I just did a show where I had the pleasure of playing in front of Chad Udeen who plays with Andy Griggs. This is interesting and just goes to show you how the steel guitar community works. We told Chad and Andy that we covered their arrangement and recording of "This Time" originally done by Waylon Jennings, and we asked permission to play it that night if they weren't going to do it. Andy said great, play it. Chad immediately asked me if I got "the Crawford lick". I said probably not since I had to cheat some of the licks that I just wasn't sure about(we have a seventy song set list in which I play five instruments and sing. I just can't get everything). He took me over to his guitar and showed me an open string unison lick that had evaded me when I first figured out the song. Its funny because I got 98% of the rest of the licks but that was near the only one I couldn't get, but Chad magically zeroed in on it and showed it to me immediately. I would have never gotten it if he wasn't there to show it to me. Jimmie Crawford has left us, but he will be alive every weekend that either Chad or I or anyone else plays that lick or any other of dozens of licks that Jimmie invented. He's still here in the spirit that Chad took the time to show that to me and that we continue to play it. This is the inspiration that I carry when I get up to play every weekend, and the gift that the Grand Masters have left us as next generation steel players. I will be thinking of Jimmie's corny histerically funny road jokes that he use to tell me every time I play that song. I will also be thinking of Chad Udeen, a monster player and son of our own Al Udeen. That one gift is more memorable and inspirational than he could imagine. I feel blessed.[This message was edited by Kevin Hatton on 28 February 2005 at 10:20 PM.]
