Al Murray - Steel guitar player with Curtis Gordon

Andre Haqvinsson · Post by **Andre Haqvinsson** » 8 May 2011 10:56 pm

Anyone has any information on what happened to Al Murray
Curtis Gordons great steel player, this caliber of player must have
done some more recordings. Both before and after his Mercury recordings
with mr Gordon,

heres a exampel of his great playing, especially solo nr 2 is soo cool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avsLzrGI ... ata_player

Andre Haqvinsson · Post by **Andre Haqvinsson** » 8 May 2011 11:30 pm

Heres another great clip of his playing,
this one with alot of Merle Travis style pickin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oRtMgF4 ... ata_player

Chris Cummings · Post by **Chris Cummings** » 12 May 2011 2:39 pm

I also would love any info on Mr Murray distintive style which sound wonderful on Cutis Gordon tracks did he record for others if so did he modify his sound ?

Andre Haqvinsson · Post by **Andre Haqvinsson** » 14 May 2011 12:06 am

Yes Chris, i have never heard or seen anything of him
either before or after the Curtis recordings, maybe he was just one of those
guys who totally quit the music buisness when Rock n Roll came around,
what a shame, he had such a personal playing style too. I was hoping if he
had some kids maybe someone knew or had some information on what happened to him. there is some photos in the Curtis Gordon CD though, He seemed to play a Fender Custom or Quad

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 14 May 2011 7:41 am

I had never heard of him before this discussion started. Like you, I can find no information about him on the internet so far. Perhaps this will be called to his attention if he is still alive, or to his children if he had any.

Stephen Baker · Post by **Stephen Baker** » 14 May 2011 3:47 pm

I know Al played on the Mercury rockabilly session that produced Draggin’, Mobile Alabama etc. but was he Curtis’s regular steel player or a Mercury session man? Did he play on the earlier RCA sessions? I bought the bootleg CD on the Cat label before the Bear Family release so I missed out on the detailed discography. Come on Chris, surly you’ve got it.
Steve

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 14 May 2011 5:28 pm

I seriously doubt he was a Mercury session player. I don't know a thing about him.

Gordon's other steel players include Buddy Emmons on Play The Music Louder and Freddie Calhoun on Rompin' and Stompin'.

Karel van Bezooijen · Post by **Karel van Bezooijen** » 15 May 2011 1:19 am

Can't help you with info on Al Murray,
but I remember Curtis telling me, about
having worked with a young Lloyd Green and a very young
Doug Jernigan amongst a whole bunch of other steelers, when I played (Pedal)steel with
him, while backin him up with the Ragtime Wranglers, at the U.K.Hemsby festival in may'95:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xgv2y9XMbxI

Andre Haqvinsson · Post by **Andre Haqvinsson** » 15 May 2011 12:07 pm

Wow Karel you played with Curtis, thats cool

and thanks for the answers guys, the search continues. Ill try to
get the Bear Family CD i knew there was some band photos included.

Stephen Baker · Post by **Stephen Baker** » 15 May 2011 2:36 pm

Not much more information on Al Murray I’m afraid but according to http://www.bopping.org/eng/?p=865 in their article on Curtis Gordon “The singer showed up at Bradley Film and Recording, the first studio on what’s now called Music Row, with three of his musicians : steel guitarist Al Murray, Stewart and Slick Gillespie” witch implies he was a member of Curtis’s road band at the time.
There are several band photos out there Andre but it all depends on when they were taken. It looks like Al was only around long enough for one recording session.
Steve

Danny Spinks · Post by **Danny Spinks** » 17 May 2011 11:51 am

The steel player's name is Al Maury. If it works,
this is a link to a picture of him with the "Circle A Wranglers".

http://www.rogermiller.com/ArmyBand.html

I saw the "Wranglers" once when he was with them,
but can't remember any thing about the show or who
else was with the group at the time. I was a
member of the group from 1960 to early 1961.

That Fender quad was still in the Third Army Band
supply room while I was there.

Danny

Andre Haqvinsson · Post by **Andre Haqvinsson** » 17 May 2011 12:41 pm

big thanks again for the information Danny

Stephen Baker · Post by **Stephen Baker** » 17 May 2011 12:42 pm

Hey Danny, I think you might have given us the key to the hole mystery. I found this photo of the Circle A Wranglers with Curtis and it certainly looks like Mr. Maury is our man.

I got this from here- http://www.rousefamily.com/rock_roots/? ... -wranglers
Did the Circle A Wranglers work as Curtis’s road band? Steve[/img]

Andre Haqvinsson · Post by **Andre Haqvinsson** » 17 May 2011 12:54 pm

It sure seems so, and Danny did you say hes alive
and is a member here at the forum ?

Danny Spinks · Post by **Danny Spinks** » 17 May 2011 1:27 pm

The "Circle A Wranglers" was a country band that
was formed by the Third Army in the mid fifties
while Faron Young was in the army. I read that it
was formed when Eddie Fisher got out of the army and
the army wanted to replace him with another
entertainment group and Faron was in the army and
was the friend of some general.

Curtis and Al were in the "Wranglers" together, but I
don't know for how long. I don't know if they worked together after the army.

Andre,

I don't know his status. He did post on the forum
as late as March 2009 under the name Allen Maury.

Danny

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 18 May 2011 12:01 am

I wonder if Mr Maury has any idea how highly appreciated he is worldwide among the rockabilly fans of today. His solos on those Curtis tunes are ones that countless guitar players, myself included, learned to play note for note because we all thought it was a six string guitar player playing Travis picking. I remember you doing it too Andre

When I realized it was actually a steel guitar I learned them on my 9 string Sho Bud and used it in Vegas when we backed up Curtis in -99. What a thrill that was!!

Andre Haqvinsson · Post by **Andre Haqvinsson** » 18 May 2011 10:28 am

Yeah your right Jussi, those solos were the coolest, and i spent hours and hours
trying to copy them and play them Live on the guitar,

if hes still well it would be great to thank him for all his great solos.
the guy is a legend

Chris Cummings · Post by **Chris Cummings** » 20 May 2011 3:57 pm

Great detective work guys ! just the 4 tracks featuring Al recorded on one day for Mercury Records in March 1956 with Curtis - Draggin, Rock roll jump jive, Sittin on top of the world and Mobile Alabama. All classics and part of every Rockabilly fans collection in Europe.
Draggin and Sittin on top of the world were both released in the UK in the late 70's on a album called Mercury rockabillies which played a major part in the growing UK rockabilly movement of the time. Notice I didn't say revival because these tracks had rarely been heard before in the UK and to our ears sounded'as fresh as a daisy' although the recordings were already 20 years old.
Still being played today in fact I'll be playin Sittin on top of the world tonight with the Del Rio Ramblers.
It would be great to let Al know his one days work back in 1956 still reverberates around the world !

Stephen Baker · Post by **Stephen Baker** » 21 May 2011 4:33 am

in fact I'll be playin Sittin on top of the world tonight with the Del Rio Ramblers.

And I'll be stood next to him playing the guitar part.Steve

Deke Dickerson · Post by **Deke Dickerson** » 22 Nov 2011 9:29 pm

Hi guys--

I know I'm a little late to this thread, but though i would throw this out there as a possibility. The Bear Family CD lists "Dusty Stewart" as "guitar player" on the Mercury sessions. Dusty Stewart was actually a steel guitar player who played a T8 Bigsby non-pedal, and who also spent some time with Hank Thompson's band.

I have always thought it was Dusty Stewart playing this "Travis-pickin'" style of steel on these four cuts since the other Curtis Gordon songs don't feature that style of playing (which I'm assuming Al Murray/Maury was on).

Jussi, Andre, thoughts? I know Lee Jeffriess bought Dusty's steel a long time ago but not sure if he ever knew to ask him about the Curtis Gordon songs.

Deke

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 23 Nov 2011 4:01 am

Deke, not sure if these email ads are still working, but you should ask Dusty himself

http://www.riverroadboys.com/

Andre Haqvinsson · Post by **Andre Haqvinsson** » 23 Nov 2011 1:52 pm

Deke thats interesting, youre having a point here, could it be that Dusty
plays the Steel? when you think about it you cant really hear any guitar
on those tracks, or im i wrong ? and i always though that Fender sounded strangely good ( wich Maury plays on the bandphoto) ) maybe its Stewarts Bigsby we hear ? Like Jussi said, Dusty should really be the right
guy to ask !!

Stephen Baker · Post by **Stephen Baker** » 23 Nov 2011 2:28 pm

Deke, Here’s an extended version of my quote in my earlier post

“Radio began rejecting those kinds of records, and Kilpatrick needed Gordon to record something that rocked. The singer showed up at Bradley Film and Recording, the first studio on what’s now called Music Row, with three of his musicians : steel guitarist Al Murray, ( Dusty) Stewart and Slick Gillespie. The Nashville studio element again included Eddie Hill and drummer T. Tommy Cutrer.(…)
Four rockabilly compositions came out of this session, many of them featuring Murray’s futuristic, unorthodox steel guitar, in the Speedy West tradition. Draggin’ was a hot-rod race ditty with Sun-style slapback echo and tough Scotty Moore-inspired lead guitar, Gillespie slapping the bass in the style of Bill Black. Hearing Elvis, Scotty and Bill at Radio Ranch obviously left its mark given the authoritative accompaniment from the band. Rock, Roll, Jump and Jive combines a driven beat with searing lead guitar. Surprisingly, Mercury never issue it or Sittin’ On Top Of The World. Gordon adapted the old blues to rockabilly with stinging Moore-style guitar from Stewart and strong rhythm. Mobile, Alabama, a prideful rocker about Gordon’s adopted hometown, has become a favorite of rockabilly revivalists, one that also afforded the chance to hear more of Murray’s rolling steel.”
From 1998 Rick Kienzle notes to Bear Family CD 16253 Curtis Gordon – Play the music louder http://www.bopping.org/eng/?p=865
Many of Curtis’s other recordings feature well known session & studio musicians such as Bud Issacs & Jerry Bryd. I think these cuts sound so different because they are the only cuts recorded with this line up. Also I think these recordings are from around the time of Curtis’s military service, maybe by the time they got back into a studio again the style could have been seen as already outdated ( though they still sound fresh to me).
Steve

Stephen Baker · Post by **Stephen Baker** » 23 Nov 2011 2:31 pm

The link didn't work. Try this one
http://www.bopping.org/eng/?p=865