A lost Interview with Jerry Byrd

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

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[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 04 September 2002 at 06:58 AM.]

Roy Thomson · From: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada

Thanks Andy for posting this Jerry Byrd interview. In the mid 50's when at about
13 or so I wore out every Mercury record I had of this master.
Roy T.

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Andy--

Thanks a million for taking the time to transcribe this interview and share it with us. Great stuff! A piece of history.

All the best,

Bob

Dr. Ike · From: Kaneohe, Hawaii, USA

Mahalo Andy for posting this interview. Whew!The man's ideals have certain stood the test of time. I met with him yesterday at his home. He is doing well and in good health and spirits. He had his double neck Sho-Bud set up and showed me some stuff on a Diatonic tuning. He sounds as great as ever.

mikey · From: New Jersey

Thanks Andy! It was good to read what JB's take was on PSG...Also as to what Dr. Ike said, I know it's been said a lot of time on the forum that JB uses his Excel Steel, But everytime I've seen him play, (Only in Hawaii) I've never seen him use anything other than his Sho-Bud,
Aloha,
Mike

Bob Kagy · From: Lafayette, CO USA

Many thanks for transcribing and posting this Andy. Really enjoyed reading and remembering.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I would be deeply appreciative of anyone that might be kind enough to run off this interview with Jerry Byrd and print it out for me. My printer scanner were both stolen recently so I have no way to get this on paper. I'll reimburse you any reasonable out of pocket expense. P.O. Box 16161, Portland, OR 97292-0161. THANKS!

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

Andy, a late thank you for that work!
I was traveling around Europe when you had it posted, so thank you for directing me to it!

Among many things I liked this one just got me laughing for a good while:

quote:
Everybody gathers around the steel guitar on a session and everybody knows
how to play one except the guy playin' it for some reason.

Ray: If you haven't yet gotten a print out of the interview, I'd be glad to send you one... let me know! ...

------------------
jaydee@bellsouth.net

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

For those of you that are steel guitar Buffs, it does not get any better than the Byrd interview.

He was the worlds' true King of the steel guitar. Only one other human who ever lived, lives or ever will live is greater and that is JB's number one protege'.

Not saying who. You will just forever have to wonder

Seriously folks, for those of you who were not around when this man was climbing to and reaching his prime, there is no way you can know what he did for us. So much is taken for granted. Most of us have stayed in a perpetual awe of his incredible "touch and tone".

I can think of no better tribute to this man than to remember the stage at the ISGC one year when JB played and there were all the "greats" sitting on folding chairs next to him glued to his flawless technique. To see the likes of JD and HR and JN and BE and SW and LG and so many others on that stage just in awe (after all that evolved) after Jerry had done his contribution has no equal in my memory.

I said to Buddy at the convention one time after JB had just finished on the stage, "Buddy, you know how much I love you, but Jerry just brought tears to my eyes".

BE looked at me and said, "That is where I got mine!"

Need we say anything more to describe this giant of the steel guitar? Tone so pure as to defy logic to most of us trying to emulate it. Harmonics so sweet as to have been sent by the angels themselves". Flawless slants that NO one can do exactly, even with his hands on top of yours. Ask Scotty. Two note picking that still to this day brings chills down my spine. As my dear friend, the late Gene O'neal once said in reply to my, "Gene how did he do that?"------"Carl,,,,,,JES FINE!" epitomizes this man's ineptness when it comes to our beloved instrument.

JB and of course BE, are light years ahead of any other player who ever lived IMHO. What they did was the impossible. There hearts literally came out of their amplifiers EVERY time they ever struck a note.

May God richly reward them both for the joy and thrill they brought to so many of us for so long a time.

As I reach for the Kleenex box, I will close

carl

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

Andy
Many thanks for sharing these great stories.
All of your interview postings are interesting. This is what a Forum should be
like,,and you bring that to this Forum.

Thanks,,I enjoyed all of these,,Byrd,Roberts Billy Hew Len & Leons,,they were all great.
Be well my friend and thanks again.

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 17 May 2002 at 07:58 AM.]

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

Thanks Andy.

It certainly isn't beyond me to admit:
I'd be nowhere with this instrument, if I had not stood on the shoulders of this man!

It's one thing to learn the same thing that others have done, and it's another thing to innovate.

Rick

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

Carl: I sneak onto the Forum whenever my wife is not playing games on her computer; mine is out for service.

I think your words are so very appropriate. They bring the whole article to life and reflect the same beginnings and feelings I have regarding Jerry Byrd. And while your reputation may have preceded you, I still become awed by anything you post and look forward to seeing your by-line.

It would appear that I have some form of sleep apenea and last night I was lying there, half asleep, talking with some other steel players about how Jerry was doing the E string bar dance he does on Steel Guitar Rag where he hammers on and off against the open E note and just seems to do so forever. It's no wonder I don't get adequate sleep when I'm up at night trying to emmulate the Master. That is too large a task for most of us. But it seems I will not know any rest until I do......

Regards, Paul

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

I just read that interview with the GREAT man Jerry Byrd.

I wonder if forum members would mind if I reminisce on the early days.

Every steel player should burn his words in their memory.

It brought back memories of my youth. I was 15 years old and Jerry was 16. We both grew up in Ohio. That was in 1936.

When I was playing my 6 string Supro in the bars in Cleveland, at that age, I hadn't heard Jerry play as yet.

The hawaiian players he mentions back then were the ones we listened to, as he has said. Sol Hoopi, Dick McIntyre .

In those times we played 3 or 4 tunings in one night. A litle A6, C#minor, E7, E6. Just by changeing one string or two.

But in 1938 I heard Alvino Rey playing his Gibson Grande Console double neck. No pedals. He played Melody with chords. That was the direction I took.

Here you had two great players, moving in different directions. Both of them made such a big impression on all of us.

I have heard that Reece Anderson, Buddy Emmons and Curly Chalker were impressed by by both Jerry Byrd and Alvino Rey in the early days.

I hope no one mind's my rambling here, just adding a little bit of history as I knew it. Everything Jerry says in this interview is as relevant today as it was long ago.

Thank you Andy, for this post.....al

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