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Topic: Jerry Byrd's words |
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 9 Mar 2014 5:45 pm |
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| Jerry Byrd's words....." airconditioning....either it don't work, or its too cold " (at the golf course pavilion in Waikiki....) |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 9 Mar 2014 10:32 pm How 'bout this..............
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| Some of Jerry's last words that I can recall quite clearly is: "You're packin' on the weight, aren't you?" |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 10 Mar 2014 3:54 am
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"Are you playing a musical saw or a steel guitar ? " ...  |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 10 Mar 2014 12:24 pm Serendipity...
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You're wearing the right shirt!
Commenting on my Ric 'Electro' badge T-shirt the day I hit him up for lessons at Harry's Music. Neither of us had planned to be there that afternoon, he went on to pick out my bar/picks/lesson book at the counter. Harry's moved recently and the building was gutted/remodeled. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 10 Mar 2014 4:05 pm
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" I could only listen to two measures ... Learn to tune your steel using Just Intonation ... And then send me another cassette "
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 10 Mar 2014 11:26 pm
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Jerry had a wry sense of humour:
At one HSGA convention a member (whose name shall remain undisclosed) was struggling with "Beyond the Reef". Jerry comes up to a group of us at the coffee table and says that it should have been named "Beyond Relief".
Another time, another HSGA convention: " I have only been here 20 minutes and I have heard three versions of Beautiful Kahana."
Kay |
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Tom Snook
From:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2014 6:13 am
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"We call it The Hawaiian Welding Song,cause when we weld them they stay welded" JB
_________________
I wanna go back to my little grass shack........ |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 11 Mar 2014 12:34 pm
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| A number of years ago it was very fashionable for men to wear white (highly embroidered) shirts with white trousers, belt and white shoes...(I was guilty!) JB wasted few words by stating we looked like a bunch of medical interns attending to patients (or caustic words similar). Needless to say, I never wore my white outfit again ! |
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Al Terhune
From:
Newcastle, WA
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Posted 11 Mar 2014 2:39 pm
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What a cynical, funny, funny man. I've gotten more laughs and enjoyment out of this thread. Jerry was, evidently, the Rodney Dangerfield of Hawaiian steel guitar.
_________________
Al
My equipment:
One heck of a Wife
The ghost of a red Doberman
Several pairs of reading glasses strewn about |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2014 7:39 pm
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But he did get respect.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 11 Mar 2014 8:44 pm
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| Yes he did get RESPECT. I recall a convention in Joliet in which he played a beautiful Hawaiian song. (I think it was "Beautiful Kahana") and used palm harmonics throughout the second chorus....awesome. Anyway this character came up to him afterwards saying his guitar was a real dud as he couldn't get any harmonics out of it. Jerry placed the "dud" on his lap and proceeded to play those awesome famous harmonics to the complete astonishment of the owner. JB then said the problem was right behind this guys thumb pick. |
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Al Terhune
From:
Newcastle, WA
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Posted 12 Mar 2014 5:59 am
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| Edward Meisse wrote: |
| But he did get respect. |
Yes, yes - I was totally off with that comparison. A much better one would be the Don Rickles of Hawaiian steel guitar. 👍
_________________
Al
My equipment:
One heck of a Wife
The ghost of a red Doberman
Several pairs of reading glasses strewn about |
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Ian Ufton
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 23 Mar 2014 9:10 pm
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| Once called me " his soul mate " -- wow ! |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 23 Mar 2014 11:52 pm
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It was not only his sardonic humor, but his behavioral antics got some attention.
After finishing his song, he would start rowing with his lap steel. It was called rowing through ....... whatever it was!
There were times when he appeared to like something about someone's playing, he would approach the stage with his wire cutters and fake cutting the strings.It was his way of complimenting a person in a joking sort of way.
At other times he may have just wanted to create some mischief.  This may have been the case when he approached the stage when I was playing and faked cutting my strings. Maybe he was just trying to make me laugh in order to get me to play more relaxed? Or maybe he was just trying to toughen me up. Or was he giving me a backhanded compliment? Naw!! 
Last edited by Don Kona Woods on 24 Mar 2014 7:11 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 8:01 am
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| Al Terhune wrote: |
| Edward Meisse wrote: |
| But he did get respect. |
Yes, yes - I was totally off with that comparison. A much better one would be the Don Rickles of Hawaiian steel guitar. 👍 |
That does seem a more apt comparison.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 12:15 pm
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| Don Kona Woods wrote: |
| After finishing his song, he would start rowing with his lap steel. It was called rowing through ....... whatever it was! |
Usually, it would be after struggling thru some part, meaning it wasn't a cruise.
This is what he told me after the entire story of getting his first Ric Bakelite, then doing the first strum thru an amp and hearing the golden sound he'd been amazed by on recordings.
"I knew then that I wasn't too young to cry."
Other parts of the story would make anyone cry. |
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Derrick Mau
From:
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 1:59 pm
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My favorite JB quote:
"What's the use of buying the best steel if one can't play?" JB |
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 2:45 pm
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Like all great personalities, he was never afraid to criticise himself. I recall from a conversation with him at the House Without A Key , might have been 1986, and referring to himself,
" I am told that I sometimes make towards getting to the next note, but never seem to get there."
Kay |
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Al Terhune
From:
Newcastle, WA
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Posted 25 Mar 2014 7:09 am
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| Kay Das wrote: |
" I am told that I sometimes make towards getting to the next note, but never seem to get there."
Kay |
For my tastes, that is the mark of a pleasing vocalist - one who sings not in obvious notes, but a "rolling" and blending that is like a slow, unpredictable see-saw. One of Byrd's tips that stuck with me is to play your steel as if you were singing the notes, which is probably why the above "criticism" (or maybe just observation) is a good one of his playing. Of course, there are moments where a pronounced note is necessary, but beautiful steel guitar (to me) is a blending of notes, moving with vibrato then off to the next point, rarely reaching a conclusion until the end. That's how I see his playing.
_________________
Al
My equipment:
One heck of a Wife
The ghost of a red Doberman
Several pairs of reading glasses strewn about |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 25 Mar 2014 7:38 am
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Sometimes a player's personality doesn't seem to match his playing at all. I think Mr. Byrd might be a good example.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Scott Thomas
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Posted 25 Mar 2014 9:35 am
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It's sort of a cliche, but many "geniuses" (and I think Jerry Byrd qualifies in the arena of steel guitar playing) can have difficult or prickly personalities. I never knew him, so I can't say if that described him but I gather from his acerbic quips that there was that side of him. I just think of him as a complex personality that could also be (and was) amazingly generous with his time and talent and in his love for perpetuating the steel guitar.
I have a letter from him that I cherish. It's a short reply to a fan type "thank you" letter I had sent when I heard he was ill. I know it was written at great effort to himself, as his penmanship deteriorates towards the end (for which he apologized). That he bothered at all is something I will always appreciate.
Here is something Jerry said (wrote):
Steel guitar "possesses" its players--the most exasperating, fascinating of all musical instruments by far. It grabs you and never lets loose.
I've certainly found that last line especiallly to be the case! |
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Ian Ufton
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 25 Mar 2014 3:05 pm
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| He and I had many great conversations , he was a great storyteller and superb musician and I will always be proud of the fact that he told Dirk Vogel [ A I S G C , they couldn,t afford to bring Hiram an Kalani to W/chester ] --- " Guarantee that Ian will be there to back me otherwise I won,t come to do the show " --- I miss " old lard-ass ' [ Kalani,s knickname for him ] --- the world of steel guitar lost something special -- but who knows ? Jerry was a great believer in having lived before --- and was convinced he would return in another life --- sure hope he,s right ! |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 25 Mar 2014 3:09 pm
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| Ian Ufton wrote: |
| Jerry was convinced he would return in another life |
Maybe as a pedal steeler?  |
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Chris Templeton
From:
The Green Mountain State
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Posted 25 Mar 2014 4:20 pm
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It may have been at Scotty's he said this. Someone asked him why he never smiled when he played his steel? He replied "I'm not selling toothpaste".
_________________
Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Sierra Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.com/album/the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8: |
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