Tom Engleman

 

Lehigh Valley Dobro® Show - A weekly two hour show featuring Dobro, Resonator Guitar and Steel Guitar music.

 

 

  I got interested in the steel guitar as a 10 year old child, watching Mid Western Hayride on a 10” round black & white TV……in Allentown PA.

 

At age 13 I started playing steel guitar (singleneck, 6 strings Gibson) with the Lehigh Valley Ranger, who afterwards changed their name to The Country Cousins. Over the next 8 years I played steel guitar and lead guitar with the Country Cousins and occasionally with Curly Gibson, The Broadway Buckaroos, Willis Meyers and The PK’s.  I also played lead guitar and electric bass with Ernie Kern and his Dance Combo. During these musical years I had the opportunity to backup a number of Nashville and Wheeling Country Music Stars, to name a few….Grandpa Jones, Cathy Dee, Dotti West, Wilburn Brothers, Little Jimmy Dickens, and Justin Tubb.  In those days many of the “Big Acts” didn’t have Bands and Buses. The Country Cousins were connected to these travel “Stars” through Cook and Rose Theatrical Agency in York, Pa. We played at all the local Parks, Festivals, Carnivals, Church Picnics along with the Sleepy Hollow Ranch, Dorney Park, Hershey Park, several local and State Fairs and Sunset Park.

 

There were gaps in my music playing years. After High School I worked as a journeyman machinist and later to become a Manufacturing Engineer.

 

Shortly after Jan I were married I started playing steel guitar again for three more years, then I quit again and didn’t hold a bar in my hand for over 25 years. During that nonmusical time, I only played rhythm guitar and sang “Old MacDonald had a Farm” when our tiny grandchildren would visit and run around and dance to that old familiar tune.

My wife Jan and I have been married 48 years. We have two married daughters Jill (and husband Chris) and Melissa (Missy) (and husband Gordon) and six Grandchildren.

Jan bought me a Dobro in 2003 to see if I could learn to play it (this is a work in process).

 

In 2009 I decided to start a Dobro®- Resonator Guitar Association. Before that, I met a number of Bluegrass and Country musicians through my friends Joe Sullivan and Lynn Peters, but the Dobro players were few and far between except for my good friends Lynn Peters and Tom Flynn (Slideman). I consider myself a “closet” Dobro player and singer, but occasionally will play and sing in our Church.  The Dobro Association meets on the third Saturday of each month, at our Church, St Paul United Methodist Church in Hellertown, Pa.  Pro’s and beginners attend this meeting.

 

I am retired and consider this, totally unexpected, and  new adventure of Disc Jockeying for The Lehigh Valley Dobro Show, a wonderful opportunity to reach out to Dobro and Steel Guitar players and listeners, plus this is a real privilege, offered to me by Dick Saylor. I have the utmost respect for the other DJ’s and Jack Saylor and Greg Wetzel, associated with Dick Saylor & Friends and I sincerely thank them for their friendship and the help they have been providing… for me to “Get in the swing of things” for this Broadcasting.

 

Signing off for now……..

Tom

 

 

Dobro®- Resonator & Steel Guitar Man