Remembering Hal Rugg

Joe Naylor · Post by **Joe Naylor** » 9 Aug 2010 8:18 am

5 years ago today we lost the great Hal Rugg

Great steel player

Great man

Nothing but great memories of a hero to many

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com

Bob Vantine · Post by **Bob Vantine** » 9 Aug 2010 9:50 am

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 9 Aug 2010 11:10 am

I loved Hal's playing too but never met him.

I composed a little Thumbstyle song on
my E6/9 Lap Steel and added the familiar
"Rugg Lick" on my E9 Pedal steel a while ago
and it turned out somewhat reminisicent of
both Chet and Hal.

Miss 'em both.

Link to MP3

http://picosong.com/yDW

Roy

bruce fischer · Post by **bruce fischer** » 9 Aug 2010 11:42 am

i was just listening to hal backing up k.d. lang.
what a wonderful caring individual.

JERRY THURMOND · Post by **JERRY THURMOND** » 9 Aug 2010 12:07 pm

Hal was a great person an friend,along with being one of the best steel players in the world. Miss him a bunch.

Jerry

Jerry Lee Newberry · Post by **Jerry Lee Newberry** » 9 Aug 2010 2:32 pm

Great guy. Sure wish he was still around!!!!!!!!!!!

Donna

Roy Rosetta · Post by **Roy Rosetta** » 9 Aug 2010 7:40 pm

Hal and his wonderful wife, Vickie, were two of mine and Barbara's closest friends. There's hardly a day that goes by that we don't reminis about some of the many happy times we spent together.
Rest with The Lord Hal and Vickie.
...Roy and Barbara

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 10 Aug 2010 3:27 am

My first steel guitar record I bought was "Hal Rugg Steels The Hits Of Loretta Lynn". I never met him personally but saw him play at steel shows. I saw him many times on television shows and the Grand Ole Opry. His country playing just sends chills down my spine. His jazz was certainly top as well notch as well. The Texas show is not the same on Saturday evening with him gone. What an awesome player and Hal Rugg is sure missed by so many of his friends and fans.

Joe Naylor · Post by **Joe Naylor** » 10 Aug 2010 6:53 am

There was every no better of a person. That part would have made him a GREAT man if he had never played steel. Then to play like he did and be happy to help other in his kind manner was over the top.

I had owned a pedal steel about 4 months (had played a lap for many many years) - he took lots and lots of time to show me things (basically gave me lessons) and never would let be pay him or anything like that - maybe a soft drink but that was it.

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 10 Aug 2010 8:06 am

One of the influences of my learning experience playing the steel was listening to Hal play on the Wilborn Brothers television show. His commercial pedal work with Loretta was outstanding of course, but I also looked forward to his instrumentals on the C6 neck.

I'm privileged to have attended the Dallas show when Hal played one of his final appearances near the end of his long bout with cancer.

Hal's presence as an icon of the steel guitar is forever embedded in the minds and hearts of steel players everywhere.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 10 Aug 2010 9:22 am

Joe thanks for putting this one up. Hal deserves to be remembered.
I met Hal in 1978 at Jeff Newman's college. HHal was to be the featured player on the artist performance evening. Actually he replaced Buddy Emmons since he had just left on a cruise.

I will never forget Hal's easy and friendly personality. He played a bit and talked a bit and showed us a whole lot about how he played this and that. I asked him if he would play the intro to One's On The Way and he tore into it without a second's hesitation.
Hal is one of those people I have met in my life who made a lasting impression on me.
I wish so much that he could have stayed with us a little longer.
Rest his soul.

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 10 Aug 2010 1:42 pm

Part of the A Team

pdl20 · Post by **pdl20** » 11 Aug 2010 8:27 pm

Sure miss him, was a treat to work the GOO and see him and Weldon do their thing, miss you ole friend.

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 12 Aug 2010 11:57 am

Hal Was A Good friend For years Great Player. SONNY.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 12 Aug 2010 2:02 pm

After Carl Dixon's Steel Guitar Extravaganza, Hal and I were talking as he tore down. I reminded him of a set he had done years earlier on the GOO with Don Gibson. I had heard it on WSM AM Radio as I was driving home from a gig in FL.

Hal was playing his very best and Don said, on the air live:

Aww Hal ! Have a heart !!

Regards, Paul

ed packard · Post by **ed packard** » 12 Aug 2010 4:15 pm

Hal was a member of the SWSGA and often came to the jams. He was always looking for an added something for his setup.

I was totally flattered when I got a call from him saying that someone in Tucson had told him that he should talk to me about tunings, setups, with jazz in mind. Hal drove up to Show Low from Tucson and we spent the day together on the subject...no steel, just white board and computer. I was surprised to find that Hal liked to talk everything in sharps.

At the end of the session, I thought that I had a handle on what he was after. Unfortunately, Hal left us before we could get back together. I had worked up something that I thought might fit his taste.

Hal needled me for playing (a euphemism for what I do) on a Sierra!

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 15 Aug 2010 7:30 am

In addition to Hal's incredible musicianship, he had a great sense of humor. In this photo (1988 Knoxville) taken by Bill Ford, Jeff gets out that giant bar and in response, Hal gets Scotty's Frypan for Paul to use. I was there. It was a riot. Of course, Paul was able to play with that Frypan as a bar in tune!

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 15 Aug 2010 6:27 pm

Five years ?!?
My, how time flies.

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