I can now tell you some of his last conversations with me concerning his music which you may find interesting. Jerry’s circulation was very poor and he was cold most of the time. He could not stand anything cold against him and my hands were always warm. One day he said Buzz would you hold by hands. I did and he looked up with a few tears in his eyes and said “ These hands will never play any music again”. He then wanted to listen to his re-mastered CD HI FI Steel Guitar. This was the last recording he listened to while still at home. As different tunes were playing he would add a comment or two in his very weak and soft voice. On one he said “ This one is hard to play”. So you see even for him some of the songs he played were hard even though he made it look easy. On another he said “This one is Scotty’s favorite”. After a couple of the tunes that had those crystal clear and ringing harmonics I said to him “I am always in awe how you seemed to get those just perfect”. He said it takes exact timing and coordination. Then he added this comment. “Back when I did most of my recordings you had one shot at it. If you or anyone else screwed it up you stopped and started over from the beginning. It’s not like today with all the modern electronics we have now where you can just dub in a note or two over the mistakes. One shot and that’s it”.

So when you look at what it took back then it is amazing what he was able to get out of the little ole Ricky. As I am typing this I am listening to this recording and the harmonics are singing to me again.

I am very glad all of us have so much of his work we can listen too for the how many years we have left.

Thanks again everyone and the family is very appreciative of all the wonderful words you have sent our way about our husband, father, and brother.

Sincerely,

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Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.

We all love you, JB, and will miss you. God bless you, your family, your friends that you leave behind in your new journey.

I understand about "did not want to remain any longer in the condition he was in". There comes a time when no matter how much we don't want to lose someone, we just have to let them go.

Jerry's music brought a kind of beauty to our world on a very special instrument that has never been equalled, his presence on Earth has been a great blessing to us all.

It is indeed a sad day, but it was time he had to go, though I'm sure he would have rather stayed, it was not possible; just as that same time will come for each one of us.

Though we grieve the loss of our friend and master artist of our chosen instrument and for his family he left behind, let's try to remember that there is no real death, only eternal life, and Jerry is in another place without pain or sadness. Let's try to appreciate and be kind to each other while we are all together in this world and remember and do honor to those who have passed into the next.

Jerry Byrd was a master artist whose music will always serve as an example of perfection of the instrument and will never be forgotton.

It's inspiring to hear him describe a part as "hard to play." Gives me hope.

It's that humility and humanity that let people who never met and never saw Jerry feel like they knew him.

Even my girlfriend, who has only heard Jerry on record-- and me ham-fistingly ripping off his solos-- cried when she heard of his passing, and said she felt like she knew him.

I hope you know that for many of us, our long journey through Jerry's great work is just beginning, not ending.

I asked him, "What would I have to do to play as good as you do?"
He remarked, "Practice 8 hours a day, 7 days a week for the next 40 years!!"

I did not take away from that conversation that I would be able to actually do it, but how Jerry had so dedicated himself to the mastery of the steel guitar. I have never heard or seen any dedication as strong as his dedication anywhere.

I have appreciated his assistance over the years, the handwritten letters in response to my letters, and his encouragement.

He was so unique.

I have commented, at times, that he had a "crustiness" on the exterior of his personality, but oh such a gentle, giving heart inside and a heart that communicated deep emotion through the fingers as he touched the steel guitar.

He has aided my steel guitar experience as no other.

His life took on meaning as he helped others. Again he told me that one of his purposes in going to Hawaii was to help young Hawaiians master the instrument that he had loved so deeply.

My parting thoughts are from a conversation about spiritual matters with Jerry - Entrance into heaven was a gift that God gives freely, but that no one earns. I believe that Jerry knew that his entrance into heaven would be by accepting by faith what God wanted to freely give him.

May the entire family now be comforted by the love of others and His presence.

Aloha nui,
Don

[This message was edited by Don Kona Woods on 12 April 2005 at 12:42 PM.]

May God keep Jerry Byrd and his family strong.

Ron

[This message was edited by Ron Brennan on 12 April 2005 at 12:50 PM.]

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Klaus Caprani

MCI RangeXpander S-10 3x4
www.klauscaprani.com

This realy hits home with me. My dad named me after Jerry. Dad has been unable to play to due to serious helth problems for about 2 years. Both dad and his younger brother Jack were friends and big Jerry Byrd fans. Jerry had what I call "that God given touch" and played with so much feeling. He ideed touched so many lives with his heart felt playing. I remember once my dad said he could play a 2X4 and get that same tone. He had the best intonation and chimes I ever listned to.

God Bless you all.

JB's performance at an early Steel Guitar Hoolaulea ... .

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Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

Jerry Byrd was a man of steel
He was the master of touch and tone
To know he's gone just don't seem real
But Jerry's life has come and flown

Jerry Byrd meant a lot to us
We'll all miss his golden touch
His music always was a plus
His steel guitar played so much

Til April eleven in twenty oh five
Jerry kept musical dreams alive
He was the master of touch and tone
For cowboys and the tropic zone

But we've got more than his steel guitar
We've got his music that will 'ere be heard
You were loved both near and far
Master of touch and tone was Jerry Byrd
Master of touch and tone was Jerry Byrd

Contact info: Larry W. Jones may be reached at lwj001@hotmail.com.

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Jim Vogan
Derby SD 10 3&5
G.D. Walker Stereo Steel Combo
Bakelite Ric
Hilton volume pedal

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  ~ ~
  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   
  mm   if it ain't got that twang.
       www.ntsga.com

A memorial service will be held this Saturday at the Elks Club 2933 Kala Kaua Ave. Honolulu, HI.. Jerry’s funeral will be a traditional Hawaiian funeral. He will be cremated and his ashes will be carried by an outrigger canoe and sprinkled in the ocean by specially selected Hawaiian elders.

For those who wish to send flowers, its has been asked by the Byrd family, that a donation be made to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation in lieu of flowers. Jerry succumbed to complications of Parkinson’s disease and this charity has been selected.

Again, Jerry’s memorial service will be held this Saturday at the Elks Club in Honolulu. Scotty is slated to offer the eulogy.

That sound clip says it all. Not only his playing but the empathy of the accompanists. The mood is reverential and at the heart of the man.

Mahalo nui loa

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Derby Steel Guitar