Kelsey- A Buck Reid Song - My Version

[Geoff Noble]

This is my version of Buck Reids song Kelsey from his album, A Work in Progress. I saw Buck twice at the Texas Steel Jamboree in 2016 and he blew my mind both times.

It is the 10th anniversary of the trip Janice and I made to Texas from Scotland, to pick up my MSA Legend at the Texas Steel Jamboree. So it seems timely to put together a song and pictures of our trip there. It was a great experience, apart from the camaraderie, we saw some top steel players including, Buck Reid, JD Maness, Frank Carter and Paddy Long from New Zealand with his friend Brian supporting him on guitar. Always thankful to Ken Byng and Ted Nesbitt who took us under their wing and introduced us to a lot of the players and builders. Also the kindness and support from the guys and gals at MSA, who made us feel very welcome, many thanks to Mitchell Smithey for rodding my MSA and follow on support.

After watching Buck play, I bought his CD - A Work in Progress, he was giving away a free copy of a TAB for a song from his CD with it. Unfortunately for me it was Scrapple The Apple which I have absolutely no chance of being able to play.

So I bought the TAB and backing tracks for Kelsey from Buck, a great tune and one I could at least attempt. He wrote it as a tribute to his newly born daughter Kelsey.

This is my version of it. Unfortunately just as I was really getting somewhere with it, I fell ill with a condition which stopped me playing for a couple of years. So this is how far I got with it before falling ill, I think it's almost there, I would have liked to have had a bit more time with it to really get the feel of it, but was pretty pleased I had even managed to play it from beginning to end. I can quite honestly say it is the hardest tune I have played on my steel.

Following the end of the Jamboree Janice and I hired a Ford Mustang open top and did a bit of sightseeing around Texas. We drove down to Austin where the South by SouthWest festival was on, we stayed there for a few days and then drove down to San Antonio.

I have made up a slideshow of pictures taken on this trip to accompany the song. These are from the Jamboree, Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. It remains a very special trip in my memory, looking at the photos brings it all back.

Hope you like it.

https://youtu.be/MtvsXnO87D0?si=_vRJRB5pXFgx4Inu

[Tucker Jackson]

Sounds mighty fine, Geoff! Thanks for posting.

[Robert Miller]

Nice touch, Geoff. I didn't quite catch from the post whether this was a recording from before your time off, or upon your return. I had a tangle with a Peterbilt in my Plymouth that took me out of commission for a couple of years. Trying to stare down my guitar for a comeback was daunting. Glad you're back in it.

[Geoff Noble]

Thanks Tucker, appreciate it.

Hi Robert, yeah this was recorded before I had to stop playing. Nearer the end of working on it, I was in a lot of pain and it became a struggle to finish it. I would have liked to have spent a bit more time on it, to get past the reading from tab feel and maybe got it a bit more fluid. I guess I could have gone back and started working on it again now, but I would have had to start from scratch and it was a lot of work the first time around.

However, I was pleased with the result, I hadn't been playing PS long at that point, maybe about 4-5 years, so it was very satisfying to tackle something which was, tbh, kinda beyond my ability at that stage.

Sorry to hear of your accident, good that you are back playing again. I know how it feels to have something that is such a big part of your life ripped away. At times I wasn't sure if I could get back playing again, but now that I can, it has made me more determined to make the most of it.

[Robert Miller]

Thanks for the kind words, Geoff. I'm going to go out on a limb and say I would really like to hear what you make of the tune now. The big challenges were what really threw me fully back into the seat when easing into it left me cold. If you're working your way back in, grab ahold of something that stirs up doubt and then work through it anyway. You still own all the work you've already done.

[Geoff Noble]

Thanks Robert. I'm currently working on a few challenging tunes. I've been working on a version of Tom Brumleys version of Forever Loving You, he makes it sound easy, but it is far from being easy, especially the feel and tone he seems to get from every note.

My problem is that I have been left with some serious injuries, 6 compressed vertebrae plus other bone damage, and although I am a lot better than I was, playing can be very challenging and painful at times. I also now have peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet, so my hands are not as nimble as they were. However, I'll keep plugging away, I enjoy it too much to do otherwise.

Off now to do some playing, all the best and hope you are enjoying playing again

[Robert Miller]

Extremely encouraging to hear you're back in the battle, Geoff.