Kind Regards, Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

I was fortunate enough to have known Zane Beck. I met him at Scotty's ISGC in 1977 and subsequently went to his home after the show. He sent me home with his own guitar (the one he used on "12 + 14 = Country Jazz" with Julian Tharpe) and I've been playing his tuning ever since. Zane was a maverick and owes little to the mainstream ... always doing it his way. He was a musical and mechanical genius ... always full of ideas but with little time to devote just to playing. I spent from October 1978 to early January 1979 with him and his wife Faye, pursuing "the tuning" of which he was so proud. He was a country boy that grew up with an appreciation for "jazz" standards and he drew that inspiration from a steel player called Ray Noren ... Ray could beat the horn players at their own game and play any "tune" in any key (which many couldn't do). Ray gave up steel because of an eye problem and became a bass player in NY according to Zane. Zane was very good to me but I believe that I was more a pest than of any good to Zane at the time. My great regret is that he died before I started to come good on his tuning.

I'm very glad that you can see his worth.

fred

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

When I was 10 years old, in 1966, I liked Tom Brumley's sound and style with the Buckaroos. Someone in Tulsa said the guitar was a ZB and was built in Arkansas. Somehow we got Zane's number and my dad called him. Zane invited us to come to his house and shop in Scranton, Ark. Zane being like he was, had me set up and play for him. He had a new guitar that UPS had dropped and the cabinet was cracked at the changer end between the endplate and changer. Nothing that would hurt the playability but just cosmetic. I've seen several ZB's over the years that cracked in the same place with just age. Zane made a plate to cover the cracks that looked like it should have been on every guitar, cracked or not. He then made us a good deal on it, then cut the legs and pedal rods off so it would fit me. We had a friend for life.

After that about once a year Mom and Dad would take me to Zane's to see him. He'd check out my guitar, add a knee lever here and there, and have me play for him. In a year or two he would sit down and play along with me and try to give me some advice. He was so far advanced above my head I couldn't comprehend what he was trying to tell me. He would take me to Russelville, Ark. with him to play his Saturday night show, the Ozark Opry. I'd sit next to him and take my turn on fills and turnarounds. One of the artists on the show was Bob Morris, who had written several of Buck Owens hits, so I got to play Tom Brumley licks behind him. These were fun years.

When I was 13 or 14 Zane invited me to go to St. Louis and share his slot on the show. This should give you some idea of Zane's generosity. He later did this with Blake Foucherouse (spelling), and Zane King. That introduced me to a whole new world of steel guitar I didn't know was out there.

Zane sold the ZB Guitar Co. because they had found a spot on his lung. He thought it was cancer and wanted to help set up Faye and Beverly with the money from it. He later found out the spot wasn't cancerous. I didn't see him as much during that period. I was a teenager then and working with a band every weekend as well as doing a morning TV show and some sessions. By then Scotty had made me a regular on his show so I would see him in St. Louis.

Zane would travel great distances for jam sessions, and there were always sessions happening around Tulsa. Zane told me of a new guitar he was designing at one of these sessions, and wanted me to try one when he got it built. I started spending several weekends with him when I got old enough to drive. He'd always start off with, "Lets put some new strings on your GUIT-ar." Then we'd spend the whole afternoon playing along with an electric drummer. I still wish I could have comprehended what he was trying to teach me. I just didn't have the knowledge to understand.

Zane invited me to go with him to Nashville for the DJ convention. Peavey had a room and everyone set up and played. I remember Zane, Hal Rugg, Curley Chalker, Lenney Breau and Odel Martin set up and played into the early hours of the morning. Nothing but "heavy" jazz, and he held his own and held everybodys attention. This was my first trip to Nashville. A year or so later he invited me again to go to Nashville with him for Fan Fair. Cope Daniels put on a show. Again Zane set up and played with the great jazz players. The musical knowledge Zane had was second to nobody. His hands were usually bunged up from working building guitars, or a new house. He built several of them himself. If he would have been just a player, there's no telling good he might have been. I used to get a kick out of watching the pros watching him when he'd take his solos. They were in awe. I can also tell you his favorite musician to listen to was Oscar Peterson. And Zane could play that style also on steel.

I had heard Julian Tharpe playing in Florida, and so I went to see Zane and told him that I wanted him to make me a steel like Julian's. He and Don Fritsche of BMI did it. I still play that steel today. It was one of the last, if not the last 14 stringers he built.

Back to Zane, he was a super genuine person. I can't think of a better person I have met in the music business. And yes he could really pick a steel guitar. He had two other albums titled "Zane Beck Meets Bobby Caldwell," and "Zane Beck Plays the New ZB Model." He also recorded "12+ 14 = Country Jazz" with our mutual friend Julian Tharpe. In my opinion I think that the "Tribute To Zane Beck," released by his wife Faye after his death is the best collection of his playing.

Zane played steel guitar for Red Sovine, Billy Walker, and several of The Louisiana Hayride artists, including Hank Williams Sr. I will tell you a true story, because I don't think Zane would mind. He told me once that Hank Sr. had offered him a job traveling and playing,a few weeks before Hank died. Zane said, but at the time he could make more money playing on The Louisiana Hayride. He had a young family and needed the better paying gig. He told me, but I always remember Old Hank and he said that's why I always record one of his songs on my albums. that's the kind of guy he was.

I have several fonds memories of Zane and I can tell you also that he tried to give me some pointers on playing, but like Randy Beavers, I couldn't grasp it either at the time. He was always honest, kind and gave good solid advice to young pickers.

If I ever have a son, I would like to name him after Zane. Zane Beck was tops in my book and yes, he could really play. It's hard to believe he and Julian Tharpe have been gone so many years now.

The inscription on Zane Beck's SGHOF plaque fits him better than probably about any steel players inscription does on theirs. You can read it at Scotty's "Steel Guitar Hall of Fame" Website.

May GOD bless you all!

Woody
Mark 10:27

We were at Zane and Faye's aroung the due date of their youngest daughter, Carrie. Judy and I had been married a year or so. We rode with them into Ft. Smith to Faye's doctor appointment, and Judy was getting car sick in the back seat. Zane told me then Judy was probably pregnant, this was before we knew she was.

Speedy West rode with me to Zane's funeral. We had a great visit and shared memories of Zane for 10 hours. Speedy was a "Prince" of a man also.

JW

[This message was edited by Winnie Winston on 04 April 2004 at 03:47 AM.]

Zane was working the "Louisana Hayride." The leader, or boss of the show didn't like the sounds of the "modern" pedal steel guitars he was starting to hear on radio. He disliked it so much he told Zane to take the pedals off his guitar if he wanted to keep his job. So he did. But Zane having the creative mind he did came up with hidden pedals he could work with his knees. He played the show for quite a while with these knee levers without being found out. Jimmy Day came to see Zane one day at the show and noticed what was going on. He came up to him on stage and said loud enough for everyone to hear, "Hey Zane, what are those things under your guitar?" By this time Zane had a strong enough influence in the band, so the leader let him keep them. Zane said he told him that, "I've been playing them for so long now and I'm not going to take them off, so you'll have to get someone else if that's what you want."

Winnie, funny you mentioned the "what if" game. I'd be in the car with Zane and he'd give me "pop quiz" questions. Like "What are the notes in a A flat, sharp 9 chord?" Or, "If you play this triad over the top of this chord, what does that give you?" Zane's subtle way of always trying to teach me something.

[This message was edited by Randy Beavers on 04 April 2004 at 08:37 AM.]

Me, being a tuning experimenter, naturally we talked about his tuning . He wrote it out for me and I might still have it around somewhere.

It was like the E6 I was playing only a lot different in many ways. He got a lot of music out of only 4 ? pedals and the knees.
I can't remember, 36 years ago.

We had quite an animated discussion about his tunings. He was a really a great guy and always willing to help anyone.

The next time I met him was at Scotty's 1977 convention in St.Louis when he introduced Randy Beavers. I was there .I was standing right near the bandstand.
I was very impressed with his playing for only being 13 years old.

Lots of good memories.......al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 08 April 2004 at 06:35 PM.]

fred

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real