Alvino Rey

Alvin McBurney (July 1, 1908 — February 2, 2004), known by his stage name Alvino Rey, was an American swing era musician and pioneer, often credited as the father of the pedal steel guitar. He was mainly associated with orchestral, big band and swing music, and towards the end of his career, jazz and exotica. Alvin McBurney was born in Oakland, California, in 1908, but moved with his family to Cleveland, Ohio. He showed very early signs of his mechanical and musical aptitude, he built his first radio at the age of 8 and, within a couple of years, became one of the youngest licensed ham operators in the country. His interest in music grew when he received a banjo as a tenth birthday gift. He began studying guitar at the age of 12,...