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Author
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Topic: Arrangements for Jeff Newman
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Wayne Cox
Member From: Chatham, Louisiana, USA
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posted 10 April 2004 04:53 PM
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Few men,in their various chosen professions,have had such a far-reaching,positive influence as JEFF.
I am saddened by the news but proud
to have known him.
~~W.C.~~[This message was edited by Wayne Cox on 10 April 2004 at 04:54 PM.] |
louie hallford
Member From: denison tx
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posted 10 April 2004 08:11 PM
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Never has the loss of a friend shocked and saddened me more than the tragic death of Jeff Newman. September of this year would have been 25 years since I first met Jeff and Fran at the ISGC in St Louis.I never tuned a C6 neck until I attended a short seminar he presented in St Louis.I recall that Jeff did not charge for the seminar. That was just one of the many generous ways that Jeff gave back to his many students and friends in the world of Steel Guitar. I am sure I am not the only one who have taken more than their share of his time on the phone,around his booth at the shows and at his classes. While many great players have influenced our styles and desire to learn steel guitar, I feel safe in saying that I do not feel any steel guitar player or teacher in the world, past or present, has personally touched and impacted more lives in the steel guitar community than Jeff. Fran we remember you as being so much apart of the Jeffran team. My love and heartfelt sympathies and prayers reach for you, the children and grandbabies. |
Brad Bechtel
Moderator From: San Francisco, CA
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posted 10 April 2004 09:18 PM
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What terrible news to receive after returning from a visit to my family in Southern California. My prayers are with Mr. Newman's family. I can't imagine how terrible it would be to witness such a tragedy. |
David Rupert
Member From: Southwest California
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posted 11 April 2004 12:30 AM
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This is very shocking & sad news!! I only found out about this, last night...as I had been away from my PC, for about 5 days.I was too upset, to post anything, last night. I was, & am...in total shock. I am very sad, that Jeff is now gone. My sincere condolences, to Fran...& his entire family. I attended my 1st class with Jeff, in 1975. What a great teacher! He really taught me so much. I also attended his school, in Hermitage, TN in 1977. What a great time! That was one of the BEST weeks, of my life. I'll always remember the time I spent with him, very fondly...in the summer of '77. May you rest in peace...though you left us too soon. 
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David "DJ" Rupert 1995 Mullen D-10
Peavey N/V 400 Amp.
Goodrich Volume Pedal
Boss Effects Pedal Board "Music. Without it, life itself...would be impossible." Peace. www.johnbarnold.com/rupert |
Jonathan Gregg
Member From: New York City
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posted 11 April 2004 03:27 PM
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Only a few weeks ago I was right here on the Forum joining in the many voices of those who started with Jeff Newman. I had the good fortune to spend a whole week with him one on one, and the experience was profound. Jeff was the only cat with a real sense of teaching and a real system to go with it. He wasn't afraid to tell you that your playing was a mess, but when he praised you, then it really meant something.
Jeff Newman walked it like he talked it, and he kept his passion for life right til the end. I saw him flying in his microlight and he might as well have been 15 years old up there.
I feel a great sadness at the loss of my teacher. I don't think there is much he wanted to do in life that he didn't get to do, and that may be the best lesson of all.
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Ron Scott
Member From: Flushing, Michigan, USA
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posted 11 April 2004 07:34 PM
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Just want to say what a sad feeling came over me when I heard about Jeff and to say I really enjoyed the seminar's I went to when he was in the Canada and Michigan area years ago.My playing sure improved after the things he taught me.....the steelguitar world will sure miss him...RS |
Bruce Derr
Member From: Lee, New Hampshire, USA
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posted 11 April 2004 07:49 PM
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I'll always be grateful to Jeff for imparting his wisdom and enthusiasm with such style and humor at the bunch of seminars I attended back in the mid '70s, and also at the Teacher's course at Jeffran College in June '77. I marveled at his knack of stripping the information down to it's essentials, and relaying it in a way that stuck. He spread joy and enthusiasm to a huge number of people. What a wonderful legacy. |
Bud Hall
Member From: Evansville IN USA
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posted 11 April 2004 09:22 PM
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Back in the eighties, Jeff and Fran came to Evansville to do his seminars, we had a lot of laughs and he played with our band on Fri. and told me, that we were the loudest band he had ever played with!!!, he came back the next night to play again and brought another amp, and we rocked all night!! He'll be be missed here, "forsure!", my sympathys to his family!Bud Hall |
Rand Anderson
Member From: Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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posted 11 April 2004 09:51 PM
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Sorry to hear the news.
My regards go out to Fran and family.
Thanks for all the great pointers. I didn't know Jeff as well as most the folks round here, but he sure was one of the best teachers I had a chance to study with.
Thank You Jeff |
R. E. Klaus
Member From: Montana, USA
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posted 11 April 2004 09:57 PM
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My deepest simpathy to Fran and all of Jeff's family. He will be truly missed by many. He was a good person.
R. E.
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Tore Blestrud
Member From: Oslo, Norway
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posted 12 April 2004 01:28 AM
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What sad news. I met Jeff when he and Fran was in Norway with Paul Franklin in 1999, and I wisited him at his house the next year. He took me down to the airstrip close to his house in his golfcar, and it was obvious that he was THE MAN among all the people there. What a great humor he had, and what a great player. Jeff and Fran showed me such great hospitality. A man fist class man. |
Tay Joslin
Member From: Memphis, Tennessee (formerly of Newbern, TN)
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posted 12 April 2004 02:01 AM
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HOW SHOCKED I AM TO JUST NOW HEAR ABOUT THIS TRAGIC LOSS!!! I have been out of pocket with the internet for about a week, now. I was privileged enough to hear and talk to Mr. Newman at the NTSGA Super Jam last Tuesday night in Nashville. I am so thankful that I made the trip from Memphis to catch his final performance while on this earth. I feel sure this information is available somewhere on the forum, but is there an address where I may send a card to (I am in a hurry and cannot take the time to read all of the postings right now to find out for myself)? PLEASE RESPOND SOON! What a great man! What a tragic loss! |
Jerry Clardy
Member From: El Paso, Texas, USA
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posted 12 April 2004 04:44 AM
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Tay -- See the third entry on page one of this thread. |
RUSS RICKMANN
Member From: Houston, TX USA
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posted 12 April 2004 07:13 AM
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I have been out of the office for the weekend and what a shock to return and read the tragic news about Jeff…..my deepest sympathy and prayers go out to the family in this time of tragedy. I was just talking with Jeff at the Dallas convention and asking him how the school was doing. His response may have been a little prophetic….”The school is doing great and actually have folks signed up for the next three years….I wonder if they know that God may have other plans”. You’ll certainly be missed by all. Russ Rickmann
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Johnny Roberts
Member From: Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA
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posted 12 April 2004 07:18 AM
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Thank you, dear God, for giving us such a wonderful human being.Thank you, Jeff, for everything. My first exposure to Jeff Newman was his "Music to Get C6th By" course. Back in the 1970's, I could hardly wait for each monthly issue of Guitar Player magazine to read Jeff's column. Sometimes it was hard to keep from breaking out in laughter at his pointed comments while reading on the bus ride home from work. One of the JUNE JAMS in Watertown remains one of my favorite memories. Jeff's professionalism, creativity, and humor will long be remembered. May God bless his family. |
Russ Hicks
Member From: Pegram, Tennessee, USA
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posted 12 April 2004 05:40 PM
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A few years ago, when Russ introduced me to Jeff and Fran, we discovered that one of the very first jobs Jeff had as a steel player in Nashville was alongside my Dad playing for Roy Drusky. Jeff was a mere child and, by his own recollection, pretty nervous and unsure of his future as a professional musician at that time. I told him that Daddy had returned to Alabama soon after their tour together and that he is now in bad health, etc. Jeff asked for his address and I gave it to him not expecting him to really do anything with it; it had, afterall, been so long ago. About a week later, Daddy called me crying, (he doesnt do that)and he read a two page,handwritten letter he had just received from Jeff Newman thanking him for offering Jeff encouragement to "keep at it" during the "tour with Drusky" when Jeff needed it "more than anyone could have known". What Jeff knew was that my Dad was sick and alone and feeling a bit of a failure in his own past musical dreams and that letter from him gave my Dad a sense of purpose and significance as a "fellow musician".It meant so much that he took the time...
My feelings for Jeff Newman became extremely personal that day. I will never forget him, and I'll miss the "encouragements" he always offered me, and the genuine friendship he extended to all of us.
God bless Fran,the epitome of a partner in life and business. She's quite a "teacher" and encourager herself.
Laney |
Raul Huerta
Member From: Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico
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posted 12 April 2004 09:00 PM
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My Condolences to Newman Family and all his Friends. |
Phil ONeill
Member From: Balbriggan, Dublin, Ireland
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posted 13 April 2004 10:15 AM
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I would like to express my sadness at the news
of Jeffs death.I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to Fran and family in their
great loss.I met Jeff at Newbury for a week long seminar.He was a great teacher and a great
player.I had the privelege to meet Fran at that time also and as a couple they filled us
with joy such was their happiness being together.The next seminar in Newbury was short
because Jeff had to return home as Fran was undergoing surgery and he was needed at her side.We did not mind.
I spoke to Jeff in the
Harvey at the texas jamboree.
Jeff you will be missed.------------------
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Mark Tomeo
Member From: Danville, PA USA
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posted 13 April 2004 12:40 PM
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After a certain amount of self-teaching, lick-copping and general splashing around in the shallow end, you have to find someone to teach you the finer points of steel playing. For a generation of players, Jeff was that guy. He taught his students to think and play the way the pros do, and never held anything back. I attended Jeffran College twice in the late 70s and this is my strongest memory of that experience:
Jeff was doing a demo session one evening after class and invited a couple of us along to observe. Before getting to the steel, he put down an acoustic rhythm guitar track. He was playing with an elastic capo on the second fret. After the solo space, the key modulated up a half step. Without breaking rhythm, Jeff hit a chord, reached over with his right hand and slid the capo up one fret at the same time sliding up the chord shape he was playing with his left hand, and finished the track without missing a beat. It was really slick and I'd never seen anyone do that before. I asked him about it afterwards and he said, "Son, that's just one of about 50 tricks you gotta know to survive in this town."
He used to talk about how nervous he was when he was just starting his playing career. He said he owned a loaded D12 Sho-Bud because he figured bigger was better, but it was hard to keep in tune. Later he went to an S10 with 3+4 because he had the music and especially the melody inside him, and didn't need the extra hardware.  |
Rex Thomas
Member From: Thompson's Station, TN
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posted 13 April 2004 05:01 PM
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I was wondering when someone was going to finally put the pic of that Sho-Bud course on here...
THANX, Mark!! |
Al Marcus
Member From: Cedar Springs,MI USA
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posted 14 April 2004 07:06 PM
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Thanks Mark, maybe a lot of guys never saw that.
I have the book with Jeff playing that Sho-Bud in brand new perfect condition.
He was very young then . He was working at the old Sho-Bud store with George Lewis.....al  ------------------
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/ |
Jon Irsik
Member From: Garden City, KS USA
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posted 16 April 2004 06:49 AM
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What sad news. It certainly gives you the sense that life is a fleeting thing, at best. I guess all that you can do is live life to the fullest because there may not be a tomorrow. It seems to me that Jeff did that.Jeff seemed to always be on the closing segment every year at the ISGC. I'll never forget one year when Ralph Mooney was there and they drug this old Fender 1000 with an STP sticker on it to the stage. He really took off on it and was playing all the old classic Mooney licks, just cutting up and having a good time. One of the great ones. Condolences and prayers to Fran and the family.
[This message was edited by Jon Irsik on 16 April 2004 at 06:52 AM.] |
Bill Irsik
Member From: Garden City, Ks.
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posted 16 April 2004 08:25 AM
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Yes our life is better left to chance.
We could have missed the pain, but we,d of had to miss the Dance!My Deepest Sympathy to Fran and the entire Jeff Newman Family. Bill |
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