Jerry Byrd has a few of his Hawaiian CDs available through such excellent
web sites as Auntie Maria's Hawaiian Music Island (http://www.mele.com).
Particularly recommended is "Steel Guitar Hawaiian Style", Lehua SLCD 7023.
This release is cited as the first Hawaiian steel/slack key duet to be
issued, although there's some doubt in my mind as to that being true (I
think the Sons of Hawaii were doing such things in the early 60's).
I agree that a comprehensive overview of his contribution to country music
is sadly lacking. I never see such classics as "Steelin the Blues" on
compilations; what's wrong with Mercury's reissue department? Jerry Byrd was
a notable session steel guitarist during much of the "classic country"
period, appearing on releases by Chet Atkins, Hank Snow, Marty Robbins, Roy
Clark, Ernest Tubb, Hank Williams, Patti Page, Burl Ives, Jimmy Wakely, Red
Foley and many others.
