posted 08 April 2001 08:22 AM         

I've seen a few people mention Thumbs, and I only recently discovered him myself, he is a ledgendry guitarist who was close to a steel player in spirit.
I'm sure more than a few Forumites have a story on Thumbs, but I thought I'd have a stab at a topic on this talented musician.

The son of a Illinois tenant farmer, he began playing music at the age of eight after his sister Evelyn won a dobro.
Legend has it that his sister hid the dobro's steel bar, and young Kenny began using his thumbs to practice.
Another legend is that when his father bought him a Silvertone guitar, Carllile's thumbs were too short and fat to make it around the neck, so he began playing it on his lap like a dobro.
Anyway... Carllile's family moved to Granite City, Missouri when he was ten. There he met Terry Preston/Ferlin Husky.

In 1947 Husky, known as Tex Terry was working the clubs in St. He worked at the Music Box Bar, a radio show in Kirkwood, MO. He also played Alto's Cafe, and other local joints with a band that included a young steel player Gene Fields. After that Fields and Terry both moved to Farmington, MO and joined Johnny Ryan on K.F.M.O. radio station.
While in Farmington, Terry decided to organize another group and go to the West Coast, Gene Fields decided not to go and was replaced by another 'underage' musician; our lad Kenny Carlisle.
At this point Kenny had been tossed out of high school and then began performing regularly with Terry Preston/Husky, now it getsconfusing here as Preston/Husky teams up with Smiley Burnett until early 1948, they seem to split their time between California and MO, where Smiley had a radio show!

Terry Preston returned to Califirnia where he worked with Big Jim DeNoon, Ole Rasmussen's band and moved to Bakersfield in 1950, later recording some hits for Capitol as Ferlin Husky in the 1950s.

From 1949 to 1952, Kenny signed on with Jimmy Dickens' Country Boys, where he became known as Thumbs.
In 1952, he began a two-year stint in the Army's Special Services. He was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany when he met and married singer,songwriter Virginia Boyle in 1955. After his discharge, Carllile played with Bill Wimberley's Rhythm Boys and Red Foley's Troupe. As a soloist, he regularly appeared on the Ozark Jubilee.
In the mid-'50s, the TV show Ozark Jubilee featured pickers like Hank Garland, Thumbs Carlisle, future Miles Davis bassist Charlie Haden and Chet Atkins.
Thumbs also did some work with the band of Merl Lindsay and did jazz gigs on the side.

Thumbs and Virginia met Les Paul, who was impressed by both Boyle's writing and Carllile's skill and took them to his home recording studio to lay down enough tracks for two albums (or so they say).
Later that year, Carllile sang a duet with Ginny O'Boyle, "Indian Girl, Indian Boy."
Which was issued as a single around 1962 as by Thumbs Carlyle & Ginny O'Boyle.
In the early 1960s Thumbs joined the Wade Ray Five and Ray's Las Vegas band.
Carllile then joined Roger Miller in 1964; later, Miller helped Carllile sign with Smash Records, where he released two albums, Roger Miller Presents Thumbs Carllile and All Thumbs, in 1965.
During 1966, he released several singles, including "Let It Be Me," "Caravan," "Blue Skies," and "Hold It."
Thumbs rarely recorded with Miller, although he did do the finger snapping on 'King Of The Road.'
During the 1960s Miller's road band included
Gene Davis, Billy Graham, Buddy Emmons, Archie Francis, Glen D Hardin and other talented pickers.
As always, while on tour with Miller Thumbs would do jazz gigs on the side, there are stories of him playing all night jam sessions throughout the Southern California club scene while living in CA in Miller's employ.
There are stories of Thumbs playing all night jazz duels with Jimmy Bryant.

In 1968, he made the album 'Walking in Guitar Land' for Capitol Records.
In 1972 he had left Miller's band and briefly worked in Sammy Masters country band.

In the early 1980s Thumbs was part of the Palomino Club's house band in North Hollywood.
Thumbs left California in the early 1980s, relocating to Chattanooga to work with local picker Billy Taylor at the Down Home Club.
The story is that all the members of the band took a small cut just to have Thumbs in their group.

posted 08 April 2001 08:23 PM         

If it does, it's quite obscure... sorry for listing it without checking more.
The Smash albums I've seen, but not for a while, I borrowed a tape of the first one last year and it's pretty good, different to the later stuff I imagine.

Back in late 1999 someone who was new to the Forum actually sent me a full list of Thumbs albums, but my PC was wiped by a virus a week later and I lost all their details and that particualr email, can't even remember who it was.
It was quite an impressive list, it had the albums with Herby and I think there was even a listing of one with Buzz Evans?
Whoever it was, I'd love for them to see this.
Gary, I've heard rumours of some great Chalker tapes, but didn't know of one with Thumbs.

[This message was edited by Jason Odd on 08 April 2001 at 08:24 PM.]

posted 09 April 2001 01:06 PM         

Speaking of Buzz Evans...I had heard that he married Thumb's daughter, who sang in Buzz's band. Anyone want to confirm that?

posted 09 April 2001 09:01 PM         

George D. ... I've emailed you about Ray and thanks for mentioning him.
Jason

posted 10 April 2001 07:22 AM         

He appeared on the Gong Show at least one time, with his daughter, billed as "Cathy(?) Carlisle and Dad"... i caught the performance just by chance... I think they won the contest that day.. I know they didn't get gonged...

[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 10 April 2001 at 07:22 AM.]

posted 10 April 2001 07:43 AM         

I remember being in Herby's store to buy a volume pedal the day after Thumbs died. As I recall, Thumbs was at Herby's house the night before when he had his heart attack. Herby concealed his emotions really well that day. I could tell he was numb.

posted 10 April 2001 07:45 AM         

------------------
Steeling is still legal in Arizona

[This message was edited by Ray Jenkins on 10 April 2001 at 08:59 AM.]