Who is the oldest steelplayer still playing in USA?

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 24 Oct 2023 5:35 am

I ask as we have in the UK a gent who is 101 years young and plays a LeGrande he has played from music all his life but not tab.

Michael Sawyer · Post by **Michael Sawyer** » 24 Oct 2023 8:53 am

Mr Clyde Mattocks,86,was on stage this weekend with his group, the legndary Super Grit Cowboy Band,at the NC State fair.Sounds as good if not better than he did 40 years ago.

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 24 Oct 2023 11:32 am

In California we have Bobby Black I think at 90.

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 24 Oct 2023 12:02 pm

Thanks for the input guys, getting close but no cigar.....

I wonder in the rest of the world if there is anyone older playing?
Bernard still has long vision but cannot see much close up, he is not computer or smart phone savvy but quite lucid in conversation and still loves his steel.

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 24 Oct 2023 4:48 pm

Fred Thompson is 92. Still plays twice a week.

Don Crowl · Post by **Don Crowl** » 26 Oct 2023 4:25 pm

I don't know if Bobby koefer is still playing. I think he's about 95.

George Biner · Post by **George Biner** » 27 Oct 2023 4:15 am

Norm Hamlet is 88, he was touring regularly not long ago with piano player Mario Carboni.

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 27 Oct 2023 6:07 am

Lets not forget our friend Charles Tilley who's 91 ...
and my friend Louis Armentaro from Montana playing here when he was 95, if memory serves he passed a couple years later ... he was still playing out and loving his Mullen

https://www.facebook.com/10000183865908 ... 165397151/

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 27 Oct 2023 3:32 pm

At 74, sometimes I FEEL like it's me. All the moving, setting up and breaking down and loading has aged me a lot in the last several years. I really need a dedicated roadie!

Landon Jarrel · Post by **Landon Jarrel** » 27 Oct 2023 5:24 pm

Dale Rottacker wrote:Lets not forget our friend Charles Tilley who's 91 ...
and my friend Louis Armentaro from Montana playing here when he was 95, if memory serves he passed a couple years later ... he was still playing out and loving his Mullen

https://www.facebook.com/10000183865908 ... 165397151/

Louis Armentaro was a friend of mine too and he was a character and a gentleman - I indeed thought of him when reading this thread.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 27 Oct 2023 5:36 pm

I will turn 76 next week, and I think I'm the oldest active steel player... that is, still gigging... in the 5-county greater Austin TX metroplex (John Russell is two months younger than I)

I know that Denny Mathis is about 10 years older than me. But he's from San Antonio. Rick Price and Roger Edgington are also older and both from San Antonio as well.

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 5 Nov 2023 11:34 am

Well,topic has run for a while and no one else has come close so, unless you know different I would say that.
Bernard Mills from Litchfield Midlands UK at 101 years old is the oldest living and playing steel player.
IN THE WORLD. 5/11/2023

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 5 Nov 2023 2:26 pm

I can tell you which one looks the oldest.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 6 Nov 2023 12:26 pm

Roger Rettig wrote:I can tell you which one looks the oldest.

The morning after a particularly rough night, I stood in front of the bathroom mirror totally dismayed.

"Waaah!

I look so old, so worn out, so gray, so fat... I need a compliment!!

"

"Well, your eyesight is perfect" my wife quickly replied.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 6 Nov 2023 1:08 pm

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 6 Nov 2023 1:50 pm

John Davis wrote:Well,topic has run for a while and no one else has come close so, unless you know different I would say that.
Bernard Mills from Litchfield Midlands UK at 101 years old is the oldest living and playing steel player.
IN THE WORLD. 5/11/2023

I'll wager he uses a 2 pc. case set.

Jeff Garden · Post by **Jeff Garden** » 6 Nov 2023 3:01 pm

Age is just a number - and in this case it looks like you can win valuable prizes!

David Weisenthal · Post by **David Weisenthal** » 6 Nov 2023 4:43 pm

Haha, Herb that last one cracked me up.

Mark Greenway · Post by **Mark Greenway** » 8 Nov 2023 4:52 pm

David Wright

Doug Jones · Post by **Doug Jones** » 9 Nov 2023 11:20 am

Perhaps Fred "Tommy" Thompson, 1999 Maine Country Music Hall of Fame inductee.
I think he's full in time Florida, North of Tampa area. He's 92 and I still call him "Mr Smooth"

Don Ricketson · Post by **Don Ricketson** » 11 Nov 2023 8:58 pm

I don't win no cigar but I'll be 88 in two months. Still playing a couple jobs a month. Been playing steady the last 10 or so years in the house band at Eddie Shells Cadillac Dance hall in marble Falls. Played the Llano Opry 15 years before that and...oh well lots of gigs since about 1949. Started when I was 13.

Susan Alcorn (deceased) · Post by **Susan Alcorn (deceased)** » 26 Nov 2023 7:29 pm

Bobby Koeffer definitely. And he still plays great.

Chris Brooks · Post by **Chris Brooks** » 28 Nov 2023 2:54 pm

I turned 80 today and thought I was old--but I am a mere stripling compared to the folks mentioned here!

I play steel with a couple of bands and guitar with another.

Fred Thompson · Post by **Fred Thompson** » 2 Dec 2023 1:07 pm

Doug Jones wrote:Perhaps Fred "Tommy" Thompson, 1999 Maine Country Music Hall of Fame inductee.
I think he's full in time Florida, North of Tampa area. He's 92 and I still call him "Mr Smooth"

Thanks Doug and Ben.. Yep, I'm still gigging and enjoying it.
Congratulations to all the other "Senior Steelers" that refuse to let a number cause them to give up something they love, though I realize many would still be playing, if not for illnesses. My heart goes out to them.
Blessings to all!

Lee Gillespie · Post by **Lee Gillespie** » 9 Dec 2023 8:23 am

If I may .... I,m 92 years old and I still pick every sunday at the Bunkhouse here in Cheyenne wy. The Bunkhouse is a neat place...Depicts The days of old here in Cheyenne. Great food, great western atmosphere. I,m told bu local merchants that when a tourist comes to visit...they direct them to the Bunkhouse for that old western atmosphere. Keep picking Lee

The Steel Guitar Forum

Who is the oldest steelplayer still playing in USA?

Who is the oldest steelplayer still playing in USA?

My friend Bernard still playing at 101 years

No cigar

Oldest player