Jerry Garcia and Toy Caldwell

Dennis Montgomery · Post by **Dennis Montgomery** » 5 Apr 2024 9:22 am

John Larson wrote: Plus is there a cooler picture in pedal steel guitar history than Buddy playing in front of the Grateful Dead's wall of sound.

Great shot. A wall of pedal steel that could be heard a mile away

Daniel Flanigan · Post by **Daniel Flanigan** » 5 Apr 2024 11:18 pm

Boy, what a hip picture. Thanks for showing that.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 6 Apr 2024 6:18 am

What a great thread this is!

Like many of you, I was drawn to the steel guitar by way of the likes of Toy Caldwell, Jerry Garcia, and Scott Boyer. I was a guitar player in a Southern rock band in the early 70's and we absorbed a ton of Marshall Tucker Band, Grateful Dead, and Cowboy music.

I have what I believe to be Toy Caldwell's Marlen steel, which reportedly is what he used on the "Fire On The Mountain" recording. Last year I bought a Marlen guitar off Facebook Marketplace from a fellow who told me he got the guitar from George McCorkle's widow. George was of course, along with Toy, a founding member of the Marshall Tucker Band, and to my knowledge did not play steel guitar. As far as I know he and Toy were close, and it is reasonable to assume that he may have gotten this guitar from Toy (or from his estate after his passing).

The only photo I have been able to find is a very blurry one of Toy sitting behind the Marlen. What is intriguing about this Marlen is that it has metal neck inserts as opposed to wooden ones. I consulted several acquaintances who know Marlens well and all said they have never seen such a thing. Even though this photo is blurry, it does appear that there is light reflecting off a metal neck:

I have been in contact with Toy's daughter Cassidy, hoping she had some knowledge of her dad's Marlen, and maybe a photo, but alas as she did not. She did refer me to a fellow who was Toy's right hand man for years on the road, but I have yet to receive a response from him. I also contacted Doug Gray and he was unsure about it. So I guess the jury is still out.

If I could somehow confirm that this was Toy's guitar, it would mean the world to me. I am in the process of getting it into playing condition. The first three pedals work, but that's about it. I have been able to procure some parts from some dear friends, so I hope to get it back into playing condition soon. Even with terribly old strings on it, the guitar rings like crazy, with a rich tone.

If anyone reading this can shed some light on this, please feel free to respond!

Craig Stock · Post by **Craig Stock** » 6 Apr 2024 11:54 am

Very cool Tommy, I too was first exposed steel by way of the MTB on the albums ‘Long Hard Ride’ and ‘Searching for a rainbow’, as a kid from Jersey they were my idols. I got to meet Toy and Doug after a show in Lubbock Texas, back in 81 and they were really nice guys.

I was always bummed out that many people on the Forum back in the early days ragged on his pitch, to me it sounded fine and to this day I still love it.

Good luck on authenticating that Marlen, it’s surely a piece of history.

Daniel Flanigan · Post by **Daniel Flanigan** » 6 Apr 2024 2:20 pm

Mr. Detamore, I have seen a clearer picture of Toy with his metal neck Marlen, and Toy's guitar had that same hollow knot in the grain about 5 inches in front of the Marlen decal. Based on that, and the fact that this guitar was owned by George, I believe you do have Mr. Caldwell's Marlen. As far as I know, Toy only had one Marlen, so that is almost certainly the guitar used to cut "Searchin' for a Rainbow". You're a very lucky man. Congratulations on owning a guitar that belonged to one of the greatest musicians to ever live.

Now, if only we could track down Toy's black Emmons he used starting in '76 or so. His Emmons didn't have anything unusual about it or identifying markings, so there's really no way to know.

Rest in Peace Toy Caldwell. We miss you, old boy.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 6 Apr 2024 2:52 pm

Wow Daniel thanks so much for the reply! That is great news! I was wondering about that knot, as it didn’t really show up in the blurry photo. I was almost like sometimes I thought I was seeing it, and other times not!

Sure would love to see that photo that you saw. Maybe it will turn up somehow, someday….

Thanks again!

Tommy D.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 6 Apr 2024 3:01 pm

Cool piece of steel guitar history there Tommy! Plus old Marlens have killer sound.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 6 Apr 2024 3:17 pm

Thanks Jerry! And yes they sure do!

TD

Daniel Flanigan · Post by **Daniel Flanigan** » 6 Apr 2024 9:00 pm

Tommy, I looked for that other picture, and I couldn't find it. It's strange, it wasn't very long ago that I saw it. About two months ago I was trying my hardest to find another example of a Marlen with metal necks like Toy's, and that's when I saw both the clearer picture and the picture you posted. Both pictures were taken at the same time, it was the same setting with the drums behind him and the equipment cases in the foreground, and Toy had the same shirt on, so it was definitely the same guitar in both pictures. You can just barely make out the knot in your picture if you look very closely. For reference, both pictures were taken in '73. As far as I could ever find, Toy's is the only metal neck Marlen ever made, at least that's been documented.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 6 Apr 2024 10:24 pm

Daniel,

Thank you so much for looking for that photo. And for sharing your experiences. I feel sure that the Marlen was his based upon what you have shared. And this Marlen was made in 1971, so it fits the timeline.

If you ever run across that clearer photo, I would love to see it.

All the best,

Tommy

Doug Earnest · Post by **Doug Earnest** » 7 Apr 2024 7:04 am

Tommy, I'm so glad you have that guitar! When you get it all working again I do hope you will give it a good workout and let us hear it. This is way cool.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 7 Apr 2024 7:45 am

Thanks Doug! I sure will my friend!

Way cool indeed!

Joseph Lazo · Post by **Joseph Lazo** » 8 Apr 2024 5:50 pm

I grew up hearing steel guitar in country music played on the radio. Loved the sound of the steel, but wasn't into country. When I heard NRPS LPs with Jerry on steel, and later with Buddy, I instantly liked it. Another band of that era with great steel parts was Poco. "I'll fix your flat tire, Merle" comes to mind.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 10 Apr 2024 8:23 pm

That's great you have Toy's Marlen, Tommy.

Yeah, I know people complain about some pitchiness in Toy's steel playing on Fire On The Mountain. You know, I hear it, and it doesn't matter. That song holds up to this day, and the steel tone was to die for. In fact, almost everything Marshall Tucker put out in those days has held up very well. Great songs, and the overall feel was great. We should be so lucky to have commercial radio half as interesting today. IMHO.

I saw MTB once, I believe '73. I think it was in Cincinnati - someone else was driving and the rest of us were, shall we say, not necessarily cognizant of our surroundings. I don't recall any steel, this is well before Fire On The Mountain - but they were excellent. I do their songs to this day, FOTM is certainly my favorite.

John Ducsai · Post by **John Ducsai** » 11 Apr 2024 11:06 am

Early MTB was the best - Losing You, and See You Later, I'm Gone, etc

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 11 Apr 2024 12:26 pm

I posted this in another thread awhile back, but I'll put it here too. the Grateful Dead folks added this cool interactive feature to the website last year for the 50th anniversary of Wake of the Flood.

that was the last album on which Jerry played steel, and this feature allows you to isolate the steel or anything else. create your own mix.

the steel comes in later on both these tunes with a solo on Stella Blue. seems to be playing through a Leslie on Weather Report

Stella Blue

Weather Report Prelude

John Larson · Post by **John Larson** » 11 Apr 2024 2:24 pm

scott murray wrote:I posted this in another thread awhile back, but I'll put it here too. the Grateful Dead folks added this cool interactive feature to the website last year for the 50th anniversary of Wake of the Flood.

that was the last album on which Jerry played steel, and this feature allows you to isolate the steel or anything else. create your own mix.

the steel comes in later on both these tunes with a solo on Stella Blue. seems to be playing through a Leslie on Weather Report

Stella Blue

Weather Report Prelude

The Good Ol' Grateful Dead Cast episode where they discuss "Candyman" has the Steel through Wah solo soloed at one point and it's pretty cool.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 12 Apr 2024 10:55 am

Dave Mudgett wrote:That's great you have Toy's Marlen, Tommy.

Thanks Dave! I'm tickled to have gotten at least some confirmation.

Yeah, I know people complain about some pitchiness in Toy's steel playing on Fire On The Mountain. You know, I hear it, and it doesn't matter. That song holds up to this day, and the steel tone was to die for. In fact, almost everything Marshall Tucker put out in those days has held up very well. Great songs, and the overall feel was great. We should be so lucky to have commercial radio half as interesting today. IMHO.

I feel the same way Dave!

I saw MTB once, I believe '73. I think it was in Cincinnati - someone else was driving and the rest of us were, shall we say, not necessarily cognizant of our surroundings. I don't recall any steel, this is well before Fire On The Mountain - but they were excellent. I do their songs to this day, FOTM is certainly my favorite.

I saw them in 1973 in Blacksburg, Va. And I was in a similar shape as you!

I do however vaguely remember walking up to the front of the stage before the show started to check out the steel guitar I had spotted from the cheap seats. It was a Marlen, which I was unfamiliar with at the time. I am betting it has to be this one I have.