MANNY ESCOBAR Influenced by older musician siblings, Manny started playing lap steel in 1959. But the steel guitar became sidelined in favor of singing and playing bass in rock and roll bands throughout the sixties. In 1974 he returned to the steel guitar and played an old Gibson Electraharp in his first country band. This cable operated malfunctioning antique inspired him to build his first pedal steel. Having purchased a universal 12 string MSA in 1977, he began researching and machining the mechanical parts to the likeness of his MSA. In 1983 the guitar was completed and Manny began playing it in clubs. Unfortunately the guitar was stolen on January 17, 1987. In 1989 he started building his second guitar. In 1990 (after 600 hours), he began playing it and breaking it in, and is playing it to present.

Over the years Manny has played in several bands including Cindy Lane & True Country, The Goat Ropers, Maureen & Mountain Ridge, Crystal Creque, Bullseye, Nashville Sounds, Joyceee & the SK’s, Whitey and Double or Nothing, to name a few.

Manny has won steel guitar player of R.I. in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2005.

He has also won steel guitar player of MA in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 & 2003 and was inducted into the RI Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004.

He is credited with developing many steel guitar related items such as: a steel guitar bar with a laser light, an arched or rounded fretboard, an adjustable steel guitar pickup mount, a four wheel carry-all wagon which converts to a table or amplifier stand. In 1999 he constructed a 24 x 30 workshop where he works on steel guitars. Recently he restored his long lost (stolen) steel guitar, which was returned on October 11, 2001.

Manny is currently playing with the Anne Marie Collins Band in the eastern RI and eastern MA area clubs. He is always eager to play and enjoys jamming and filling in with different bands. Being a retired school teacher, Manny Escobar hopes to devote a lot of time enjoying the fruits of his obsessive hobby and the magic of the steel guitar.

He has traveled to steel guitar conventions and shows in St. Louis, Maryland, New York, Conn., and MA He has performed in steel guitar shows in New York, Conn., MA and R.I.