Would you consider this "ahead of its time"?

Tommymc

In the sense that he was ahead of Peter Frampton, yes.....but Alvino Rey gets the credit for being the first. He was using a talk box as early as 1939. Alvino Rey and Talking Steel were synonymous during the 50's. Here's a 1944 recording of him and his "talking steel". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hzDbJHLUK8 Read more about the history of talk boxes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFgciQDQfes