Hank Thompson with Curly Chalker on Steel Guitar.

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 22 Feb 2010 7:35 am

Listen to Curlys ascending run with the palm blocking at 2:11 in the song. http://www.zshare.net/audio/72880984b13688f7/

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 22 Feb 2010 8:14 am

John: Can you detail the credits for this work ?? I just cannot think Curly Chalker as I listen to it but the ascending run you mention is something he would do. The rest just says Bobby Garrett or Bert Rivera to me.

But it wouldn't be the first time Curly has opened my eyes !!

Perhaps you recall the story I've told before on the Forum about how I asked Bobby if he had heard what Curly played with Hank and then Bobby looked at me and said: That was ME !!

Regards, Paul

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 22 Feb 2010 8:30 am

Howdy Paul. The album is called Hank Thompson DOIN MY THING and the musicians are as follows: Bob Moore, Tony Migliore, Phil Baugh, Willie Ackerman, Odell Martin, Buddy Spicher, Tommy Williams, Harold(Curly)Chalker,Shorty Lavender, Kenny Maline, Hargus Robbins, Tommy Allsup, Roger Bissell, Denis Solee and William Joor. The album was recorded in 1977. I would even be willing to bet that those E9 licks Curly is doing is probably done with his C6 tuning being the master that he was.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 22 Feb 2010 8:41 am

John: Thanks for the prompt info. And I do agree that he was using the C6th (Bb6th...) neck to get it done. The low ending run you pointed out was definately not on E9th, not even an extended E9th setup would achieve that bottom end.

And isn't it funny; he's been gone these several years and he still catches me off guard just as he did when he was here. I'll bet even Johnny Cox says the same thing now and then because he was closer to Curly then any of us.

Regards, Paul

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 22 Feb 2010 8:52 am

When I listened to that song for a while I decided to get my guitar tuned with the record and I figured out that ascending run he did in the second verse and it is done using the second string half drop and just runing the scale up the neck, thats when I learned how to use that knee lever to drop the second string. I would be lost without that lever.

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 22 Feb 2010 9:02 am

Very nice tune by Hank with Curly on steel guitar.

I wish someone could post a 1960s tune with Curly on steel guitar, called: "STRRING UP THE ASHES".

ROGER

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 22 Feb 2010 9:46 am

How bout this one Roger but I don't know if its Curly or not but it sure sounds like him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBHOCFfZv98

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 22 Feb 2010 4:13 pm

Bobby Garrett can be heard on Hank's "Live at the Golden Nugget'. "Live at the Chyenne(spelling?) Rodeo". "Live at the Texas State Fair", and many others by Hank. Bobby was a big Chalker fan. Chalker was really great on the "Cab Driver" album. Jody.

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 23 Feb 2010 6:19 pm

HELLO JOHN,

Thanks so much for the tune.

Yes, that is definitely Curly Chalker. Another FORUMITE sent me the clip. Hank recorded this tune in 1965.
I believe Curly was using a Fender PSG at this time: D-8 1000 or D-10 2000 model.???

Does anyone have this album? I would appreciate a copy.

ROGER

Peter Freiberger · Post by **Peter Freiberger** » 24 Feb 2010 7:02 am

This guy has put a lot of Hank Thompson on YouTube, much of it with Chalker:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... type=&aq=f

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 24 Feb 2010 12:09 pm

Well Peter; Once again I find myself indebted to you and YouTube !! The site provided me access to Hank Thompson's Brazos Valley Boys just as I had been in 1953 upon returning from Korea. Back then, I heard WSM Nashville play Coconut Grove by Bob White who was the steel guitarist with HT in those days. I immediately went to Bob's Someplace Else Night Club in downtown Oklahoma City and told him of the DJ'x comments. His reply was very similar to one expressed by Ray Price upon his induction into the CM Hall of Fame: "It's About Time !!"

I sensed, in those days, a division between eastern or country steel guitar such as played by Nashville musicians and western, swing or Texas/Oklahoma musicians. Apparently Bob had been wanting to be recognized by Nashville and the news I relayed to him told him they finally had.

I had not heard Coconut Grove by Bob for several decades now and it was a long road back to when I first heard it played by him. In a way I suppose I could refer to him as a mentor but he was more of a friend and a teacher to me. He was also my introduction to pedal steel and a love of musical understanding. If the fire was already burning, he merely poured gas on it. He was a lot to many steel guitarists who knew him via the Brazos Valley Boys and their work with HT and I'm sure that would include Curly. I cannot recall how many Band Of The Year awards they got but it was a bunch of them because they were just that.

Bob White's signature licks are legend as are the pedal changes he introduced us to. He was a pioneer and legend in our musical world of steel guitar!!

Again Thank You; Thank You; Thank You!! Paul

Peter Freiberger · Post by **Peter Freiberger** » 24 Feb 2010 1:21 pm

The pleasure is mine. Thank you, Paul.

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 7 Mar 2010 4:24 pm

Guys, I don't mean to disagree but this sounds like Curly's great E9 playing by the phrasing. Curly was always at odds over using a Universal tuning because of this. It's true he could do some fine E9-like on the C6 but the solo as a whole says, E9. He had his own E9 playing that was like no one else and it was influenced by his C6 playing.
Stirring Up The Ashes came out around '63 during Curly's Fender 1000 days, and says C6 all the way.

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 7 Mar 2010 9:45 pm

Gary is exactly correct.
The 'Ages And Ages Ago'
is undoubtedly Curly
Chalker at the
E9th tuning.
~Russ

John H. McGlothlin · Post by **John H. McGlothlin** » 8 Mar 2010 6:37 am

Another beautiful song on this album is "We Don't Love There Anymore" and it also features Curly Chalker doing some fasinating E9 work.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 8 Mar 2010 2:50 pm

If Russ says it's on E9, then it's on E9. That boy's got EARS!

Tommy White · Post by **Tommy White** » 8 Mar 2010 6:28 pm

The Hank Thompson recording link is indeed Curly and was played in it's entirety on the E9th tuning as only Curly could do. Curly never borrowed any other steel player's style. He didn't need or have to. Any resemblance to another's style, I assure you was coincidental or an isolated incidental of the era, as Curly was one of the most advanced on the instrument, still is and will remain such from my prospective. That being said, I do know Curly aknowledged being a great admirer of Buddy Emmons and Lloyd Green, both musically, professionally and personally. Curly also relayed positive aknowledgements to me regarding Paul Franklin , Johnny Cox and myself.
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Hank Thompson with Curly Chalker on Steel Guitar.

Hank Thompson with Curly Chalker on Steel Guitar.

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