Jimmy Bryant, Lubrication, the PSGA

Hello fellow players,

Here is a question I got from Bill in Oregon.

Hi Bobbe
I really enjoy your newsletter and I was wondering if you ever had the chance to work with Jimmy Bryant or have any good stories that you could share about him and Speedy West.
Thanks,
Bill
Hermiston, OR

I have many stories of Jimmy Bryant, a lot of them not so good, however I definitely enjoyed working with him in Vegas in the beginning of the seventies. He was a great player and definitely played a lot of fast things very well. His personality could be a little far out there when he drank and he loved to drink.

I remember a beautiful girl coming up to him at the bandstand one night. He looked at her and said, “You are one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.”

Blushingly she looked at him and replied, “I am a grandmother you know.”

He looked at her and said, “I bet you’re a great grandmother.”

Then looking at me he said, “Doesn’t she look like the greatest grandmother you ever saw?”

I know the girl couldn’t have been over thirty-five, but Jimmy wouldn’t let the point get by. Watching how he dealt with her and related to other people was pretty funny at times.

He came to Nashville to work in the studios but died while waiting for his first session. I don’t know if it would have worked out for him or not but what he and Speedy West did for the business was pretty wonderful.

Here is an email I got from Billy Woo.

Hi Bobbe

I was wondering where and when to lubricate my steels, I just bought an Emmons Le Grande II from Larry Petree (Bakersfield, CA) and Larry did mention to use a product called Tri-Flow, also it might be beneficial to remind Steelers to lube as a lot of us forget that we are playing a mechanical instrument also I have a U-12 Zumsteel?

Thanks and as always appreciate your newsletter, Jeremy Lin is great, hey I’m part Asian too, last name is Woo

Billy Woo aka
Bronco Billy

I’m still getting a lot of people asking me about lubrication of a steel guitar. Just remember, never use WD-40 anywhere with the exception of the hinges on your case. Several people recommend Tri-Flow. Just make sure whatever you use has an anti-rust additive and is thick enough that it won’t run all over the guitar and drip on the floor and in the case.

Many people still use 3-in-1 oil and will still rave about its ability. I know it does have an anti-rust additive and when you put it on your guitar, just wipe off any extra so it won’t get all over anything.

I’d like to say that I know several steel players in West Liberty, Kentucky and after seeing your town flattened by the tornadoes on television, I send out my condolences and wish I was able to be there and help. I have a lot of friends in that area and it is as beautiful a part of the United States as there is. Such a shame Mother Nature has to be so destructive at times.

Another thing I want to mention is the Pedal Steel Guitar Association in the northeast under the direction of Bob Maickel. He puts out one of the very greatest newsletters with the greatest pictures on a monthly basis that I have ever seen. These boys in this club work very hard to bring their members the best news and fun that they can for just the price of being a club member. If you are not a member of this club, you should be no matter where you live in the United States. You can find them at www.psga.org

It seems that many of you are getting ready for a good summer playing season by stocking up on expendables such as cords, bars, picks, strings or anything you think you may need because it looks like it will be a good steel guitar season. Being over prepared for anything that could go wrong is always a good idea.

See our monthly specials at … www.steelguitar.net/monthlyspecials.html.

The friend to all bar holders,
Bobbe Seymour
www.steelguitar.net
sales@steelguitar.net
www.youtube.com/bobbeseymour

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