The Passing of a Friend and Professor

Ten Strings My Soul - Gospel Steel Guitar CD

Finally, after recording Gospel Dobro and Banjo CDs, I've gotten around to recording one for the Steel Guitar!  The title was suggested by my wife's sister, Cindy Ray.  It comes from the line in How Great Thou Art that says, "then sings my soul".  I recorded the CD in my studio at Stringbender Music over a period of a month or so.  Here's a list of the songs on it:

1. Amazing Grace
2. Because He Lives
3. Blessed Assurance
4. Blessed Be The Name
5. Create In Me A Clean Heart
6. In The Garden
7. Mansion Over The Hilltop
8. The Old Rugged Cross
9. There's Something About That Name
10. What A Friend We Have In Jesus

Most of these songs are some of my favorites, and some of them I had never played on steel guitar, but I wanted to learn them on steel, so it was a good opportunity to do just that!

I had never played #2, but my uncle, Kenneth Edelhauser, requested it, so I did that one for him. Also, one of my favorite childhood memories is remembering sitting by my grandfather, John Edelhauser, at Selfs Baptist church when I was around 6-8 years old and hearing him belt out the tune (#4) Blessed Be the Name.  And, I played #8 at my grandfather's funeral in 1982.  That was not an easy thing to do!

My wife's favorite song is #6, so I gladly added that one!  She also enjoys singing #7 too.    The other tunes, #1, #5, #9 and #10 are some of my personal favorites.  Here's a picture of my latest CD...

Tulsa Jam - 2014

During the weekend of May 17th, Debbie and I, along with my sister Tajuana and her daughter Emily, made the 180 mile trek to my sister Lenora Gauldin's home in Tulsa.  We arrived on Friday evening, hoping to get a little rehearsal time in before the big jam session on Saturday.  Sis, (as we call her) plays bass for Fiawna Forte's band in Tulsa.  So, she also invited them over for snacks and rehearsal.  Don Johnson is another good friend of ours.  When Gary Moreland of the original 14th Street Reunion band can't be there, we call on Don to sing and play some good ole country and bluegrass music.  I met Don several years ago and he doesn't miss a chance to jam with me and Sis!

Saturday was a very busy day!  There were many preparation to be made for the party.  It included setting up tables and chairs in the yard for guests, a new fire pit for late evening picking and singing, conversion of the garage to a kitchen for serving great food from Billy Sims BBQ and cobblers from Tulsa's Delta Cafe.  Tom Gauldin and I did a lot of running around picking up the food and ice.

At about 6pm, the guest started arriving.  Food and drinks were served and everyone was making new acquaintances and renewing old ones.  My nephew, Mike Gauldin and his wife Samantha were there and I haven't seen them in a few years!  Mike is currently an EMS and police officer in Jenks, OK.

First up on center stage was Sis's friend, Will Coppoc, a concert bassist.  Will played beautiful music AND told some good jokes (even about banjo players!). Will says this, "I started playing piano when I was five. I actually started playing bass when I was 12, in the Jenks Public School system. After a year at Jenks, I lived overseas for a few years in Egypt (my dad got a job transfer over there), where I met a bass teacher from Ukraine who was very influential to my playing. I completed high school at Jenks and decided to major in music. I attended UNT (formerly NTSU) where I got my bachelors in music performance. I wanted to stay at UNT for my masters degree in performance, but OSU ended up being a better deal, partially because I get a two-year contract with the Tulsa Symphony as part of the deal. In addition to playing with Tulsa Symphony, I have also played with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Tulsa Signature Symphony, the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, and the Las Colinas Symphony of Irving, TX. I also play freelance jazz gigs, musicals, and do some private teaching."

Next on stage was Fiawna Forte.  She is a songwriter and excellent musician, playing many instruments.  She has a large following in the Tulsa area.  Lenora has been playing upright bass for Fiawna's band for quite a while. Here's some facts about Fiawna:
1. Musician, Singer, Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist

2.  2010 debut CD “Transitus” won wide-spread critical acclaim and helped land Fiawna Forte in the Boston Phoenix’s  “50 Bands/50 States” issue as the top band in Oklahoma.

3.  Fiawna Forte’ Band named one of the top 50 New Bands in America.

4.  She was in a movie called “Find Me.”

5.  Her song “I’d Rather Die” was the music behind a South Korean TV commercial about their new Vega N 6 cell phone.

6.  She’s about to release her 3rd CD on June 7th where she wrote all the songs, plays all the instruments, and produced the CD.

7.  Wrote many of the songs she performs as a teenager.

8.  Has had several TV appearances in Tulsa & OKC playing her original songs.

9.  Been on talk radio shows in Tulsa.

And lastly, 14th Street Reunion, featuring Don Johnson and Sis!  Don sang several old and contemporary songs and I accompanied on banjo and dobro.  Since we didn't write out our set list...and just played off the top of our head...we forgot to perform an original written by me and Sis..."Sister's Minor".  Oh well, I'll bet we don't forget it next time!

If you would like to see more pictures of the jam,  Click here .
Also, you can view the videos at this link-> The Videos . Look for the "14th Street Reunion" channel.