likewise for Bobby Koefer, who came along taking Bowman's place in the Texas Playboys who had been drafted into the Army. (Seems that Playboys steel players were always going into the Service!) Koefer brought even a more refreshing and more adventurous approach to the steel. Having no formal training or mentors to copy techniques from, Bobby grew up in rural Kansas and Oregon and launched out on his own in terms of discovering the instrument and developing his highly unique techniques which are legendary in themselves! His use of a thumbpick only without any finger picks have boggled the minds of steel players to no end since he joined Bob Wills in 1950. His use of a non standard steel bar, which is in effect a polished piece of angle iron has further flabbergasted players in steel guitar circles across the globe and still does to this day. In short Koefer re-wrote the text book known as Steel Guitar 101 to suit himself because he had no idea that the rules had existed. His theories became "Robert's Rules of Order of Steel Guitar According To Bobby Koefer"! He liked the sounds that Hawaiian steel players got on the records he was able to hear on the radio and of course Leon McAuliffe with Bob Wills. He wanted to play like them but could find no teachers in his locale who could tutor him, so on his own he crafted his own approach. By the time he joined Bob he was already approaching legendary status at least in the areas he had played in. He gained the attention of a longtime friend of Bob's who called him when he heard that Bowman was indeed leaving and suggested Koefer as a replacement. Bobby was advised by this friend that he should endeavor to call Bob and see if an audition could in fact be arranged. Finally a meeting was arranged and the rest is history. Koefer came in a week or so before Bowman left and Billy showed him his parts on 3-way guitar arrangements. Bobby's steel roared whenever he took a solo. His notes leaped like a gazelle and strode like an impala. Of all the steel players Bob had, Bobby Koefer is perhaps the most talked about, the most revered and respected. Legend upon legend sprang up about him when he disappeared from the music scene in the early 60's when he transplanted to Alaska and dropped out of music altogether working in canneries and construction for over 20 years. Rumors were he had went to the 49th state on a lark and had panned for gold and struck it rich one day finding a nugget twice the size of his fist and had ceremonially conducted a funeral for his 1953 three neck Fender Stringmaster steel guitar, burying the instrument in the ice, complete with pallbearers, flowers and mourners. Nothing could be further from the truth. Koefer worked hard by day and played by night in his home which many have relegated to an igloo, (It wasn't- it was more like a conventional Klondike cabin) and he bided his time until Western Swing came full circle which coincided with his impending retirement before he emerged to begin gracing us with his amazing steel guitar music once more. He came 'back to the States' so to speak, moving to Oregon where he still resides. The mystique that surrounded Bobby for years fell off in a matter of moments. All the rumors, all the BS that had been said about him proved false. He pulled out his steel which had survived the great Alaskan earthquake in the 60's that produced a Tsunami tidalwave which carried the steel, his amplifier and most of his possessions over 2 miles away and showed the world he had lost nothing in terms of excitement, technique nor brilliance and he is still wowing the crowds and other musicians alike to this day! Bob Wills used to exclaim, "Ahhhh! Mr. Koefer, let's gopher!!!" And for good reason; Bobby Koefer dug a little deeper into the instrument than perhaps any other steel player, pedal or otherwise. He uprooted chords, licks and runs that were intricate and harmonically advanced. He produced the fire in his playing approach that graced the electric Blues guitar style of Junior Barnard. He even developed a style of Rhythm Steel Guitar!!! Imagine that! Who ever heard of rhythm steel guitar? In lieu of guitarists who cannot duplicate Eldon Shamblin's harmonically progressive style of chords and single string runs that link them, Koefer can execute an unbelievable impersonation of Shamblin that is mind boggling! I personally first heard him do this in my living room in the Winter of 1985 when I lived in southern California. I was completely amazed at this and I still am!
_________________
Some songs I've written |
|
