Ray Walker Seats, The Man and Company

Vann Ray Cranford · From: Kinston, N.C. 28501-1571

I met Mr. Ray Walker and his fine family during this past Spring. I approached Ray with a special project of building me a seat like he has never built before for anyone. After talking to me and realizing my sincereness, Ray agreed to do it. He built me a Walker Seat with a Double Sidecar. The seat is covered in Hunter Green laminate and is even covered with the laminate underneath where the legs fold up. The screws on the seat are stainless steel. The seat has Peavey chrome hooded wheels on it. The interior has gold crushed velvet with adjustable dividers on the main part as well as on each sidecar. He also built me a custom hardshell laminate cover in Hunter Green with black trim. This cover slips over the top of the seat like an amp cover would do. The really special thing about my seat to me is that we did it as a memorial to my late infant son, Ray. His nickname was "Ray Bear". Ray Walker and his lovely wife, Debbie, found the perfect Teddy Bear emblem in Virginia. So, we mounted it on the front of the seat with a small memorial plate under it. It is like my son can be with me now when I play. Thanks Ray and Deb for being special people and my friends and for doing this special seat for me! Also, thanks goes to Mr. Jimmy Blow of "The Jewel Box" in Smithfield, NC for doing the fine engraving on the plates. You just don't find special people like the Walker family everyday!

Ray Walker · From: Smithfield, NC, USA, R.I.P.

First of all I want to thank you Vann for your very kind words. It was indeed my pleasure to build this special seat, especially for the reasons Vann has given you. I would like to say this to all of those reading this thread. I have a burning desire to make people happy and I enjoy making special things for special people, trouble is most people I meet in life somehow always become special to me, and from time to time you find that you didn't always treat every single one as special as maybe you should. A case in point is some other really special people who have been waiting on custom seats that have not yet received them. I have worked feverishly at keeping all of my Dealers supplied, and during a transitional period I have not kept up to "speed" for some of you. For that I feel terrible. I will say that I do not do this part time, it is my livelyhood, and to just make steel guitar seats simply wouldn't pay the bills, so I had to diversify a bit by making Steel guitar cabinets, steel guitar cases, road cases, amp covers, etc. The transition has been horrific in that making the transition my whole operation had to be turned upside down, revamped so that all would eventually go smoothly. I am nearing the end of that transition at which time I can move from one project to the other easily while making a quality product. After all, if I don't make it with the best craftmanship and quality.. then I haven't much to offer anyone. I have custom projects in the works now for people who have been really patient by standing by while the transition has been taking place and I appreciate you more than I can find the words to say and will not mention you all by name but I will mention one and that person is Jerry Van Hoose. From the bottom of my heart Jerry I thank you for your patience and understanding, and I will do something special although you haven't asked for anything special. I want to thank all of you who have purchased a Walker Seat and I want you to know that I appreciate all that you have done to help my business grow. Building seats has certainly been an eye opening experience for me and it has been very hard work but worth every drop of sweat I put into it. It's folks like you who make it all worth while. Vann, the look on a man's face like I saw in yours was worth all the picky little things you wanted done with your seat. Folks Vann Cranford is the most picky guy I have known other than me....but if you ever look at his rig or anything else he owns you will say the same thing. I didn't mind the picky part because I am in the same catagory and building the seat for him and the reasons it was built made it a fun project even though I was getting immense pressures from other directions. Very soon now you will all be hearing about new things coming down the pike and I knew going in that they wouldn't be easy but I have a strong commitment to my part of the steel guitar community and I am extremely loyal to those of you who have made me a part of your lives. If anyone should have any questions you may e-mail me directly and I will get back to you. Having a web site just was never high on my list of important things to do this past year and while I have been working on it sparing, it is something you can at least visit. It is far from complete, but I will see if I can sqeeze in a little more time to make it a pleasant place to visit from time to time. In the meantime you can go there and I appreciate your visit. www.walkerseats.com

Thanks again to all of you and thank you Vann for allowing me to be a part of this project with you.

Warm Regards,

Ray Walker
Walker Seats

Charles Walker · From: Chester, Virginia, USA

Vann I could not agree with you more about Ray and Deb and what good folk's they are cause you see I have known Ray all his life. You see I am his big brother and I know that Ray will not produce,build, or sell anything unless he is 150% satisfied.His feeling's about people are not a marketing ploy they are genuine and anybody that has ever met Ray will attest to that because you just can't help but like the guy. We talked about your seat over the weekend and about the new product line's he is taking on and just like the Walker Seat's they will be of the highest quality or it won't happen. I personally think he is behind a little because he has taken on the hardest job he has ever taken on and that is to teach his old brother hear to play the steel. That my friend is a full time job in it's self. I don't know how he doe's it but that's my brother and I love him. Git Er Done Ray.

Vann Ray Cranford · From: Kinston, N.C. 28501-1571

Hey Charles,
I have never had the opportunity to meet you. Hopefully, I will one day soon. Your brother and his wife just don't know how much it has meant to my wife and me to have this special seat made in memory of our infant son. My wife was speechless when she saw the seat with the teddy bear on it. It was a surprise that Ray and myself was keeping from her. Charles, your family is a special group of people, and I feel sure that you are very proud of them. It is a honor for me to consider Ray and Debbie my friends. Take care and I hope to hear from you soon! Vann

[This message was edited by Vann Cranford on 03 October 2004 at 04:07 PM.]

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