A Song Paying Tribute To Hal & Weldon On Teea Goans' Cd

[Mike Johnson]

I feel like this is something all you guys will appreciate, so I am going to post it here on the forum.

A few months back I had the privilege to play on a record for an artist that many of you have been talking about. TEEA GOANS. First of all this beautiful girl is incredible! The best part is that she loves TRADITIONAL, REAL COUNTRY MUSIC and sings it so great! As I am sure you guys have figured out by now, young artists that want to make genuine country records, are hard to find. She has recorded three of those at this point, which are all great. However her latest CD entitled, “Memories To Burn”, has something really special for the steel guitar community.

The producer of the record is Terry Choate. He is also one of the producers of THE COUNTRY’S FAMILY REUNION SHOWS & LARRY’S COUNTRY DINER. He has produced some great records in the past and is one of the most highly respected people in the music business. His credits are off the charts. But what we all like about him the most is his motto; “TURN THE STEEL UP”.

Teea and Terry wanted to record this latest project with great country songs of the past using new arrangements. One of the songs being “PICK ME UP ON YOUR WAY DOWN”. Terry, who is actually a steel player himself, came up with a very special idea. If some of you remember, years ago when Charlie Walker would do this song on the OPRY, he would use the two Opry Staff steel players to play twin steels. That being said, Terry and Teea decided to dedicate the song on her new CD, “Pick Me Up On Your Way Down” as a TRIBUTE to two of the greatest steels players that ever played the instrument. “HAL RUGG & WELDON MYRICK”.

Terry asked my pal Tommy White if he would want to come in and play it with me. He said he would love to! We all know what an incredible player he is. As you might expect, he nailed it.

I think it is one of the coolest things I have ever been a part of. Tommy and I loved Hal & Weldon and their playing. We both felt so honored to do this and getting to do it together, made it even more special. We played the intros and turn arounds together. We also played the whole tone solo that those guys played, which is not for “the faint of heart”, (lol). It turned out really good. Teea sang the “fire out of it” as she did every dang song on the CD. She is so great.

I just want to thank Teea & Terry for their love and appreciation of not only “real country music”, but also the steel guitar players who made that music so great from the beginning. Hopefully all of us will do our best to support Teea Goans throughout her entire career.

Here's the YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBUgHZdlFrI
Here's Teea's website www.teeagoans.com

Thanks for allowing me to share this,
Mike

[Russell Nugent]

That was great Mike! Thanks for letting us know about it.

[Richard Sinkler]

Absolutely awesome. Teea is great.

[Richard Sinkler]

There is some "single player" parts. Could you tell who played what backup parts.

Forgot to say how incredible the steel guitar playing is on this song.

[Roy Peterman]

I just saw this post Mike, and I went to You Tube immediately to listen. It sure is a fantastic cut and it captures that sound that Hal and Weldon had. Boy, it brings back a lot of great memories. Thanks for sharing it.

[Bill Cunningham]

Awesome, Mike. Did you and Tommy site beside each other and record this live or was it tracked and overdubbed individually? Just curious....

[Mike Johnson]

Thank you guys. Richard, Tommy filled the first verse and I filled the last chorus.
Bill, we overdubbed together. I'm trying to post a picture from the session but haven't had much luck doing so

[Bill L. Wilson]

This girl is a wonderful talent, and the steel pickin' is Just Superb!!! Sometimes I think my steel pickin' is soundin' purdy good, then ya'll come along pickin' like that and it destroys any notion that I'll ever be worth a hoot.....But it certainly inspires me to keep on keepin' on....Thanks for Givin' Us All Somethin' to Shoot For.

[Paul Wade]

mike,
just outstanding wow you and tommy just the best.
teea knocks out of the park!!! .could you tell us
what steel you uesd for the session

best to you
p.w

[Dale Rottacker]

Thanks Mike... Teea is awesome... And BTW so are you!!!... I’ve been watching a lot of you playing on Bill Andersons show... I think I heard Eddie Dunlop mention her once and now have a lot of her stuff on some of my YouTube playlists... Mo Pitney’s another “Young un” helping keep this type of Country alive... all great great stuff,

[Tommy White]

My dear long time friend Mike Johnson, It was my pleasure to be a small part of Teea's recording and to revisit our heroe's pedal steel parts on that song we've heard and performed so many times on the Grand Ole Opry with our friend Charlie Walker. You played it beautifully of course. Thank you so much for posting. Also, my sincere thanks to you, Teea and Terry Choate for including me in such a tribute to Hal Rugg and Weldon Myrick on Teea's recording.

[Richard Sinkler]

I couldn't think of 2 better players for this project. Both Tommy and Mike can push their playing way out of the box. They play stuff that I wouldn't think was humanly possible. Probably the 2 best living, active steel guitar players today.

[Andy Vance]

Mike/Tommy,

You guys are such awesome players and we thank you for sharing this! I can only hope to play 1/10th that good someday but wow, talk about current masters of the instrument!

Thanks again for sharing!

Andy

[Mike Johnson]

[Richard Sinkler]

Awesome pic.

[Harold Dye]

Mike you and Tommy knocked this out of the park, but I would expect nothing less from both of you. Just goes to show there is still some great country music and always will be as long as guys like you are doing it.

[Richard Sinkler]

I found this video of Charlie Walker on the GOO with Weldon. Was there one with both Weldon and Hal?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FpKgdreWNI

[Tiny Olson]

Hey Mike:

Thanks so much for posting this and man,,, you and Tommy just sound soooo great !!! The whole recording is great and Teea is such a treasure in today's, country music.

It was cool to check-out you folk's version of "Memories to Burn" too. I remember that song well !!! I like the slightly, slower groove and your playing on the cut is awesome.

Stay well man..!!

Chris "Tiny" Olson

[Danny Naccarato]

Simply awesome !!!!!

[Teea Green]

Thank you, Mike!! And thank you all so much for your sweet comments!! Mike and Tommy MADE this record and I am so honored to get to work with them! #TurnUpTheSteel

TEEA GOANS
www.teeagoans.com
facebook.com/teeagoans
@teeagoans on twitter

[Frank Freniere]

Terrific performances, Teea!

Plus, I believe Weldon played on the original "Stranger Things Have Happened" - great song choice.

[Tony Tipton]

Thanks for the inside Info Mike. Just fantastic playing by you and Tommy . Teea, welcome to the Forum and keep cranking out that country music !

[Chubby Howard]

Teea My name is Chubby Howard I am a Steel Player and also a Disc-Jockey would love to have your new Cd. I am on 4 diffrent Radio stations around The Dayton Ohio Area. Also I play REAL country and lots of steel guitar instrumentals, Check us out at www.myclassiccountry.com Thanks again, Chubby howard Also Mike Johnson and Tommy White are 2 of the best Players and great gentlemen!!!!!!!

[Bill Ford]

Real country with real steel players, what more could you ask for? More of the same.

BF

[Dan Galysh]

Bravo, gentlemen. Nicely done. I remember Weldon and Hal doing the whole tone solo in a staccato pattern at one time, too. You guys nailed it.