Farewell Party?

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 14 Feb 2010 8:49 pm

This may sound like a dumb question, but on the Gene Watson version of Farewell Party, (the one we all hear on the radio) did Lloyd Green play the intro and the break in the middle? It seems like I once heard that Lloyd played the intro but someone else played the break in the middle. Anyone know? Was he playing the Sho-Bud or the JCH? Thanks in advance.

Mitch

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 14 Feb 2010 9:02 pm

Lloyd played it all....on a ShoBud. How are ya Mitch?

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 14 Feb 2010 9:27 pm

Reggie,
Thanks for the info. I'm doing fine. One of these days, I'm going to call you and we'll do some catching up. It's good to hear from you.
Mitch

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 15 Feb 2010 10:27 am

Great job by LLoyd.

My favorite Jimmy Day line, ever, is his ride on Johnny Bush's version. Absolutely fantastic ride.

Bill Fisher · Post by **Bill Fisher** » 15 Feb 2010 1:00 pm

Yep. Jimmy Day's version is by far the best; my opinion. Love it.

Bill

William Goad · Post by **William Goad** » 15 Feb 2010 1:04 pm

Ray , What Album Was it On
Thanks Bill

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 15 Feb 2010 1:17 pm

Sound of a Heartache album.
Here is a clip of it: http://www.johnnybush.com/audio/soundof ... lParty.mp3

Bill Fisher · Post by **Bill Fisher** » 15 Feb 2010 1:23 pm

I just checked the Johnny Bush web-site, and it is still available, there.

Bill

Tiny Olson · Post by **Tiny Olson** » 15 Feb 2010 2:12 pm

I've told this story before on the forum but it's been quite sometime and it surely deserves telling again here.

I was working for Gene Watson when he cut "Farewell Party." It was very early in 1979 when the session took place and several of us from his road band (at that time called The Hail Ball Express as Farewell Party had obviously not yet been released) attended the session at the studio. In the month before this session Gene had been messing around a couple times with this song and a flat-top as we rolled down the road from gig to gig. Three other songs had already been laid-down that day and there were now ten minutes left on the session clock. The engineer, Jim Williamson asked if there was anything else Gene, his producer, Russ Reeder or the musicians wanted to do with that ten minutes. Gene said, lets try this song, Farewell Party. It was not even planned to be recorded at all prior to this momment. Gene grabbed a flat-top, played and sang the song by himself once for the musicians, the guys wrote down quick chord charts and then they all let 'er rip. It was one take magic, done off the top of their heads in less than ten minutes !!! It's a testemonial to the fact that guys like Lloyd Green and his studio counterparts deserve so much credit for being able to create music quickly, accurately and with feeling and soul. There was no fixing it later in those days... you had to be able to play.

Lloyd was indeed playing his Sho-Bud. On this and several other of Gene's sessions he played through a Session 400 amp and of course, his Sho-Bud vol. pedal. He also used a Fender Twin Reverb on Gene's cuts at other times.

Visiting with Lloyd and later Sonny Garrish in the studio during Gene's sessions was always a great time. Two wonderful people and super players. I was fortunate to follow them playing on Gene's recordings and while I have size 14 feet, I never felt as though I filled their shoes.

In regards to the Johnny Bush cut with Jimmy Day... I really dig that cut too !!!! That was the cut that inspired Gene in the first place.

Sincerely,
Chris "Tiny" Olson

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 15 Feb 2010 4:26 pm

I heard Jimmy Dickens say that he recorded Farewell Party first and Emmons played on it. He did it slow shuffle beat..... like he's so good at doing.

Don Euton · Post by **Don Euton** » 15 Feb 2010 5:38 pm

According to Johnny Bush`s book, "Wiskey River Take My Mine", he made his version of " Farewell Party" in late 1967 on his "Sound Of A Heartache" album. That one is one of my favorite Johnny Bush albums, and I have most all of them. Buddy Emmons played on " Sound Of A Heartache" and " A Moment Isn`t Vary Long", and Jimmy played on the rest of them.
Johnny states it`s one of his " favorite Jimmy Day steel guitar breaks. Jimmy Day goes to modulate from F to G and goes from a F to A minor back F to a D7 to a G ". It was his guitar picker, Jerry Reed`s idea. If you have that album, turn it up and listen to that run. In my opinion, such expression and sound can not be duplicated.
Does anyone know if Jimmy was playing a Sho Bud, or what brand of steel he was playing?

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 15 Feb 2010 5:44 pm

On Bush's LP, Farewell Party is followed by Danny Boy, if I'm not mistaken and Jimmy was not slouching on it either.
I loved his pregnant pause on Party. Tracks 8 and 9.
It doesn't need to be any better than that.

Pete Young · Post by **Pete Young** » 15 Feb 2010 6:58 pm

Here is Jimmy's break and intro Thanks to Ricky & Rebel

http://users.interlinks.net/rebel/steel ... party2.mp3

William Goad · Post by **William Goad** » 16 Feb 2010 7:58 am

To all of the Forumites Reggie,Bill,Tiny,Rick, Don,Ray, and Pete, many thanks and to Tiny , you filled their shoes pretty well.

Thanks again Bill

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 16 Feb 2010 8:53 am

Sorry, guys – Lloyd's version is about ten times better, no contest. IMNSHO.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 16 Feb 2010 11:50 am

Per Berner wrote:Sorry, guys – Lloyd's version is about ten times better, no contest. IMNSHO.

Hmmm. Where do I begin?

Per, perhaps mathematics is different in Sweden, so inform my ignorant self. What's the original numerical quantity you've assigned to Jimmy Day's solo? Was it arbitrarily theoretical, or did you use measureable data?

Subsequently, how do you quantify "10 times better?"

What would "5 times better" sound like?

Since Lloyd's 8-bar solo is measureably half as long as Jimmy's 16-bar solo, would Lloyd's have been 20 times better if he'd have played a full chorus?

Or would Lloyd's solo have only been five times better than Jimmy's if JD had played an 8-bar chorus?

Regarding "No contest," I agree completely, but not in the way you imply. I'm sure that neither Jimmy, whom I knew very well and considered a close friend, nor Lloyd, with whom I'm also friends, would ever think of negatively comparing the other's solos to their own. Jimmy, in fact, was Best Man at Lloyd and Dot's wedding. There was great mutual respect between the two men, not competition.

BUT... if what you meant to say was, "I greatly prefer Lloyd's solo," well then... okay, you're certainly entitled to that opinion.

"Sorry, guys..." Okay, your apology is accepted.

Don Euton · Post by **Don Euton** » 16 Feb 2010 12:13 pm

Pete, thanks for the break post.
Herb, do you know if that was a Sho Bud steel?

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 16 Feb 2010 12:16 pm

THANK YOU, HERB!!

Regards, Paul

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 16 Feb 2010 1:00 pm

Paul
You're most certainly welcome, but it was just my humorous attempt to show that, when talking about guys on the level of Jimmy and Lloyd, quantifiable negative comparisons are simply unfounded.

IMNSHO

!!!

Don
Yes, it was a Sho~Bud guitar that Jimmy was playing, one of his permanent model Blue Darlin's, if I'm not mistaken.

Paul Norman · Post by **Paul Norman** » 16 Feb 2010 2:15 pm

Rick
Jimmy Dickens version of Farewell Party was Fast and
kind of choppy in his style.
Gene's was smoother and laid back.
All the steel breaks I have heard on this song is wonderful including Paul Franklin with Alan Jackson.
I also have Tiny playing it on a live DVD.

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 16 Feb 2010 5:44 pm

Well stated Mr. Herb!

I seem to recall reading where Lloyd stated that after Gene's release of Farewell Party, Lloyd was speaking with Buddy Emmons and asked Buddy's opinion of the solo on the song. He said Buddy stated Jimmy really did a great job on that one! Lloyd said that was the last time he sought praise from Buddy.
Dave

Don Euton · Post by **Don Euton** » 16 Feb 2010 5:53 pm

Thanks, Herb.

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 16 Feb 2010 9:19 pm

Herb, when we get to Dallas could you possibly explain that mathematical stuff to me? Maybe over some Jose.........

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 10 Sep 2022 8:51 am

Rick Campbell wrote:I heard Jimmy Dickens say that he recorded Farewell Party first and Emmons played on it. He did it slow shuffle beat..... like he's so good at doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1TqQ9piLus

Doesn't feel slow versus the Bush and Watson cuts. Interesting, though, and it, of course, predates those 1967 and 1978 versions.

Bobby D. Jones · Post by **Bobby D. Jones** » 10 Sep 2022 11:57 am

Layton Williams the writer recorded Farewell Party.
Jimmy Dickens recorded Farewell Party, And Billy Walker also had a recording of Farewell Party.
Billy Walker's recording has some very different steel than
what Gene Watsons version (LLoyd Green) or Johnny Bush's version (Jimmy Day) has.