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I am writing
this bio on behalf of a dear friend of mine; Fred Justice. When I heard he was getting ready to launch a new website, I ask
if I could have the honor of writing his bio and he consented.
I first met Fred in 1972.
He was already an accomplished musician and had a lot of musical experience behind him. Fred learned to play piano from listening
to a radio program at the early age of 5 years old. Fred's parents were share croppers at the time and the land lords would
give Fred pennies, nickels, and dimes to get him to play: "The Old Rugged Cross". Playing piano til the age of 17,
he bought a used bass guitar and taught himself to play it. He then formed one of many bands and sang & played bass for
the next five or six years.
At the age of 23, Fred kept hearing all these steel guitar runs
in his head. He gave in and traded 3 rooms of furniture, a non-running Ford, and a shotgun for his first pedal steel guitar.
He woodshedded that old steel for 8 days and nights. Then he tried out for a steel job of five nights a week and got the job!
Playing local clubs around Illinois and Indiana, Fred then hit the road with Kenny Hart in 1972. Playing off and on with Kenny
and some real short stints with Lois Johnson, Jay Lee Webb, and a real short time with Stonewall Jackson; Fred finally settled
in Phoenix, Arizona in 1975.
While raising some great kids and running a business, Fred
played all the major night clubs and some that weren't too major, in the Phoenix area til 1995. In 1996 he became frustrated
with the music night life and concentrated on his trucking business.
2002 came around and some
friends of Fred's encouraged him to start playing again. He did, but this time it was different. He didn't "have
to play", and enjoyed it more.
Fred made a quick and great come back and now plays about 8 steel guitar shows around
the USA on his own: Justice Steel Guitars, which by the way, was designed and is built by Fred in Mesa, Arizona.
In 2003 Fred and his lovely wife, Brenda, sold out and moved to Globe, Arizona. They have recently bought a music store that
is now: "Fred's Music". Brenda helps run the store while Fred gives steel guitar lessons, works the website, and
does a lot of visiting with his friends. The local people love to hear him playing his steel in the back of the store. In
fact, on a recent trip to visit my good friend Fred, I found a man from across the street, taken in by what he called a pure
and beautiful sound. As he approached the door to step inside and listen, he asked if Fred was a friend of mine. I said with
pride, "Indeed he is.
But, I don't call him Fred,....I just call him Daddy".............................................
Written by a long time admirer:
"Fred's Daughter",
Salina Justice
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