European Steel Guitar Hall of Fame 2011

[Digby Hardy]

For 2011 we will induct four steel guitar players (one posthumously) into the European Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. They are:

Dave Hartley, UK
Mark Horn, Germany
Hans de Jong, Netherlands
Coy Pereira, Netherlands (posthumous)

We have not had time yet to link details of their accomplishments to the ESGHoF web site but this will be done in due course.

The induction ceremony will be held during the gala dinner of the Chanos International Steel Guitar Festival, Chanos-Curson, France on Saturday 17 September.

I am very pleased to announce that Mark Horn and Hans de Jong are coming to Chanos to attend their induction into ESGHoF and will play during the festival. David Hartley also wanted to come but a prior engagement has made it impossible. He tells me he will try to come to CISGF 2012 next year.

I'm sure you will join us in congratulating these great players on receiving this recognition for their outstanding contributions to the steel guitar in Europe.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Nice one Digby!, though I know little of the other EU steelers... IMHO David has raised the profile of all Brit Steelies by his achievements and the reward is well deserved.......

[Digby Hardy]

Hi John

Nice to hear from you. You're right David is very special to the British steelies community - a great payer and a good man too.

BTW it's pleasant to have an agreeable response, no doubt the curmudgeons will have their say sooner or later.

[Jason Lynch]

Couldn't agree more, John. Well deserved.

[Paul Brennan]

Congratulations to David, Hans and Mark. Looking forward to seeing you in Ireland in October.

[Mike Fereday]

So there will be 6 members of the ESGHoF and one from the SGHoF on the bill in Ireland. Great.

[Donny Johnston]

Congratulations to all four, the funny thing is before I started going to Ireland the only one I had heard of was Coy Pereira. Am I not lucky, now I know them all.

[Digby Hardy]

Donny, one important aspect of ESGHoF and international festivals like the Irish Steel Guitar Festival is to bring great steel players from around the world to the notice of the general steel guitar public. Steel Guitar music like all other forms of popular music has been dominated and managed by the record companies, which for practical purposes means the US and Nashville in particular. This situation is now changing with the internet and the ability to publish one's own recordings. The ISGF, Chanos and others are encouraging the development of a European expression of steel guitar music which can only be to the long term benefit of our instrument.

Mike and the hard working committee of the ISGF are doing a great job supporting the professional playing side of the business whereas the Chanos International Steel Guitar Festival (CISGF) and the developing South of England Steel Guiatr Festival are aimed at encouraging ordinary players to get playing. Together we are pushing the top and the bottom of the business.

As a matter of interest the ESGHoF presentations are hosted by CISGFand ESGHoF pays for the meals and one night's accommodation for any attending inductees and partners. However if they want to play they must buy a players ticket just like any other player. This usually confuses them at first, but you know what? Everyone of them gets the idea and has a great time; best summed up in the note to me a few days ago from Hans De Jong:

Once again thank you for being so kind to me this weekend; it really was a special moment.

And yes Chanos is the home and holy-ground of steel-guitar in Europe, finally there is a place where history of steel-guitar find a shoulder and never will forget.

There should be a sign on the city board when you approach Chanos (Chanos Home Of Steel-Guitar)

Some pics of Hans, Mark and Coy Pereira's daughter Rosy Pereira: