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Passing of a fine picker

PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 1:36 pm
by Ken Goddard
I got a text message from Sharon Ramsey informing me that her husband Bruce Ramsey passed away this morning
about 04:00.
Bruce has been sick for a long time.
Bruce was a fine picker in the Merle Travis style. He was also a very good banjo picker.
He loved Chet and fingerstyle guitar.
I got to know Bruce during the years of going to the Texas Fingerstyle Guitar Association (TFGA) picking meetings
in Flint, Tyler and later years in Gilmer, Tx.
I am going to miss Bruce's friendship and sweet personality.

Rest in Peace Bruce and God Bless You.

Ken Goddard
Oklahoma City

Re: Passing of a fine picker

PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 2:00 pm
by BillB
Hey Ken,
I didn't realize that you had already posted about Bruce. I also made a similar post as well. Bruce and my older brother used to hang out together when we visited my grandparents in Blossom, TX during our childhoods. His uncle married my grandmother's sister, and we kind of felt as though we were cousins. We'll sure miss his pickin', his humor, but most of all, his friendship.

RIP Bruce Ramsey,

Bill B.

Re: Passing of a fine picker

PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:56 pm
by RandeDager
Bill, thanks for letting me know about this on Facebook. I hadn't logged onto this board since this morning. Of course I lived in Texas only one year but was able to attend 2 of the Gilmer meetings and Bruce was the emcee. I'll never forget his vibrant personality and his great banjo picking. He told me about some of the things he was able to play decades before and apparently had devoted much of his life to the banjo. He emailed me when I was living in Washington getting ready to move to Texas, wanting to make me feel welcome when I arrived. I haven't seen him since I left there in 2008 but I would never forget him. I'm sorry about this but I also remember his illness even back then. I'll pray for his family.

Re: Passing of a fine picker

PostPosted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:31 pm
by Roger Pratt
Bruce was a good buddy of mine through the internet picking room and numerous phone calls and emails over the years. The only year that Bruce was able to attend CAAS was the year that my wife fell ill 2 days before CAAS and I was forced to miss and did not get to meet him. He sent me a lot of tunes both on the guitar and the banjo and boy was he a good picker!!! He played with several well known bluegrass people and I think he told me that he played with Bill Monroe once upon a time. I will miss the "Old Banjer Picker" as I called him. He was a great guy and I will miss him. R.I.P. Bruce!