What's your favorite PSG phrase/riff/fill?

Jesse Varichak · Post by **Jesse Varichak** » 17 Jan 2014 1:54 pm

I need your help discovering more songs with awesome PSG parts in them. I have a playlist on Spotify that is called Pedal Steel where I add only songs with pedal steel. There are certain songs that I can listen to over and over again because of just one little steel guitar part. I would love to hear from you guys about what are some of your absolute favorite steel guitar parts. Here are a couple of mine:

Tracy Lawrence - Time Marches On. This song is full of sweet little fills, but there is one in particular that just really sounds great. It's at 2:06-2:09. It's only 3 seconds, but it's great!

Son Volt - Windfall. 0:55-1:08.

Jana Kramer - Why You Wanna. This song is ok and literally the only reason I listen to it regualrly is because of what the steel does at 2:07-2:14. (If anyone can explain musically why that sounds so unique, I would love to hear)

Kathleen Edwards - I Make The Dough, You Get The Glory. I love this song all around, but the steel is just incredible. What would you expect from none other than Greg Liesz?! There is a killer fill at 2:36 and it really takes off at 2:51.

Jason Deshaw - It's Gonna Be Alright. This guy is from Montana, my home state and I only know about him because he was eating next to me one time at a restaurant and we started talking for awhile. After he mentioned he was a country singer, I told him I was learning PSG. Then he told me he was friends with the steel player for Kenny Chesney. It turns out he did the recording on his record "Atmosphere", which includes this song. All the steel on the album is great. In this song there is a sweet fill at 1:38.

Well, everybody, sorry for being so long winded. I've been meaning to write this for awhile as I haven't found any threads on people's favorites, especially in detail. Any feedback will be joyously appreciated! One other thing, I don't discriminate! If it has steel I'll listen to it.

Thanks y'all!

Jesse

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 17 Jan 2014 7:04 pm

Jesse, One of my favories is the Johnny Bush version of Whiskey River. Weldon Myrick plays steel on this project. Listen to all of it and especially the first half of the break, those are some hot licks Weldon plays.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 17 Jan 2014 7:49 pm

"I Love You Because" intro (Carl Smith 25th Year Anniversary album) by Curly Chalker

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 17 Jan 2014 8:26 pm

it would be hard to pick even the top 100.

buddy emmons' solo in the middle of roger miller's 'tall, tall trees'.

everything john hughey did behind conway twitty.

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 17 Jan 2014 8:28 pm

What Chris said!

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 17 Jan 2014 8:39 pm

What Steve said.

Jason Putnam · Post by **Jason Putnam** » 17 Jan 2014 8:42 pm

My favorite is Daryl singletary the bottle let me down. The fills are awesome! So good I can't figure them out!!

Bill Dobkins · Post by **Bill Dobkins** » 17 Jan 2014 8:47 pm

Intro to a real ladies man by Vince Gill John Hughey on steel. Also Intro to livin on backstreets by Daryl Singletary, Mike Johnson on steel. There are to many to mention.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 18 Jan 2014 6:55 am

The short four notes in "Next Time" by Dan Fogelgerg.
Played right after he sings next time at the end of each chorus.
I had to have them explained by a Forum member, easy to play, but what an idea to put the phrase in there. Played by Al Perkins.

Dave Campbell · Post by **Dave Campbell** » 18 Jan 2014 7:57 am

i don't know why, but mooney's intro to merle haggard's "i threw away the rose". it's simple, but it just sounds like what the pedal steel is all about to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCkJ60bEHxc

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 18 Jan 2014 9:43 am

I love the solo Steve Hinson played on Danni Leigh's "Back In Your Arms Again on her "Shot of Whiskey & A Prayer" record". First, there's a guitar solo, then Steve plays this cool little steel solo, and then, there's another Steve Hinson solo on Danni's version of the Willie Nelson penned song "Touch Me" where it kinda sounds like the bar is going all the way up the steel's neck-that solo appeared on the 29 Nights record. I'm also a huge Sonny Garrish fan and his steel work on Chalee Tennison's song "Just Because She Lives There" just amazes me every time! After the piano intro, Sonny comes in with a steel part that sounds kinda like a regular chord, and ends on the lower strings, I guess using the A & B pedals with the bar at the lower end of the steel.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 18 Jan 2014 10:29 am

One of my faves, that you can get a lot of mileage out of on alot of swing songs, is the intro to Choo-Choo-Cha-Boogie, by Asleep at the Wheel.
You can use variations of this lick for songs like Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette, Route-66, House of Blue Lights, Good Rockin' at Midnight, etc, etc, etc...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZM3_noPyiU

Rick Schacter · Post by **Rick Schacter** » 18 Jan 2014 10:54 am

Just about anything that Ralph Mooney or Lloyd Green ever played.

Also like the intro. that Buddy Emmons played for Healing Hands of Time by Ray Price:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf4_sFYm-II

The steel guitar performed by Pete Drake in George Harrison's song I Live For You is pretty great, IMO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVe9rj8E8ZI

Rick

Dean Rimmer · Post by **Dean Rimmer** » 18 Jan 2014 11:34 am

bobby black....sunsets on the sage intro.....E.rainbows all over your blues....intro and ride

Dave Campbell · Post by **Dave Campbell** » 18 Jan 2014 12:09 pm

rick, i was thinking about that buddy emmons line as well, but couldn't remember the tune. that combo of the a pedal and 2nd string lower at the start gets me every time.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 18 Jan 2014 1:45 pm

Dave Campbell wrote:i don't know why, but mooney's intro to merle haggard's "i threw away the rose". it's simple, but it just sounds like what the pedal steel is all about to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCkJ60bEHxc

I second that emotion (sorry, Mr. Robinson).

Jesse Varichak · Post by **Jesse Varichak** » 20 Jan 2014 9:07 am

Great responses so far! Some standouts to me; that George Harrison song "I live For You". Wow, what an interesting use of the steel. I love that kind of stuff. And "I Threw Away The Rose" by Merle Haggard, my goodness! That IS what steel is all about.

As I've been looking for these songs that you have been suggesting-mainly via Spotify-I have been overwhelmed by the amount of songs there are out there just by one artist. This is why I like hearing from everyone else. There are so many songs with great steel and not enough time to listen to them all. Some of my favorite steel guitar parts are in songs I would never usually listen to, but come across by chance. For example I was flipping through the radio in Dillon, MT and came across their college radio station. They were playing Kathleen Edward's "Scared at Night", which has some beautiful steel that doesn't come in until the second verse.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. My "pedal steel" playlist is growing!

Allen Peterson · Post by **Allen Peterson** » 20 Jan 2014 9:25 am

Weldon Myrick's ride on Right or Wrong.

Allen Peterson

Bill L. Wilson · Post by **Bill L. Wilson** » 20 Jan 2014 9:46 am

Tom Brumley, on "I Sang Dixie" by Dwight Yokam. And Jim Vest on Vern Gosdin's "Set'em Up Joe".

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 20 Jan 2014 10:22 am

Every note Bobby Black played on Commander Cody's We Got A Live One Here record. But, his backup playing on "Mama Hated Diesels" just kills me! (same record)

Jim Means · Post by **Jim Means** » 20 Jan 2014 11:15 am

Jimmy Day's turnaround on Johnny Bush's "Farewell Party"

Jim in Missouri

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 20 Jan 2014 2:25 pm

What Allen said plus, I'll come running.
Buddy's ride on Ray Price's, I'll Sail My Ship Alone, and Hall Ruggs stuff on Loretta Lynn's records.

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 20 Jan 2014 3:08 pm

Sneaky Pete..great, unique fills throughout and killer solo, with his trusty, crusty Fender 400 sounding like glass bells..
Even the best among us would have a hard time copping this type of feel and sound.. Simply one of a kind, and they broke the mold when he left us...

btw, this song was written about Michelle Phillips, and there are some killer pics of her as a young woman.. man, she was a flawless beauty to say the least... bob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbVXL32JW3E

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 20 Jan 2014 4:31 pm

.......also

John Hughey -"I just destroyed the world I'm living in" by Conway Twitty
Ralph Mooney -intro/solo to "I'll leave the front door open " by John & Joanie Mosby
Buddy Emmons -"Sunday in Dixie "

John Peay · Post by **John Peay** » 20 Jan 2014 5:32 pm

Dave Campbell wrote:i don't know why, but mooney's intro to merle haggard's "i threw away the rose". it's simple, but it just sounds like what the pedal steel is all about to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCkJ60bEHxc

Man, I couldn't agree more! For the same reasons I've always liked Hughey's intro to Conway's "Fifteen Years Ago". Also, nearly every intro & turnaround on a Mel Street song....

Ok, yeah, it's hard to name "One Favorite" for sure!

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