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Roberts, Kayton (25th November 1933-13th July 2017)

Lap steel guitarist born in Ona, Florida, who spent twenty-six years playing for Hank Snow.  He also worked with the likes of John Fogerty, Alison Krauss, David Mead, Willie Nelson, Aaron Tippin and Randy Travis.

When he was a kid, growing up in Ona, Florida, he sent off some songs to steel-guitar legend Jerry Byrd and much to his surprise, Byrd recorded one of them, “Chime In”, for his album, Admirable Byrd.

His career really got a kick-start thanks to a not-so-chance meeting with Chubby Wise, set up by Roberts’ friend, in a local barber shop.  Wise recommended him to Hank Snow, already well-established in the country ranks, and although Roberts started out playing rhythm guitar, it wasn’t long before he was promoted to steel.  He even got a chance to moonlight a little bit when a fellow named R.M. Stone cut him a three-record deal on the Stoneway label, including one with his piano-playing wife, simply titled Kayton and Iva Lee Roberts.

His style of play, inspired by Jerry Byrd and Big Joe Talbert, has inspired a whole new generation of steel guitar players.  He appeared at the 2007 CMA Music Festival for a Lap Steel Guitar Demonstration.  Roberts continued to play a 1951 Fender, the first one he ever bought.

He died in Nashville, Tennessee in 2017 when he was 83 years old.

Kayton Roberts & Little Roy Wiggins recordings
Release Me (Eddie Miller/W.S. Stevenson/Dub Williams/Robert Yount)
Twin Steel Boogie
Arrangers
Kayton Roberts
R.M. Stone
Little Roy Wiggins

Sources:

  1. https://www.discogs.com/artist/1329825-Kayton-Roberts
  2. http://www.petersontuners.com/forum/post.asp?method=TopicQuote&TOPIC_ID=627&FORUM_ID=15
  3. http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/003048.html
  4. http://www.mp3.com/albums/377258/reviews.html
  5. http://press.tnvacation.com/media/News.asp?ID=392
  6. http://www.visitmusiccity.com/media/press_releases.php?id=65&category=1146