Post by tcb on Feb 11, 2004 17:27:45 GMT -5
Pioneering Japanese steel guitar player Katz Kobayashi, a rock musician in his homeland who later played country-western with Marty Robbins' band, died from complications of a stroke. He was 60.
Kobayashi, who died Sunday, lived in this Florida Panhandle resort city and regularly played at the Ocean Opry here before he suffered the stroke in 2001.
Kobayashi taught himself to play pedal steel guitar, a rare talent in his homeland, and joined several Japanese rock bands, including the well-known Flowers.
"They had to run to their cars with girls screaming and trying to grab their clothes and all," said Kobayashi's wife, Peggy. "He was a rock 'n' roll steel guitar player, but his favorite music was Hawaiian."
Kobayashi then went to Seattle where he met Robbins, who invited him to join his band in Nashville, Tenn. Kobayashi played with Robbins at the Grand Ole Opry from 1974 until Robbins' death in 1982.
He later played with Robbins' son, Ronny, as well as Johnny Russell, Jeannie Pruitt, Whispering Bill Anderson and Alan Jackson.
In the early 1990s, Kobayashi was a regular at the Carolina Opry in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He moved to Panama City Beach in 1995.
Funeral services will be held Thursday at the Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home Chapel. Kobayashi also is survived by relatives in Japan.
Kobayashi, who died Sunday, lived in this Florida Panhandle resort city and regularly played at the Ocean Opry here before he suffered the stroke in 2001.
Kobayashi taught himself to play pedal steel guitar, a rare talent in his homeland, and joined several Japanese rock bands, including the well-known Flowers.
"They had to run to their cars with girls screaming and trying to grab their clothes and all," said Kobayashi's wife, Peggy. "He was a rock 'n' roll steel guitar player, but his favorite music was Hawaiian."
Kobayashi then went to Seattle where he met Robbins, who invited him to join his band in Nashville, Tenn. Kobayashi played with Robbins at the Grand Ole Opry from 1974 until Robbins' death in 1982.
He later played with Robbins' son, Ronny, as well as Johnny Russell, Jeannie Pruitt, Whispering Bill Anderson and Alan Jackson.
In the early 1990s, Kobayashi was a regular at the Carolina Opry in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He moved to Panama City Beach in 1995.
Funeral services will be held Thursday at the Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home Chapel. Kobayashi also is survived by relatives in Japan.