I had the pleasure of playing rhythm back up
for him for a while up in his hotel room
during the HSGA convention in Joliet three
years ago. He is the best Eharp player that
I have heard. When he performed on stage that
time he tore the place up with his playing
and comic capers.

Some other great Eharp players in the HSGA
are May Lang, Ray Gaitsch, and Jack Moore.

Claude has discussed the benefits of the
Alkire tuning with some of the pedal steel
greats. He told us that the main hang up
hindering it's acceptance is that it is so
difficult to learn to play.

He hails from Easton, PA. which was Eddie
Alkire's headquarters. So he was taught by the man himself.

just some thoughts, Maurie

Mae and her rhythm guitar playing husband Art are regulars at the HSGA Joliet convention. Mae plays a vintage E-Harp which she purchased directly from Eddie Alkaire in the 1940's. She primarily plays pop standards with a few Hawaiian tunes thrown in for spice. Mae is a graduate of the Alkaire school of playing and has taught this method over the years. She is an excellent site reader and can pick up any sheet of music and play it immediately on her E-Harp. Pretty amazing considering the positional or chordal approach that many of us take on the steel.