Interesting reading on The Hag

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 11 Feb 2010 2:23 pm

follow Russ W links to read

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 11 Feb 2010 3:26 pm

Thanks for that David. Enjoyable read.

I read another interesting article from the May '01 GP. In it, Merle says that Roy Nichols states, [talking about the guitar] that Merle had "the best tone I ever heard in my life-sometimes."

Merle says that Mooney turned the steel guitar world on it's ear with his style which Ralph attributes partly to Wynn Stewart's ideas. Haggard states that Mooney was just a## kickin'... playing stuff no one had ever heard before. He had a coat hanger attached to one string of the guitar he built and when he would pull that string up, people just went nuts.

Nichols credits both Haggard and Mooney for many of his ideas. He says Mooney used a lot of I7 chords and he adopted them because they sounded so good. Merle says Roy got a lot of ideas from him. Even though Haggard wasn't the best at executing them, Nichols was impressed with his licks, etc.

The article states that one time on Oklahoma Hills, Ralph smoked Nichols' instrumental ride on the steel and when Roy challenged Ralph to duplicate it on his old Mosrite, he took it from Nichols and played it perfectly on the guitar too.

Ah, the days of individual artists and band's styles. Good or bad, one has to admit there was no wondering who it was when Merle, or Buck and Don started singing.

Bob Adams · Post by **Bob Adams** » 11 Feb 2010 7:36 pm

A terrific piece of work David thank you for putting this up, I have been a Haggard fan for as long as I can remember and its wonderful to get this record of the Starngers, thank you! .........Bob

Russ Hicks · Post by **Russ Hicks** » 11 Feb 2010 8:00 pm

Thanks, David....very good, informative stuff.....
See you soon,
rh

Tommy Minniear · Post by **Tommy Minniear** » 12 Feb 2010 7:43 am

David,

Great job! Your efforts are much appreciated!

Roy Rosetta · Post by **Roy Rosetta** » 12 Feb 2010 8:21 am

Great article David...thanks. We'll see you in Dallas.
....Roy

Greg Wisecup · Post by **Greg Wisecup** » 12 Feb 2010 8:38 am

That was HUGE! I really enjoyed it!

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 12 Feb 2010 11:03 am

Thanks guys, it's a great history of Hag, but most of all, the musicians that traveled that the long road with him.., and it's most all about the West Coast Sound, ....Plus, I am A Huge Hag FAN..)))

Theres so much that goes on with guy's like him that we don't always get to know.. for me, as most of you , as a side man, it's always interesting to know who helped him along the way...

Deke Dickerson · Post by **Deke Dickerson** » 12 Feb 2010 11:08 am

Hey David--

I notice that you didn't post who WROTE that history of the Strangers. It's not that I'm that concerned about it, but seems only fair to mention the author.

Deke

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 12 Feb 2010 11:19 am

I wonder why the story has omitted
guitarists Grady Martin and Clint
Strong, and trumpeter Gary Church.
~Russ

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 12 Feb 2010 11:32 am

Russ, Very good point,
Deke...will try and find out..

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 12 Feb 2010 11:41 am

Deke,
I was emailed this article by a friend in ca, I went back to it's down load and see YOUR name on the doc, never noticed it till you brought it up, so if you are the author of this, I thank you, and you might answer Russ W question...

david........

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 12 Feb 2010 11:51 am

I seen it

-> H E R E

and

->H E R E

~Rw

Deke Dickerson · Post by **Deke Dickerson** » 12 Feb 2010 1:52 pm

Hi Russ--

To answer your question, the reason this history of the Strangers omits many of the important later players is because it was originally written for a Box Set book covering the years UP TO 1976, but not after. So this history of the Strangers only includes members up to 1976. It's not complete either, I've since learned about a few guys I didn't know about.

Also, I have about 10 pages (literally) of Merle talking about Grady Martin, which I hope to use in an article about Grady someday.

Glad you all liked the article--it was a ton of work and then Bear Family left it off the box set book, oh well! ha ha.

Deke

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 12 Feb 2010 3:28 pm

Deke,
Thanks for the enlightenment. I couldn't
reason the 'why' because some of those I
mentioned probably put in more 'service'
to the Stranger than a few others that
are contained in the story.
Thanks for sharing your tremendous work
and research. I'll hope be able to read
your Haggard/Martin story.
~Russ

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 18 Feb 2010 4:19 am

Reggie Young also played on some of Hag's biggest hits...but I believe those were after 1976 as well...