Off to the States for three weeks!

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Thanks for the running commentary Ken.
I look forward to more,
Say Hi to Elvis if You get to Graceland.
Billy

[Ken Byng]

Billy - Elvis said "Uh Ha - Ah'm All Shook Up" when I spoke to him yesterday. On the other hand it may have been someone impersonating him. Went into the Sun Studio again (been there a few times but it has to be done), and the Stax museum (brilliant) and booked a Mississippi riverboat excursion for this afternoon.

We are off to a couple more museums this morning. Tomorrow its a trip to the Gibson factory, and my wife has threatened to handcuff me so I don't buy yet another guitar.

I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow. The weather has been superb since our first day on Sunday when it was too hot and humid.

[STEDDIE EDDIE]

Ken, you must have a very understanding wife, mine would never go near a guitar factory, but i hope she does handcuff you, you need to save your money, just in case there is a beautiful honey coloured ZB custom still for sale, and awaiting purchase on your return, much nicer than any gibson guitar, i can tell you, enjoying your updates on your vacation, keep 'em coming

[Ken Byng]

I've just returned from our Saturday night visit to the Opry in Nashville, and we went Friday night too. A double helping of Tommy White - can't be bad.

He was playing one of his Show Pro's - a black one. Great tone through his Webb set up. Other steelies on the shows too. Looked like Terry Bethel on an Emmons, plus Russ Pahl on a black Emmons.

[Dave Nutt]

Sounds like a steelies dream night, beats work hey Ken?

Who is hot on the Opry shows now as regards vocals?bands?

Thanks for the updates. carry on enjoyin, we are all ok here, working,in the cold and rain.

[Ken Byng]

Dave - the hot acts at the Opry are Josh Turner and Dierks Bentley.

Last night (Monday 18th) I went to the Station Inn to see the Time Jumpers expecting to see Paul Franklin, but unfortunately he was away this week. His dep? None other than my personal favourite Mr Tommy White!! I had a front row seat in what is a tiny venue, and was within touching distance of Vince Gill and Tommy White. The band was cooking as usual, and it was Tommy's first time sitting in with the Jumpers. He did a great job as would be expected. If I can shrink the photos in size that I took, I'll post them on here. He was burning it up on C6 all night apart from a couple of ballads. His right hand thechnique is just astonishing, and 99% of the time he is just playing with his thumb and middle finger.

Earlier yesterday I visited Jeff Surratt of Show Pro guitars, and spent a couple of enjoyable hours looking round the workshop that his has in his garden. When I say workshop I am talking about a massive building where he puts his guitars together. Jeff and his wife Gloria came to te Station Inn, and Tommy's blue Show Pro attracted a lot of attention at the gig. I can say that the Show Pro is as good as anything that I have seen from an engineering perspective, and Jeff pays a lot of attention to the smallest of details. Each guitar is custom built to order, so as Tommy White put it to me, it is a custom shop instrument. Tommy is on his 5th guitar, and is currently having a D10 made for him in a burgundy colour but with aluminium necks. Show Pro don't normally make anythihng other than wood necks, so Jeff is interested to hear if there is any tonal difference. While I was at his workshop Jeff showed me some of the measures that he has put in place to greatly reduce cabinet drop.

This morning will be a trip to see the shy & retiring Bobbe Seymour at Hendersonville, and that is always an experience. Bobbe has a view on just about everything steel guitar, some of it not always for public consumption. I usually take my video recorder with me and just let him perform in front of the camera. He can talk for hours!

[Uncle Roy]

Hey Ken, Have you any pics for us yet?

[Ken Byng]

I've taken quite a few Roy, but forgot to bring my card reader to download them. I'm in Gatlinburg at the moment, and there is a good chance that I can buy one here.

I popped in to see Bobbe Seymour yesterday in my last day in Nashville, and was really shocked at his health. He really is in a bad way, and I came away quite upset and despondent. He has major diabetes and his heart is not good. The last time I saw him a couple of years ago he was a strong as a lion, but he has gone downhill massively. I just couldn't bring myself to take his photo.

Will post some other shots when I can.

Ken

[Ken Byng]

Tommy White

[Ken Byng]

Vince Gill