RIP Duane Wong

[Dave Zirbel]

I'm a little late but just found out that my first pedal steel instructor passed away earlier this month. He and his wife Joanne owned a music store in El Cerrito, CA called Music Works, where Pudgy gave lessons. He was very helpful in the early stages of my steel guitar journey. Rest in peace, Pudgy.
http://www.sunsetviewcemetery.com/obitu ... uane-Wong/

[Joe Goldmark]

Great guy, multi-instrumentalist and good friend. Another cancer victim taken at a relatively young age.

We played in bands together and he recorded (on pull-string guitar and banjo) on some of my albums. He had many friends in different walks of life, and will be missed. R.I.P.

Joe

[Jim Simon]

Long before I started playing pedal steel I saw Pudgy with Ernest Tubb in Concord. Fun stage presents. Later frequented the store for years. Inspirational kind of personality. Condolences to his family.

[Don McClellan]

Hi Joe, As soon as I saw that Duane had died I thought of you. I know you guys were close friends. I was never close to Duane but I knew him a little and he was always kind and fair to me in his store. I know he'll be missed. I hope his store will remain open. He was a good PSG player too. Don

[Mike Neer]

Read his obituary, sounds like an amazing guy is gone. My condolences.

[Paul Hoaglin]

Been mostly away from the forum recently so I only just now saw this - I'm very sad. Music Works was (and still is, really) my "local" shop from my teen years on, and I used to see Pudgy fairly regularly. Bought a lot of strings and picks and allsorts from him, and he was always very patient with me (which mustn't have been easy!). I wish I'd been able to talk steel with him as well. He will definitely be missed....

[Richard Sinkler]

I just saw this. RIP Duane

[John McClung]

So sorry to hear this. Duane was one of the Bay Area's top steelers back when Don McClellan and I were just getting started learning how to play this electric cheese slicer. Years later I bought my ukulele from him at a Hawaiian festival in Cerritos, CA. Very nice guy. RIP, Pudgy.

[Andy DePaule]

Met him when I moved back to San Francisco from northern California in 1977.
He was playing if my memory serves right some place in the Richmond district or maybe near Gary Street... I was very new at trying to play steel then and he just blew me away with his incredible fast playing and tasteful fills.
Was very impressed and wish I had seen more of him, but there was not a lot of C&W in San Francisco at that time.
Was soon after that when I met B0b....
Well I hope Duane rests in peace.

[Godfrey Arthur]

Mentions Duane in the NAMM clip among the many lost last year.

https://www.namm.org/library/oral-histo ... ibute-2017

[Andy DePaule]