TSGA Jamboree 2013
… another weekend in Dallas
Third year for me at the jamboree, and I think I have become a bit less occupied with taking pictures of everything. Only about 150 takes this time, and only a few of them ended up on this webpage.
Starting with an overview of the main stage. Mike Johnson playing when this
picture was taken.
Following up with a close‐up of Bobby Bowman as he started the
regular show on Friday morning. Good to see, and hear, that Bobby was in better
health than last year.
(update: 22.may.2015) Bobby Bowman died of
leukemia the year after, on 13.july.2014.
David Hartley has
a playing style I like, and performed excellently backed up by John
Stannard and the band.
(update: 08.apr.2016) John Stannard died 22.august.2015.
Good playing and good sound all the way through the show, and pretty full
house – especially in the evenings.
“free sessions”
Mickey Adams and Ruth Iseli-Dahler (from Switzerland) performed on the main
stage on Thursday. Something different to kick off the show to a good
start.
The non pedal
players – The Rick Alexander Non Pedal Sessions – performed in
the Chagall Room at the mezzanine level, Friday and Saturday. Shows both days
was streamed live over the internet to all interested.
vendors everywhere
Vendor boots in every nook and cranny over 2 floors, presenting and selling
just about everything any steel guitar player and/or music lover would ever want
and need.
Even I found something to bring home with me – see top of sidenotes.
time out
Got to eat and drink now and then, and I prefer the One14
sportsbar at the Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel. Informal and relaxed atmosphere,
just the way I like it.
People went outside to smoke, or to make/take phone calls. The “smoking
lounges” up front and along the side of the hotel was frequently visited
by many, including me.
to get there and back
This year I took the long route from Central Florida to Dallas, TX, via
Gallatin, TN, to see friends. Freezing cold in Tennessee with maybe half an inch
of snow at most coming down in the Gallatin area Tuesday evening. Roads were OK
the entire way though.
The route back to Florida was more direct South‐East. Took nearly 23 hours to get home – including cat‐naps, trailing the wet and windy weather that had passed Dallas during the weekend. I like driving at night, but wet roads make it somewhat less pleasant and more tiring.
Had planned to be present at Florida Steel Guitar Club's monthly jam today (13.march.2013), but found I was simply too tired to take the trip. Maybe next month…
sincerely 
Weeki Wachee 13.mar.2013
16.mar.2013 - added "notes" in addendum.
22.may.2015 - updated about Bobby Bowman.
08.apr.2016 - updated about John Stannard
26.sep.2023 - update and repair last rev: 26.sep.2023
side notes.
getting stuff
Bought an Earth
Drive boost/overdrive unit from Brad Sarno. Think I can find uses for
it once I get it cabled right in my equipment setups.
Can also find use for the Strobo Plus
HD I bought. It will make it a little easier to check up on the various
tunings I use on my steel guitars in noisy environments, and much easier to
exchange tuning data with players who don't note down real frequencies.
I prefer a regular tuning fork – in “A” – for tuning my
steel guitars. It is not well suited for tuning data exchanges though.
Michael Yahl supplied me with some knee levers and pull‐rods for my Dekleys. Need to get E9 copedent on the Double 10 I have in Florida more in line with the modified Single 10 I have in Norway, as it is a bit problematic to switch between tunings every time I cross the pond.
player schedule.
"Free Session" with Bobby Bowman and Charles Tilley, Thursday evening from 6pm to midnight.
As usual at these events, not everything went exactly to plan, and schedules pictured above – copied directly from the TSGA Jamboree page 2013 – are not entirely correct. Pretty close though.
fragments
Performances on main stage and elsewhere.
A few more, and larger, pictures in the addendum.
cold and windy outside
What seemed to be the last bad weather for the winter, passed Texas during
the event. 
Not extremely cold and not all that much rain, but enough wind to keep
the flags flying high.
Parking spaces around the hotel was pretty well filled up while the jamboree lasted. And come Sunday evening it was pretty empty. Sign of a well‐visited show.
I listen for “melodic playing”, more or less regardless of type of
music and a player's “technical level” and/or “style”.
Plenty to listen to at the TSGA jamboree this year.
Steel guitars in all possible shapes and colors were presented for sale.
Nothing particularly new or exciting in how steel guitars are constructed and/or
made to sound, so I did not spend all that much time around the various vendor
rooms and boots. 
More interesting stuff in the “accessories” category, and
the advantage of being able to check up on stuff in person at such events is a
big plus. Bought a few items – listed in 
All pictures are taken with a Canon EOS 400D, using standard 18-55 lense.
Original image‐format is 3888 by 2592px. All post‐handling done in
