Gerald Lester Byrd (March 9, 1920 – April 11, 2005) was an American musician who played the

lap steel guitar The lap steel guitar, also known as a Hawaiian guitar or lap slide guitar, is a type of steel guitar without pedals that is typically played with the instrument in a horizontal position across the performer's lap. Unlike the usual manner of pla ...

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

and

Hawaiian music The music of Hawaii includes an array of traditional and popular styles, ranging from native Hawaiian folk music to modern rock and hip hop. Styles like slack-key guitar are well known worldwide, while Hawaiian-tinged music is a frequent par ...

, as well as a singer-songwriter and the head of a music publishing firm. He appeared on numerous radio programs.

Career

Byrd was born in

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

, United States, one of five siblings, his interest in the instrument began after a "tent show" when he was 12 and by 15 he was playing in bars. Although his initial interest was Hawaiian music much of his work was country. In 1944/1945 he joined the

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a regular live country music, country-music Radio broadcasting, radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM (AM), WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the ...

. He was important to the early career of

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...

being one of the first to sign her. He also was an educator of the steel guitar giving lessons to Jimmie Vaughan and

Jerry Garcia Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 196 ...

among others. The list of artists that Byrd played or recorded with included

Hank Williams Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...

Ernest Tubb Ernest Dale Tubb (February 9, 1914 – September 6, 1984), nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, "Walking the Floor Over You" (1941), marked ...

Patsy Cline Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American singer. One of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, she was known as one of the first country music artists to successfully Cross ...

and

Red Foley Clyde Julian "Red" Foley (June 17, 1910 – September 19, 1968) was an American musician who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II. For more than two decades, Foley was one of the biggest stars of the gen ...

and countless others. With Hank Williams he played songs such as "

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams in 1949. The song has been covered by a wide range of musicians. Authorship and production Various writers quoted Williams ...

", " Lovesick Blues" and " A Mansion on the Hill." In the early 1970s, he moved to

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

and worked on reviving Hawaiian steel guitar music, taking a great delight in giving lap steel lessons to the young musicians who showed interest in ensuring that the lap steel remained an important instrument in Hawaiian music. While living in Hawaii, Byrd had a regular weekly gig with his trio at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel that lasted until his death. Though Byrd often joked about pedal steel guitar players, he had nothing but the highest of praise for Buddy Emmons, saying he had taken the steel guitar to new places with his playing.

Personal life and death

He published his autobiography ''It Was a Trip: On The Wings of Music''. On April 11, 2005, Byrd died of

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...

at 85 in

Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

, where he had resided for 30 years; he was survived by wife Kaleo Wood and two daughters.

Awards and recognition

He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1978 as its first member; his Rickenbacker lap steel is housed at the

Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...

Discography

Studio albums

* ''Nani Hawaii'' (1953) Mercury *''Byrd's Exhibition'' (1954) Mercury *''Guitar Magic'' (1954) Mercury *''Steel Guitar Favorites'' (1958) Mercury *''Hi-Fi Guitar'' (1958)

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

*''On the Shores of Waikiki'' (1960)

*''Byrd of Paradise'' (1961)

Monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, historical ...

*''Memories of Maria'' (1962)

*''Blue Hawaiian Steel Guitar'' (1963) Mercury *''Man of Steel'' (1964) Mercury *''Satin Strings of Steel'' (1965)

*''Potpourri'' (1966)

*''Burning Sands, Pearly Shells, & Steel Guitars (1967)

*''Country Steel Guitar Greats'' (1966) Wing *''Steel Guitar Hawaiian Style'' (1976) Lehua *''Polynesian Suite'' (1995) Sony Music Distribution *''Christmas in Hawaii'' (2003) Lehua

Compilations

*''Jerry Byrd: By Request'' (2002) Mountain Apple *''Steel Guitar'' (2002) Mountain Apple *''The Master of Touch and Tone'' (2005) Mountain Apple *''Master of the Steel Guitar, Vol. 1'' (2005) Hana Ola—Rsi

As sideman

Jerry Byrd participated as a sideman on numerous recording sessions, primarily with country and Hawaiian music artists. His contributions include recordings with

, such as '' Lovesick Blues'' and with

on '' Walking the Floor Over You''. He also worked with

on some of her early sessions and collaborated with

Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American country and western singer and songwriter. He was one of the most popular and successful singers of his genre for most o ...

on the album '' Song of the Islands''. His discography as a sideman spans multiple decades, with additional recordings alongside artists like

and George Morgan. Other players on Hank's recordings include Dale "Smokey" Lohman (Early recordings), also Don Davis played one or two sessions with Hank. From 1950 on it was Don Helms. With

Jack McDuff Eugene McDuffy (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader. He was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz ...

*'' Gin and Orange'' (Cadet, 1969) With Don Patterson *'' Satisfaction!'' (Prestige, 1965)

References

External links

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Byrd, Jerry 1920 births 2005 deaths Steel guitarists Neurological disease deaths in Hawaii Deaths from Parkinson's disease in the United States People from Lima, Ohio American country singer-songwriters Monument Records artists Decca Records artists Mercury Records artists 20th-century American guitarists Singer-songwriters from Ohio Guitarists from Hawaii Guitarists from Ohio American male guitarists Country musicians from Ohio Country musicians from Hawaii 20th-century American singer-songwriters 20th-century American male musicians American male singer-songwriters Singer-songwriters from Hawaii