The Greatest Steel Guitarist You’ve Never Heard Of | The Vance Terry Story

Vance Terry was a man of two worlds. To the suits at Bank of America, he was a math prodigy- and Vice President on the 50th floor. To the legends of the steel guitar, he was—a steel prodigy pushing the instrument into territories unheard of. In this episode, I'm investigating Vance's life story, from his early days with Billy Jack Wills to the neon-soaked "Brisbane Bop" era with Jimmie Rivers. I piece together the life of the greatest steel guitarist (you've never heard of)—and explore the tragic addiction that led him from a million dollar mansion to a very lonely end at the Marshall Hotel. CHAPTERS 00:00- Video-Sample 00:45- Intro 02:30- The Sacramento Prodigy 05:39- Meeting Jimmie Rivers 07:13- The Double Life: Banking & The 23 Club 08:22- The 19-Pedal Custom Sierra 10:02- The Fall: "One Hit is All it Takes" 12:06- Final Days in Sacramento 14:25- Vance's only video footage 15:01- Why His Legacy Still Matters 16:33- Outro 17:04- Bonus Footage SOURCES: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. (n.d.). Merle Travis. https://www.countrymusichalloffame.or... Cundell, G. (2016, October 23). Vance Terry discography. Country Music Discographies. http://countrydiscoghraphy2.blogspot.... Dahl, B. (2014, October). Bob’s Playboy pickers: The steel guitarists of Western Swing. Vintage Guitar Magazine. https://www.vintageguitar.com/18687/b... Millard, B. (n.d.). Vance Terry: The ghost of Brisbane. Wellvis. https://people.well.com/user/wellvis/... NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants). (2009, August 3). Jimmie Rivers oral history interview [Video]. NAMM Resource Library. https://www.namm.org/library/oral-his... Steel Guitar Forum. (n.d.). Discussion archives: Vance Terry and the Sierra custom steel. https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/ Zero to 180. (n.d.). Billy Jack Wills & His Western Swing Band: Transcriptions and sessions. https://www.zeroto180.org/ Cundell, G. (2014). The development and evolution of the western pedal steel guitar [Doctoral dissertation, University of Adelaide]. University of Adelaide Press. Robertson, B. A. (2001, March 10). Obituary: Vance Terry, legendary steel guitarist. The Sacramento Bee. KFBK Radio Transcription Archives. BBC Archive. (n.d.). Selected archival footage [YouTube Channel]. YouTube.    / @bbcarchive   Bell, D. (n.d.). Urban exploration and historical site footage [YouTube Channel]. YouTube.    / danbell   Campilongo Headquarters. (n.d.). Jim Campilongo performances and interviews [YouTube Channel]. YouTube.    / @jimcampilongo   Center for Sacramento History. (n.d.). Sacramento historical film archives [YouTube Channel]. YouTube.    / @centerforsacramentohistory   KVIE-PBS. (n.d.). Replacing the past: Sacramento's redevelopment history [Documentary]. PBS. Unknown Network. (1963). Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys on Music Country Style [Television broadcast]. Unknown Network. (n.d.). Palace of Swing: Bob Wills in Sacramento [Television special]. Sacramento TV Archives. Rivers, J., & The Cherokees. (2001). Brisbane bop [Album and liner notes]. Rhino Records. (Original work recorded 1961–1964). Wills, B. J., & His Western Swing Band. (1982). Sacramento 1952–1954 [Album recorded with Tiny Moore]. Western Records. Wills, B. J., & His Western Swing Band. (2022). Cadillac in Model A [Album]. Sleazy Records. (Original work recorded 1952–1954). Wills, B. J., & His Western Swing Band. (n.d.). Crazy, man, crazy [Album]. Edsel Records. Wills, B., & His Texas Playboys. (1960). Western swing along [Album]. Vocalion. Wills, B., & His Texas Playboys. (2018). Country and western dance-o-rama No. 2 [Album]. Decca/Sleazy Records. (Original work recorded 1954). #VanceTerry #SteelGuitar #WesternSwing #JimmieRivers #BobWills #MusicDocumentary #GuitarLegends #PedalSteel #TheDarkSideOfTheSteel ///////// Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non- profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNER(S)