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Be Blessed........HAL
'85 Emmons LeGrande D-10,(8 & 5) Hilton Vol. Pedal, BJS Birthstone bar, Rack w/Evans Pre-amp, Lexicon MPX500; (2)1501-4 BW's in custom built cabs by T.A. Gibson, & Sound Tech PL802 Digital Power Amp.

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Frank Estes
1978 Emmons D-10 8+7 #2441D
1968 Emmons D-10 8+4 #1234D

Over the years we became very close friends. Some of you may remember that he wrote the forward to my original (and now out of print) "music theory for E9 players" book and reviewed my West Side Story CD for the PSGA newsletter.

After he moved to New Zealand, every time he came to America, on the way home he scheduled a day long stopover in L.A. so we could spend some time together. He liked many aspects of living there, but missed the great ethnic restaurants found here. I always took him to some exotic place that had food that he couldn't get over there. Last time he was here I took him to a Persian restaurant where he had lamb with pomegranite sauce.

I was the last person in America (aside from airport personel) to see him.

You might think that since I never met Winnie, never even knew about his books when I was learning steel, never became friends with him or even had any direct communication with him by email or in the forum here, that his passing wouldn't be so much of a loss to someone like me.

Wrong. I feel a great loss.

Maybe the reason is not "despite" never having known Winnie, it's "because" of not knowing him, never having had the chance and now the chance is lost.

Months ago I read everything at his website and gained great respect for him as both a human being and musician. It seemed like I knew him even though he didn't know me.

Reading his final messages "Assorted Thoughts" and "Teaching the Big Stuff" on his website gives me even more respect and admiration for the man, who faced the end of his time in this life so intelligently and courageously.

We are all fortunate to have had Winnie here with us, especially those of you who got to know him, who were his family and friends.

My deepest condolences to Winnie's family and friends for their loss. He, like too many others, should have had more time here. I am absolutely positive however, as Winnie himself was, that the passing from this life, though a great loss for those of us who remain, is not the end of that person's life, only the end of this stage. I believe Winnie and all our lost loved ones are alive and well, somewhere.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 13 June 2005 at 04:05 PM.]

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"From Truth, Justice is Born"--Quanah Parker-1904

Thanks Winnie. You'll be missed

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Klaus Caprani

MCI RangeXpander S-10 3x4
www.klauscaprani.com

Condolences to his family.

It is really sad news, although not unexpected. I really miss Winnie, but I bet from where he is right now, he can read all the posts, shaking his head with a smile, saying: "Aaah, that's too nice of you folks, but I am not deserving this!"

Winnie, every word that was written here is well deserved. We all miss you, as a player and friend. God bless you!

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

There is another post under "Steel Players" 3 pages long from more of his many friends and admirers over the years, also thanking him for all the contributions he has made to the steel guitar community.....al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

No one had ever written what WW accomplished. He was a professor of Industrial Design at the Philadelphia College of Art (which is why his diagrams of steel mechanisms were so well done) he was a fine 5 string banjo player as a member of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, and after buiding his own pedal steel from scratch, he became one of the most active back up musicians for name artists doing concerts and recordings.

Winnie co-authored the instruction books "Pedal Steel Guitar" and "A Manual of Style" which helped thousands around the world, who were interested in learning the steel guitar or advancing in their playing technique.

At last year's Convention, Winnie asked me to come to his room and talk. We did for 2 hours. He was tired, and just walking was a struggle at that time. Still, he had many things he wanted to discuss. One thing he mentioned was that he didn't want a lot of pity for his situation, should he not beat his cancer. I tried to discourage any talk about such an outcome, but he was actually O.K. with it. He didn't seem concerned, regardless of the way things might go for him. He was a strong and brave man.