scott c anderson
From:
grosse ile, mich USA
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Posted 25 Jan 2006 10:03 am |
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Hi Buddy and group,
For many years I have wanted to ask someone in the steel guitar community about a fellow named Chuck Carroll. I had heard of many years ago. I have never heard him mentioned ever, until today, when perusing your website, Buddy.
You had included a MP3 file of a song from 1955, recorded here in Detroit with Casey Clark's band, with you playing steel backing up a fellow named Chuck Carroll singing.
The only reason I was curious about this was that about twenty years ago, I worked for a guy here in the southern suburbs of Detroit who was Chuck's first cousin. Long story short, he and I hadn't talked in years, but today when I saw and heard Chuck Carroll's name on your website, I felt compelled to write you, and to also call my buddy here to ask him some particulars about his cousin. Funny how sometimes things work out, but strangely enough, when I called to talk to my friend just an hour ago (Chuck's cousin) he said "Hold on, I'll let you talk to Chuckie's oldest brother Bill, he just walked in the door, visiting us from Florida"....
I had quite a nice conversation with Bill and he relayed a few stories about "Chuckie" as they called him. He has also promised to contact Chuck's son, and widow, living in AZ, and give them my phone number.
Bill had told me a couple things about his little brother, some of which I had already heard years before, namely that he was a natural "crack" steel guitar player, and had a great singing voice, but unfortunately, he also really liked to "libate", often, and as I had heard years before, this is what ultimately caused his death, in a plane crash, in 1970.
Bill also recalled to me one time in the late 60s when Hank Thompson was in town, playing a one nighter at the Yack Arena in Wyandotte, that Chuck filled in for Hank's regular steeler for that show, when Hank's guy took ill.
I was just wondering if you could recall a few things about Chuck, and maybe had any old pictures anywhere, and also to any other steelers out here in the forum, if anyone else had ever played with Chuck, or knew him from years ago.
Fascinating to hear a name from the past, I could never connect a face, or a voice to. Incidentally, I played a snipet of the recording of "Hey Now" from your website, to Bill, over the phone, and he confirmed, "Yep, that's Chuckie!"
Also Buddy, i was just curious, as I have heard you spent considerable time here in Detroit when you were younger, Where did you live in those years?? I live in Grosse Ile, a small island in the middle of the southern end of the Detroit River, right next to Bob Lo Island, the old amusement park. The "Downriver" area, as it is called.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope to hear back from you, and possibly a few other steelers!!
Take care....
Scott Anderson |
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