I always thought that Jerry Byrd looked alot like Hannibal Lecter. I'm serious - no slam intended - just seems that way from some of his earlier photos....
This is a photo for sale on eBay. Seller claims it is Jerry Byrd on steel guitar and Paul Page on organ.
I've seen pictures of JB in every stage of his life and this one is a long shot, IMHO. Also the Gibson steel thing is a red flag.
Of course, I've seen an auction on eBay recently that supposedly is Spade Cooley dancing with some young lady. The guy in the photo bore about as much resemblence to Spade Cooley as Louis Armstrong did. So where some of these sellers get their information, God only knows.
Bill: Thanks for that info. Now I know where O'Reilly got that harsh wit and antagonistic outlook on life. I'm sure that's where I got mine too. Now all I have to figure out is where Tony Davis got his sense of humor from.....what a wit !! And Miles from Dublin. What is that all about ??
Now he's gone and figured out Smiley's signature licks too. ars longa/vita brevis has got to be some sort of classical music signature or Smiley wouldn't use it....Maybe Bobbe knows what it is but I hear he's been busy. Oh well.......
Regards, Paul <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 21 August 2001 at 08:28 AM.]</p></FONT>
Paul: My vulgate Latin's a bit rusty, but I think "ars longa/vita brevis" loosely translates into "Long in the bottom, but short in the vitals"! Or somethin' like that.
(A dumb joke. Broadly translated, it really means "life is short, but art endures."<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bill Fall on 21 August 2001 at 11:34 AM.]</p></FONT>
That's a very old picture of whoever that is. I don't recognize that Hammond but look around the room. Everything in there looks fifties to me. Byrd never looked like that then or now. I never thought of Hannibal Lecture but that's about as close as it gets.
This probably blow you guys away. This picture was up on ebay in May. I downloaded it and sent it to Jerry with some comments. Here was his reply back then.
"The Paul Page photo goes back to the 60's or earlier, and I have no idea who that steel player is. Paul had a Hawaiian music "big band" like Harry Owens. I made 4 cuts (songs) with him in an LP of the Big Island of Hawaii. He moved back to the mainland and died several years ago. Neither do I have any idea as to what make of steel guitar he's playing- AND - what do you mean with the guy "with a pumpkin on a stump"-??
I guess you can read between the lines if that is Jerry or not and the gentle family banter between us.
Paul Graupp,
Floyd Cramer did,indeed,play organ. I have two albums by Floyd called,"Floyd Cramer Gets Organized",& "Cramer At The Console".
They were recorded in '62 & '64 respectively.Just thought I'd pass that along.
Thanks Smiley; I didn't know that but it certainly makes sense. I guess that's what happens when Uncle has you out of the country for 13 of 18 years. I think I'm still just getting back home !!
If that is Paul Page (and I'm pretty sure it is) that's probably Bernie Lewis. Bernie played for Paul for years, amd though I've seen plenty pictures of him, I've never seen one of Bernie. Photo looks to be early to mid '60s (there was no black Fender stuff in the '50s). The organ is definitely an old Hammond X77 console...no other organ looks like that! From the furnishings, it's probaby a club or lounge in Hawaii, or in Calif. somewhere. Paul zig-zaged between them a lot.