The Greatest Steel Guitarist You’ve Never Heard Of | The Vance Terry Story
iHonkyTonk
20,335 views
Vance Terry was a man of two worlds. To the suits at Bank of America, he was a math prodigy- and Vice President on the 50th floor. To the legends of the steel guitar, he was—a steel prodigy pushing the instrument into territories unheard of.
In this episode, I'm investigating Vance's life story, from his early days with Billy Jack Wills to the neon-soaked "Brisbane Bop" era with Jimmie Rivers. I piece together the life of the greatest steel guitarist (you've never heard of)—and explore the tragic addiction that led him from a million dollar mansion to a very lonely end at the Marshall Hotel.
CHAPTERS
00:00- Video-Sample
00:45- Intro
02:30- The Sacramento Prodigy
05:39- Meeting Jimmie Rivers
07:13- The Double Life: Banking & The 23 Club
08:22- The 19-Pedal Custom Sierra
10:02- The Fall: "One Hit is All it Takes"
12:06- Final Days in Sacramento
14:25- Vance's only video footage
15:01- Why His Legacy Still Matters
16:33- Outro
17:04- Bonus Footage
SOURCES:
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. (n.d.). Merle Travis. https://www.countrymusichalloffame.or...
Cundell, G. (2016, October 23). Vance Terry discography. Country Music Discographies. http://countrydiscoghraphy2.blogspot....
Dahl, B. (2014, October). Bob’s Playboy pickers: The steel guitarists of Western Swing. Vintage Guitar Magazine. https://www.vintageguitar.com/18687/b...
Millard, B. (n.d.). Vance Terry: The ghost of Brisbane. Wellvis. https://people.well.com/user/wellvis/...
NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants). (2009, August 3). Jimmie Rivers oral history interview [Video]. NAMM Resource Library. https://www.namm.org/library/oral-his...
Steel Guitar Forum. (n.d.). Discussion archives: Vance Terry and the Sierra custom steel. https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/
Zero to 180. (n.d.). Billy Jack Wills & His Western Swing Band: Transcriptions and sessions. https://www.zeroto180.org/
Cundell, G. (2014). The development and evolution of the western pedal steel guitar [Doctoral dissertation, University of Adelaide]. University of Adelaide Press.
Robertson, B. A. (2001, March 10). Obituary: Vance Terry, legendary steel guitarist. The Sacramento Bee. KFBK Radio Transcription Archives.
BBC Archive. (n.d.). Selected archival footage [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. @bbcarchive
Bell, D. (n.d.). Urban exploration and historical site footage [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. danbell
Campilongo Headquarters. (n.d.). Jim Campilongo performances and interviews [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. @jimcampilongo
Center for Sacramento History. (n.d.). Sacramento historical film archives [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. @centerforsacramentohistory
KVIE-PBS. (n.d.). Replacing the past: Sacramento's redevelopment history [Documentary]. PBS.
Unknown Network. (1963). Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys on Music Country Style [Television broadcast].
Unknown Network. (n.d.). Palace of Swing: Bob Wills in Sacramento [Television special]. Sacramento TV Archives.
Rivers, J., & The Cherokees. (2001). Brisbane bop [Album and liner notes]. Rhino Records. (Original work recorded 1961–1964).
Wills, B. J., & His Western Swing Band. (1982). Sacramento 1952–1954 [Album recorded with Tiny Moore]. Western Records.
Wills, B. J., & His Western Swing Band. (2022). Cadillac in Model A [Album]. Sleazy Records. (Original work recorded 1952–1954).
Wills, B. J., & His Western Swing Band. (n.d.). Crazy, man, crazy [Album]. Edsel Records.
Wills, B., & His Texas Playboys. (1960). Western swing along [Album]. Vocalion.
Wills, B., & His Texas Playboys. (2018). Country and western dance-o-rama No. 2 [Album]. Decca/Sleazy Records. (Original work recorded 1954).
#VanceTerry #SteelGuitar #WesternSwing #JimmieRivers #BobWills #MusicDocumentary #GuitarLegends #PedalSteel #TheDarkSideOfTheSteel
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Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non- profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNER(S)
20 Comments
It’s people like you who keep the stories alive and you sir got a talent to tell those stories. Thank you! 👍
Vance was a genius as you've highlighted. A unique player and identifiable, he brought mesmerising joy to to all who heard and saw him play.
One who did see him impacted me directly. The great Norm Hamlet went to see Vance playing with Billy Jack Wills probably in '52/53. Norm and Vance were similar ages and Norm just wanted to pick up on Vance's approach to the steel guitar. They spoke throughout that night which resulted in Norm deciding he was going to purchase a Bigsby triple eight string (T8) steel guitar. Vance said to Norm that this was the guitar you had to have. So, on 11th February '54, Norm received his Bigsby T8 non-pedal steel guitar the same as Vance's.
When Norm rang me one evening and told me the story behind "his" Bigsby I asked him "did you get to sound like Vance", of which he replied "no, nobody could sound like Vance but Bud (Isaacs) came out that year with Slowly and that saved me as we all wanted to sound like Bud".
I am the very proud owner of Norm's Bigsby that now has six pedals (three in '54 to get Bud's sound and three in '58 to expand his 9th and 6th playing).
I also played at DeMarco's/23 Club in Brisbane back in '99. It was truly a thrill to play on that stage where so many had played before and absorb the atmosphere that made that "wild west" club so special.
An old guy came up to me and said "you're the steel man, right?". I said "yes". He held out his hand and in it was a tone bar. It was a conical one. He offered it to me to hold. I did so but it was a little small in my hand. He said "that's Vance's bar, he's a friend of mine. I went to see him, told him that you played the old time songs and had a steel guitarist. He said get the guy to play with this".
I was mixed. In all honesty, I was not sure about the story but I held the bar and took it to the guitar. I think I played part of one song with it but, as I said, it was small in my hand. The guy came up at the end of the show, asked for the 'bar and left.
I'll never know if this was Vance's bar or if the guy even knew Vance but if it was......!
There were some great players that often get passed over like Billy Bowman or Ray Noren as examples so it's great that you've managed this particular video well.
Thank you.
My old bandleader, WSHOF Mylos Sonka (Playing guitar at 14.25 at the Sacramento Western Swing Society with the Lonestar Band, with Vance, Mylos, Piper Heisig Bass, Bruce Stelter Gtr/Vocals and I'm not sure of the drummer, but possibly Johnny Cuviello) , did a lot to keep Vance playing during his decline. He told us that even when Vance couldn't remember anyone and was out of it, when you put him on the stage, he still payed flawlessly!
I was fortunate enough to have played in the Lonestar Retrobates, which was a newer version of the Lonestar Band, but unfortunately after we lost Vance (although I DID get to play with Texas Drummer Boy Johnny Cuviello, who played drums on a LOT of the Tiffany Transcriptions with Bob's Band.
I was also lucky enough to have played at the 23 Club (where Brisbane Bop was recorded!)
There is a lot more to Vance's story, which Mylos Sonka could tell!
The Greatest Steel Guitarist You’ve Never Heard Of | The Vance Terry Story
iHonkyTonk
20,335 views
Vance Terry was a man of two worlds. To the suits at Bank of America, he was a math prodigy- and Vice President on the 50th floor. To the legends of the steel guitar, he was—a steel prodigy pushing the instrument into territories unheard of.
In this episode, I'm investigating Vance's life story, from his early days with Billy Jack Wills to the neon-soaked "Brisbane Bop" era with Jimmie Rivers. I piece together the life of the greatest steel guitarist (you've never heard of)—and explore the tragic addiction that led him from a million dollar mansion to a very lonely end at the Marshall Hotel.
CHAPTERS
00:00- Video-Sample
00:45- Intro
02:30- The Sacramento Prodigy
05:39- Meeting Jimmie Rivers
07:13- The Double Life: Banking & The 23 Club
08:22- The 19-Pedal Custom Sierra
10:02- The Fall: "One Hit is All it Takes"
12:06- Final Days in Sacramento
14:25- Vance's only video footage
15:01- Why His Legacy Still Matters
16:33- Outro
17:04- Bonus Footage
SOURCES:
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. (n.d.). Merle Travis. https://www.countrymusichalloffame.or...
Cundell, G. (2016, October 23). Vance Terry discography. Country Music Discographies. http://countrydiscoghraphy2.blogspot....
Dahl, B. (2014, October). Bob’s Playboy pickers: The steel guitarists of Western Swing. Vintage Guitar Magazine. https://www.vintageguitar.com/18687/b...
Millard, B. (n.d.). Vance Terry: The ghost of Brisbane. Wellvis. https://people.well.com/user/wellvis/...
NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants). (2009, August 3). Jimmie Rivers oral history interview [Video]. NAMM Resource Library. https://www.namm.org/library/oral-his...
Steel Guitar Forum. (n.d.). Discussion archives: Vance Terry and the Sierra custom steel. https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/
Zero to 180. (n.d.). Billy Jack Wills & His Western Swing Band: Transcriptions and sessions. https://www.zeroto180.org/
Cundell, G. (2014). The development and evolution of the western pedal steel guitar [Doctoral dissertation, University of Adelaide]. University of Adelaide Press.
Robertson, B. A. (2001, March 10). Obituary: Vance Terry, legendary steel guitarist. The Sacramento Bee. KFBK Radio Transcription Archives.
BBC Archive. (n.d.). Selected archival footage [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. @bbcarchive
Bell, D. (n.d.). Urban exploration and historical site footage [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. danbell
Campilongo Headquarters. (n.d.). Jim Campilongo performances and interviews [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. @jimcampilongo
Center for Sacramento History. (n.d.). Sacramento historical film archives [YouTube Channel]. YouTube. @centerforsacramentohistory
KVIE-PBS. (n.d.). Replacing the past: Sacramento's redevelopment history [Documentary]. PBS.
Unknown Network. (1963). Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys on Music Country Style [Television broadcast].
Unknown Network. (n.d.). Palace of Swing: Bob Wills in Sacramento [Television special]. Sacramento TV Archives.
Rivers, J., & The Cherokees. (2001). Brisbane bop [Album and liner notes]. Rhino Records. (Original work recorded 1961–1964).
Wills, B. J., & His Western Swing Band. (1982). Sacramento 1952–1954 [Album recorded with Tiny Moore]. Western Records.
Wills, B. J., & His Western Swing Band. (2022). Cadillac in Model A [Album]. Sleazy Records. (Original work recorded 1952–1954).
Wills, B. J., & His Western Swing Band. (n.d.). Crazy, man, crazy [Album]. Edsel Records.
Wills, B., & His Texas Playboys. (1960). Western swing along [Album]. Vocalion.
Wills, B., & His Texas Playboys. (2018). Country and western dance-o-rama No. 2 [Album]. Decca/Sleazy Records. (Original work recorded 1954).
#VanceTerry #SteelGuitar #WesternSwing #JimmieRivers #BobWills #MusicDocumentary #GuitarLegends #PedalSteel #TheDarkSideOfTheSteel
/////////
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non- profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNER(S)
Lastly, to those that keep commenting that there are many VP's at Banks and that Vance being a VP is not significant, all I can tell you is that Vance was reported as being very financially successful in his position at Bank of America. He allegedly had a million dollar home in the 1970's, and to me and (I think?) most people that is a noteworthy fact that is interesting and unusual for a steel guitarist.
Whatever his exact title there, the point is that his success in Finance far surpassed what little recognition he ever received in music. That in of itself makes his biography and life-story different from most of his peers and surely adds something to the weight of his downfall, in my opinion.