Bobbe Seymour

    A dear friend of mine that most of you must know. That wonderful steel player, nutty and humorous guy that would do anything for anyone, Mr. Lynn Owsley.

    When Lynn first came to town from Alabama, I was the staff steel player and band leader at a little Nashville metroplex of live music clubs called Printer’s Alley. I would hear of a lot of jobs open to steel players in town and I managed to keep Lynn working through his first days in Nashville.

    People like Claude Gray, Jeannie C. Riley, Ernie Ashworth and Vernon Oxford, then a few years later, Lynn landed a job with Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadours. Lynn worked all of Ernest Tubb’s last days up until the death of this great country music singer and stylist.

    Lynn would tell many stories of working for Ernest and country music singer Claude Gray and about their gambling ventures on the busses while on tour. Lynn told many times of winning both of these stars busses on long tour gambling marathons, but ending up having to give the bus back so he and the band could get back home to Nashville.

    It’s hard to say enough nice things about the personality of Lynn Owsley. He loves everybody and everybody that knows him loves him.

    I am expounding on this steel players virtues because he richly deserves more credit than he’s ever gotten.

Bobby Seymour of      
Steel Guitar Nashville

Don Helms

    Lynn stopped by my house and asked if I would like to hear his new CD "Steel n' A Feeln' ". I said Yeah, come on in.
    We had our usual conversation and joke session and then turned the machine on. one by one the cuts played. I made notes after each one. Some of those are listed on the CD.
    After Lynn left I played it all again. I drew the same conclusion as I did the first time. Lynn has made good choices in the songs, the musicians, the studio and he never played better. I thank him for asking if I'd like to hear his new CD - You bet I like it & I bet you will too. Good show Lynn and best of luck on your great project!
     "Secret Love" Man that's great C6th stuff and "Lonesome 77203" Justin wrote it & you did the rest!
It's one heck of a CD
    Now as the old Cherokee Troubadour rides off into the sunset. I congratulate you on your new CD
                                                    Your Friend & Brother
                                                     Don Helms
                                                     Hendersonville, TN

Tresa Street

     I’m so glad to have this opportunity to talk about my good friend, Lynn Owsley. Let’s see where do I start? He is a SUPER steel player, jammed packed with talent and has a personality to match. He always wears a smile, never meets a stranger and always has a fun story to tell.
    When it comes to helping others, Lynn is always the first to contribute to the cause. I’m proud to have Lynn as my friend, as well as a member of my band.
    I’m looking forward to many more years of sharing the stage with my good buddy, Lynn Owsley.
    In my book….he’s second to NONE.
                                                           Tresa Street
                                                           Gallatin, TN

Billy Robinson

A note about my good friend Lynn Owsley.
     First of all, Congratulation on you new website.

     Lynn Owsley is a great accomplished Steel Guitar player. He has worked with many country artists as well as western artists. He is able to play all styles as well as being a good entertainer. I have been fortunate to work with him on many occasions.
    We can all say that Lynn is the ambassador that furthers the interest of the Steel Guitar world.

As Ernest Tubb would say, "a true Texas Troubadour."

                                                           Billy Robinson
                                                           Gallatin, TN

Bob Callaway

     It is my pleasure to have known Lynn over 20 years.  I enjoy his talents, wit, humor and showmanship immensely. Lynn cares very much about people and is also an avid pet lover.
     He will go out of his way to help anyone in need, I know this first hand!
     And as Billy Robinson said, "He is truly a great ambassador of music and the steel guitar".
Lynn I'm happy to have you as my friend,
                                                         Bob Callaway
                                                         Shepherdsville, KY

Jack Dougherty

Hey Lynn...

     Glad to hear your doing better.
Boy...........You must be somebody now!!!  Your own web site.
     Good luck to a great guy and stay well.

                                                           Jack Dougherty
                                                           Spring Hill, FL

Don & Helen Brown

       First and foremost, a special wish for Lynn, to have a complete recovery, so everyone can enjoy his great sense of humor, as well as, one of the nicest, and most caring people I've ever met.

       Question: Who else would go out to the bus, at somewhere around two am in the morning, and bring their steel into their motel room, and set it up, so a (nearly) complete stranger could take a look at, not only his steel, but his equipment as well? I think the answer to that would be nobody else. Then, after finding out I was in need of a new pot for my volume pedal, Lynn went back out to the bus, and brought in one of his pedals, and handed it to me. I still have that pedal today.

       A story goes along with that pedal. It seems that Lynn's name got "haphazardly" engraved in scratches across the lower portion's front. No one here ever said who did it, but in doing so, they spelled Lynn's Last name as: Osley. So faint I could have buffed it out, but I chose to leave it that way. I forgot to tell Lynn that, in an email I sent him, after hearing of his recent surgery.

       Here is exactly how thoughtful Lynn is. In my speaking of George Edwards, Lynn asked if I knew George has been recovering from a stoke, and went on to say that he'd pass along my well wishes to George the next time he dropped in on him. Imagine that! Someone who'd just recently went through all of what Lynn has, and yet his thoughts were on others! That, sure says it all.

       Thanks for letting me share just a tiny little bit of a (long) story. I'm sad to say, we never got to see Lynn again after the two days, ET was in this area. Lynn and the entire group were a lot of fun to be around, listening to the stories being told over breakfast the following morning.

       PS: I had to joggle Lynn's memory a bit, and I think it was in mentioning his aunt, who lived in a nearby town, or possibly the 1972, Bronze Gold Caddy Coupe Deville, that brought it back? He was probably thinking: "How does a guy in a small Hick Town, in NJ ride around in a car like this." Answer: From playing "Good Old County Music." Lynn.. <grin>
                                          God Bless each of you,
                                          Don & Helen Brown & Family
                                          Millville, NJ
 

Lynn, the engraved end plates are so good looking, I remember you telling me about them after you ordered the guitar and how thrilled you were, looking forward to getting the new Derby. I hope the new stand I sent you works out as good as the other one you wore out. I think from reading here you are using a Webb amp now if you need another stand let me know, I am playing an Evans amp now, love it. Take care of yourself and look forward seeing you down the road, Nan and I love you dearly, thanks for being such a great friend.
                                            Ernie, Nan, & Linda Cawby
                                            Lake City, Florida

Barry Barnes

      "T for Texas, T for Tennessee", ah ha. Goodness knows I like saying that, but it got thrown out there just to bring up the name Jimmie Rodgers. Why? Mrs. Jimmie Rodgers was very instrumental in the career of Ernest Tubb. If you spend any time at all out at the Texas Troubadour Theater in Music Valley of Nashville Tennessee, you’ll discover that fact fairly quickly. 
      Ernest Tubb was helped along the way; therefore, Ernest Tubb did a lot of helping for others along the way. I’ve met a few former Texas Troubadours the last few years doing my newsletter and just about all of them to a man says the old man was like a second daddy to them. 

      Well, this writer sure appreciates a steel guitar player that he met a few years ago out at the Long Hollow Jamboree. Lynn Owsley, the steel guitar player, didn’t know me from Adam at the time, but we had crossed paths a time or two as I covered events he was playing or in attendance. A Texas Troubadour just out of the blue started telling me about upcoming events and shows he thought might be good to include in my newsletter. Boy, he was right. One of them featured him and Buddy Emmons playing twin steels celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Ernest Tubb Record Store. Another show featured a reunion of Texas Troubadours including Buddy Charleton, Leon Rhodes, Junior Pruneda, Steve Chapman, and Don Mills. 

      This Owsley character sure does know a good story when he sees one and has been in the ol’ newsletter more than anybody, mostly in pictures or occasional quotes relating to a particular event, but never as a feature story. That’s all changing now. Anybody that continues reading from this point on can consider themselves an honorary Texas Troubadour. Trust me, you’ll have the inside scoop and then some. 
Remember Ernest Tubb flipping his guitar around on stage and the message taped to the back of it for all his fans to see, THANKS. Thank you, Lynn, for taking an interest in "Nashville Now & Then" and for helping me along the way. You’re all right for a former Texas Troubadour. Guess you learned from one of the best.
                                                 Barry Barnes
                                                 Nashville, TN
                                                 Nashville Now & Then

Ron Elliott

Hey Lynn,
     Great website, very well put together. Just wanted to stop by and say "Howdy". We've been doing this for a long time.

      Here's wishing you good health and good luck in all that you do.
                                               For my Friend & Brother,
                                               Ron Elliott
                                               Madison, TN

Tommy Shown

 Lynn,
      you are truly a great steel player. I remember meeting you back in 1978, in Port Allen, Louisiana. You were doing a show that night with Ernest and it was such an honor to meet you and Ernest. I still have the album on vinyl (yes vinyl). You and couple of the guys in the band were gracious enough to take time to autograph it for me.
      I always liked Ernest and his music. I remember as a young boy living in Kentucky at the time dreaming of being a Troubadour. I learned how to play the acoustic guitar by watching Ernest on TV doing his show.
      The day he died I cried like a baby, my wife at the time didn't understand. I told her that it felt like a piece of me had gone. But I am glad that you have kept the tradition alive of ET. Through playing the steel guitar.
      I am a steel player too, and have enjoyed your playing through out the years. I am glad that you are doing better. I have read some of the stories that you have posted on your site and Ernest was such a giving gentleman, willing to help out anyone.
                                                          Thank you again
                                                          Tommy Shown
                                                                  Louisiana

Gregg Thacker

Greetings Lynn,
       Long time no type or talk to. I sure have fond memories of you when we met at the Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree in Dallas a few years back.
       I am impressed with your website.  I really enjoyed seeing your pictures.  I did not know that Ron Elliott was a Troubadour.
Sure wish you could come visit us again at the Steel Guitar Jamboree. Sure would love to see you again. Best of luck to you and yours.      Your friend,
                                                       Gregg Thacker
                                                       Farmers Branch, TX

Tom Weaver

      I saw Ernest Tubb and you at Sunset Park in West Grove, PA many times over the years. I attended Fan Fair in Nashville from 1980-1990 and saw you guys there also, as well as the Midnight Jamboree.
      Somewhere in my warehouse of music stuff, I have a cassette tape of a WSM interview with you, Hoot Borden, and the Texas Troubadours that I recorded while in Nashville. I believe Keith Bilbrey conducted the interview.  
      Enjoyed your website!            My Best,
                                                      Tom Weaver
                                                      Newark, DE

      I had the pleasure of meeting Lynn and his son, quite by chance, on Saturday May 22, 2010.  He explained that he was a steel guitar player and we talked a few minutes about music in general.  I thought about him for a few days and decided to google search his name only to find out that I had stood in the presence of country music greatness and had not even realized it!  He was, in fact, on his way to be inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame (of Alabama) on the very night of our chance meeting.  He had not boasted of his accomplishments nor did he tell me about his induction later on that night.  I have had an opportunity to watch some of his youtube video clips and I find him truly amazing.  I just wanted to say my belated thanks to Lynn for years of hard work, dedication and keeping country music alive!  Our meeting will be in my heart forever! Thanks
                                                            Brenda Mitchell
                                                            Gardendale, AL

    At its annual Steel Guitar Show held May, 22, 2010, Lynn Owsley was inducted into The Alabama Steel Guitar Association’s Hall of Fame.
                                                       Bill Cook
                                           Alabama Steel Guitar Assoc
 

     Congratulations on your award at the Alabama Steel Guitar Show in Montgomery. It was definately much deserved. It was so good to see and feel the love everyone had for you and may I say thanks for the time we got to spend talking at your table. Look forward to seeing you again soon--at least at St. Louis, if not before.                      Your friend,
                                                      Wendell Gurley

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