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Does anyone know Chuck Thompson?
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The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Does anyone know Chuck Thompson?
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This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Does anyone know Chuck Thompson? |
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Fred Truitt Member Posts: 184 |
posted 31 May 2000 04:14 PM
Just a question to some of you ol' vets. I just happen to have his "Little Buddy Pro" Prototype. It's a D10, 8 and 4. Works like a charm, but probably not up to todays standards. Anyhow, Chuck has contributed a lot to all pickers. Regards.....Fred |
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Tim Rowley Member Posts: 957 |
posted 31 May 2000 07:22 PM
Well Fred, I met Chuck about 25 or 26 years ago at his little factory in Hillman, MI and also ended up buying a prototype Little Buddy from him, which I probably had for a couple years and then traded off. Mine was a single 10 E-9. I remember it was one of his first ones, 3 pedals, no knees (I may have put a knee lever on it). I never owned another pedal steel for 10 years or so after that. As you may know, Chuck was not a steel player himself. He was a guitarist. I don't know if Chuck is still around Hillman, I heard that he was downstate. Do you know where he is at? He originally had a partner, Freeman Cowgar, who many years ago compiled one of the earliest basic E-9 instruction booklets and currently builds the Cougar steel guitars in Fairview, MI. Their partnership dissolved many years ago but I still see Freeman occasionally and he is doing well. And every once in a great while I will run into someone who still has a Little Buddy or U.S.A. steel. They are a very basic instrument to say the least because of their simple changer but probably got a number of players started at an affordable price. Yes Chuck contributed a lot to our cause and so did a number of other small-scale builders and promoters in different places around the globe. If you know Chuck's whereabouts, I'd like to get in touch with him. Thanks for the good thread! Tim R. |
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Fred Truitt Member Posts: 184 |
posted 02 June 2000 02:52 AM
Tim The last time I talked to Chuck he was in the process of moving. I'll get back to you as soon as I find him. Thanks for the reply. I started out with the course you mentioned. I beleive Maurice was involved in it also. |
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Reece Anderson Member Posts: 1371 |
posted 02 June 2000 07:13 AM
Chuck Thompson and I have been friends since the 70's.What a marvelous player and fine gentleman. He has probably sold as many steel guitars as most anyone. I don't know where he is now, and if anyone does know, I would appreciate his address. Freeman Cowger and I also go back to the 70's. I would love to have his e-mail or mailing address if anyone has it. |
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Bud Hall Member Posts: 57 |
posted 02 June 2000 07:34 AM
My experience was the same as everyone else's. Chucks one of the good guys!, when he was selling the little buddies, he would load up a bunch and drive all over selling them, and I used to sell some of his steels here at my shop and occasionally one will work its way back. |
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Fred Truitt Member Posts: 184 |
posted 03 June 2000 06:43 PM
Tim, Reece and Bud Chuck is alive and well at 3781 Mohave Drive in Burtchville MI, 480509. Tel. 810 385 4602. Just finished a wonderful chat as always, and he would like to hear from you guys. I would like to tell a story about a trick Chuck played on my brother Dale back in the '70's. Dale had just started playing steel and had bought a shiny bar (somewhere). After trying it he discovered it was for a 12 string and was a little bit too long. As he and Chuck were good friends, he took it over to Chuck's shop and asked him to cut about 1/2" off and polish the end. Chuck told him to drop by later, no problem! When Dale did drop by Mr. Chuck had cut the bar exactly in half and gave the two pieces to him. Chuck says the look on his face was the most priceless expression he had ever seen. Of course he gave Dale a 10 string bar, which he had in his pocket. Keep in touch......Regards.....Fred |
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Tim Rowley Member Posts: 957 |
posted 03 June 2000 10:13 PM
Reece, what an honor! The most recent mailing address I have for Freeman Cowgar is: Freeman Cowgar, Cougar Steel Guitars, P.O. Box 64, Comins, MI 48619. I don't have his phone number, but if you were to telephone the Knot Hole Bar in Comins, MI, the bartender there knows Freeman and would give you his home telephone number. (It's not that Freeman hangs out there, it's just that Comins is a typical northern Michigan one-horse town and "everybody knows everybody"). Freeman's shop is located in Fairview, MI (another one-horse town) just south of the main intersection. I am sure that he would love to hear from you. I most recently saw Freeman just about a month ago and he was in a very spiritual frame of mind, we talked about the Lord Jesus Christ for about an hour and even prayed together as I recall; I had never seen that side of him before. He is still in good health, working every day building steel guitars. He is finally using a universal changer on his guitars and has developed a new model that he is really excited about. Hope you are able to get in touch with him soon. Tim R. |
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