Grand Ole Opry staff steelers ?

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 5 Mar 2023 9:58 am

The Guild Starfire was not a common sight at the Opry, we would reckon.

Great pix, Mr. Z. Thanks for sharing!

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 5 Mar 2023 6:15 pm

Bill Cunningham wrote:It was my understanding that the Opry was always loosely organized with lots of different players doing “spots” with whatever artist asked until an official Opry staff band was formed with Linneman (sp?), Capps, Leon, Spider, Sonny, Hal, Weldon, et al.

And I still submit there have only been four “staff steel players” on the GOO. Sonny, Hal, and Weldon. Sonny and Hal retired for whatever reasons. Years later Weldon retired/quit and Tommy White has had the job since then.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 8 Mar 2023 10:36 am

Thanks You so much Bruce. What great pictures with great memories. J.R. Rose

Doug Jones · Post by **Doug Jones** » 25 Mar 2023 8:36 am

Here's an example of the Opry with what appears to be a staff band in the background. This video, as best I can tell, features Stu Basore with Kitty Wells. Anyone recogonize the steeler behind Stu?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKleTa94dC8

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 25 Mar 2023 9:13 am

Doug Jones wrote:Here's an example of the Opry with what appears to be a staff band in the background. This video, as best I can tell, features Stu Basore with Kitty Wells. Anyone recogonize the steeler behind Stu?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKleTa94dC8

Doug,the other steel player in that clip is Howard White...hope you are well, my friend!

SH

Doug Jones · Post by **Doug Jones** » 26 Mar 2023 6:54 am

Hinson the Historian comes through again. Thanks Steve and best back atcha . . . .

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 28 Mar 2023 1:10 pm

Doug Jones wrote:Here's an example of the Opry with what appears to be a staff band in the background. This video, as best I can tell, features Stu Basore with Kitty Wells. Anyone recogonize the steeler behind Stu?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKleTa94dC8

You realize that this is a lip sync, right. Watch the drummer…he’s hitting air.

Doug Jones · Post by **Doug Jones** » 28 Mar 2023 1:42 pm

Yes, I realized it was lip sync the first time I saw it. No microphone near Kitty was my tip-off. Sadly, televised programs continue to lip sync. My question regarding this video was who was the non-playing steel player in what appeared to be a staff band in the background; a question so aptly answered by Steve Hinson. The focus of my original post was to try to gather info about steel guitarists who at one point were part of the Opry staff band.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 28 Mar 2023 7:00 pm

Doug Jones wrote:Yes, I realized it was lip sync the first time I saw it. No microphone near Kitty was my tip-off. Sadly, televised programs continue to lip sync. My question regarding this video was who was the non-playing steel player in what appeared to be a staff band in the background; a question so aptly answered by Steve Hinson. The focus of my original post was to try to gather info about steel guitarists who at one point were part of the Opry staff band.

Those Gannaway videos are not the Grand Ole Opry either. They were produced in The Bradley studios I believe.