Interpretive Specialists presents Steel Guitar Virtuoso

Ray “Skipper” Montee 

After 50+ years of playing, Ray became an overnight success among members of the Steel Guitar Community when excerpts of a historic taping of his appearance on the Heck Harper TV Show, on KGW-TV in 1964, were rebroadcast on YouTube in 2009.  You can watch those same videos on this DVD.  The songs, "Swingin' On The Steel", and “Little Rock Getaway” feature Ray playing his 1956 Bigsby Steel Guitar, a 4 neck instrument custom made for him by Paul A. Bigsby.  He still owns this guitar and this DVD highlights Ray talking about his Bigsby with close up still shots from several angles.

As a youngster, Ray made weekly appearances on Radio Stations K.A.L.E. & K.P.O.J. in a youth talent show called the Journal Juniors.  From about age 14 through his early 20's Ray was a member of Arkie & His Jolly Cowboys, the most popular country-dance band in the Northwest during late 1940-50's.  They were the house band at the Division Street Corral, located at Southeast 171st and Division, in Portland, Oregon.  Ray also played with Tommy Kizziah's West Coast Ramblers at this same venue.  Arkie & His Jolly Cowboys were featured performers in the studios of KXL Radio and participated in a promotion for Fender Guitars.  They even made live radio broadcasts from the bandstand of the Division Street Corral.

Ray Montee was a personal friend, supporter, and fan of Steel Guitar Hall of Fame Legend, Jerry Byrd.  In 2004 Ray established the “unofficial” Jerry Byrd Fan Club web site.  To read more about Ray and Jerry please visit the site at http://www.jerrybyrd-fanclub.com

This DVD is contains a compilation of some of Ray’s favorite tunes accompanied by momentous photos of Ray playing many of his classic steel guitars.  These tunes have been transferred to this DVD in their original 1950’s formats. “Sweet Lorena” was even recorded with a hand-held tape recorder lying on the tuning keys of Ray’s Emmons Push-Pull Steel Guitar.  “Turner’s Turnpike” is a copy of a live radio broadcast with Ray playing his Fender Triple Neck.  The Heck Harper black and white TV show performances contain excellent footage of Ray playing on the 1956 Bigsby Four Neck Steel Guitar.

Ray brought his Bigsby Steel Guitar to the 2009 Texas Steel Guitar Association’s Annual Jamboree in Dallas, Texas.  There are taped interviews with Ray at the Jamboree talking about his classic guitars, his favorite tunes, guitar setups, tunings, and more.

Performances at the TSGA Jamboree were digitally recorded in widescreen (16:9) format in full color.  Ray entertained attendees in the Non-Pedal Room on one of his classic Rickenbacher Bakelite Guitars through a Volutone amplifier.

We know you will enjoy this music video documentary of one of Oregon’s finest Steel Guitar Musicians, Ray “Skipper” Montee.

To subscribe to Ray’s music channel please visit http://www.youtube.com/RayMontee

DVD Playing time: 60min