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Where's Julian Tharpe or Thorpe
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The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Where's Julian Tharpe or Thorpe
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This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Where's Julian Tharpe or Thorpe |
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slick Member Posts: 560 |
posted 19 February 2000 12:22 PM
I met Juian In Birmingham In the early 70's If my memory serves me right he played a white S14,Dont remember what kind ZB maybe. It's been a long time but the best i can remember he was very good player. Keep smiling it's good for ya. Wayne Broyles-Down in Ga. |
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Richard Sinkler Member Posts: 2896 |
posted 19 February 2000 12:39 PM
I believe Julian has left us. Monster picker! ------------------ |
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slick Member Posts: 560 |
posted 19 February 2000 01:08 PM
Richard Thanks for the reply on julian.I'm kinda sorry now that I asked the question. Your right MONSTER PICKER. |
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Bill Nauman Member Posts: 1036 |
posted 19 February 2000 01:22 PM
Yes a monster picker ...played a single neck 14 string...with at least 12 on the floor and six knees if i heard right...died a few years ago from heart failure...best album...The Jet Age.....amazing speed Bill in Vegas ------------------ |
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C Dixon Member Posts: 5912 |
posted 19 February 2000 01:44 PM
Heart attack? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm On another note I have never been able to figure out how T H A R P E could be pronounced THORP! Yet everybody did it. It is like a Dr friend of mine was always called DR NESBITT. His name was spelt NISBETT. I asked him about it once and he said it is pronounced with the short "I" in the first syllable, but none of my patients do it, so I started doing what they did God ONLY knows! carl |
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Keith Hilton Member Posts: 1649 |
posted 19 February 2000 02:49 PM
If I am not mistaken Julian was murdered. Anyone interested in Julian Thorpe should contact Terry Wood. Terry's idol is Julian Thorpe. He is still in contact with the family and can answer any question anyone has. In addition to this, Terry has a 14 string guitar just like Julian played. It is tuned and set up just like Julian's guitar. Terry has worked for years to sound just like Julian. Let me say this--no one will ever sound just like Julian. He was one of the greatest players and minds there has ever been. Julian should be in the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. Terry Wood has a new CD out. For those of you who wonder what Julian sounded like, I would advise buying Terry's new CD. Contact Terry at the following address, as he is not on the FORUM yet. Terry Wood 14471 Amethyst Road Conway, Missouri 65632 ------------------ |
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Vern Kendrick Member Posts: 442 |
posted 19 February 2000 03:21 PM
I had known Julian since about 1960, He died under mysterious circumstances,I never heard who or why. |
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Herb Steiner Member Posts: 6119 |
posted 19 February 2000 03:28 PM
Julian, monster picker, was beaten to death a few years ago. His last name was THARPE. ------------------ members.aol.com/herbs10178/index.html [This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 19 February 2000 at 03:30 PM.] [This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 19 February 2000 at 03:31 PM.] [This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 19 February 2000 at 03:32 PM.] [This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 19 February 2000 at 03:33 PM.] |
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slick Member Posts: 560 |
posted 19 February 2000 04:34 PM
Carl Thank's for your reply on Julian Tharpe. I have two would you believe it questions? Would you believe that Julian played Danny Boy using only his floor's and knees never the bar?That I have a volume pedal he gave me one morning after breakfast at the Waffle House?It's true. The more I think about him the more I remember.How far is Duluth from Calhoun Ga ----------Wayne Broyles |
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Keith Hilton Member Posts: 1649 |
posted 19 February 2000 04:54 PM
Seems I heard he was beat to death with a hammer. ------------------ |
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Keith Hilton Member Posts: 1649 |
posted 19 February 2000 04:55 PM
I think I heard he was beat to death with a hammer. ------------------ |
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slick Member Posts: 560 |
posted 19 February 2000 05:13 PM
Keith Do you know where Julian was killed?and when? Wayne |
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C Dixon Member Posts: 5912 |
posted 19 February 2000 05:16 PM
Slick, not far. You are up around Dalton area. I am just NE of Atlanta on I-85. Yes Julian died under horrible circumstances. I am not at liberty to go into details but it was very bad. Like one poster said, Julian played like no other on earth. He had a mind like Roger Miller. He could hear and play things very few would even try. Just simply an incredible musician. And yes he did play the entire tune "Danny Boy" using open strings with pedals and knee levers. He could play anything. He would often start on the lowest bass note and end up at the highest note on the guitar in some of the doggonedest runs ever to come out of a PSG. Where I particularly loved his playing was on an old fashioned hoe-down fiddle tune. Just would blow me away. And a very nice man on top of his incredible talents. God rest his soul. carl |
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slick Member Posts: 560 |
posted 19 February 2000 06:01 PM
Carl If you are ever In the Calhoun Ga area stop at Advance Auto Parts 1117 s. Wall St. and look for the man with grey hair and a grey beard that will be me.----------------------- WAYNE BROYLES |
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Bill Myrick Member Posts: 1007 |
posted 19 February 2000 08:11 PM
I think it was around the year 1984 maybe-I met Julian at the St Louis Convention. He was a Sierra Steel man then. He was indeed something "wild" on that thing. On his stint of the show he played Amazing Grace picking behind his bar !!! I noticed some of the "powers to be" back then kind of considered him a "wild rebel" or something but I must say I was duly impressed !!! Bill Myrick |
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Keith Hilton Member Posts: 1649 |
posted 19 February 2000 10:30 PM
Slick---Don't know where he was killed. Terry Wood knows all the details. If you want to know more, write Terry Wood a letter. ------------------ |
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Herb Steiner Member Posts: 6119 |
posted 19 February 2000 10:43 PM
[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 19 February 2000 at 10:48 PM.] |
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C Dixon Member Posts: 5912 |
posted 20 February 2000 06:00 AM
Wayne, You got it friend. I will do it!! carl |
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Sleepy John unregistered Posts: 5912 |
posted 20 February 2000 08:20 AM
I believe the Guitar you are referring to in the early 70's was a Wright Custom and had almost 20 pedals staggered on two levels. Julian was a monster player. Bill Stafford was a close friend of his and had Julian there for his Music store Grand opening, in 1982 or so. I knew Julian from My Nashville days and one night he came and sat in at Deemans Den. It turned into an all instrumental night and all of the pickers and their girlfriends came and sat down on the dance floor in front of Julian like he was a god. The only time, I ever saw this happen before was when Willie Nelson sat in there and this was when the pickers knew and loved him. Long before the public "Discovered" him . My own belief is that next to Curly, Julian may have been the greatest Steeler ever. I've seen him do things that others would never dream of attempting. I've never heard the details of his death and it is probably best left alone. He never got the recognition that he deserved so much. BTW ------------------ [This message was edited by Sleepy John on 20 February 2000 at 08:26 AM.] |
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slick Member Posts: 560 |
posted 20 February 2000 02:17 PM
SLEEPY JOHN Thank's for the reply on Julian. In the 70's I played club 9-1 Julian played a late nite 2-6 club.When we closed me and all the other steel pickers met at Bank's Lounge to listen to some of the most amazing sounds we had ever heard.After closing Jilian me and the other steel pickers went to Waffle house for breakfast.We had questions he had awnsers. A really nice man-AWSOME PICKER---Wayne |
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Steve Hinson Member Posts: 1837 |
posted 20 February 2000 02:47 PM
Wayne-who was that fiddle player who used to work at Banks'?I used to dig Julian in there when I was passing thru B'ham-he was something else... |
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Steve Hinson Member Posts: 1837 |
posted 20 February 2000 02:59 PM
Didn't Julian used to work for Barbara Mandrell before Cookie?Seems like they came to Nashville South in Macon while I was working there in the house band.He had a 14-string Sho~Bud with 20 pedals! |
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slick Member Posts: 560 |
posted 20 February 2000 03:29 PM
Steve I dont remember anyones's name in that band except Julian.I dont even remember the name of the band.The only reason I went to banks was to hear Julian.I guess he was the only one I was listening to.I was so wrapped up in In what he was doing I hardly noticed the rest of the band.I think I do remember him saying something about Barbara Mandrell. He probably did play for her.-------Wayne |
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Joe McHam Member Posts: 359 |
posted 24 February 2000 12:57 PM
Julian and I were good friends...I played his setup for many years...until tiring of the heavy guitars. I have all of his albums, and my web site http://www.jmcham.com/ is dedicated to his memory.... I know I really miss him. Joe Mac |
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Al Braun Member Posts: 152 |
posted 24 February 2000 02:36 PM
As far as I know, Julian Tharpe died of cancer at his sister's house in SC. If you dig back in Scotty's, Russ', or maybe PSGA's old newsletters, one of them reprinted newspaper clippings about Julian's death along with letters of eulogy from true friends. He had been ill and suffering for about a year, then moved to his sister's in SC for love and care until he died. Very mystereous. One of the greatest, why not leave him that way? AL |
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slick Member Posts: 560 |
posted 24 February 2000 04:02 PM
Al Thanks for your reply.Where,when and how Julian left us is not important.A great one will be missed thats for sure.I will alway's Remember him the way I last saw him.Sittin on the Bandstand with a big ole smile pickin the strings off that big WHITE STEEL.A great player and super human being.I am very proud to say that I had the pleasure of knowing this man and that he was my friend. Wayne B |
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David Wright Member Posts: 1863 |
posted 24 February 2000 04:45 PM
My Dad Chuck Wright built his first 14 string guitar, he played a M.S.A. befor that S-12.As A young steel player I would go and watch him play al over the Dallas/Ft Worth clubs. He did play a while with Barbara in the late 70"s I think. Julian was a one of a kind player, He is dearly missed.... |
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Charlie Vaughn Member Posts: 324 |
posted 24 February 2000 05:05 PM
I met a guy from Dothan, Alabama at the Steel Show in Atlanta a couple of years ago. His name was Jimmy Miller and he had one of Julian's guitars. He told me that he had not changed anything on it and has learned the tuning Julian used. Jimmy is an incredible picker and I am sure Julian would be proud of the way he played that steel guitar. Julian was a monster picker and I always enjoyed listening to him [This message was edited by Charlie Vaughn on 24 February 2000 at 05:11 PM.] |
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slick Member Posts: 560 |
posted 24 February 2000 08:00 PM
David Thank's for the info on Julian.It may have been the steel your Dad built for him that he was playing in birmingham. All that I remember is that it was white and had more knee's and floor's than i had ever seen.He was awsome and I am proud to have had him as a friend.He stunned me and all of Birmingham Alabama in the 70's-------------------------- Wayne Broyles |
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Smiley Roberts Member Posts: 4424 |
posted 25 February 2000 08:02 AM
I guess Joe McHam doesn't want anybody writin' him.I clicked on his website,"about me",& got,"The publisher refuses to give you access to this page".So,I tried writin' him,& I got it back saying,"invalid recipient". Maybe,my reputation has preceded me,& he won't let me in!!  ------------------ |
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