Tom Bradshaw - The Pedal Steel Pages
Tom Bradshaw
P.O. Box 931 - Concord, CA 94522
Phone: 925-798-9937
8-10-02
To: The Convention Board of the
Steel Guitar Hall of Fame
9525 Midland Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63114
Re: HOF Nomination of Bobby Black
_____________________________________
Personal Background: Bobby’s first album, “California Freedom,” contains considerable background information. It covers Bobby’s musical background up through 1978. As is revealed there, when just a teenager, like Pee Wee, Bobby joined Blackie Crawford’s Cherokee Cowboys, well before that band was taken over by Ray Price. He toured extensively in his early years (1950s) with Crawford, travelling in Texas and the mid-west. In the mid-‘70s, Bobby settled in Nashville where he worked for Pete Drake at Pete’s studio. There, he recorded hundreds of record sides, as well as did demo recordings for up and coming vocalists, recorded jingles, and worked club dates as they arose.
Bobby is 68 years old and has been playing steel guitar for exactly 52 years. He “survived” the ups and downs of the music business during those years with his versatility. Beginning in country music, he quickly adapted to Rock and Roll when it usurped all musical venues in the ‘60s and ‘70s. During that time he was one of a handful of steel players on that circuit, introducing young audiences to the fact that a theretofore stereotyped country instrument could hold its own against fuzz tones and other effects devices that were the rule for musical backup players in those groups. Bobby’s love for pop and Hawaiian music was something he always nurtured, and his talent with those styles is revealed quite pointedly in his “Honky Cat” album of 1980 (LP record, but is now available on cassette) and his most recent album, “The Steel Guitar of Bobby Black”.
Along with his brother, Larry, Bobby managed several of the bands that they formed over the years. Bobby has been a full-time steel guitarist all of his working life. He continues to perform in the S.F. Bay Area regularly. His versatility has led to many unusual gigs, including concerts with offbeat groups from Folk to new wave rock, as well as plays and other stage performances.
Individual Albums: I am enclosing copies of all of Bobby’s personal recordings. While other artist’s albums have been discontinued, Bobby’s continue to sell on a regular basis. Wherever he performs I receive inquiries about his albums.
If you review his albums I believe you will agree that his talent and skill as a musician leaves little doubt that he qualifies in the “ability” area.
1978 California Freedom
1980 Honky Cat
1984 Skull Orchard – The Black Brothers
2001 The Steel Guitar Of Bobby Black
The following are a few of the prominent artists for whom he has contributed to their album cuts:
Asleep at the Wheel
Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen
New Riders of the Purple Sage
The California Cowboys
Rose Maddox
David Allan Coe
The Jordanaires
Blackie Crawford and his Western Cherokees
Norton Buffalo
Linda Hargrove
Jimmy Luttrell
The Hoopii Brothers
The Five Whispers
Shorty Joe
Arlie Duff
Patsy Elshire
The Triplets
The U.S. Six
Hoyt Henry
The Country Cut-Ups
Doug Sahm
Texas Tornadoes
Link Wray
Robert Gordon
Carl Brouse
Gary Paxton
David Rogers
Larry Ballard
Jerry Shelfer
Alice Stuart
Shelley Streeter
Kitaro
David Gans
Bill Kirchen
Dave Younger
Sage
The Five Whispers
The Tides
At one time or another, Bobby has been under a recording contract with the following labels:
Dot/Paramount
MGM
United Artists
Dolton (Subsidiary of Liberty Records)
Doré
Little Darlin’
Warner Brothers
Arista
Cumberland (subsidiary of Mercury)
The following are some of the artists with whom Bobby has worked, or was in their back-up bands:
Foy Willing & The Riders Of The Purple Sage
Tommy Duncan
Jim Reeves
Little Jimmy Dickens
Johnny & Joanie Moseby
Del Reeves
Webb Pierce
Billy Walker
Stu Phillips
Merle Travis
Tiny Moore
Freddie Powers
Willie Nelson
Merle Haggard
Rose Maddox
Barbara Mandrell
Louise Mandrell
Floyd Tilman
Eddie Dean
Hank Cochran
Eddie Cochran
Gene Vincent
Rusty Draper
Spade Cooley
Tex Williams
Red Sovine
Joe & Rose Maphis
Johnny Western
Charlie Pride
Patsy Montana
Red Murrell
Big Jim DeNoon
Bill Drake
Wynn Stewart
Dick & Dee Dee
Lily Tomlin
Martin Mull
Buck Owens
Marvin Rainwater
Henson Cargill
Bobby Bare
Peter Rowan
Rusty MacDonald
Hank Penny
Jerry Wallace
Red Foley
George Jones
Guy Madison
Red Simpson
Martha Carson
Laurie Lewis
Sue Thompson
Freddy Hart
Ray Price
Larry Gatlin
Roy Drusky
Cowboy Copas
Eddie Kirk
Tommy Hill
Goldie Hill
Danny Gatton
Marty Robbins
Mel Carter
The Coasters
Thumbs Carlisle
Billy Jo Spears
Stephanie Davis
Steve Wariner
Cal Smith
Bobby Freeman
Movie Appearances and/or Soundtracks:
“Hollywood Boulevard” (appeared in the movie and on the soundtrack)
“Roadie” (starring Art Carnie, Blondie, Meatloaf, etc. (appeared in the movie and on the soundtrack)
“Blue Thunder & White Lightning” (soundtrack only), starring David Carridine.
Television Show appearances:
Grand Ole Opry
The Wilburn Brothers Show
Police Woman (Angie Dickenson & Earl Holliman)
Biography (featuring Barbara Mandrell,
and Lady Bird Johnson)
Hoffman Hayride
California Hayride
Talent Prospector
The Les Malloy Show
The Del Courtney Show
The Black Jack Wayne Show
Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert
Midnight Special (with Wolfman Jack)
Bay Area Backroads
Radio Shows:
Big D Jamboree
Louisiana Hayride
Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor on PBS
West Coast Live (PBS)
Grand Ole Opry radio shows
Musical Stage Productions: Radio & TV Commercials:
“Cumberland Blues” (1998) Burger King
“Chaps” (1998) Anhauser Busch
Too many commercial “Jingles” for Bobby to remember.
Awards:
California Country Music Association’s “Steel Guitarist of the Year,” four years total, with the last two years being 1986 and 1994. Inducted into the California Western Swing Society Hall of Fame (1992)
Toured in every U.S. State except Alaska, with:
The Cowtown Band (Far East),
Commander Cody (Britain, Europe)
Barbara Mandrell (Britain)
Doug Sahm and the Sir Douglas quintet (Scandinavia)
New Riders of the Purple Sage (U.S.)
Notable Performances & Events:
Bobby has performed at the Steel Guitar Convention in St. Louis on several occasions and at all of the west coast steel guitar shows that I promoted, plus:
1972. At Coho Hall in Ann Arbor, Michigan with CC, sharing the billing with John Lennon, Stevie Wonder and Chuck Berry.
1973 Outdoor concert in Palm Springs with Commander Cody, Jerry Reed & Kris Kristofferson.
1973. A Harlem concert with Commander Cody, opening for the Eagles and Earth, Wind & Fire. - At the Spectrum in Philadelphia with CC, opening for Alice Cooper.
1974. Headlined at Carnegie Hall with Doug Sahm.
1975 Played for President Nixon in Huntsville, Alabama while with Barbara Mandrell.
1976 At Winterland in San Francisco, with New Riders of the Purple Sage, sharing the billing with The Blues Brothers and The Beach Boys.
1978 At the Meadowlands in New Jersey, with New Riders of the Purple Sage, sharing billing with Willie Nelson and The Grateful Dead (77,000 in attendance).
1977 “A Day on the Green” concert with Commander Cody, opening for Elton John & The Eagles.
1987. With Jerry Byrd at the annual Hoolaulea in Hawaii for the “Best of the Hawaiian Steel Guitarists.” Was the only mainland performer to be invited.
I believe Bobby adequately qualifies for Hall of Fame membership. The question is perhaps, what year is appropriate for his induction?
Fraternally yours, …Tom Bradshaw
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