|
Born
and raised in Lima, Ohio
Started playing steel guitar at age 12
Began playing professionally at age 15
I played in bars around the Lima, Oh area. I was not even old enough
to be in them, but I had a phony ID that said I was 21. My first
real inspiration was the immortal Jerry Byrd. After a few years, I
saw that in order to get work, I had to play pedal guitar. I had a
Multi-Kord for about 2 years, and then a Wright Custom was my first
guitar with the splits on the A&B pedals. I ended up playing Emmons
guitars for years, which I still do play.
I went to work with Loretta Lynn when I was 21 years old. I was a
green horn kid, who moved to Nashville from Ohio. Loretta was still
affiliated with the Wilburn Brothers at the time, so I had some good
teachers to learn the ropes of working the road from. I put in 17
years with Loretta, trying to copy all the great Hal Rugg solos he
performed on her recordings. That was really challenging at times.
We traveled with Conway Twitty for years while Loretta and He were
recording together. I became friends with the immortal John Hughey
through all this. We also had to back many other people such as
Johnny Russell, Cal Smith, Mickey Gilley, Nat Stuckey, and some I
probably don’t remember. We did all the hot network TV shows such as
Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, and several network
specials Loretta did on her own.
At the end of 1985, I decided to get out of the music bus., and try
something else. I quit Loretta’s show, and I went to work for the US
Postal Service in Nashville. I stayed there 7 years, and did not
touch my guitar until about a year before I left there. In 1992, I
went back to work for Loretta. She was working in Branson, MO., so I
moved up to Branson. After about a year and a half, her husband
Mooney became terminally ill. She decided to go back to Nashville,
and just work a few choice dates here and there. I took a 6 night a
week club gig in Branson to maintain me. I also was working a little
morning show.
For the next four years or so, I struggled finding work in Branson.
I subbed for people when they took off from their jobs, and worked
clubs. I worked a year at Silver Dollar City.
At the beginning of 1997, I went to work for Roy Clark. I worked
with Roy until Sept of 2004. I did some more free-lancing around
Branson, and then worked the “Country Tonite” show in the 2005
season. I also did Jim Owen’s morning show, so I was busy 7 days a
week.
In ‘07, I finally moved back to Nashville. I missed my friends and
my children and grandchildren. I haven‘t done a lot of playing in
the last 3+ years. Mainly, if someone needs to take off a night,
I‘ll go and sub for them. I do usually sit down and play my guitar
just about everyday. I‘ve never lost my love for music or my
instrument.
I just finished up a new CD. I haven‘t gotten them duplicated yet,
so It will be at least a couple of weeks before I can get them out
on the market for sale. It is a combination of Country tunes and
some Jazz standards. I hope it will be accepted well. I really put a
lot of work into it.
I play an Emmons LeGrande III, double ten, with the counter force on
both necks. I use a Peavey Vegas 400 amp and a Peavey Profex II for
reverb, delay, and any other effects.
Bob
|
at 
