Another Steeler Gone Home: Lane "Race" Hogan

[Dave Grafe]

I just received an email informing me that my friend and fellow steeler Lane "Race" Hogan passed away quietly at 4:35 am last Thursday morning. I had known of his failing health over the past few years but had not heard from him for some months.

I never got to sit down and pick with Lane as he lived in Oklahoma and I am located way out on the upper left edge of this fair nation, but he was someone I truly enjoyed knowing and knowing of, and his emails always entertained and informed. We first met online some years ago when I purchased a no-name, home-made pedal steel guitar from him on ebay that turned out to be in much worse shape than either of us had anticipated (does anybody remember the infamous "RED STEEL GUITAR" incident?). As he had already spent the money for medical bills his immediate response was to send me a list of his entire lifetime collection of musical gear (and what a list it was!) and to offer me anything of equal value that he owned to make up for the trouble.

I chose one of his old steel guitar amps - a Randall "Steel Man 500" - and it changed my world far more than we ever might have imagined! It’s staying with me for the duration (it works so well I bought another for backup) and I think of him often when I use it, these thoughts will be even more poignant and thankful now that I know he will no longer be emailing me notes filled with his personal take on the world around us.

To say that the unexpected crossing of our paths was a life-changing experience for me would be an understatement. It set in motion a fantastic chain of events that amongst other ramifications brought me to this forum, got me playing regularly again with all manner of artists and introduced me to hundreds of other steelers, several dozens of whom live right here in my own backyard and whom I had never even known of previously. This story is further proof that there are no accidents and that nothing in this world sucks completely, unless of course we have our minds dead set on suckage (ask and you shall receive, I believe is the saying).

My thoughts and prayers are with his family, I know that Lane is smiling and completely pain-free now in his new digs.

Some of Lane's videos and other postings can be found at http://www.dailymotion.com/Racehogan

[Fred Shannon]

Well Dave there are a lot of people who really didn't know Race but i was one that did. If folks will remember some time ago a Hall of Famer's wife passed away and he needed money to give the woman a proper burial. We had just flushed out a bunch of cash for livestock and had no ready bucks but I offered one of my favorite steel guitars up for a type of auction, a little SS MSA that my sons had bought me many years ago. It had been kinda' sitting up in the studio and not played at all. Reece Anderson volunteered the guys at MSA to clean and set it up. Lane---Race, was the high bidder on the little guitar and in talking with him he informed me that he needed another guitar like a hole in the head. But he said that the guy needed the cash and he'd gladly kick in for the guitar and he did. That was Race nearly all the time I knew him. He always put everyone else's needs above his own. Rest in peace my friend, you deserve it.

Phred

edited to add: here's a couple of forum threads on "Race's" buying the little guitar:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 210931b964

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 8ef598f268

[Larry Hamilton]

Lane used to live right down the street on the same blcok as my grandma with his mom in Dewey, Ok.. I remember as a little boy as I would be riding my bike around the neighborhood, I could hear him playing guitar. I would stop and listen as long as he would play. I knew he was good but didn't fully understand just how good until years later when I started playing. I didn't know he played steel until in recent years when I saw some posts on the Forum about Lane. Although I never knew him personally I remember his playing. May he rest in peace with our Lord and play in Heaven's band.

[Dave Grafe]

Thanks for adding the posts about the MSA, Fred, it is just another example of Lane's kind and thoughtful spirit, always committed to doing the right thing regardless of personal cost.

[Jim McGinnis]

Lane was an excellent Guitar player and that was his main instrument. He only took up steel guitar late in life. He had a passion for the instrument. He could no longer form chords on the guitar with his left hand but he could hold a bar.
On guitar Lane could play any tune as an instrumental. Most of the time using full chords.
He enjoyed music right up until his passing. The internet was a blessing to him.
He loved to sing and put his music out on YouTube and Facebook. I think that kept him going.
He will be missed.

[David Hartley]

This is very sad, I felt I knew Lane 'Race' Hogan. He contacted me on a few occasions asking if he could sing along to my videos and post them on youtube. I didn't know he used to play steel and guitar, I will miss the links he always sent to me of himself on youtube singing away with myself, my tracks and my steel. Rest in peace 'Race'.

David Hartley

[Reece Anderson]

I never had the opportunity to personally meet Lane, although we corresponded by email many times in which he shared many things with me. He was always kind, considerate and had a positive attitude. He had an uplifting spirit and he was a talented individual who loved playing and singing.

My deepest condolences to his family.