THE BLUEBIRD PEDAL STEEL GUITAR CLUB

The Bluebird Pedal Steel Guitar Club's Christmas Party, held on Monday 17 December, was a great success.  The performing players were:

Dave Wheelhouse
Gus York
Jim Pritchard
Paul Mitchell
Dave Kirk
Gerry Hogan

Congratulations and thanks to Jim Pritchard for organising this excellent evening.  It was the second Christmas party Jim had run at the Club and everyone hopes there will be many more!

The PSG Club holds monthly meetings at The Bluebird Club and so, for more information about the dates and joining, contact Jim Pritchard on 01202-840382 or 07779 851569.

A special thank you to Mike Fereday for the photos from the Club party. 


THE 6th IRISH STEEL GUITAR FESTIVAL (all photos courtesy of Allen Markley and the ISGF)

The Sixth annual Irish Steel Guitar Festival took place on October 13th and 14th at The Europa Hotel, Drogheda, Co Louth in Ireland.  It was a hugely popular weekend and probably was the best yet, which is saying a lot!  The star of the show was the legendary session player, Russ Hicks, from Nashville, TN.

On the Saturday evening, Pat Orpen and Maurice Wilson, from the Irish Steel Guitar Association presented Gerry and Barbara Hogan with a magnificent, engraved Waterford Crystal decanter "In Appreciation": 

Gerry and Barbara certainly appreciate the generosity of Pat and Maurice and the continuing hospitality of the Irish Steel Guitar Association and their Festival.  We hope we can be a part of this great and growing institution for many more years.  Thanks to you all.  Thanks, also, to our friend and fellow Newbury resident, Mike Fereday, without whose help over several years, we would not have been able to run our retail stand at the Festival.

Over the 6-year life of the Festival, "The Travelling Newburys" (Bob Pearce - drums; Bernie Taylor - bass; Derek Thurlby - pedal steel and guitar; Dave Kirk - pedal steel and guitar; Carol Kirk - bass on Dave's sets; Gerry Hogan - pedal steel and guitar) have enjoyed themselves immensely, whilst entertaining the Festival audience.  An honorary  Travelling Newbury is Butch Mahr, who sings at the Festival each year, having flown over from Toledo, Ohio in the USA!  They all have almost become "part of the furniture".  This year they accompanied Dave Hayward, Percy Robinson and Marcel Parijs, as well as working as a unit on their own steel sets.