Question for the Scots

[Ken Byng]

Hi guys
I have been doing a deal for a while with the son of a late Scottish steel player whose surname was Ralph. Anyone know him? He was playing in the 1970's.

[Donny Johnston]

Sorry Ken, Don't recall that surname, any idea what his christian name was. Donny.

[Ken Byng]

Donny - I forgot the fellow's Christian name, but I know that he played with a band called Mosaic.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Ken
It was Chick Ralph, He also played in a band called the Spey Valley Trio.I think He may have been the first in the Elgin area to own a pedal steel.
Billy

[Ken Byng]

Thanks Billy. Did you know him at all?

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Hi Ken
I didn't know Him, Allan Thompson knew Him pretty well.

[imiddle132]

Hi Ken

I knew Chick Ralph very well, 'cos I played bass guitar in 2 bands with him - Sundance and then Mosaic. Indeed, it was his skill on PSG than sparked MY interest in the instrument, though I had to wait about 30 years before I could follow it up.

I recently met with his son Stephen who was only a toddler when his dad was playing and wmated to know more about the band, what music we played etc. He'd actually found an old tape of Mosaic playing live which he very kindly transferred to CD for me.

One thing he asked me was, what happened to his dad's PSG? He expressed some interest in trying to "find it".

Chick had a black Emmons D10. More than likely he sourced it from Eric Snowball - when he went away for a few days down south, it was always probable with a specific purpose in mind (not that he'd tell you beforehand!)

I always thought he had sold it locally, but Alan Thomson from Elgin would probably know more about that than me.

[Ken Byng]

Ian
The guitar is now back with the family.