Armless Man plays steel with his Feet - The Steel Guitar Forum

Steel Guitar Strings Strings & instruction for lap steel, Hawaiian & pedal steel guitars http://SteelGuitarShopper.com		Ray Price Shuffles Classic country shuffle styles for Band-in-a-Box, by BIAB guru Jim Baron. http://steelguitarmusic.com
This Forum is CLOSED. Go to bb.steelguitarforum.com to read and post new messages.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Steel Players

Armless Man plays steel with his Feet (Page 1)

your profile | join | preferences | help | search

This topic is 3 pages long: 1 2 3

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Author	Topic: Armless Man plays steel with his Feet
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 14 April 2006 06:46 PM profile Spotted on eBay… bizarre old photo of an armless lap steel player. Anyone know who this might be? The seller of the photo is in Penn. [This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 14 April 2006 at 06:51 PM.]
Barry Blackwood Member From: elk grove, CA	posted 14 April 2006 07:00 PM profile Don't know who he is, however, is that an Oscar Brown pickup on that steel?
Lee Baucum Member From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) - The Final Frontier	posted 14 April 2006 07:27 PM profile That's exactly what my lap steel playing sounds like! "It sounds like you're playing with your feet in there!", she hollered from the next room. ------------------ Lee, from South Texas Down On The Rio Grande Mullen U-12, Excel 8-string Frypan, Evans FET-500, Fender Steel King
Billy Wilson Member From: El Cerrito, California, USA	posted 14 April 2006 07:31 PM profile Feet Rogers? All kidding aside, there used to be a guy around these parts who would play two steels at once. One with his feet and one with his hands. And both feet and both hands were deformed!! His style was blues and he played lead with the hands and strummed a rhythm with the feet. I don't know his name or if he is still around.
ebb Member From: nj	posted 14 April 2006 07:41 PM profile wow. thats quite a feet! probably lots of time to practice when you don't have to worry about the devil's playground. [This message was edited by ebb on 14 April 2006 at 07:49 PM.]
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 14 April 2006 07:50 PM profile Gives new meaning to the term toe jam. Ain't we awful!
Billy Wilson Member From: El Cerrito, California, USA	posted 14 April 2006 08:03 PM profile Just in-toe-nation? I'm not surprized that his tuners are pointing up. That's about the only way he'll get her in tune.
ebb Member From: nj	posted 14 April 2006 08:06 PM profile and no amplification. what a considerate neighbor
Papa Joe Pollick Member From: Pontiac, Michigan, USA	posted 14 April 2006 08:19 PM profile I did a one night fill-in bout 40/50 yrs. ago near Detroit,and the steel player had no right arm.Can't remember how he held the bar,but I think he had a ring on it.He used thumb and finger picks.Seems like he played PSG,not non-pedal.Sounded pretty darn good to me.I have great respect and admiration for people who move on despite a handicap. Wonder what I might do if some misfortune struck me.Dunno.PJ
ebb Member From: nj	posted 14 April 2006 08:26 PM profile if someone still wants to play under these unfortunate circumstances(its not a hybrid zum with a hilton pedal and jagwire strings)then i'm sured they nailed it.
Bobby Boggs Member From: Pendleton SC	posted 14 April 2006 09:39 PM profile I watched this gentlmen work several times back in the late 60's.I was only a kid then.But from what I remember. He mostly strummed the guitar. This fellow also drove himself around the country.
John Bechtel Member From: Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.A.	posted 14 April 2006 10:55 PM profile Well at last! Something/Someone I am quite familiar with, being originaly from Pa. This man's name was Ray Meyers. In his shows at Hillbilly Parks around Pa., he drove his car around in the park and when on stage he would demonstrate his shaving abilities along with combing his hair and other usual day to day activities. And yes, he did mostly strum the steel. He was very popular around Pa. in the ’50's and ’60's, when I was around that area in my teenage~years!_____________________ [04/15/06] Well, after sleeping onthe subject, I remembered a few more facts about Ray Meyers. _ _ He was billed on his shows as “Ray Meyers, “The Armless Wonder”. He demonstrated his shaving techique, using a straight~edge razor and preparing it with a barber's leather strop. ------------------ “Big John” a.k.a. {Keoni Nui} Current Equipment [This message was edited by John Bechtel on 15 April 2006 at 10:39 AM.]
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 14 April 2006 11:06 PM profile Wow! John, that's amazing. I had no idea that this man actually performed on stage. One of the photo(s) is signed either Ray or Roy, so this makes perfect sense. This gentleman was also an avid bowler:
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 14 April 2006 11:25 PM profile Searching the name Ray Meyers (or Myers) produced a lot of results, including this creepy site.
Lynn Owsley Member From: Hendersonville, Tn. USA	posted 14 April 2006 11:46 PM profile Ray Meyers was a regular on the C and W circuits in the 50,60 and 70s in the Northeast. He also had a house full of children who often came along with him and his wife. He could saw a 2x4 with a hand saw in seconds then drive 20 penny nails into them,all with his feet.He was also very adept with a knife and fork,and he took great delight in paying for a meal...at the cash register he was amazing when he took out his wallet. He appeared as a guest on the Grand Old Opry at times as he was a great friend of Roy Acuff and Ernest Tubb.He always stole the show.... I think he lived somewhere near Kittaning,Pa.
George Plemons Member From: Corsicana, Texas, USA	posted 15 April 2006 12:02 AM profile I'm about a foot away from being good enough to play like that.
basilh Member From: United Kingdom	posted 15 April 2006 01:25 AM profile quote: however, is that an Oscar Brown pickup on that steel The pick-up is a Charlie Christian on a Gibson EH-185 (Pre 1941) ------------------ quote: Steel players do it without fretting [This message was edited by basilh on 15 April 2006 at 01:25 AM.]
Jack Latimer Member From: Ontario, Canada	posted 15 April 2006 06:01 AM profile This picture is a great motivator. I'm going to post this next to my steel and look at it during those times when I feel like giving up.
Donny Hinson Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A.	posted 15 April 2006 06:36 AM profile It's deja vous all over again! Doug, you gotta start reading your own threads. I posted that link on Ray Myers ("The Armless Wonder") in your Jerry Garcia thread a week ago.
Paul King Member From: Gainesville, Texas, USA	posted 15 April 2006 06:54 AM profile I have never seen this man play steel but it very interesting. However, in the late 70's when I was in high school, they showed us a film of a lady who had no arms. She could drive a car and it even showed her making homemade biscuits, patting the dough with her feet. She then turned on the water and washed her feet off. I may be crazy but eating bread someone made with their feet is probably the last thing on the list I would want to eat. It does show that these people could overcome physical disabilities in life and still have some sort of normal life.
Clyde Mattocks Member From: North Carolina, USA	posted 15 April 2006 11:32 AM profile The player is indeed Ray Myers. I saw him play and demonstrate his other abilities when I was about fourteen. I remember his playing consisted mostly of just chording and sliding. I thought he had been forgotten until Bluegrass Unlimited magazine did an extensive piece on him a few years back. The article can probably be retrieved at www.info@bluegrassmusic.com.
A. J. Schobert Member From: Cincinnati OHIO WHO DEY???	posted 15 April 2006 03:23 PM profile Doug this may qualify for a new topic list, Musical Curiosity's.
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 15 April 2006 04:50 PM profile Thanks Donny and others. You mean I have to start reading my own threads?!
HowardR Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.	posted 15 April 2006 05:29 PM profile quote: The player is indeed Ray Myers Little known fact....Ray had a brother, no arms, but also no legs. His name was Matt.....
HowardR Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.	posted 15 April 2006 05:38 PM profile Matt also played steel guitar....with his butt. His playing had a lot of bottom end....
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 15 April 2006 05:44 PM profile Howard you are awful! And you forgot to mention Ray's sister. She played guitar standing on her 1 leg. Her name was "Eileen" We're gonna burn for this!
Herb Steiner Member From: Cedar Valley, Travis County TX	posted 15 April 2006 06:15 PM profile Ray had another armless/legless brother in show biz whose only act was hanging on a wall by a harness. I think his name was "Art."
John Drury Member From: Gallatin, Tn USA	posted 15 April 2006 06:49 PM profile Billy, Are you sure? I asked Bobbe Seymour one time who that was and he said the guys name was "Toes Carlyle". Seriously though, there was a guy once on TV that I saw that did the same thing with a standard guitar and he was quite good! It wasn't that long ago maybe fifteen years ago or so. ------------------ John Drury NTSGA #3 [This message was edited by John Drury on 15 April 2006 at 06:50 PM.]
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 15 April 2006 07:43 PM profile John, You probably saw Tony Melendez. He's a really good toe-picker.
Ron Kirby Member From: Nashville ,Tennessee USA	posted 16 April 2006 06:26 AM profile I pray for any one who made unjust comments on Ray Meyers, the man clearly did his best with what he had, and still promoted the steel guitar around the world, he also gave hope to pickers who felt like giving up !! Maybe he should be in HALL OF FAME !! Have a nice Easter !!!
Bill Hankey Member From: Pittsfield, MA, USA	posted 16 April 2006 06:54 AM profile Doug, The late Chet Atkins provided me with information concerning Ray Meyers during an interview at Stanley Park, in Westfield, MA., in 1985. When I mentioned that there was a steel guitarist from Pennsylvania who played without arms, Chet knew instantly that Ray Meyers was notably the individual who possessed such inspirational abilities. I regret that I've never heard Ray Meyers play in performance. Bill Hankey
Joe Casey Member From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9)	posted 16 April 2006 07:20 AM profile Hey there Bill.. Nice to see you back on the Forum.
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 16 April 2006 08:11 AM profile Hi Bill, yes, it's nice to see you on the Forum. To see the auction for the pictures click this. [This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 16 April 2006 at 09:25 AM.]
Darryl Hattenhauer Member From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA	posted 16 April 2006 12:34 PM profile Hmmm ------------------ "Drinking up the future, and living down the past"--unknown singer in Phoenix [This message was edited by Darryl Hattenhauer on 04 June 2006 at 05:50 PM.]
John Rosett Member From: Graham, NC USA	posted 16 April 2006 12:43 PM profile you can't really call it a "lap" steel, now can you?
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 16 April 2006 04:35 PM profile Just think of all the money he saved in finger picks, thumb picks, and volume pedals. And he never had to worry about pick blocking or palm blocking. I wonder if he used toe blocking, heel blocking, or arch blocking?
A. J. Schobert Member From: Cincinnati OHIO WHO DEY???	posted 16 April 2006 07:15 PM profile Doug think of the money he saves on toilet paper
Darryl Hattenhauer Member From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA	posted 16 April 2006 08:14 PM profile I don't know [This message was edited by Darryl Hattenhauer on 04 June 2006 at 05:51 PM.]
Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA	posted 16 April 2006 08:38 PM profile eeeek! I don't even want to go there!
Peter Cummins Member From: Bonny Hills, NSW, Australia	posted 17 April 2006 04:20 AM profile Obviously played with lots of Sole and great Toen

This topic is 3 pages long: 1 2 3 All times are Pacific (US)	next newest topic \| next oldest topic
Administrative Options: Close Topic \| Archive/Move \| Delete Topic
	Hop to:

Contact Us | The Pedal Steel Pages

Note: Messages not explicitly copyrighted are in the Public Domain.

Our mailing address is:
The Steel Guitar Forum
148 South Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Support the Forum

This Forum is CLOSED. Go to bb.steelguitarforum.com to read and post new messages.

This Forum is CLOSED.
Go to bb.steelguitarforum.com to read and post new messages.