Information About Jerry Byrd
JERRY BYRD: 1920 - 2005
Jerry is currently living in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is playing the music that he has always loved. Jerry earned his title of “The Master Of Touch And Tone” by virtue of his many recordings, both as a back up artist behind the singers as well as his many solo recordings. It was Jerry that influenced so many people to take up learning to play the steel guitar with the perfection and quality that he felt deserving of his chosen instrument, the Steel Guitar. Of course, Jerry played the non pedal guitar and through his ever burning desire to find the perfect tuning for him, he experimented with many tunings before he eventually came up with the tuning that was to make him famous. The C6th tuning. Even then, he had to experiment with different versions of the tuning before he finally came up with the standard C6th tuning that we know today. It was finally tuned to E-C-A-G-E-C. As Jerry realized that he needed even more freedom with the tuning he added the 7th string and tuned it to A. He quickly seen a need to change that note to C# and even Bb, depending on chords needed on any given tune. Jerry uses the that same C6th 7th string tuning today. His guitar is a double neck with 7 strings on one neck and 8 strings on the other neck. The 8 string tunings he uses for various tunings. His adaptation in using the B11th for tunes like “Sand” and “How D’Ya Do” have become classics for the B11th tuning. Of course, Jerry played all the various tunings during his long and illustrious career. He used the tuning E9th to record the “Admirable Byrd” recording. A tuning not very well know at that time in his career. It was tuned to E-B-G#-F#-E-D-B-G#. The string spacing and the with the F# note inserted in the tuning gave him an easier advantage to do his 3 strings slant bar positions. Forward and Reverse slants are one of Jerry’s trademarks and his ability to do these slants, and in perfect tune, contributed to the respect than he has gained from so many musicians and fans alike.
In Jerry’s own words, “I’m living proof that some people just don’t know when to quit!” At the age of 80 years old Jerry is still very much active in not only playing his steel guitar and writing his solos, but he goes on step further by taking even more of his valuable time to teach students. Jerry is dedicated to teach those that are also dedicated to the instrument. His students must be very serious about learning all about the instrument and totally dedicated, otherwise, he will not teach them. After all, he is correct in this philosophy if we are to insure the perpetration of our instrument in our youth we must make sure that they are taught correctly.
You will find many of his older, as well as his most recent recording’s, on this website. There are some that are available on cassette only, some on CD. Please read all the order forms carefully as Jerry’s instruction single solos must be ordered direct from him! The “Jerry Byrd Instruction Course” and his Instruction Video can be ordered direct from Scotty’s Music, Inc..
We will add information about Jerry to this website as time permits. At this particular time, it is important that you know that Jerry is till active and that his recordings are still available. Both Jerry and I am always amazed at how the recordings, the Instruction Book, and the Video Instruction course are still in so much demand. At true tribute to the man, “Jerry Byrd-Master Of Touch And Tone”!
DeWitt “Scotty” Scott
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