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 The Steel Guitar Forum
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 Massachusetts Steel... back in the Day!
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| Author | Topic: Massachusetts Steel... back in the Day! |
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Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA |
posted 14 July 2006 09:55 AM
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Forum member Joe Casey sent me this picture of us playing somewhere in western Massachusetts back around 1979-81, back in the big hair days. Joe, I like your Dekley shirt! This picture must have been taken before ‘81 because I started using a pac-a-seat in ‘81. Here I’m sitting on a regular chair. Also, the guitar player worked with me until about ‘81. This might have been taken at the Ranch House in Springfield MA. That place was another story altogether! Thanks for the memories Joe!  update... still playing an Emmons p/p, and still enjoying it. These pictures are from a recent recording session.   ------------------ [This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 14 July 2006 at 11:48 AM.] |
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Joe Casey Member From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9) |
posted 14 July 2006 11:32 AM
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Hey Doug, believe it or not I still have that T shirt. Whether it fits as good as it did then might be another story. I believe I gave one to Smiley and he still has it.That was the Ranch House. Joe Reisner was one of the best club owners to work for.I don't remember who the guitar player was but I could never forget Mark Erlich on bass.I think I filled in that night for Chris Newland. I guess if that was a wide angle lens it might have caught Pepermint Pattie going out the back door.  OO to have that hair again. ------------------ |
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Bill Hankey Member From: Pittsfield, MA, USA |
posted 14 July 2006 01:03 PM
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Doug, I am trying to remember the name of the nightclub north of Westfield, that later burned to the ground, about the time you played at The Ranch House. Joey B. was the bandleader, or was Al C. the leader? We drove past the Purple Onion, and turned right to get there. A well known recording artist sang his hit song, doing a guest appearance. To jog your memory, he had a few words with the band's drummer. Remember the tee shirts? |
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Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA |
posted 14 July 2006 02:20 PM
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Bill, You're thinking of the Country & Western Lounge (what a name!) in Holyoke. Al Cote was the bandleader, and later it was Joey Baer. I played with both of those bands, and later I went to Billy T's 4 nights a week with Lee Howell (another forum member). Back then a musician could play as much as he wanted to... 6 or 7 nights a week. Those days are long gone, thankfully The guest singer you're thinking of might be David Rogers, who had a hit song Darlin' (possibly a remake). Joe brought him over to the club after one of his shows, and he sat in with the band. [This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 14 July 2006 at 02:30 PM.] |
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Joe Casey Member From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9) |
posted 14 July 2006 02:46 PM
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Wow you guys are good,That was David Rodgers. I believe it was S. V. on the drums who never played the song before and missed a break.Also David had the original hit in Country before Tom Jones,I believe he co-wrote the song.We went to breakfast after and he told me he was sorry also a little under the weather if you know what I mean.That was an excellent Country venue that Al and Doug packed in the weekend crowd. |
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Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA |
posted 14 July 2006 08:10 PM
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The guitar player is Tom Kennedy. He "retired" from playing years ago. Joe, hang onto that Dekley T-shirt. It's a collectable now! I'll bet Smiley would like to have that shirt. Maybe he could make a pair of shorts out of it! |
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Smiley Roberts Member From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075 |
posted 15 July 2006 12:38 PM
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Doug, I have several Dekley tee shirts,along with mt Dekley steel,which I still play to this day. Everybody that hears it,loves it. ------------------ |
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Joe Casey Member From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9) |
posted 15 July 2006 03:06 PM
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Boy you mention Toilet paper and look who rolls in. |
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Smiley Roberts Member From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075 |
posted 15 July 2006 09:37 PM
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quote: (copyright Smiley Roberts,1971. All rights reserved. Any use of this phrase,without the express written consent of copyright holder,(me) is punishable to the full extent of the law. Punishment is listening to 50 consecutive hours of Pete Duhart instrumentals, ------------------ |
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Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA |
posted 15 July 2006 11:29 PM
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Jim Smith, Massachusetts picker! 1970s? 80s?  |
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David L. Donald Member From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand |
posted 16 July 2006 12:21 AM
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We need a pic of Tommy Cass from the same era now. |
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Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA |
posted 16 July 2006 01:18 AM
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Tommy has a nice picture of him playing an Emmons on stage back in the 70s. The pic was hanging on the wall of his shop a couple of years ago. |
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Joe Casey Member From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9) |
posted 16 July 2006 05:42 AM
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That picture of Jim was taken at an Eastfield mall celebration we did for WIXY 1600 with Bobby G.Rice. That was one of the day niters as we had to rush out and set up for a Show at Lynns in Chicopee w/Bobby. Notice the stainless steel signature on Jims double 12 Dekley which I understand he still has today amongst his newer toys. Jim helped make a lot good things that happened to me in the music business.When Doc Peters and I formed County Reunion it took us a while to find that missing piece for the sound we wanted. Jim was that piece and oh how Jim and Doc could twin and fit together.When Doc Left to play with Tommy Overstreet Jim took on the job of Guitar and Steel thus I stayed four pieces until he left for Texas. Then it was 5 pieces again until I retired ,quit,got fired whatever That was one great group.I will always remember and value his friendship. ------------------ |
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Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA |
posted 16 July 2006 09:49 AM
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Jim was a co-designer and builder of Dekley pedal steel guitars. He did a great job because there are still a lot of Dekleys out there!  |
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Chris Caruso Member From: Milford Massachusetts USA |
posted 17 July 2006 07:50 AM
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Hi Doug. You and Joe look pretty young in those pics! [This message was edited by Chris Caruso on 17 July 2006 at 07:50 AM.] |
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Myron Labelle unregistered |
posted 19 July 2006 03:50 AM
I was at joes about 2 months ago and I can say he has changed a little since that picture. Looks like that picture was taken long before I arrived at Westover AFB in Chicopee in 83. I never seen joe without a hat until the 90s. Oh well hair today gone tommorrow. I do remember the Ranch House I went there a few times on off nights. Always seemed to have a good band and I guess they always stayed Country in fact didn't they change the name to the Country Inn? I think the place is still going.------------------ |
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Joe Casey Member From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9) |
posted 20 July 2006 02:22 PM
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Myron, I think Dougs intentions on the posting was to bring up the fact that W.Mass had a great era of steel back in the 60s,70s and into the 80s.I always hate mentioning names because I'm bound to forget somebody. However thanks to Bill Hankey who for years put on the Mass Steel Bashes, I was exposed to many players I might never have met or got to work with. A lot of great musicians have come from that area which still in places like western Mass. could boast a great number of top musicians. Steel Greats for the area in the past would have to include,Smiley Roberts,Ray Ganek,Jim Heffernan,Sammy Gibson,Paul Lambert,Phil Corso,Paul Manning,Terry Sutton,along with Jimmy Smith, Jimmy Roule and Dougie B and Peggy Green. Now the music or the venues cannot support the extra pieces nor can the latest type of Country Music leave much for the instrument to gain exposure. I doubt if any of us could stand up to the task anymore of working the 6-7 nighters but we sure had a great ride,I did thanks to some of the names I posted above. And Myron I had lots of hair in those days.In fact I still have it in one of my dresser drawers.hats are a lot cheaper I didn't have to join a hat club of America. I told Cy Sperling I quit long time ago.  ------------------ [This message was edited by Joe Casey on 21 July 2006 at 03:50 AM.] |
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Jory Simmons Member From: Elkhorn, Wisconsin, USA |
posted 23 July 2006 05:56 PM
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I was living in Salem in 75-76....I was a Bass Player back then, and used to go down to Boston to see John Macy play with John Lincoln Wright and the Sourmash Boys. Its what made me want to be a steel player. John said he'd give me lessons, but by the time I got a Steel....he'd left town to go on the road with Michael Martin Murphy, I believe. Ran into him in a bar in Boulder Co in 80 or 81, and He came up to me on a break, and said...."are you Jory?", Well ya have to have a good memory to play Steel!!!!!!!!! ------------------ |
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Doug Beaumier Member From: Northampton, MA |
posted 23 July 2006 07:16 PM
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I saw John playing with JLR at the Lazy River in Northampton MA back in '76. He was great, and he made a big impression on me. I talked steel with him that night, and he was very forthcoming, a nice guy. |
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