Hall of Fame Chicken Pickers i like Herb Steiner and WELDON MYRICK
JERRY BYRD
MAJOR INFLUENTIAL STYLIST, COMPOSER AND ARRANGER
"THE MASTER OF TOUCH AND TONE"
BORN: MARCH 9, 1920 LIMA, OHIO
DIED: APRIL 11, 2005
INDUCTED: 1978
LEON McAULIFFE
WESTERN SWING PIONEER BAND LEADER, COMPOSER OF THE MOST FAMOUS
INSTRUMENTAL "STEEL GUITAR RAG"
BORN: JANUARY 3, 1917 HOUSTON, TEXAS
DIED: AUGUST 20, 1988
INDUCTED: 1978
ALVINO REY
BIG BAND PIONEER. SOUND EFFECTS AND TUNING INNOVATOR, AND
FATHER OF THE PEDAL STEEL GUITAR
BORN: JULY 1, 1908 OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
DIED: February 24, 2004
INDUCTED: 1978
HERB REMINGTON
SWING STEEL PIONEER, MAJOR STYLIST, BLENDER OF THE HAWAIIAN SOUND WITH WESTERN MUSIC. RECORDING ARTIST, AND COMPOSER OF THE CLASSIC "REMINGTON RIDE"
BORN: JUNE 9, 1926 MISHAWAKA, INDIANA
INDUCTED: 1979
SOL HOOPII
MOTION PICTURE ADVISOR AND PERFORMER. TUNING AND STYLE INNOVATOR, COMPOSER, RECORDING ARTIST. "MUSIC EVANGELIST FOR HIS LORD", AND "HAWAIIAN MUSIC'S GREATEST STEEL GUITARIST"
BORN: 1902 HONOLULU, HAWAII
DIED: 1953
INDUCTED: 1979
JOAQUIN MURPHEY
INTRODUCED JAZZ IMPROVISATION TO WESTERN SWING, DEVELOPED SINGLE STRING RIFFS INTO AN ART FORM, AND STYLIZED THE SKILL OF CHORD EXPRESSION.
BORN: DECEMBER 30, 1923 HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA
DIED: OCTOBER 25, 1999
INDUCTED: 1980
SPEEDY WEST
UNIQUELY IDENTIFIABLE STYLIST WHO SO COMBINED CHORDAL EXECUTIONS AND SINGLE-STRING RIFFS THAT PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF THE STEEL GUITAR AND HIS NAME WERE ACHIEVED. HE PIONEERED THE "CRASH-BAR" TECHNIQUE, COMPOSED INSTRUMENTALS THAT BECAME CLASSICS TO THE INSTRUMENT'S PLAYERS, AND IS "STEEL'S FOREMOST SHOWMAN."
BORN: JANUARY 25, 1924 SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI
DIED: NOVEMBER 15, 2003
INDUCTED: 1980
NOEL BOGGS
POP AND WESTERN SWING BAND RECORDING ARTIST WHO STYLIZED THE "MELLOW TONE" USING MULTIPLE, NON-PEDAL TUNINGS FOR HIS PATENTED "NECK-HOPPING" TECHNIQUE. HE ACHIEVED SMOOTH, COMPLEX, AND FULL CHORD EXPRESSION.
BORN: NOVEMBER 14, 1917 OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA
DIED: OCTOBER 1974
INDUCTED: 1981
BUDDY EMMONS
MAJOR STYLIST, TUNING INNOVATOR AND ORIGINATOR. CREATOR OF ENDURING LICKS, RIFFS AND UNIQUE JAZZ IMPROVISATIONS, COMPOSER, AND FOR A QUARTER CENTURY, "THE WORLDS FOREMOST STEEL GUITARIST."
BORN: JANUARY 27, 1937 MISHAWAKA, INDIANA
INDUCTED: 1981
JIMMY DAY
RECORDING ARTIST, COMPOSER, AND TRUE HONKY-TONK BACKUP MUSICIAN WHO ACHIEVED SUCH EXPRESSION ON THE E9th TUNING AS TO BE KNOWN AS "MR. COUNTRY SOUL." A ROBUST AND EARTHY ROAD PERFORMER WHO HAS INFLUENCED HUNDREDS OF ASPIRING PLAYERS FOR OVER THREE DECADES.
BORN: JANUARY 9, 1934 TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA
DIED: JANUARY 22, 1999
INDUCTED: 1982
DICK KAIHUE McINTIRE
MOTION PICTURE SOUND TRACK AND RECORDING ARTIST FROM THE 1930's TO 1950. BAND LEADER, COMPOSER, AND PROFOUND INSPIRATION TO SCORES OF STEEL GUITARISTS WHO FOLLOWED. THE MASTER OF PURITY, TASTE, AND EXPRESSION OF HIS DAY.
BORN: APRIL 6, 1902 HONOLULU, HAWAII
DIED: MAY 20, 1951
INDUCTED: 1982
EDDIE ALKIRE
MASTER TEACHER, MUSIC PUBLISHER, COMPOSER, PERFORMER, CREATOR OF THE ALKIRE EHARP AND PIONEER OF THE 10-STRING STEEL AND GUITAR OF AMPLIFICATION. HE DEVOTED A LIFETIME TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE HAWAIIAN GUITAR AND TO THE ENRICHMENT OF ITS PLAYERS.
BORN: DECEMBER 6, 1907 HACKER VALLEY, W. VIRGINIA
DIED: JANUARY 25, 1981
INDUCTED: 1983
RALPH MOONEY
COMPOSER, RECORDING SIDEMAN, ROAD MUSICIAN, AND TUNING INNOVATOR (HIGH G SHARP). CREATED "MOONEY" TAKE-OFF AND "CHICKEN PICKIN'" BEFORE SUCH STYLES HAD NAMES. SO UNIQUELY ORIGINAL THAT HE REMAINS UNDUPLICATED.
BORN: SEPTEMBER 16, 1928 DUNCAN, OKLAHOMA
DIED: MARCH 20, 2011
INDUCTED: 1983
DON HELMS
INDELIBLE STYLIST AND RECORDING ARTIST WHO BROUGHT THE UPPER OCTAVES INTO PROMINENT USE AND GAVE THE "HANK WILLIAMS" BACKUP IT'S ENDURING RECOGNITION. A "DRIFTING COWBOYS" ROAD MUSICIAN AND STEEL PIONEER FOR FOUR DECADES.
BORN: FEBRUARY 28, 1927 NEW BROCKTON, ALABAMA
DIED: AUGUST 11, 2008
INDUCTED: 1984
BUD ISAACS
RECORDING ARTIST, COMPOSER, ROAD MUSICIAN AND PIONEER WHO REVOLUTIONIZED THE SOUND OF THE STEEL GUITAR BY HIS INTRODUCTION OF THE PEDAL-GLISS., THEREAFTER ESTABLISHING THE "MOVING TONE" AS THE DOMINANT STEEL EXPRESSION IN COUNTRY MUSIC.
BORN: MARCH 26, 1928 BEDFORD, INDIANA
INDUCTED: 1984
"LITTLE" ROY WIGGINS
MOST IDENTIFIABLE AND POPULAR RECORDING STEEL GUITARIST OF THE '40s AND '50s. WITH VOCALIST, EDDY ARNOLD, HIS "TING-A-LING" SOUND WAS HEARD ON 75 MILLION RECORDS SOLD. HE INSPIRED A GENERATION OF PLAYERS TO PURSUE THE BEAUTY OF THE SMOOTH, PURE MELODY LINE. A MAN OF CHARACTER AND QUIET DETERMINATION, HE VIEWED "ARTFUL SIMPLICITY" AS A PERFORMER'S FIRST VIRTUE FOR ADVANCING THE STEEL GUITAR.
BORN: JUNE 27, 1926 NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
DIED: AUGUST 3, 1999
INDUCTED: 1985
CURLY CHALKER
AN INDIVIDUALIST WHO ADVANCED THE STEEL INTO POP AND JAZZ, CREATED HIS OWN COUNTRY SWING GENRE AND MAINTAINED HIS MUSICAL INTEGRITY DURING THE POPULARIZATION OF THE STEEL'S COMMERCIAL SOUND. A TECHNICIAN WHO INVENTED BAR "QUAKING" AND INTRODUCED VOLUME "GUTTING." HIS CASCADING CHORDS, DELIVERED WITH THE SPEED OF SINGLE STRING RIFFS, IDENTIFY HIS UNIQUE STYLE AS THE "CHALKER SOUND."
BORN: OCTOBER 22, 1931 ENTERPRISE, ALABAMA
DIED: APRIL 30, 1998
INDUCTED: 1985
HAROLD "SHOT" JACKSON
DESIGNER, MANUFACTURER, RETAILER, PROMOTER AND RECORDING ENTERTAINER. HE PIONEERED SHO BUD GUITARS AS A DOMINANT SOUND IN COUNTRY MUSIC. BUT ABOVE ALL, TO SCORES OF STRUGGLING PLAYERS, THEIR COURAGE AND THEIR DETERMINATION TO ACHIEVE THEIR VERY BEST AND THEY DID!
BORN: SEPTEMBER 4, 1920 WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA
DIED JANUARY 24,1991
INDUCTED; 1986
PETE DRAKE
INNOVATOR OF THE "TALKING STEEL' SOUND INTO COUNTRY AND ROCK MUSIC, NOTABLE STYLIST, RECORDING ARTIST, SESSION PLAYER AND STUDIO OWNER WHO HAS ADVANCED THE STEEL SOUND INTO ALL FORMS OF MUSIC. PETE HAS BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS MAJOR AWARDS FOR GOLD AND PLATINUM RECORDS HE PRODUCED, AND FOR THREE DECADES HAS BEEN A BENEFACTOR TO THE INSTRUMENT AND ALL STEEL GUITARISTS.
BORN: OCTOBER 8, 1932 AUGUSTA, GEORGIA
DIED: JULY 29, 1988
INDUCTED 1987
LLOYD GREEN
COMPOSER AND ARTIST WHO CREATED INNUMERABLE DRAMATIC RUNS. PEDAL EFFECTS AND RIFFS ("THE LAGGARD NOTE." "SPLINTED HARMONY." ETC.). DOMINATING SESSION RECORDING FOR OVER A QUARTER CENTURY. APPEARING ON THOUSANDS OF RECORD SIDES. WITH THE GREATEST VOCAL ARTISTS. HE ACHIEVED HIS UNIQUE MUSICAL INTEGRITY THROUGH TONE, TASTE AND STYLE. "MR. NASHVILLE SOUND"
BORN: OCTOBER 4, 1937 LEAF, MISSISSIPPI
INDUCTED: 1988
BILLY BOWMAN
THROUGH RADIO, TOURING AND RECORDING, THIS WESTERN SWING PIONEER BLENDED HIS UNIQUE MELLOW STEEL SOUND WITH BOB WILLS' TEXAS PLAYBOYS THRU THE 50'S. HE COMPOSED AND RECORDED SUCH CLASSIC INSTRUMENTALS AS "B BOWMAN HOP" AND "MIDNIGHT IN AMARILLO" AND DISTINGUISHED THE INSTRUMENT THROUGH A LIFE TIME OF PERFORMING.
BORN: OCTOBER 30, 1928 JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE
DIED: AUGUST 6, 1989
INDUCTED: 1989
HAL RUGG
HE TOOK THE COMMERCIAL SOUND FROM IT'S INFANCY TO COUNTRY JAZZ. HE EXPANDED IT'S MUSICAL DEPTH TO CREATE THE IDENTIFIABLE SOUND OF LORETTA LYNN, GORGE JONES AND THE OPRY STAFF BAND THROUGH TELEVISION, SESSION WORK AND ARRANGEMENTS. HE HAS BEEN STEELS MEDIA MAN THRU THREE DECADES.
BORN: JULY 21, 1936 NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
DIED AUGUST 9, 2005
INDUCTED: 1989
BOB WHITE
BOB PIONEERED THE 10 STRING GUITAR, ORIGINATED SCORES OF ENDURING LICKS AND RIFFS, INTRODUCED THE MAJOR 7TH AND MAJOR 9TH PEDAL CHANGES AND BROUGHT A MODERN SOUND TO HANK THOMPSON'S BRAZOS VALLEY BOYS. WITH HANK, HE WAS THE FOREMOST SWING STEEL PLAYER OF THE 50'S DECADE.
BORN: JUNE 15, 1932 JENNY LIND, ARKANSAS
DIED: NOVEMBER 21, 2003
INDUCTED: 1990
DAVID KELII
THIS HAWAIIAN DEDICATED A LIFETIME TO THE STEEL GUITAR. PIONEERING MULTIPLE TUNINGS AND INSPIRING SCORES OF PLAYERS BY HIS STYLE. HE POPULARIZED THE INSTRUMENT THROUGH HIS RECORDINGS AND HIS MANY YEARS OF BROADCASTING WITH "HAWAII CALLS."
BORN: MAY 29, 1914 LAHAINA, MAUI, HAWAII
DIED: APRIL 3, 1983
INDUCTED: 1990
ZANE BECK
A FORMIDABLE PLAYER, TUNING INNOVATOR. MASTER BUILDER AND HONEST BUSINESSMAN. HE PIONEERED THE USE OF KNEE LEVERS, AND WAS THE FIRST TO INSTALL THEM ON PRODUCTION GUITARS. HIS ZB AND BMI STEELS SET A STANDARD FOR DESIGN, SOUND, AND EASE OF PLAYING. A HUMBLE MAN WHOSE DEPTH OF CHARACTER LIKEWISE SET A STANDARD TO MEASURE OTHERS.
BORN: DECEMBER 24, 1927 CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS
DIED: MAY 26, 1985
INDUCTED: 1991
TOM BRUMLEY
WITH HIS IMPACT ON "TOGETHER AGAIN" TOM'S "PURE" STEEL SOUND INFLUENCED ALL STYLES FROM THE '60'S FORWARD. TOURING, COMPOSING AND RECORDING, HE GAVE THE BUCKAROOS AND STONE CANYON BANDS AN IDENTITY WITH HIS ZB. HE BUILT ZB STEELS FOR A TIME BUT CONTINUED PERFORMING. TOM BROADLY INFLUENCED COUNTRY AND ROCK PLAYERS AND CREATED A 30-YEAR LEGACY OF "THE BRUMLEY TOUCH."
BORN: DECEMBER 11, 1935 STELLA, MISSOURI
DIED: FEBRUARY 3, 2009
INDUCTED: 1992
DeWITT SCOTT
"SCOTTY'S" LIFETIME ACCOMPLISHMENTS THROUGH INSTRUCTING, PRODUCING AND RECORDING, ATTEST TO HIS OBSESSION WITH THE STEEL, IT'S PLAYERS AND IT'S CULTURE. HIS WRITINGS AND CONVENTION PRODUCTIONS HAVE MADE HIM SYNONYMOUS WITH THE INSTRUMENT, IT'S ADVANCEMENT AND IT'S PLAYERS. SUPPORTED BY HIS FAMILY, IF NOT EVERY PLAYER IN THE WORLD, HE IS TRULY,
"THE AMBASSADOR OF THE STEEL GUITAR."
BORN: APRIL 10, 1932 AMARILLO, TEXAS
INDUCTED: 1992
BOB DUNN
PREMIER WESTERN SWING MUSICIAN, STRONG INFLUENCE ON PLAYERS OF HIS ERA, PIONEER USING ELECTRIC STEEL SOUNDS ON RECORDINGS. THE FIRST STEEL GUITARIST TO INTRODUCE JAZZ LICKS INTO COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC.
BORN: FEBRUARY 8, 1908 BRAGGS, OKLAHOMA
DIED: MAY 27, 1971
INDUCTED: 1992
JOSEPH KEKUKU
CONSIDERED BY HISTORIANS AS THE INVENTOR OF THE HAWAIIAN STEEL GUITAR. EXPERIMENTED WITH THE DESIGN OF THE COMPONENTS NEEDED TO GIVE BIRTH TO THE "STEEL GUITAR" THAT ARE STILL USED TODAY.
BORN: 1874 LA'IE, HAWAII
DIED: JANUARY 16, 1932
INDUCTED: 1993
BUDDY CHARLETON
RECORDING ARTIST AND STYLIST IN COUNTRY JAZZ, TOURED FROM 1961 TO 1973 WITH THE TEXAS TROUBADOR BAND, "RETIRED" AFTER TWO DECADES OF CLUB AND SESSION WORK TO SHARE HIS MASTERY BY TEACHING-FOR HIM, HIS GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR US, HIS LEGACY.
BORN: MARCH 6, 1938 NEW MARKET, VIRGINIA
DIED: JANUARY 25, 2011
INDUCTED: 1993
DOUG JERNIGAN
CONCERT, SESSION AND MAJOR RECORDING ARTIST, HE HAS SHARED HIS KNOWLEDGE AND ADVANCED THE STEEL AND DOBRO INTO COUNTRY JAZZ. HE ACHIEVED SINGLE STRING DELIVERY BEYOND MERE RIFFS, BUT FOR COMPLETE TUNES, WITH FLOWING, SCORCHING SPEED.
BORN: JANUARY 5, 1946 PENSACOLA, FLORIDA
INDUCTED: 1994
FREDDIE TAVARES
EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND IN HAWAIIAN MUSIC: MOVIE SOUND TRACKS; RECORDINGS; RADIO; TV. A CONSUMMATE MUSICIAN. ADVANCED THE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY OF PEDAL STEEL GUITAR DURING HIS TENURE WITH THE FENDER CO. - 1953-1980.
BORN: FEBRUARY 18, 1913 PAIA, MAUI, HAWAII
DIED: JULY 24, 1990
INDUCTED: 1995
BOBBY GARRETT
WITH JIM REEVES, HANK THOMPSON AND MANY OTHERS, GARRETT ADVANCED THE STEEL GUITAR THROUGH RECORDING AND TOURING SINCE 1949. WHEN HE COMPOSED AND RECORDED THE CLASSIC "ROSE CITY CHIMES" IN 1958. HE HAD BEGUN PERFECTING THE TECHNIQUE THAT WOULD LEAD TO HIS TITLE OF "THE KING OF THUMB STYLE".
BORN: MARCH 22, 1935 DALLAS, TEXAS
DIED: APRIL 24, 1999
INDUCTED: 1995
BILLY ROBINSON
THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY IN 1948. HE ENHANCED THE HIT RECORDINGS OF RED FOLEY, GEORGE MORGAN, WEBB PIERCE, CARL SMITH AND MANY OTHERS ON RADIO, RECORDS AND TOURS. HE ADVANCED THE INSTRUMENT AND HONORED OTHERS WITH HIS TALENT FOR DUPLICATING STEEL STYLES. HIS SKILL PROVIDED VOCALISTS WITH SHREWD AND ARTFUL ACCOMPANIMENT, A STEEL GUITAR PIONEER
BORN: AUGUST 6, 1931 NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
INDUCTED: 1996
JOHN HUGHEY
A TOURING, RECORDING, AND PERFORMING ARTIST FOR OVER FOUR DECADES. HIS PURE SOUND STRENGTHENED THE SUCCESS OF RECORDINGS BY CONWAY TWITTY, VINCE GILL AND MANY OTHERS. THE UNDISPUTED MASTER OF BAR SHIVER AND PRECISE UPPER-REGISTRY INTONATION. HE CREATED MUSICAL EMOTION AND DREW ATTENTION TO THE INSTRUMENT THROUGH HIS FLAWLESS DELIVERY. FLAVORED WITH HAUNTING ELOQUENCE.
BORN: DECEMBER 27, 1933 ELAINE, ARKANSAS
DIED: November 18, 2007
INDUCTED: 1996
WELDON MYRICK
THIS RADIO, TELEVISION AD SESSION MUSICIAN BECAME A MEMBER OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY STAFF BAND IN 1966, IN THE FOLLOWING DECADES, HE PERFORMED AND RECORDED WITH HUNDREDS OF MAJOR ARTISTS. WELDON'S PLAYING EXCELLENCE CONTRIBUTED TO OVER 2 DOZEN GOLD RECORDS AND ALBUMS THAT SOLD IN THE MILLIONS. THIS PIONEER ADVANCED THE STEEL BY THE SKILL AND SENSITIVITY OF HIS ARTFUL DELIVERY.
BORN: APRIL 10, 1938 JAYTON, TEXAS
INDUCTED: 1997
JOHNNY SIBERT
THIS SESSION AND ROAD PLAYER WAS THE INFLUENTIAL STYLIST AND CORE MEMBER OF CARL SMITH'S "TUNESMITHS" BAND FOR 2 DECADES, BUT RECORDED WITH MANY OTHER ARTISTS INCLUDING LEFTY FRIZZELL, LITTLE JIMMIE DICKINS, GENE AUTRY, JOHNNY BOND AND THE EVERLY BROTHERS. A TRUE STEEL PIONEER OF RADIO, TELEVISION AND RECORDING DURING THE '50S AND '60S.
BORN: NOVEMBER 24, 1933 INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
INDUCTED: 1998
BARNEY ALVIN KALANIKAU ISAACS, JR.
THIS HAWAIIAN WAS THE ISLAND'S PREMIER PLAYER DURING 6 DECADES PERFORMING REGULARLY AT ALL THE ISLAND'S MAJOR HOTELS. HE TOURED THE MAINLAND, CANADA AND JAPAN. AND WAS THE FEATURED INSTRUMENTALIST ON HUNDREDS OF RECORD SIDES AND NUMEROUS ALBUMS AND FOR 25 YEARS, HE WAS THE STEEL GUITARIST OF THE “HAWAII CALLS” RADIO
BORN: JULY 18, 1926 HONOLULU, HAWAII
DIED: FEBRUARY 12, 1996
INDUCTED: 1999
JEFF NEWMAN
A SKILLFUL PLAYER BY AGE 20 AND TEACHER BY AGE 26. HE PRODUCED HIS FIRST ALBUM COURSE IN 1969. THIS FIRST TOURING PEDAL STEEL TEACHER (1971) ALSO ESTABLISHED THE FIRST RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL IN 1976. HIS TABLATURE SYSTEM AND VOLUMES OF STUDY COURSES HAVE BECOME INSTRUCTIONAL STANDARDS FOR 3 DECADES. HIS EDUCATED APPROACH AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR HIS STUDENTS HAVE MADE HIM…
“STEELS FOREMOST INSTRUCTOR”
BORN: JANUARY 7, 1942 ARKANSAS CITY, KANSAS
DIED: APRIL 7, 2004
INDUCTED: 1999
