UPDATE: CA steel player/teacher Chris Allen Burke gone home

[John McClung]

UPDATE
A Memorial Service for Chris Burke will be held at 4 pm, Saturday, Feb 26th at Parkcrest Christian Church, Heartwell Campus, 3936 Woodruff Ave, Long Beach, CA 90808. Friends are invited to visit with his family at their home afterward. Tribute donations in Chris’ memory can be made to MusicCares at Grammy.Org.

Paste the address into google maps for a map or street view:
3936 Woodruff Ave, Long Beach, CA 90808

As you enter the parking lot, the service is in the "Unplugged" building on your left, north side of the campus. Mission tile roof, bell tower.

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After a relatively brief fight against aggressive cancer, Chris Allen Burke of Long Beach, CA slipped away while sleeping early this morning, Feb. 15, 2011. He was just 56 years old.



Chris is survived by his wife Michele, and daughter Cadence, and 2 older brothers, Earl and Bruce, who reside in Washington, D.C.

Chris was a close neighbor and great colleague of mine. Outside of Riverside's Blackie Taylor, he and I have been the principal steel guitar instructors in the Los Angeles area. We filled in for each other on gigs, referred each other out, and enjoyed heckling each other when we could drop in on gigs.

Chris was a very talented steel player, guitar & Dobro picker, harmonica player, and singer-songwriter. He was also a great steel guitar technician and builder, trained by Bud Carter at the Carter factory. He had a strong and fun-loving personality, tons of energy, and a pronounced stubborn streak, but he was a delight to know and work with.

RIP, my friend, you'll be sorely missed.

[Johnny Baldwin]

Chris was one of my closest friends and his loss will be felt by many. I was fortunate enough to see Chris and to hold his hand and tell him how much my kids and I loved him before he passed on. RIP my friend.

[Brandin]

This is very sad news. Chris was a good guy.

[Mike Neer]

Sorry to hear the news, he was too young to go. I only know him through his membership here, but my condolences to his friends and family.

[Skip Edwards]

Really sorry to hear about this. I had no idea that he was ill.
Chris was one of the good guys around here, always willing to help out a fellow player.
My heartfelt condolences to his family.
Vaya con Dios, Chris.

[Kirk Eipper]

Oh my God. I knew CAB very well and played guitar in several bands with him as well as studio dates. I had no idea he was ill. I will keep his family in my prayers

R.I.P. CAB.

[Mike Perlowin RIP]

OMG. This is terrible news. Chris was relatively young. Way too young to die.

Is there anybody who has not been touched in one way or another by this terrible disease? Let us hope they find a cure soon.

[Dickie Whitley]

My sincere condolences to the family. I lost my Father, Grandfather, and an Uncle to this disease. Also have a family friend facing another operation for his. I also pray there will be a cure for this soon.

[Stu Schulman]

My condolences to his family,very sad.

[Skip Cole]

I've never met Mr Burke, but i do send condolences to his family and friends in the loss they suffer. May God give comfort and strength to you all.

Skip

[Steve Raulston]

I am sorry for your (and everyone's loss) John. It's always hard to say the right thing in times such as these. Never had the pleasure of meeting him, but obviously a great one. My condolences to you and the family and please know you are in our prayers.

[Brad Bechtel]

My condolences to his family and friends.

[Skeeter Stultz]

This is quite a shock. I only saw Chris twice. I bought my amp and DD3 from him. It's news like this that make's you stop and smell the proverbial roses. Condolences to his family.

[Rick Schmidt]

So sad to here of this. My condolences to his family. He really was a good guy!

R.I.P.

[Ron Epperson]

very sad news we lose another good one R.I.P. my friend have your family in my heart see u on the other side

[CrowBear Schmitt]

i often enjoyed Chris's postings
my sincere condolences go to his family

[Chris L. Christensen]

I'm so very sorry to hear about Chris's passing. He was so young and full of life. He was always very nice. I wish I could have known him better. Rest in Peace, Chris

[Stephan Franck]

This is so sad. Chris was such a generous person and musician. He was the first steel player I worked with in so cal.

I remember the first time we worked at the Cowboy Palace, everyone in the band except for Chris, was new to that "boot scooting crowd", and we're starting this song, playing super loud too, vamping on the 1 waiting for the crowd to start dancing, and they're just standing there, frozen, ready to go...but not going. All of us start exchanging panicked glances, as we can tell that something is going very wrong...but we're not sure what... and then, from his side of the stage, Chris just yells out over everybody "5,6,7,8..." and they all start dancing... and everything was well after that.

Yep, Chris was always the guy who knew how it went. And a very good friend.

[Jim Eaton]

R.I.P. - C.A.B.
JE:-l>

[Billy Woo]

I cannot believe that he passed so young also Chris and I had a nice rapport, he would set up my steels from time to time also we had something in common in that we both come from the DC-MD-VA area, my prayers to him and his family upon this very sad news also on the recent passing of another friend, pedal steel guitarist, Steve Bishop from Nashville, TN
Billy Woo

[Billy Woo]

Apologies I posted twice in error.

[Mark McConville]

Chris was my first steel teacher and I'm sad to hear of his passing. He was always warm and patient with me, and helped me build confidence as a player. Without him, I wouldn't be the picker I am today. Condolences to his family.

[Chris LeDrew]

I had a great transaction and correspondence with Chris a few years ago when he purchased a Carter D10 from me (the modified one in the above photo). It's strange when a forum member passes away and you feel like you know them even though you haven't met in person. Chris was a guy whom I felt I knew personally from our correspondence. He will be missed around here for sure.

[Bob Metzger]

Chris was a great guy. We had alot of fun playing in bands and duos and the studio together. We shared a love of baseball and went to games together. He was a knowledgeable steel mechanic as well as a very good player. I am so sorry to hear of his passing and my sincerest condolences to his family.

Bob Metzger

[Meryle Swartz]

So sad :( My deepest condolences. He was a super nice guy and so talented, and we had some interesting conversations about motorcycles as well as steel guitars.