Bio For Don E. Curtis

Don E. Curtis

Born: March 22, 1957, 12:05 p.m.
Place: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Graduated: 1975
Mother: Margaret Lydia Frye Curtis (1933-1970)
Father: Manuel L. Curtis (1927-1976)
Sister: Brenda Lee Curtis Criss
Children: Don Jr. & Melissa
Grandchildren: Aiden & Don III

Born of a musical Father who was a Train Balladeer and featured whistling and yodeling until an accident took fingers from his left hand, disabling him from playing the guitar. Started music at age 5, was unable to whistle or yodel...took up the saxophone at age 12, was unable to play the saxophone. Switched to guitar at age 13, was unable to play the guitar. Started playing Drums & Percussion at age 14. Began playing Drums professionally at age 15. Continued formal academic Percussion training and Music Theory throughout School. Performed Snare Drum on two consecutive National 1st Place Division Ratings with the Ben Davis Symphonic Band 1973-'74 and 1974-'75. Also recorded two albums with the Ben Davis Symphonic Band. Played Percussion with the Ben Davis Orchestra and Trap Set with the Ben Davis Jazz Ensemble. Made the McDonald's All American Marching Band in 1974. Began formal guitar lessons in 1976 studying finger style guitar and the 5 string banjo with Tommy Flint for two years. Did a National U. S. O. Tour playing the Drums 1977-'78. Continued learning to play the Travis/Atkins guitar style and the 5 String Banjo. Gained interest in Slide & Bottleneck guitar in 1979. Began trying to learn the Dobro in 1980, absolutely hated bar slants. Obtained my first Pedal Steel Guitar after seeing Buddy Emmons play live in 1980, but didn't get enough Knee Levers.

Began Pedal Steel Lessons...Prominent Teachers include:

Ben Lawson
Ed Ruder
Jack Schrader
Cope McDaniel
Russ Wever
Herby Wallace
DeWitt "Scotty" Scott, Sr.
Doug Jernigan
Don Helms

Started my teaching career in 1979-'80. Taught Guitar, Banjo and Pedal Steel for 3 1/2 years at Phelan's Music, Carmel, Indiana. Instructed courses in Guitar, Banjo and Music Theory for 3 1/2 years at I. U. P. U. I. (Indiana University, Purdue University Inc.), Indianapolis, Indiana. Headed the Steel Guitar Dept. for 2 1/2 years at Arthur's Music, Indianapolis, Indiana. Former Vice President of the Indy Steel Guitar Club, Franklin, Indiana. Staff Writer for S. G. I. for over 10 years. (Steel Guitar International Inquirer), St. Louis, Missouri. Former Staff Writer for the Steel Guitar World Magazine, Spokane, Washington. Teacher and Steel Guitar Repair Technician for over 12 years with the last 9 years as the Steel Department Manager at Scotty's Music Inc., St. Louis, Missouri. Staff Musician at the International Steel Guitar Convention, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Current Member and Staff Writer for the Pedal Steel Guitar Association, Floral Park, New York. Honorary Member of the Indy Steel Guitar Club, Indianapolis, IN. Have performed several times at the Kentucky Steel Guitar Classic, Lexington, Kentucky. Have been a regular performer at the Smoky Mountain Steel Guitar Jamborees, Knoxville, Tennessee. Have performed at 10 of the Ozark Steel Guitar Shows and Pickin' Parties and Branson Jams, Branson, Missouri. Have been a featured performer at dozens of St. Louis Hall Of Fame Christmas Shows, St. Louis Missouri. A Staff Drummer and featured Steeler at Leonard T. Zinn's Annual Hall Of Fame Shows, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jess Hurt's Annual Hall Of Fame Shows, Toledo, Ohio, the Indy Steel Club's Annual Hall Of Fame Shows, Indianapolis, Indiana, the Northeast Iowa Hall Of Fame Show, Waterloo, Iowa, the Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree. I have appeared on the Ralph Emery Show, Nashville Tennessee, the Ernest Tubb Record Shop, Nashville, Tennessee, and a variety of local Television Shows in Indianapolis including "The Jim Gerard Show", and "The Bob Brawn Show". Performed and recorded the Theme Song to "Agriculture Today", in Indianapolis plus the Theme to the 1995 "T. N. N. Celebrity Baseball" show on The Nashville Network, Nashville Tennessee. Recipient of the Pedal Steel Guitar Association's 1997 Clay Savage Memorial Appreciation Award, Floral Park, New York,. Showcased the Steel Guitar at the 1998 St. Louis Arts Fair. Most notably featured performer at the 27th, the 30th and the 34th Annual International Steel Guitar Convention, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Music Editor and Show Host for, SteelRadio.com and St. Louis Community Radio, KDHX 88.1FM Midday Jamboree. Designer of the Twister Symmetric Tone Bars and the Accommodator Transparent Music Stands for Pedal Steel guitar manufactured by the Curtis-Chisolm Co. along with Mr. Don Chisolm. Recipient of the 2003 River Front Times Poll for the Dealer's Choice Band, "Best Country Band" in St. Louis:

Featured Writer in the following publications:

Steel Guitar International Inquirer, St. Louis, Missouri, USA (discontinued)
Pedal Steel Guitar Association, Floral Park, New York, USA
British Steelies Society, Bristol, England
Steel Guitar Japan, Tokyo, Japan
Steel Guitar Association Switzerland, Basel, Switzerland (discontinued)
Steel Guitar World Magazine, Spokane, Washington, USA (discontinued)
International Ozark Steel Guitar Association, Branson, Missouri, USA
Steel Guitar Addicts, Milton, Queensland, Australia

Equipment:

GFI Ultra D-10 Gloss Black Pedal Steel w/9&6 w/George L. GFI-II Double Coil Pickups (Courtesy GFI Musical Products)
GFI Deep Box Gloss Black Mica Kari-All Storage Seat
Goodrich Custom Black 120 Volume Pedal (Courtesy Goodrich Sound Co.)
Steel Guitar Black Box (Courtesy Brad Sarno Music Solutions)
Alesis Microverb
Furman Power Conditioner
SKB Shallow X-Rack
Peavey Nashville 400 amplifier (modified by Peavey)
Twister Symmetric 10 String Tone Bars (Courtesy Curtis-Chisolm Co.)
George L Strings (Stainless Steel)
USA National Finger Picks
Golden Gate Pearloid Thumb Pick
Ross Distortion Unit
Quantum Cables

Greatest Musical influences:

Nat King Cole (Singer/Piano)
Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull band)
Billy Cobham (Drummer)
Patsy Cline (Singer)
Oscar Peterson (Piano)
Robert Palmer (Singer)
Joe Satriani (Guitarist)

Greatest Steel Guitar influences:

Doug Jernigan
Buddy Emmons
Jimmy Day
Jeff Newman
Speedy West
Noel Boggs
Curly Chalker
Julian Tharpe

Have backed:

Del Reeves
Bobby Helms
Justin Tubb
Kenny Starr
Stan Hitchcock
Kevin Black
Bill Monroe
Bud Issacs & Jerri Mappes
Billy Jo Spears
Ray Pennington
Curtis Potter
Commander Cody
Laney Hicks
Billy Walker
Jimmy Crawford & Russ Hicks
Lloyd Green
Nils Tuxen (Germany)
Gerry Hogan (England)
Milo Deering
Hans DeJong (Holand)
Warren Neilson (Australia)

Have opened for:

Ronnie Milsap
Shelly West
Mel McDaniel
K.T. Oslin
Merle Haggard
Ernest Tubb
Alabama
Little River Band
Confederate Railroad
Charlie Daniels
The Texas Playboys

Music Instruction Books include:

"How to Play the 5-String Banjo in 10 Weeks" (Unpublished)
"E7th Non-Pedal Solos" Six String E7 Non Pedal Tuning
"4 Swing Solos C6th" Six String C6 Non Pedal Tuning
"C6th on E9th A Comprehensive Study" 10 String E9th Pedal Steel Guitar
"A Study of Precious Memories" 10 String E9th Pedal Steel Guitar
"A Study of Steel Guitar Rag" 10 String E9th Pedal Steel Guitar
"A Study of Sleepwalk" 10 String E9th Pedal Steel Guitar
"Speed Picking Pick Blocking Improvisation" 10 String E9th Pedal Steel Guitar
"Rhythm on Steel Applied Rhythm Concepts" 10 String E9th Pedal Steel Guitar
"Steel Guitar World, "My First Two Years" mostly 10 String E9th Pedal Tuning
"Fun With Splits" 10 String E9th Pedal Steel Guitar
"Scales, Scales & more Scales" 10 String E9th Pedal Steel Guitar

Discography:

"Steel Guitar Gospel Jubilee", Don E. Curtis, Home Tunes, Green Acres Studio, St. Peters, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitar, Dobro, Banjo, Finger Style Guitar, Autoharp, Washboard, Tambourine, Bass

"Steel, Myself & I", Don E. Curtis, Home Tunes, Green Acres Studio, St. Peters, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitar, Dobro, Banjo, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Bass, Drums, Autoharp

"Etched In Steel", Don E. Curtis, Home Tunes, Side Track Studio, St. Louis, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitars, Dobro, Banjo, Acoustic Guitars, Drums, Percussion

"All Points", Don E. Curtis, Home Tunes, Side Track Studio, St. Louis, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitars, Dobro, Banjo, Acoustic Guitars, Drums, Percussion

"St. Louis Central", Commander Cody and The Lost Planet Airmen
Recorded Live in St. Louis, Missouri,
featuring Don E. Curtis on Pedal Steel

"River City's Jumpin", Commander Cody Band,
Recorded Live at Generations Night Club in St. Louis, Missouri, 02-04-2003
Featuring: George Frayne, Mark Emerick, Steve Barbuto, Rick Mullen & Don E. Curtis

"Tech No Colour", John "B.J." Rogers, Fraternity/Rivertown, Indianapolis, Indiana
Pedal Steel Guitar, Lap Steel Guitars, Drums

"Fourworlds", Dave Elfanbaum, Side Track Studio, St. Louis, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitar, Percussion

"Less Traveled", The Stubblefield Band, Music Masters Studio, St. Louis, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitar

"Never Been The Same", The Stoffels, Metro Mix Studios, St. Louis, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitar, Dobro, Banjo

"One Step More", The Stoffel Family, Metro Mix Studios, St. Louis, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitar

"Harvester Originals/Songs of Harvest", Harvester Christian Church, St. Charles, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitar

"Memories Of The Lighthouse", Jeff Parsons & The Walker Family (featuring Mark Emerick), Green Acres Studio, St. Peters, Missouri
Arranger, Pedal Steel Guitar, Drums, Bass Guitar, Dobro, Banjo

"On Glide", Jacque Deshetler, Icon Recording Studio, St. Louis, Missouri
Pedal Steel Guitar

"Out In The Distance", Chris Galloway, A Peter Carson's Production, Good News Records LLC. St. Louis, Missouri
    Pedal Steel Guitar

"Please Let Out The Rain...A Tribute To June & Johnny", Son of Roy and the Funky Country Cats, St. Louis, Missouri
    Pedal Steel Guitar (www.funkykatrecords.com)

"Going Home", Hal Parsons, Green Acres Studio, St. Peters, Missouri
    Arranger, Pedal Steel Guitar, Drums, Bass Guitar, Dobro, Banjo

Return To SCOTTY'S Main Menu

Scotty's Music, Inc.
9535 Midland Blvd.
St. Louis, MO. 63114-3314
314-427-7794 Phone
314-427-0516 Fax
Don