I was born in Brooklyn New York, April 1929.
My dad was a "Vaudevillian" My mom was a Vaudevillian as well. My dad was Zeb Carver. He was a pioneer in this part of the country. He was the first and ONLY country musical group ever to play the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. He and his country group worked at New York City's Village Barn since 1932. He was a leading DJ as well as a songwriter during that time. He was responsible for introducing "Blue Christmas" as co writer with Billy Hayes.The same held true for his Introducing Peter Cottontail along with the writer Jack Rollins, ditto Frosty The Snowman. That story is a story within itself. He was the one and only act of its kind to play the Palace in New York City. Since his background is too detailed to write I will proceed to say that I "literally" was raised in a trunk backstage in my childhood. It was then I began my musical endeavors.
I first became interested in steel guitar in and about 1945. However, it was my second interest. I wanted to become a pro baseball player. That dream was not accomplished. It was Noel Boggs, Jerry Byrd, Speedy West and Joaquin Murphey who like others played a major role on influencing me.
I was Fender's first salesman on the Eastern Seaboard. I joined Fender as an endorser in 1949 after I quite by accident found a Fender triple neck Custom steel guitar. It was through this guitar that was sold to me from an unknown former jobber rep that was trying to sell off his samples that I bought one of his samples and that led my trail to Leo Fender and Donald D. Randall. From that time on, I was an endorser and field consultant regarding the design and input of Fender steel guitar projects. Noel Boggs and I gave our ideas regarding design and features of the Stringmaster and Pedal 1000 steel guitars. In 1951 Steve Sholes, then head of A&R at RCA Victor records appointed me studio steel guitarist.
~My recording credits are as follows:
-Elton Britt and Rosalie Allen
-Texas Jim Robertson
-Wilf Carter (Montana Slim)
-Homer Haynes and Jethro Burns
-Chet Atkins
-Guy Mitchell
-Perry Como
-Fontaine Sisters
-Theresa Brewer
-Johnny Ray
-Jimmy Dale
-Julia Steele and members of Count Basie's orchestra under the direction of Sammy Benskin (Basie's arranger.)
-Mort Lindsay (former musical director for Judy Garland and Merv Griffin)
-Vaughn Monroe
-McGuire Sisters
-Tony Mottola
-Bucky Pizzarelli
-Don Arnone
-Herb Greene
-Mitchell Ayres and his Orchestra "Musical Director for Perry Como
-Toots Theilman and his group
-Ken Griffin & Tony Mottola
~My Television credits are:
-Frank Sinatra TV show
-Jackie Gleason TV show
-Perry Como TV show
-Ken Murray TV show
-Dean Martin TV Show
-Arthur Godfrey TV show
-Milton Berle TV Show
-Sid Caeser and Imogene Coco TV (Show of Shows)
-Ed Sullivan TV show
-Rosalie Allen & Elton Britt TV show "Prairie Stars" three days weekly
-Ken Carson (formerly of the Sons Of The Pioneers) weekly TV show
-Merv Griffin TV show with Mort Lindsay and his Orchestra
-George Skinner TV show as a guest appearance, this followed the Godfrey appearance.
~My personal music achievements:
-Played at New York's Village Barn with my group from 1950 till 1960. Danny Davis 'Now Nashville Brass" was the show band and my group was the alternate band.
-I played steel guitar at “The Hawaiian Room†at the Hotel Lexington, NYC in 1956.
-Hawaii Kai on Broadway and 50th street Manhattan 1957
-Luau 400 on Madison Ave and 69th St Manhattan 1958
-Sahara Hotel Las Vegas opposite Louis Prima Keely Smith and Sam Butera 1954 who was the main attraction while my group played the lounge. I was the only ever steel guitarist to have the pleasure of sitting in with Louie and his great band. It may have been the "Italian Connection" as I am of Italian descent.
-Toured with Guy Mitchell I directed the musical group of 6 musicians and myself. We toured most of all Canada and a good portion of the Northeast.
-The Off Broadway Show "HAYRIDE" starring Sunshine Sue "Wortman" which opened at the 48th street theatre in NYC in1954.
-I played steel guitar with the group that was under my direction. The group was the house band that consisted of Roy Horton “leader,†Ray Smith, Eddie Smith, Johnny Newton and myself. Featured artists were Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys. Joe Maphis & Rose Lee.
-I played steel guitar with Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra at the Starlight Room at the Waldorf Astoria for six weeks.
-I toured with Elton Britt and Rosalie Allen for 5 months doing personal appearances.
During this period I was a Fender sales representative. I resigned from Fender in 1955 to pursue my musical career. My position was then assigned to a personal friend and I continued as an endorser and "liaison" rep for Fender.
I recorded an LP Album in 1958 with my partner Johnny Cucci titled "The Hot Club Of America" this was recorded on Coral records. The group consisted of four musicians including myself. Following the HCOA LP, the group was booked into Hidden Valley dude ranch, located in Lake George NY. We had a two year consecutive run and then the group was no longer together. We all went our separate ways.
I then went back to Fender as "Eastern Divisions" Regional Sales Manager. My duties aside from my sales responsibilities included public relations with all musicians and groups here in the Northeast, calling on recording studios and making Fender Musical Instruments available to recording artists such as Buddy Rich (Rogers Drums) another one under the CBS endorser program.
Herb Alpert
The Beatles
Herbie Hancock
Miles Davis
Roy Clark
Joe Zawunal
Roy Lanham
etc.
I had the good fortune of meeting Wayne Newton and Jerry Newton back in 1960 when I had taken Fender instruments to CBS for the use of Wayne and Jerry Newton. That was their first ever national TV appearance. They were then known as The Newton Brothers. When ever Wayne came to New York I was able to furnish him with Fender guitars and amps etc. My knowledge of musicians and studio's here in the Northeast was Fenders choice of my being positioned as "liaison" between Fender (CBS) and the Fender Company as well as PR person for Fender Musical Instruments. I resigned from Fender (CBS) to pursue the rest of my sales career with Leo Fender and his "then new" Music Man Company. Since Leo Fender had decided to leave Music Man. I was then self-employed.
I had been off the steel guitar during my salesman's career and have now returned to playing local gigs and currently writing a book on my life's experiences with Fender and my musical career. It was the help of DJ Mike Gross who helped me return to my music. His playing all of my old recordings on his “Swingin West†weekly Radio Show has given me the incentive to start playing again and I owe this to my Friend Mike, who is an ardent fan of steel guitar and those players he thinks so much of.
In Sept 2004 I was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.
Sincerely, Jody Carver. I still play a FENDER
