The Album.....for The First Time...(all the great steelers)

[Randy Mason]

When me and Brent were growing up, we had this album with a time card on the front, called For The First Time. It had nearly all of the greats on it jamming with Louie Bellson and Jimmy Bryant. I was wondering with that many greats in one room, there must be some stories. What did you all think of this album?
Sorry if this has been discussed already, but what the heck.

[robert kramer]

Great steel guitar LP. My copy's at work right now so here are the steel players from memory: Buddy Emmons, Curly Chalker, Jimmy Day, Lloyd Green, Hal Rugg, Maurice Anderson, Doug Jernigan, Julian Tharpe and Speedy West. Very interesting LP: It's a set of swing tunes and each player takes a turn taking a ride as his name is called out on the recording. The rhythm section is Louis Bellson and Henry Strelecki with Jimmy Bryant producing and playing guitar. Hal is playing his E9/6 tuning which to me was one of the best, most innovative, steel guitar sounds ever. Also, it's instructive to hear Lloyd playing E-9th over swing changes. Bellson and Emmons are particularly in sync. At one point, Emmons doubles the tempo on a slow blues and Bellson hears it and doubles the drums. Then Bellson brings it back to the original tempo in perfect time for the next steel player. When you're Louis Bellson and Buddy Emmons you can do things like that. On the back cover photo it looks like everybody was provided with a rental Twin. Also, in the LP photos, many of the steel players are holding what looks like to-go cups. This could, of course, be ginger ale. I wish I had taken better care of my copy as it is too worn to get a good transfer. I don't know why, but for some reason, the parts where Emmons takes a ride have developed deep pops and scratches.