Curly Chalker played piano!

[Dave Magram]

Check out "The Wilburn Brothers Show with Guest: Bill Monroe and Jack Greene"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx1RVPT3Krk

Starting at 14:10, Curly Chalker plays a boogie-woogie with Jimmy Capps—on the piano!

- Dave

[Dave Mudgett]

Yup, Curly was amazing.

First I heard Truck Stop was seeing Dick Curless at the Hillbilly Ranch in Boston - Park Square next to the Trailways Bus Station. I bussed a lot back then and whenever I'd come back into town, I'd stop there and grab a beer. They didn't care that I was only 16 or 17, ha! I guess I looked older - at that point 6'3" and 180 lb. Never checked my ID once.

[Jim Smith]

You do know that he wasn't really playing that, right? He's not using his left hand in his solos but the piano is still playing the walking bass. Check out around 15:50 too, lol!

[Dave Mudgett]

Ummm ... here's an even bigger clue that, at least, this is not a live presentation - https://youtu.be/Yx1RVPT3Krk?t=944

Nonetheless, it has been my understanding that Curly did in fact play the piano.

[John Swain]

And trumpet !

[David Mitchell]

Lol! Well that's okay. Chalk was one of the best steel guitar players that ever lived. Not many will dispute that.

[Greg Cutshaw]

This was posted many years ago on this forum and at that time the consensus was that the whole piano thing was a gag.

[Russ Wever]

If Chalker was fluent on a piano, you'd be seeing a much
more believable job of 'finger-syncing' with the soundtrack.

It is meant to be a Sight-Gag, one that Curly came up with,
in which as his wristwatch slowed to a stop, so did all else,
namely the Music.

A whack on the timepiece brings it back to
life and thus the Music starts back up.

~Rw