posted 27 March 2001 11:30 AM         

After Bob passed on That area was taken over by Luke Morris (he was a one and only kind of great guy.

Glad to hear you have a triple custom....what a great guitar,,,,I loved that guitar,,,I will try to keep from boring any of you guys.....be back later gotta walk the dogs again.
Man these dogs are active ,,,maybe they are putting "metamusil" in the dog food,,,,see ya later.....thanks for the encouragement...I may bend your ear and you will be sorry you ever heard of me,,,,,
Copyright(c) 2001 by Jody Carver "All Rights
Reserved"

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 16 May 2001 at 02:41 PM.]

posted 27 March 2001 07:52 PM         

I wanted to pass this information on to all of you,,,,I have always found that people " save the best for last"

But since I have never felt that I was anywhere near the best,,,and more so the last
I thought it may be a proper time to tell you this story that I learned of late yesterday.

I was hesitant in "posting" this as I felt it may seem a bit out of place,,,as I was never one to brag on myself,,,,either as a musician or a salesman.

I have never achieved my goal in playing music to the standards of my favorite steel guitar players,,,,Boggs, Murphey, Speedy, Tom Morrel,Reece,and so many others Herb Remington etc Bobbe Seymour ,,,I could go on and on Herby Wallace and Last but not least Buddy E.

So as far as bragging ,,, I have nothing to brag about re my ability ,,,only that I was lucky to have been in a special place at a special time.

I would like to pass this on to all of you now,,,and as I said earlier,, I didnt intend to save the "best for last" I could have ,,,but Iam not looking for a dramatic ending to my stories,,,so I will tell you what I had learned last night,,,and had confirmed today.

As you may recall,,, I was summoned to Columbia recording studio back in 1965 ,shortly after CBS taking over the Fender Company. The purpose was to get a picture of Bob Dylan with a Fender guitar.

You know the rest of the story so I wont repeat myself,,,,he chose to pose with a jazz bass etc etc.

I had said I understood his feelings of being reluctant regarding posing for this picture,,,Okay we got that ,,,

Back in 1952 as I also explained earlier I had been at the Fender Company when I had that "middle leg" story with Leo Fender walking me all over the parking lot looking for a spot to show me the advantage of his tripod design on the triple neck custom guitar,,,,just trying to refresh your memory & since I have wrote so much I felt it may have slipped out somewhere because of all the things i followed with etc etc.

I spoke with a person at Fender late last night,,,,,someone who was not there during my time,,,he saw my post on the "forum" re the story of Bob Dylan.

Back in 1952 after receiving my 4 legged "custom guitar" Don Randall asked me to take a picture with the "custom guitar" which I did,,,he explained that he would like to put it in the Fender catalogue.

That request was fullfilled,,,Leo asked that I take a nice picture with a "white cowboy hat" as he said to me....Jody wear your white hat,,,,because the good guys always wear "white hats".

I took that picture with a "white hat" as Leo suggested and that picture was put in the 1954 Fender catalogue.

I was unaware at the time that I was going to be pictured with three of the greatest steel guitar players of that time and of all time. Leon McAuliffe,Noel Boggs, Alvino Rey & there was I with the three of them,,,that was certainly unexpected,,, I never till this day felt worthy of being in such good company,,,and it made me proud to think Don & Leo thought that much of me.

That picture was taken in New York in 1952,,,the picture of Bob Dylan was taken in New York in 1965.

There has always been questions asked of me regarding Dylan's playing the Jazz Bass in that now famous controversial photo.

I was told last night that a large billboard size "mural" has been erected at the same exact location as the original Fender factory once stood from the time 1946 until 1953,,,,the factory was torn down in 1985 to build a parking structure.. The "mural"is on the parking structure the same place that leo Fender walked me all over the parking lot looking for that "special place" to demonstrate the triped leg design.

I was told that there are two'murals" the first one deals with Leo and his inventions.,
the second deals with artists playing Fender guitars etc....these are "painted images" a picture of me with the "good guy white hat" appears along with my white cowboy hat and my fringed Western shirt and pictured right next to me is none other than
Bob Dylan in that famous photo with the jazz bass.

That knocked me out completely,,,imagine the chance of something like that happening...I dont know what to say,, I called another person Richard Smith author of the Fender Book today and he confirmed that is a fact.

I never thought in a million years that that picture which I always felt was corny of me with that cowboy hat would ever wind up within inches of being next to Bob Dylan on a billboard,,,,,

I want to thank Mr.Bill Schultz CEO of Fender to put me in the company of such great artists of which I had no comparison in a matter of talent or importance..

I feel that we all have a "guardian angel" however hard it may be to beleive,,,and in this case I feel that Leo Fender is my
"guardian angel" and I was put next to someone as great as Bob Dylan....

Who ever imagined that cold rainy night at Columbia records so many many years ago ...when a young fender salesman was trying to do his job that he was asked to do ,,,and that was "get that picture" I hope Bob Dylan has no objection to me being next to him,,,it was fate and with the help of my "guradian angel" a dream came true,,,,I did succeed after all that night at Columbia records many years ago,.

Though you all would like to know this,,,I didnt want to be dramatic,,,and save this for last,,,,iam not writing a book here even though it is long enough to be one,,,and there are a few more interesting things to follow which are of much more importance..

Just wanted to let you all know,,,,Leo lives on and on......best to all of you and thanks for giving me this opportunity Bobby,,,I do appreciate it,,,,cu all later Jody. I must apologize for the incorrect spelling at times,,,but I hope you understand. Copyright(c)2001 by Jody Carver "All Rights Reserved"
"

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 16 May 2001 at 02:34 PM.]

posted 27 March 2001 08:19 PM         

PS Ever run into another salesman in the NYC area named Paul Cullity? I seem to remember him mentioning your name, he's an old friend of mine (well, not that old).

posted 27 March 2001 08:45 PM         

I would like to hear from him should you ever make contact with him,,,,give him my e mail address...Its nice to be remembered,,,I'll tell you this Chris,,i was opposed to getting a pc and bought this about 6 months ago,,,,I thought it was for guys who were really into that hi tech stuff & thats really not me,,,,but to tell you the truth,,,it has opened up a whole new world for me.

posted 28 March 2001 10:49 AM         

I will not go into this subjct re Buddy Rich if you do not feel the story will be of any value ,,,it does not directly deal with Fender ,,,but invloves the Fender company as a whole,,,,,the CBS take over of Rogers drums back in 1965,,,.

Some may find it boring and uninteresting and Iam debating whether or not to post it,,but it does tell one story about Buddy Rich that I will never ever forget.

To add something to this,,,,a friend of mine ,,,a fellow steeler said to me "quote" why are you disclosing all this information on the internet,??,,,when you could write a book and get paid for it "un- quote"...

My only answer was this,,,yes you are probably right,,,but I feel this way, and told him this,,,,I feel like Iam "jamming" here and when guys are jamming they are playing loose and at their best,,,,ya dont want money to "jam" just enjoyment,,,I beleive if I were to write a book,,,it would be too rehearsed,,,,Iam telling these things by the seat of my pants,,,,no music ,,,no preparation.

Maybe Iam wrong about this,,,besides I am not after the money or the glory,,,I just like to make people laugh and some of these things have humor,,,,but at times are very sad to me,,,,but like Frank Sinatra sang in that song and I repeat that again,,,,"Thats Life" gotta chew it up and spit it out and get up off of the floor,,,or words to that effect.

I do not want to "bore you any longer" If you want my expierience with Buddy Rich I will be more than happy to post it....

He was a GREAT drummer and regardless of the negative things said about him over the years
I found him to be a "great human being" the outer shell was tough,,,but inside was a bit different,,,he had to be handled with kid gloves,,, I knew one man and he was the best and that was a man by the name of Ben D. Strauss,he handled Buddy with kid gloves,,let me know. If you want it,,if not, No hard feelings,,,,,I still have things to do like walk my dogs,,,go to the store for my wife,,,and try to practice,,,and since i have at this pc with all these long stories have neglected my guitar,,I can just about get around to playing "Song Of The Islands" I even forgot the "turn around" CU later

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 28 March 2001 at 10:54 AM.]

posted 28 March 2001 11:32 AM         

As for my playing steel guitar better than Bob Dylan plays a Jazz Bass ,,,at this point iam not sure about that,,,doing this computer stuff has kept me off the steel,,I may pick up a precision bass and bang on that

posted 04 April 2001 10:30 PM         

I do find that the problem with endorsers and the manufacturer's comes to a point when
"when is enough"?? everyone cannot get an endorsement,,,,how do you draw the line,,,its a fine line,,,I know of one manufacturer ( we all know him) that tried to satisfy as many players as he could at the expense of hurting his financial position
to a point of no return.

I bring this up tonight for a reason,,, I spoke with a good friend Mike Dee,,,Mike is the uncle of Santo & Johnny Farina..Santo & Johnny were part of Mikes trio before the success of Sleepwalk. Mike and I lost track of each other since 1958,,,we first heard each others voice tonight,,and we discussed old times.

He brought up a few things which I would like to share with all of you,,,,Santo Farina played my Fender guitar on a few occasions when they would come into the club I was working with uncle Mike,,,not one time as the Sleepwalk success story unfolded did Santo or Johnny ask for an endorsement,,,,they had every right to do so,,,they were on their way to becoming the most recognized duo in the world
They paid for their equipment ,,,they didnt ask for an endorsement,,,if they did ,,, I would have second the motion,,,,but they were big enough of character not to ask for a "freebie" I had to respect them for that.

I have been through many expeiriences in my lifetime and I thank the Lord that for the most part I was lucky to have met people like this who are a pleasure to have known,,,and that also applies to that fellow Buddy Rich,,,who in many people eyes was a demon,,,I didnt play in his brass section,I didnt have to work with him on a daily basis
but he treated me like a human being and that is how I judge people,,,they respect me & I do the same,,,if not ,,,well thats their problem,,,,they have to live with that. happy to learn that Santo& Johnny Farina still play and "pay" for their Fender equipment,,,they are pro's all the way through,,,,another chapter done,,,,wanted to give my respect to people like them.Not only have they been succesfull as performers but they echo the "epitome of class" & Iam proud to say I know them .

Not everyone wants a free instrument,,,,nothing is for nothing in this world.Copyright(c) 2001 by Jody Carver All Rights Reserved....

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 04 April 2001 at 10:34 PM.]

posted 09 April 2001 07:34 AM         

The topic is in "Bar Chatter' Eddie Luckenbob
,,,,my only suggestion is,,,,if you find this "boring" too long" uninteresting" and any or all of the above mentioned,,,,

Just do as that Old Hank Williams tune suggests,,,"Just Move it On Over"
your "mouse that is",,,move over small dog cause a "big" dogs "movin in....this will be my "finale"

I have many other stories re Fender Etc ,,Buddy Rich,,,Chet Atkins,Roy Clark, Jimmy Dean, Herb Alpert,,,,etc etc.

But since I have received emails complaining of my long winded posts I have decided to quit while Iam ahead...I have done these things for what I thought would be enjoyment,
however on the contrary has upset certain people,,,I told a good friend Gene Jones,,,that I wouldnt think of writing a book just to make a profit for the money,,Gene agreed , and felt I was sharing
these stories for the fun of it,,,,as he would also do.

But since I have received requests to "cease
fire" I will consider writing these things into a format for a book,,,and then whoever wants to critisize the book or myself,,,they are welcome to do so,,,after reading the book
they are most welcome to throw it in the nearest trash can,,,,but at least I will have gotten paid for my effort...

Thanks to all of you who were complimentary to me,,,I can only say,,, I appreciate it & you certainly do have a lot of patience,,,,
And to those who felt otherwise,,,,,
Buy the Book,,,,,If not,,,,glance at it in your local book store,,,,,no charge,,,but if "ya drop it ya own it. Jody
Copyright(c)2001 by Jody Carver "All Rights
Reserved"

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 16 May 2001 at 02:49 PM.]