Search - Jerry Byrd :: Jerry Byrd By Request

The First Name in Steel Guitar - Hawaiian or Otherwise

David Sichak | San Jose, CA USA | 06/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are things in your life that just hit you and make you want to try and be like that. Everyone has their favorite baseball player. And everyone that turns to a musical instrument has a few people that somewhere turned them on to it. Jerry Byrd and the steel guitar is someone like that. The instrument was invented or he was invented for the instrument. How can you describe his style - it seem so effortless. It's smooth as silk, its distinctive and if you want to play the steel guitar, you find yourself trying to even think of playing as good as him. Think of it - he's played with Hank! Listen to "I'll be All Smiles Tonight" - a simple timeless classic, but man, try and imitate it. A medley of Sweet Dreams and I Fall To Pieces. Mix it up with Stardust on one hand to Mauna Kea on the other in traditional Hawaiian classics. Because of him, I bought an 8-string Fender Hawaiian Lap top steel and top myself to play. Tried to play like him, listening to him or Brother Oswald or Little Roy Wiggins. Needless to say, there aren't enough days in my life to even try to get close to as good as this. Jerry is to the steel guitar what Chet Atkins is to the guitar."

The Master!

HG Moore | Austin, TX USA | 04/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jerry Byrd is the preeminent nonpedal steel guitarist. He was equally adept at country, Hawaiian, or standards. This is my favorite CD of his, and his "Master of Touch and Tone" is second. On this one, the accompanists are subtle and sympatico. It is simply impossible to play better than this! Byrd's playing on any of the CDs available is marvelous but some of the strings and choral arrangements, while perfectly acceptable when the recordings were made 30 years ago, have not aged well. But on the two CDs I've mentioned, it's just Byrd and a small group. This would be a good gift for anyone you want to turn on to the capabilities of this instrument or who loves Hawaiian, country, or standards. Highly recommended!"