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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