In response to a recent question I received.......
Pork Chop (drums) died from complications of diabetes following amputation of his leg. Big Joe Lewis (bass) died in an auto accident. Conway died from an aneurism. Guitarist Jesse Ed Davis committed suicide. Steel player Lew Huston who followed me died of cancer, and John Hughey who followed Lew died a couple of years ago after heart surgery.
I am the only one still alive from the original band.
Gene, I imagine that's you on the Fender steel, right? I was just listening through the Conway box set today on the iPod. Very cool that he mentions you on the introduction of the band. It's on the intro of the Maybellene cut. He introduces you as "the boy back here on the blonde..uh..uh...steel guitar. The blonde steel guitar. We had to hand make that guitar. Is Sgt. Gene Jones." I'm paraphrasing but something close to that. I think it's just awesome that we've still got you around and your still very active on this forum.
Would you care to explain a little about all you guys building that blonde guitar, as Conway put it. Of course it not the same guitar your playing pictured above, but I bet there's a pretty neat story behind it. It's a real shame we've lost all the other band members. Sounds like Pork Chop went the same way I lost my Dad. I was not aware of the nature or cause of his passing until this post. Thanks, Gene!
Hi Todd, thanks for the memory. We didn't actually build that guitar.
Conway had agreed to do an unplanned show and my steel was in shipment and not available, so we borrowed a little cheap electric guitar and raised the nut to play only for this show. It sounded terrible!
Gene, I hope I'm not bothering you with a comment on Jesse Davis.
I don't know if you know, but in some circles he had later become somewhat of a guitar player's guitar player, after having played on records by George Harrison, John Lennon, Gene Clark, Taj Mahal and many more.
I have an interview with him from over fourty years ago where his job with Conway Twitty gets a mention as well as drummer Tommy "Porkchop" Marcum.
Before I came to the SGF, I found this picture on your website, when I googled Conways and Jesse's names.
Thanks
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.
No bother at all Joachim, I always apreciate any comments I receive.
I am aware that Jessie (Ed) was an icon and a greatly respected guitarist in the Rock venue of the 1960's. His association with Conway was during Conway's transition from Conway's early R&R career back to Country.
Conway's shows during that era consisted of about 50% country and 50% rock. Working shows with Conway during that period of diversity always kept his musicians on their toes, to say the least, and ranged from pole dancers to country.
Thanks, Gene!! Nice website, too. Wow, tons of cool Conway stuff. Man, I bet those are great memories looking back on 'em now! Don't know why I've never looked at it before that I remember. I come from a whole family of Conway fans. Very cool for me to be able to talk to you on here. And thanks To b0b for this forum he provides us...
Yah, I have 4 pics of bands I have played with over the years with me being the only survivor which I attribute to my wife Mary who has kept me on the straight-and-narrow for 60 years as of last Aug...(16th the anniversary of the Elvis' death). Kinda sobering looking at those old photos of good times long ago.
Here's an old shot from around 1960 of Conway's "pre steel guitar" band with my old friend the legendary Al Bruno on lead guitar and big Joe Lewis on bass. I don't know if Porkchop was on drums or not. It says "Jack Nance" on the bass drum head......JH in Va.
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!
Thanks for the picture Jerry. I had the pleasure of visiting with Al at one of the Dallas shows a few years ago. I hadn't seen him since one of the "Springlake" Conway shows about a hundred years ago.
Not wishing to change the subject however, I did mention my lovely wife, (Mary) of 60 years marriage in the thread above.
Well, since that thread, she suffered a mild heart attack which was closely followed by a severe stroke. She is now in the ICU of the UofA Hospital, (one of North America's foremost hospitals), and making a very slow but steady recovery. Just thought those of you who know this remarkable lady would like to know.
Being the remaining living member of Conway's original band, in summary, I will soon be 82 years old, have had two heart attacks in the last year, but still consider myself to be fortunate in the unreliable statistics pertaining to the longivity of life.
I walk 2 miles every day, ride my Harley soft-tail often to keep it and my batteries charged, visit my doctors regularly, and stay connected to my church home and my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The shadows of my life are lengthening but I have been blessed by God during my journey in spite of my transgressions, and I believe that his grace will prevail. My wife, children, and grandchildren, and a recent great-grand-daughter, are the most important things currently in my life.
Gene, you've touched my heart (and others, I'm sure) so many times on this forum, and continue to do so.
Donna Dodd
Donna Dodd
Georgia Steel Guitar Association (GaSGA) Board Member & Website Administrator
"Every person is a new door to a different world."
- from movie Six Degrees of Separation
My sincere thanks to Donna and Paul for your kind comments.
Donna, you are a sweetheart as always with your generous and kind remarks, your steel guitar playing husband is so lucky; and Paul, you are my old friend who achieved so much with your writing and your playing. From our years of SGF association, I love you both.
I wish you a happy and prosperous new year for 2013.
Thank you for posting here and posting your stories. Also, my condolences also go out to George Lake on the loss of his wife....
I always wondered who helped Conway get started in country music - now I know! I have Conway's box set and it's a treat to listen to it. I have his final album (cassette) from 1993 and I find it so errie that most of the songs are about loss or getting older (except for the rocking opening cut of "Two-Timing Two Stepper - what a GREAT song!).
Tony, I very much appreciate your kind words and I enjoyed visiting your web-site, however, I can't take any credit for Conway's involvement in country music.
We came together by chance to form a country band, but, contrary to many beliefs, Conway began his career by playing country music when he was still in high school.
Conway's brief success in the rock music venue was a temporary deviation. He returned to the country venue as soon as he thought that he could make a living doing it.
It's powerful...notice it's handling both the guitar and the steel! 
