Paul Graupp asked this question some time ago.
From way back in the time machine I recall reading somewhere that Jerry had an eight year old student who one time played for a "packed house" and there wasn't a dry eye in that crowd !! He must have been very good !! Who was that boy and what became of him ??
I received an answer from Jerry concerning the young steel player you asked about. Jerry said he racked his brain trying to remember a boy eight years old and this is the only young one he could tie to your question that he thought fit. He said you must have had the age wrong.
When Jerry first went over to the islands in 1972 a very short time after that he taught steel guitar at St. Louis High School. This class was sponsored by the Hawaiian Music Foundation in an attempt to keep all Hawaiian Music alive in the islands. Dr. George Kanahele (he is the author of "Hawaiian Music and Musicians") who was president of the Foundation asked Jerry if he would bring a youngster or two to their annual banquet. He specifically asked about the lad you inquired about. George was a strong supporter of steel guitar in the islands. The youngster’s first name was Johnny and was about 11 years old at the time. I can’t spell his last name and it won’t make any difference when you read the rest of the story. Jerry told George “I don’t know, that is awful heavy for a kid that young”. When Jerry asked young Johnny if he would like to do this he said “Yeah, sure” and shrugged his shoulders. The lad had been studying under Jerry about one year. So after his regular lesson they would practice the two songs young Johnny selected to play. Jerry doesn’t recall the one but the other was Rainbows Over Paradise. In that song at one particular difficult part he would go blank every time. Jerry kept asking him, if he was sure he wanted to play that song. He insisted he did. Well the big night came and George Kanahele introduced them and Jerry give a little background on young Johnny. Jerry played guitar for him and he played the first song flawlessly and it received a wonderful reception by the large crowd. They were all Hawaiians and had never heard a young lad play the steel guitar like that in many many years. He then played the second tune and at the same part as before he went blank. He looked up at everyone and said “Well that’s that” Jerry said it cracked the audience completely up but they gave him a standing ovation after which he sat down. Jerry said that is so typically Hawaiian, they have no fear or stage fright at all, not like I had.
Johnny later joined the Air Force and was stationed at Barksdale AFB, La. He married and soon after lost his life. Jerry attended his funeral; he was laid out in his casket in his uniform. It was a tragedy for his family, as Johnny was a handsome Hawaiian boy who never had the chance to realize his full potential as a steel player.
[This message was edited by Jack Byrd on 23 February 2002 at 05:06 PM.]
