Former OSGA President Don Compston

Larry King · Post by **Larry King** » 20 Jun 2021 9:21 pm

You would have to travel far and wide to find a man of his honesty, integrity, and down right good guy. There won't be anyone , anywhere even near the caliber of Don Compston. He was fun to be around and it was a real kick to see him on the front row with his grandkids,laughing their tails off as Joe Wright was being Joe .

The OSGA seemed to have Don's full attention and commitment to its continuing success. He worked hard....I know he did.....to make sure everyone had a great time . Furthermore I'm told that if the paid attendance fell short , Don would underwrite the losses incurred . In other words he put his money where his mouth was .

It only makes sense that because his generosity, we were able to experience the likes of Papa Joe...Buttermilk John
At this point I have to credit my bandmate John Buffington for the opportunity to meet and get to know Don Compston . It was while the Country Classics were backing our steel man Mr Buff , that Don heard John Terry sing and {I helped a little} and realized that the level of talent rivaled that of the fellow that would come up from Texas at a cost of $ 1500 and we were doing the same songs and were already on staff and getting paid. Heck we weren't trying to displace anyone.....after all we just replicated what we did on a regular basis at Cowskin Prairie , Grove Ok every weekend. Never gave it a second thought as we shuffled your socks off. I'm telling you , that magical voice of John Tery's made the difference.....thank you JB and Don C. It created an the opportunity to meet some of the finest people on earth.

So we lost a treasure when Don left us. I will forever be grateful that I was blessed to know the man, Don Compston

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 21 Jun 2021 4:07 pm

Amend to that Post Larry. Don was a most Wonderful man and did so much for our OSGA Club. John Terry is in the same league as well as John Buffington. J.R. Rose

john buffington · Post by **john buffington** » 22 Jun 2021 4:03 pm

Thank you JR., those were some of the absolute best times for us all for sure.

Roger Osbourn · Post by **Roger Osbourn** » 29 Jun 2021 4:16 pm

When I was a kid, back in the early 60s,Rocky Caple played on channel 8 in Tulsa on Saturday nights. I loved Rocky and dreamed of getting to meet him someday. When Ray Qualls organized the Northeast Oklahoma Steel Guitar Club (NEOSGA) around 1995,Don Compston came over for our first meeting. I asked Don if he knew Rocky Caple and he said you bet, quite well and that he could arrange for me to meet Rocky. It was a dream come true for me. I got to hear Rocky play Sawed Off Shotgun at the following Tulsa Convention. The next year Rocky called me to see if I planned on being at the upcoming Tulsa Show. I was honored that he even remembered me. Sometime I will tell you my Rocky Caple story when I was a kid. Meeting Rocky has been a tremendous highlight in my life and I owe it all to my precious friend Don Compston. I loved Don and I sure miss him. P.S. I have a picture that Mitzi Grantham took of Rocky and me at the last Tulsa show he attended. I cherish that picture and I thank you Mitzi with all my heart. You gave me a treasure. I love you and Buck "oodles and gobs".

john buffington · Post by **john buffington** » 29 Jun 2021 4:50 pm

Roger you are so right about Rocky and Don. When Don was organizing the OSGA as it was in "the day", Don became a big part of my life also. It was through him that the OSGA grew to what it was. Rocky Caple was everyone's go to and local hero in Tulsa. I am so fortunate to own one of John Hughey's guitars through Rocky Caple.
When Don passed away, a part of the steel guitar world in me died also. Boy I sure miss those almost daily phone calls I used to get from him concerning the club or just visiting.
I had the honor of serving the OSGA as Vice President under him for 11 years and loved every minute of it with him. They'll never be another Don Compston as we once had the privilege of knowing.