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Topic: Harold Near |
Hollis Near
From:
Bellevue, WA
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Posted 3 Feb 2023 8:45 pm |
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My father, William Harold Near, of Chesterfield, Virginia, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2023 after a brief illness. He was 91.
Pedal steel guitar was a lifelong passion for Harold, an avid amateur player and arranger who was still playing and discussing new musical ideas until the end of his life.
He was not a forum member, but some people in the community may have known him. He subscribed to all the steel guitar magazines and newsletters and I would send him printouts from SGF from time to time. His favorite pedal steel guitar was a double neck BosSan that was custom made by Harold Spain. One of his longtime local friends was Don Fullmer, a forum member, who passed just last year.
Harold had a forty year career as a mechanic and machinist with the Virginia Army National Guard. He was also a skilled auto body technician and enjoyed restoring classic cars and creating metal sculpture.
He told me that as a youngster in the 1940s he first took steel guitar lessons from Otto Loving, from the Richmond Music School on West Main Street, who came through his Broad Rock neighborhood offering home lessons. He never stopped playing, learning, and loving music.
Last edited by Hollis Near on 28 Feb 2023 4:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Craig Stock
From:
Westfield, NJ USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2023 5:10 am
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My condolences to you and your family, your father seemed like an incredibly accomplished person.
Thanks for posting this!
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Regards, Craig
I cried because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet.
Today is tomorrow's Good ol' days |
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Roy Carroll
From:
North of a Round Rock
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Posted 6 Feb 2023 6:40 am
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Sorry to hear of your loss. Sounds like he was a lot like my Father. RIP
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Just north of the Weird place, south of Georgetown |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 6 Feb 2023 5:26 pm
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My condolences as well. May his memory be a blessing.
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Joe Bill Moad
From:
Oklahoma
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Posted 2 Nov 2024 6:48 pm
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Late on my Sympathy of Harold Near. But I know he was way ahead of many knowing that he appreciated the BosSan Pedal Steel and that it was and still is a magnificent invention.
Respectfully
Joe Bill Moad
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Don’t Worry About The Mule! Load The Wagon! |
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Terry Wood
From:
Lebanon, MO
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Posted 23 Nov 2024 6:30 am
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| Sorry to hear of your loss. Prayers for Y'all. |
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