Byrd of Paradise
Jerry Byrd by Request
Steel Guitar Hawaiian style
Polynesian Suite

Old LPs of his that have the classic fabulous Byrd tone include "Steel Guitar Favorites", "On the Shores of Waikiki" and many more.

[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 06 April 2000 at 08:36 AM.]

"In the 1960's Jerry Byrd, an acknowledged master of the instrument, was approached with a project of difficult Japanese pop music. To accomplish the required degree of melodic expression, Byrd chose to use a scale-based, rather than chord-based, tuning. He called this 7-string tuning a "C Diatonic".

The Japanese album, later released in the USA by the Steel Guitar Record Club, was called Steel Guitar Romantic World. The music profoundly broke the Hawaiian steel guitar stereotype. It did not hint at any Hawaiian or "western" music flavor, because it did not use the characteristic major 6th and dominant 9th chords of those styles.

Jerry Byrd's C Diatonic Tuning

1 E
2 C
3 B
4 A
5 G
6 F
7 E

Within Jerry Byrd's C Diatonic tuning, the next melody or harmony note is usually within easy reach from the fret of the current note. This means that the placement of glisses in the melody can be determined by the arranger or performer, rather than by limitations imposed by the tuning of the instument. "

Jim

Also agree with Andy Volk about several of the Hawaiian albums JB recorded. I personally feel Jerry let the producer run amok with those "voices" on the one he described.

In all due respect and deep admiration for b0b, I just do NOT care for "Romantic World". I realize it was a tremendously complicated undertaking. Even Jerry said it was the hardest he ever had to record. But I just don't care for the entire ablum. To my ears, every tune sounds pretty much the same. And the selections just don't say anything to me musically. But of course there are plenty of others which may indeed have a completely opposite viewpoint. I respect that.

God bless JB and all of you,

carl

P.S. Jerry Byrd's "Diatonic tuning" was developed by Jerry long before "Romantic World". He used it in the early 50's. And several tunes on "Hi Fi Guitar" he used it. It is one of the tunings on his D-8 that Shot Jackson made him, which he still plays a lot. The other tuning is of course C6 that he came up with. It is:

E
C
A
G
E
C#
C
A (Low, low A (boo-wah pedal on D-10's))

[This message was edited by C Dixon on 06 April 2000 at 01:17 PM.]

I also like "Hawaiian Beach Party".
Talk about subjective, huh? It's like asking someone what the "best color" is

dougb
www.dougbsteel.com

I have been a Jerry Byrd fan for 25 years. I own several Jerry Byrd albums and there are several that sound great. I dig the Japenese songs he played on the "Romantic Steel Guitar World." Everythings Japanese on this tape, except Byrd and he sounds like Byrd blending Hawaiian with the Japanese melodies. It is fairly heavily ochestrated but I dig it.

Something else about the Japanese and Hawaiian music. The Japanese are big fans of the Hawaiian music. I worked with Shoji Tabuchi for a year and half and also played steel quite a bit with Mike Ito both of Branson Fame. Both very talented Japanese artists and they dug Byrd and Hawaiian music. Mike Ito sang Hawaiian songs for four years in a professional Japanese band before winding up in USA and at Branson, MO. I used to really dig playing behind his vocals because he could yodel, sing like Ray Price and also sing Hawaiian songs in the Hawaiian language.

God Bless,
Terry Wood

Jerry Byrd once told me that he played on something like 14 of Hank Sr. recordings.

One of my favorites his is steel playing on two Hawaaiian Albums he recorded with Marty Robbins. On one of these L.P.s. Marty recorded a few of Jerry's Hawaiian songs. There is also a T.V. video from Marty's 1960's Drifter series that he and Jerry do a seaside skit and play and sang.

I believe that the Marty Hawaiian L.P.s are still available through Bear Family Records of Germany.

God Bless,

Steel Guitar Rag
Panhandle Rag
La Paloma
Over The Waves
Harbor Lights
Georgia Steel Guitar
Texas Playboy Rag
South
Steelin' The Blues
Three String Swing

Dave has the titles right about the Marty Robbins Hawaiian L.P.s and Bob is right about them having beautiful music.

If you like Hawaiian music, Marty Robbins and Jery Byrd, then I say get copies of the L.P.s You will not be disappointed.

By the way I like Marty and have always been a big fan of his vocals. He's one of the few that I rates so in my book. He was just barely old enough to run away and join the Navy during WWII and served in the South Pacific. Actually, according to one source I read he was probably just 17 when he joined the US Navy. Anyhow the story goes he came through the Hawaiian Islands at that time and fell in love with the music and thus eventually wound up recording the Hawaiian music.

These L.P.s are available through the Bear Family Records and CDs of Germany.

BTW, I picked up Steel Guitar Hawaiian Style yesterday. The lead off track has Jerry playing resophonic hawaiian style, which I am not used to. What a wonderful sound. Quite different from the bluegrass/country influenced reso playing I usually hear. Refreshing.

Ya'll were right about his tone on the electric. And his vibrato...wow! Can't wait to digest this one and pick up some more.

I do not mean this as any disrespect towards Don Helms folks, but I never got over HW getting rid of JB. Course bein' JB's #1 fan on this earth probly splains that. What ya think?

God bless all,

Yes, Jim Farmer played on a bunch of Marty's recordings and was with Marty for years. He moved from AZ to Nashville with Marty when he went there and was a close confidant and employee with Marty for years. Later on he quit playing steel and started helping with the Marty Robbins Enterprises, publishing company. He passed away in the last 5 years or so.

A lot of Jim Farmer's steel work sounds sort of like Little Roy Wiggins type playing. My brother always dug that.

Jerry Byrd played on several of Marty Robbins recordings and he did record with Hank Snow too. Though Kayton Roberts was with Hank Snow for years.

Jerry was on a lot of Country tunes during the 1940's and 1950's. My good friend Dale Sledd formerly of the Osborne Brothers (Bluegrass) knew Jerry in Nashville and says Jerry used to play a lot of Dog House Bass on some radio shows with the Wilburn Brothers too.