Bill Poe passing

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 31 Oct 2018 6:06 am

Bill Poe passed away this morning in Nashville. Brenda Clark and myself went to see him a couple days ago. He was one of the finest men that I ever knew and just a peach of a guy.

Johnny Cox · Post by **Johnny Cox** » 1 Nov 2018 8:31 am

Sorry to hear this. Bill was a great guy. I met him in 1969 or 70 when he worked for Billy Walker. RIP.

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 1 Nov 2018 11:44 pm

I'm so sorry to hear about Bill Poe passing away. I recall meeting him when he moved back to Nashville after living in Florida. He was a super guy and a great steel player. He had some great stories and was always a very positive influence to me about music and life in general. I loved to hear him play "Blue Spanish Eyes", he had a very cool arrangement. My condolences go out to all of Bill's family and friends. May he RIP.

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 2 Nov 2018 10:26 am

Thank you Bob Watson - you just reminded me of Billy playing "Blue Spanish Eyes."

I met Billy Poe mid 70's in when he was working a club in Ft. Lauderdale. He was probably the busiest steel player in in South Florida at that time. He was playing a Rosewood Emmons through Sho-Bud Dual Channel and he had THAT tone. This is where I heard him play "Blue Spanish Eyes." He also doubled on guitar - one set steel one set guitar. I also remember Billy at the Bird Road Lounge in Hialeah when he got a 12 string Sho-Bud Paul Sr. had built for him. South Florida had a very active country music scene in those years. Later, when I moved to town, I reconnected with Billy up on the Alley where his daughter Michelle was doing her first work. Billy had an encyclopedic memory of his Florida years - the players and the clubs.

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 3 Nov 2018 12:57 am

Robert Kramer, it does my heart good to hear that you also remembered how cool Bill's version of Blue Spanish Eyes was. I saw him do it at Robert's on Broadway. He tore it up. If you don't remember me, I used to come down to a little honky tonk that you played at on 52nd Street in West Nashville back in the late 1980's. I brought my friend Tommy Hannum in one time and introduced you to him. I remember that you played a cool rendition of the Buddy Emmons version of Lil' Darlin'. You got me my first club gig in Nashville at a place down the road from Gabes. They needed a steel player and you had taken my name off of the Union board because you thought I was a guy you knew named Bob Watkins. You told me that when you referred me for the gig you realized I was Bob Watson, a different guy from the one that you thought you were giving the referral to, but when you realized it was not the same guy you decided to make the referral anyway. Those were some cool times back then. I always dig seeing your steel forum posts. Its cool that you responded to this post. Its sad that Bill Poe passed on, he was a very cool player and always helped his fellow musicians every chance he had. I recall that he played with Charlie Pride for awhile and I would bet there were other C&W recording artists that he played for back in the day. Another one of Nashville's finest is playin' for the Angels now.

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 4 Nov 2018 10:37 am

Bob - I remember you and those years very well - more clubs booking C&W. That reminds me Billy was also a good C-6th player in the style coming out of Nashville in the 50's - 60's - pre "Steel Guitar Jazz" and not Chalker. The sound Charleton went to the bank on. Those records in that style still sound great. Also - when I first heard Billy he sounded exactly like the tone on the "Touch My Heart" LP and it hit home to me I needed an Emmons guitar. I'm still chasing that sound Billy had.

billy tam R.I.P. · Post by **billy tam R.I.P.** » 2 Dec 2018 12:03 pm

I met Billy Poe in Ft Lauderdale as well around '78 or '79 in a huge club called Cowboys. Billy was playing with a trio in a small room(there were 3 live bands in the club) and I was in the big room. I would go hear Billy play before we started every chance I got. He was a much better than I was and was a joy to listen to. I left that job after about a month. I knew I was in trouble when on my first night I played a ride on C6 and the guitar player leaned over and said the singer/front man didn't like c6. Billy offered me a place to stay at his place and told me he could find me another gig as he was overloaded but I got my old job back in Baton Rouge. A great player and a good friend when he didn't have to be. The mark of a fine man.
Billy Tam