Hank Penny steeler

Chris Renna · Post by **Chris Renna** » 29 May 2010 5:00 pm

Just found out about Hank Penny from one of the Steel Guitar mags I received from this here site and then proceeded to find this blog!: http://therockingipsy.blogspot.com/sear ... results=20

I have just begun to listen to the various recordings and am wondering who played steel on the "Crazy Rhythm Standard Transcriptions" disc. It looks/sounds to me like it may be Herb Remington but I figured someone here probably knows for sure, so... does anyone know?

So fun to find out about another prolific western swinger.

-Chris

Robbie Lee · Post by **Robbie Lee** » 29 May 2010 5:22 pm

I really like Hank Penny. I think that Joaquin Murphy played with him a bunch, but I'm not sure on which recordings. Thanks for reminding me of him. I'm gonna go listen now.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 29 May 2010 6:20 pm

The Standard transcriptions feature the always fantastic Noel Boggs on steel.

Noel recorded with Hank very early in the careers of both men--before the war. You can hear Hank call him in for a steel ride as "Pee Wee".

Joaquin made very few recordings with Hank--no more than 4 or 5.

Chris Renna · Post by **Chris Renna** » 29 May 2010 6:29 pm

I found the cd for sale at Bloodshot records.com which says "Crazy Rhythm brings together 30 songs recorded for the Standard Transcription Service in 1951 and never released commercially until now."

Wasn't Noel out of the band by this point?

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 29 May 2010 6:46 pm

Well, he was in and out.

Noel was in and out of Penny's band more than once, beginning about 1939 and running into the 50s.

Hank used several steel players in his earliest days--Boggs and others.

After he got to Calif in the mid 40s, he used Noel, Speedy, Joaquin, and even Bob Foster on recordings.

Noel has a very recognizable style, listen to him with Hank on "Steel Guitar Stomp" (this is a King recording, not a Standard transcription):

http://picosong.com/FUN

then listen to him with Hank from the Standard transcriptions:

http://picosong.com/FUz

billchav · Post by **billchav** » 29 May 2010 7:29 pm

Herb did some work with Hank after he left Bob Wills in 1950/51 era.

Chris Renna · Post by **Chris Renna** » 30 May 2010 7:06 am

After I questioned your post about the player being Mr. Boggs I noticed that the article in SG mag mentioned that he played on the transcriptions. Thanks for the info. It is so fun learning about all these different steelers!

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 30 May 2010 12:56 pm

Mitch:
Is it possible that when Hank Penny called out "PeeWee" that it could have been Earl "Pee Wee" Duran ? He was a very proficient Steel Player around L.A. back around this time !

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 30 May 2010 2:43 pm

Billy:

No. The early Boggs/Penny records were recorded in Memphis on July 3 and 4, 1939, before Hank ever appeared on the West coast.

http://picosong.com/Fdt

Above is a sample. Noel takes off at 45 in; This may be the only one on which Penny calls out Noel as "Pee Wee", but they did a series of recordings over those 2 days.

Noel had that style of his even then.

Billy: did you ever know of an LA steeler from the 40s by the name of Eddie Martin?

I have an interview with Speedy on which he says Martin was the first guy he ever saw use pedals--rigged up with a fish hook and a coat hanger---in 1947.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 4 Jun 2010 3:59 pm

Mitch:
I knew Eddie from when he played with Red Murrell in the L.A. Area. He had built a huge 3-necked Console Steel Jim Palenscar had a large picture on the wall at the non-pedal show on May 22. The front was enclosed so if he had any pedals I was not aware of it. He used this console on several Movie shorts with Merle Travis and Jimmy Wakely. In later years he played with Wade Ray at Cowtown on Vermont Ave in South L.A. At that time he was playing a 3-necked non-pedal Fender. Eddie was a very articulate and smooth player with a lot of Hawaiian influences. We bacame very good friends. Eddie had been around a long time and I'm sure he played with a lot of great bands back in the 30's and 40's.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 4 Jun 2010 4:12 pm

Mithc:
When and where did Noel Boggs record "Steel Guitar Stomp" with Hank Penny ? I thought it was when Hank was playing either at Hoot Gibson's Painted Post in Studio City or "Pops Willow Lake" in the San Fernando Valley. I have heard a lot of his old records on "TheRadio.Com" songs of the 40's and he calls out the names of several West Coast Musicians included i.e. Harold Hensley on Fiddle and Noel on Steel.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 4 Jun 2010 4:21 pm

Billy:

Thanks for the info on Eddie Martin.

As far as I know, Steel Guitar Stomp was recorded at Hank's first west coast session---October 8, 1945, at KXLA radio station studio, Hollywood. Great picking by everyone involved.

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