Two tributes to John Hughey

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 23 Nov 2007 9:30 pm

Hi all,

I was listening to Eddie Stubbs' radio show this evening, and he made a point to pay special tribute to John Hughey.

He noted that there was an estimated 1,000 people attending his funeral, which was standing-room only in pouring rain, and all media outlets were noting John's passing in Nashville. He then went on for a few minutes, going into a discussion about John's career all the way through 2007, including noting his playing with the Time Jumpers and his regularity on lower Broad at Legends.

Eddie then played a record that he felt epitomized the playing of John Hughey. Eddie noted that anyone listening should just stop what they were doing for the next three minutes and pay close attention....and if you were driving (which I was), to just pull over. I should have. I was floored. I had never heard this song, but it was, without a doubt, one of the best steel intros and breaks I had ever heard. Certainly, it may well be John's finest moment on record. The song was not even a hit....it was a Conway Twitty album cut called "I've Just Destroyed The World (I'm Living In)" from his '73 album "She Needs Someone To Hold Her." You can hear the break here: http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel ... eworld.mp3 *thanks to Rebel & Ricky*

The second tribute is yet to come. Eddie noted on the program that this coming Monday, the Time Jumpers will be doing a special show in commemoration of John. The doors will open at 7:00 PM and the show will start at 9:00 PM. Paul Franklin will be playing steel.

Joe

Paul Warnik · Post by **Paul Warnik** » 23 Nov 2007 9:46 pm

Joe-I too just heard Eddie play "I've Just Destroyed The World" while driving to work in my truck-I was picking up WSM pretty clearly-I had to stop and sit in the parking lot and listen-It is an amazing steel break on that tune and Eddie said it sounded like John "ran out of fretboard" at the end-Mr Stubbs has always given credit where it is due to the steel players on songs he plays on the radio-Sometimes he will even go back (as he did tonight) and play the steel guitar break again-It was Him on WSM on a similiar night that I tuned in (again going to work) and heard Him saying that Hal Rugg had died-He was playing Loretta Lynn tunes in tribute to Hal-and I started balling my eyes out

I got to thank Eddie in person at Scotty's convention after that for all the attention he gives to the steel guitar

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 23 Nov 2007 9:59 pm

I have learned that the Time Jumpers show this Monday will be $10, with all proceeds going to benefit John's family.

Paul...I thought that Eddie was doing a great job tonight with his song selections. He sure did play John's break again....and not just a few songs earlier, he was featuring a dual-fiddle song that he enjoyed so much that he played the dual-fiddle-playing-two-parts-each break a 2nd time as well.

Paul Warnik · Post by **Paul Warnik** » 23 Nov 2007 10:09 pm

Joe-I believe Eddie is a fiddle player and I have heard him give the same kind of repeat to great fiddle breaks as he does to steel guitar-I think we can all be thankful for Eddie Stubbs-He is a true "Musician's Disc Jockey" and not just mindful of the ones who sing the song

Todd Kapeghian · Post by **Todd Kapeghian** » 23 Nov 2007 10:30 pm

Joe, Thanks for posting this. Great tune. Classic John Hughey on that Emmons guitar. Wow!

David Nugent · Post by **David Nugent** » 24 Nov 2007 3:07 am

Eddie Stubbs is indeed a fine fiddle player as well as a monster bass singer. He was a mainstay of the "Johnson Mountain Boys" for years.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 24 Nov 2007 7:43 am

The link does nothing on my Mac. Anybody have a different link?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 24 Nov 2007 7:54 am

John's "Lost in the Feeling" CD has "I just destroyed the world" on it (#3) as an instrumental and he does that run on the instrumental version.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 24 Nov 2007 11:27 am

I posted the Conway Twitty song "Candy" HERE, featuring John's amazing (and fast!) steel ride.

God bless you Mr. Hughey.

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 24 Nov 2007 12:16 pm

John used the same great intro and break on the Conway Twitty recording from 1973, it is on the album "She Needs Someone To Hold Her" (MCA 303).

Please feel free to listen to the song here:

http://www.lloydgreentribute.com/Austri ... /Forum.htm

What a timeless treasure....

Kind Regards, Walter

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 24 Nov 2007 4:41 pm

Thanks so much for posting that, Walter!

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 25 Nov 2007 7:14 pm

Wow,,,,,,

No one could have done it better!

jeff reynolds · Post by **jeff reynolds** » 27 Nov 2007 6:15 am

!! WOE ! Thats cool !

Typical John Hughey all the way up and all the way back down.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 27 Nov 2007 10:30 am

Yes! John Hughey's ride on "Just Destroyed the World" is one of the greatest steel rides of all time. I got that Conway album back in the '70s when I was just learning pedal steel, and when I first heard that ride, I listened to it over and over and never forgot it. It's kind of hard to figure out exactly how he did it; but it is not that difficult technically - just almost impossible to ever do it as well, with the feeling, as he did it. To think up something like that required John's unique mastery and approach to the instrument, and is exactly why he has the sole honor of having a whole area of the neck named after him. Any steeler who has ever heard him play knows exactly what is meant the very first time they ever hear the very high frets referred to as "Hughey Land." His legacy will stand forever, because of short, sublime passages like that, embedded in some classic country songs. One of those is worth a thousand flashy steel instrumentals.

Thanks for highlighting John's beautiful work with these clips.