Jerry Byrd - Where does 70 years of crafted talent go?

Joel Johnston · Post by **Joel Johnston** » 21 Feb 2011 8:09 pm

April 11th will mark the 6th year since the passing of Mr. Byrd. It was reported at the time that his brother had been sitting bedside with Jerry and witnessed Jerry looking down at his hands and saying, "These hands will never, ever play the steel guitar again." That statement seems so profoundly sad.

A couple years later, we lost Papa John Hughey, then two years ago, Tom Brumley. And there have been so many other great talents lost.

In November of 2008, I lost my Uncle, Robert Zuder, at 73 years of age from cancer. Uncle Bob was the finest lead picker I have ever personally known. He practiced and played daily right up until he was too weak from the disease to hold a guitar.

The loss of Uncle Bob sparked a question in me:
What happens to 50 or 60 years of crafted and honed musical passion and talent? Where does that investment go? I cannot believe if there is a Supreme Being looking down on all of us, that that being would wish to lose or squander the priceless and hard earned, amazing talent of a Jerry Byrd, or a Hughey or Brumley or of Bob Zuder.

There must be a larger plan. That talent must get downloaded or backed up to a Heavenly mainframe somewhere. What do you think?

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 21 Feb 2011 8:36 pm

GOD will not let us down. He will provide for steel guitar players. Another :"Jerry Byrd" and another"Buddy Emmons" will rise up and set the steel guitar world on fire.GOD bless all steel guitar players. Jody.

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 21 Feb 2011 9:30 pm

"Do not cry because it's over. smile because it happened"
- Dr. Seuss

Henry Nagle · Post by **Henry Nagle** » 22 Feb 2011 12:08 am

Where does a lifetime of crafted and honed talent go? It goes into other people. It goes into the further development and evolution of art and technology. And, most importantly, if you did it right you made people feel good. And that keeps going too.

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 24 Feb 2011 6:09 am

Hi Joel:
How are things out west?
Many,many years ago when I was trying to learn to play the steel, I was struggling with the E tuning. I heard Jerry play " Limehouse Blues". That started me looking at some tunings other than E. I found the A6th and that was a whole new ball game. I know your dad will relate to that as we were all learning at that time.So it went with Emmons, Hughey and a lot of pickers in between. It was a miracle for us who lived in areas where there were no other steelers.
So I am sure there was a divine overlook, sending help to those in need.
Say hi to your dad and mom for me . I am looking forward to a jam the next time you get to Michigan.I played with your uncle Bob in Florida and he was a great picker. He knew how to play and more important he knew when to play and he had a passion in his music.Your family has been blessed with musical talent.Take care
Old Bud

Dana Blodgett · Post by **Dana Blodgett** » 24 Feb 2011 2:14 pm

Joel, If I remember right Jerry had virtually hundreds of students, especially in Hawaii. I agree with Henry Nagle that the energy and talent goes to other people. I can think of three such students who are very gifted, Alan Akaka, Greg Sardinha, and Casey Olsen. Casey's dad,Hiram was Jerry's rhythym guitarist while living in Hawaii.I think Hiram also played steel, according to what Casey told me.
If you haven't heard these three players you are truly missing something. Alan also has a school in Kailua,Hi.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 9 Mar 2011 6:25 pm

Joel Johnston wrote:There must be a larger plan. That talent must get downloaded or backed up to a Heavenly mainframe somewhere. What do you think?

He just loans them to us for their schoolin'. We get to enjoy them for a while, then he get's to enjoy them for all eternity. It's the perks of power.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 10 Mar 2011 8:15 pm

Joel, what a great question. Physics seems to support the idea of conservation of matter, but what indeed of mental energy and stored thought?
You might enjoy researching reincarnation. Sounds new-agey to some, but an exceptionally ancient concept with millions of adherents.
Sure would explain a lot...

Thiel Hatt · Post by **Thiel Hatt** » 14 Mar 2011 5:37 pm

Death separates those who have experienced it from us who are left here, but I am convinced that the departed are still conscious, individuals with the same character, talents, dispositions and personalities that made them who they were while they were living out their life on earth. My Christian belief, based on what I have gleaned from inspired srcipture is that we are of a dual nature. The real us is a spirit person, a spirit which existed prior to our birth. At birth it was joined to a mortal body. Death was the departure of the spirit from the body. The immortal spirit then awaits the day of resurrection when it will be reunited with the physical body, never again to be separated. As such the spirit retains all the memories and talents it posessed while living out it's earthly existence. Is there music beyond this life? Absolutely ! Do those musical talents have a place over there? No doubt about it ! Is Jerry Byrd utilizing those talents there. Of course he is ! Are there Steel Guitars over there? Why not? Don't we have Shot Jackson over there to see to it? That's how I see it and read it from HIS word.

Dana Blodgett · Post by **Dana Blodgett** » 14 Mar 2011 6:05 pm

Thiel, interesting concept, I have a tendency to agree with you.

Wayne Cox · Post by **Wayne Cox** » 28 Mar 2011 7:07 am

Some years ago, someone who was amazed at Jerry's talent, asked him where he got such great talent and ability from. His reply: " It is a gift from God;nothing more, nothing less!" It is perfectly reasonable to assume that Jerry is now giving back some of that musical beauty...with interest. IMHO FWIW.
~~W.C.~~

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 29 Mar 2011 12:47 am

I heard him playing the other day.. in my local hardware store of all places.. His talent was so great and identifiable. I stayed in the store longer than necessary and saw the owner smile when I mentioned that I appreciated his choice of music..

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 31 Mar 2011 3:18 am

I think that all the great players that are gone have just help build the foundation which we all build off of, for playing

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 1 Apr 2011 1:34 pm

It's the eternal question. We spend our lives gaining talent, which is stored in our brains. After our brains cease to function, what is left of our talent ? Only what is passed on to others. The difference between humans and all the other animals on our planet is that we pass on training to others. Without that, we're stuck in the same position as a mule or a rabbit... we're limited to what we can learn in a lifetime. Humans learn from what went before. Imagine if you were born into a family of cavemen, with no technology whatsoever. No matter how smart you might be, your progress is limited by what you can learn in a lifetime. All of those great. talented people, were able to draw on an archive of established talent, and add to it. What we leave to posterity is what we add to the archive of inherited talent, and Jerry Byrd left a lot...

Joel Johnston · Post by **Joel Johnston** » 24 Apr 2011 9:14 pm

I hadn't checked this thread in a few weeks, but so glad to see a few others adding their viewpoints - and with great depth and much thought. I agree with all viewpoints posted - especially the hope/belief that a lifetime of accumulated knowledge, talent and the passion that fueled it continues to live in spirit. And I certainly know as fact that some of Jerry Byrd's talent lives in any of us who were fans and players who would strive to be like him. I witness that every time my Dad picks up a little 6-string lap steel and starts noodling around on it . . . The Master of Touch and Tone has left his mark on many.

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Jerry Byrd - Where does 70 years of crafted talent go?

Jerry Byrd - Where does 70 years of crafted talent go?

where does 50 to 60 yerars of honed practiced talent go?

Re: Jerry Byrd - Where does 70 years of crafted talent go?

what happens to 70 years of talent/Jery Byrd

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