Who played steel in "Blue Hawaii"?

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 20 Sep 2000 11:13 am

Hope I'm not showing my ignorance too much....but...I was just watching Elvis's "Blue Hawaii" on cable, & there seemed to be quite a bit of steel guitar in the sound track....anybody know who it was?

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 20 Sep 2000 12:18 pm

According to the Elvis in Hawaii web site, Alvino Rey was the steel guitarist.

According to The Elvisology web site, the steel guitarist was Bernie Lewis. I note that Alvino Rey is listed as playing ukulele!

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 20 September 2000 at 01:19 PM.][This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 20 September 2000 at 01:22 PM.]

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 20 Sep 2000 1:06 pm

cool Brad! thanks!

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 20 Sep 2000 6:52 pm

Someone didn't get it right on that elvis web site. Alvino Rey played the steel and Bernie Lewis played the Ukelele.A top Pro has to play all kinds of Music, not just country.....al

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 20 Sep 2000 9:33 pm

Alvino Rey, (now 92...I think) played for the Elvis movie. Alvino, back in the forties and fifties had a swinging dance band. You young 'uns out there should try to find some of his great recordings, (old 78's) ... hear stuff like Tiger Rag, Roseroom and many other tremendous arrangements which featured him on early pedal steel, (Gibson), and his big band. He is a legend. Lives in retirement in Utah. He's a great man in music.

Bill Stafford · Post by **Bill Stafford** » 23 Sep 2000 2:57 pm

Correct, Keoki, Alvino is one of the greatest. If not the greatest.
Bill Stafford.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 24 Sep 2000 9:25 pm

An endorsement from Bill Stafford is akin to finding a gold mine ! About 2 years ago I was in touch with Alvino and he mentioned he was gathering many of his best big band recordings and transcriptions to make into a cd. Has anyone heard if this was ever accomplished ? What a great treasure that would be !

Dave Brophy · Post by **Dave Brophy** » 24 Sep 2000 10:41 pm

Keoki,
One nice side benefit of taking up the steel guitar is that at age 49,I can be considered a "young 'un"

since I never heard Alvino Rey.
Until a few minutes ago,anyway.There is a nice bio at http://www.allmusic.com/ (just type his name in.)
Collector's Choice http://www.ccmusic.com/ shows 2 compilations of his work from the 40's for sale,with a few brief sound samples.
I'd like to hear more.
-Dave

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 26 Sep 2000 1:30 pm

I heard it was actually Freddie Tavares that played steel on the soundtrack sessions....anybody have a connection to look at the original studio log? or the master tape box?
Aloha,
Mike
it sounds like Freddie,to me, anyway....[This message was edited by mikey on 26 September 2000 at 02:33 PM.]

Mike D · Post by **Mike D** » 28 Sep 2000 2:54 pm

This is all very interesting...but what I want to know is who really drove the Cobra in "Spinout"?

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 2 Oct 2000 7:39 am

Several years back, Alvino Ray and his wife dropped by Sierra Guitar Co.here in Portland during the monthly meeting of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Club. He was there, as I recall, to take a look at his new PSG that Don, "the man" Christenson was making for him. His wife a large quantity of cd's, one of which for the time, was his latest release. Should be quite an asset for one's collection.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 2 Oct 2000 7:41 am

Okay Keoki! I knew my friend Bill Stafford always liked you better! (snivel...) So did your mom!

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 7 Oct 2000 6:32 pm

I have been corresponding with Alvino Rey and had a long talk with him on the phone last spring.In my humble opinion, he is the Grandfather and Father of the modern Pedal Steel guitar.
I had all of his early 78 records in the Late 30's and early 40's before WWII took me. They were stored at my Sister's (bless her soul) but her kids liked to play them and broke most of them. Bluebird label.

(they were not broke, just cracked, but still playable). I played all those tunes of his, "rose room' etc. off of those records.

I learned a lot from him and copied every song he played. He was The Man in those days. Just like the guys today have copied Buddy Emmons, and all the other top pros.

I still have some of his later LP's. I am sure he liked Hawaiian music, and recorded quite a few. I learned to play about 28 Hawaiian solos during those years.
Alvino was as Bill Stafford says, the greatest. It is too bad the younger players never got to know him or see him in his prime.....al[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 11 October 2000 at 10:00 PM.]