Birthday bash for Bud Isaacs

  Bud Isaacs, who made the first recording of a pedal steel guitar, is turning 81 – and many of his friends and colleagues are throwing a special Birthday Bash for him Saturday.

  Isaacs forever changed the steel guitar world when he created country pedals for his steel guitar, and because of that has been inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. Isaac's long career has taken him to the Grand Ole Opry and all over the country to perform. He also designed a triple-neck guitar for Gibson with pedals, called a Mulitharp.

  "Bud Isaacs was the first steel guitar to record in Nashville," said event organizer Vangie Fich. "His first song was called 'Slowly,' which he recorded for Webb Pierce in 1953."

  The Birthday Bash will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Country Junction USA, 10891 Avenue 36E In Wellton. To get to Country Junction, take I-8 to Exit 37 and travel one mile south. RVs are welcome, but the management at Country Junction would like RV owners to RSVP before coming out on Saturday by calling 785-4886.

  The event is free to the public.

  Spaghetti will be served with bread and salad. It will be a potluck, so organizers ask attendees to bring a dish to share.

  Fourteen pedal steel guitar players and seven different country groups will be playing music throughout the day. Organizers also say they will raffle off several items and host a silent auction.

  For more information, call 345-0883.

  "I was hired for the record session," said Isaacs. "We were looking for a new sound for Webb, because he had recorded 'Slowly' before and it did not 'hit.' Grady Martin, Bob Moore and I had been working with Red Foley and my pedals and we decided to try the new pedal sound that I had been playing.

  "After we recorded it, we went on the road for two weeks and when we came back, Webb had a hit. There were two big laundry bags full of mail waiting for me at the studio, with letters from people wanting to know how I created the sound with my steel guitar on 'Slowly.'

  Isaacs says he also did recording sessions for Bing Crosby, Jimmy Dickens, George Morgan, Skeeter Davis, Porter Wagoner, Moon Mullican, The Wilburn Brothers, Red Sovine, Kitty Wells, Curtis Gordon, Foy Willing and with the Riders of the Purple Sage.

  After a long period of band and session work, Bud and his wife, Geri, started performing as a duo.

  "I always loved the West," said Isaacs. "I moved and worked in Arizona, California and Wyoming. I had several groups. We worked in Nevada a lot and all over the Western United States.

  He said that he and Geri met in California and hit it off. 

  "We enjoy working together. We still perform, but we don't work the road like we used to. We have slowed down a lot these past few years."

  Fich said everyone wants to wish Bud a very happy birthday, and let him know he has has a lot of friends here.

  "People should come because they will hear eight hours of the finest steel guitar players who are part of full-size country bands," said Fich. "We have a lot of items to auction off, like an electric Fender Squire guitar and a dobro. Bud and Geri will perform some of their classic show, and it will be a wonderful time."