Buddy Emmons R.I.P.

Dennis Manuel · Post by **Dennis Manuel** » 1 Aug 2015 5:41 pm

To say the least, "Buddy Emmons the True Genius" of the pedal steel guitar.

Like so many other players, Buddy Emmons was the reason I was drawn to the steel guitar.

Buddy didn't know me but I certainly knew him because of his musical mastery. You will live on in history forever, you are my brother in steel guitar.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 3 Aug 2015 6:51 am

It must have been around '69 or '70, I believe Buddy was living in L.A. at the time. Blackie Taylor (steel guitarist) who operated a steel themed music store in Hawaiian Gardens, Ca. hosted in store steel shows and seminars on occasion. Anyway he had one scheduled by Sho-Bud and asked me to play bass for the event and I of course said yes. The day of the show Buddy came in a little early along with Shot Jackson and a steel player I'd never heard of named Dave Musgrave who turned out to be a formidable steeler to say the least. It was a very nice event and my friend Roy Dee got to play rhythm guitar also. At one break in the show we all went out back to a motor home they'd brought and spent some time with Buddy just shootin' the breeze and telling war stories. In addition to his superb steel playing Buddy asked me if he could play my bass with Dave Musgrave and I went on guitar and he just killed it on that instrument too. I later found that his gig at the time was playing bass for Roger Miller. He was very nice and humble to all of us playing with him and was an all 'round nice guy. I later on asked him about the event at Scotty's Convention one year and he said he remembered it and we caught up on everything. He surely will be missed by everyone who knew him or heard him play, he's to steel guitar like Segovia was to classical guitar and will never be equaled IMHO....JH in Va.

Eric Dahlhoff · Post by **Eric Dahlhoff** » 3 Aug 2015 8:46 pm

Every video I've ever seen of Buddy Emmons, he is smiling like the happiest person in the world.
And I am going to try hard to remember to smile when I play, because that's the way music should be played.
Thank you Mr. Emmons for all the great music and happy inspiration. Be in peace.

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 5 Aug 2015 11:44 am

Will be terribly missed. RIP my friend
wayne

Danny Kuykendall · Post by **Danny Kuykendall** » 5 Aug 2015 1:35 pm

I have not logged on the SGF for a while. I reiterate everything that has been said. I have learned so much from him. May he Rest In Peace.

Marty Holmes · Post by **Marty Holmes** » 5 Aug 2015 4:24 pm

Two of my steel guitar heros and now they are gone I guess Buddy got to missin a playin with Ray if only I could hear the music their Makin right now

Graham · Post by **Graham** » 6 Aug 2015 2:57 am

If you could Marty, they would probably sound a lot like their collaborations from the late 80's early 90's on Step One Records.

Ray's voice had mellowed out and Buddy was, well, Buddy.

My personal favorites of these are the 4 Greatest Hits records and my favorite cut is "Half A Man" on volume 1.

Marty Holmes · Post by **Marty Holmes** » 6 Aug 2015 3:55 am

Two of my steel guitar heros and now they are gone I guess Buddy got to missin a playin with Ray if only I could hear the music their Makin right now

Michael Marinelli · Post by **Michael Marinelli** » 6 Aug 2015 6:24 am

He was THE inspiration. RIP Buddy.

Michael Hillman · Post by **Michael Hillman** » 7 Aug 2015 12:07 pm

Another steel guitar genius has passed on, I am so grateful to have seen him once, probably the mid 1990s, with the Everly Brothers at the Orleans in Las Vegas...just an amazing show, and when the band took a break, he played phenomenal steel guitar jazz until the rest of the band came back out on stage.

Michael Dulin · Post by **Michael Dulin** » 8 Aug 2015 5:24 am

Buddy Emmons-Steel Guitar

Dale Bennett · Post by **Dale Bennett** » 8 Aug 2015 6:50 pm

Igot to work a job with Buddy in 70 when I was pickin bass for the Master, Ray Price . Julian Tharp was our regular steel man but he couldn't make this gig in Ca, so Buddy picked with us, I was of course in awe and he treated me with so much respect. But the real memory is after I moved back home to OKC, I co-owned a club called Cow-Daddies, Buddy and Phil Baugh, who at the time was a great friend to me would come by when in town a pick with me, he always treated me great, then I saw him a couple of times at the Dallas Steel Conv and needless to say he was always so nice to me. Needless to say I loved Buddy. Rest IN Peace my friend. Dale Bennett

Bobby D. Jones · Post by **Bobby D. Jones** » 8 Aug 2015 10:20 pm

R. I. P. Mr. Emmons. If you and Jimmy Day are together now I bet both of you are looking at Earth and having one heck of a laugh. We set up our Steels different. Now everyone is confused to which way is supposed to be correct for a steel, and will be argued as long as there is steel guitars and steel players. What a ride you had in developing the steel guitar to what it is today. The Best To You.

Susan Alcorn · Post by **Susan Alcorn** » 9 Aug 2015 2:03 pm

This obituary appeared in the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertain ... story.html

DG Whitley · Post by **DG Whitley** » 9 Aug 2015 2:14 pm

Thank you for that link Susan, that obit was a lot better than some previous ones I've read. But somehow, none of them do justice to the man, not sure any of them could.

My 2 cents, YMMV.

Susan Alcorn · Post by **Susan Alcorn** » 9 Aug 2015 2:42 pm

I agree, DG. I don't think anyone but steel guitarists can really grasp his greatness, his importance to us, and what a huge hole his death has left - for a few days it was like we were lost, like when Kennedy was assassinated or when John Lennon was killed.

I think Bob Hoffnar summed it up well when he wrote that Buddy Emmons was the pedal steel guitar.

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 9 Aug 2015 4:24 pm

In the article it states: "He also graced recordings by Ray Charles, Bob Dylanâ€¦" I wasn't aware that Buddy recorded with Bob Dylan.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 9 Aug 2015 8:59 pm

I can't think of any Bob Dylan recordings with Buddy Emmons, but I could certainly be wrong.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 10 Aug 2015 2:01 am

I don't know if he ever recorded with Bob Dylan.
There was a great record by Skeeter Davis and NRBQ on which Buddy played. I've found this picture on their facbook page.

Joe Stoddard · Post by **Joe Stoddard** » 17 Aug 2015 12:27 am

Been out of touch for a few weeks and just caught this horrible news. I'm an old picker but a brand new 'steeler' like so many 6-string converts. I can't even begin to consider myself anything but an outsider to this wonderful community. But that also gives me a fresh perspective. Until 5-6 yrs ago I did know who the guy with the bowler hat was, and I knew he had a hand in designing /refining the PSG. BUT until I became more of a student I Honestly had no idea of Buddy Emmons' impact on PSG and the styles he played. It is every bit as monumental as Leo Fender and Les Paul for 6-strings...and as the Beatles for pop music or Jimmy Smith for the Hammond - Buddy influenced every builder, every player, every producer - every corner of modern country music and more. He didn't just become the gold standard - to my thinking he CREATED those standards and then kept raising the bar - literally and figuratively. His influence will be felt for as long as the PSG exists. 78 is not 'young' but it was too young. I was hoping to catch him live somewhere - thank the Lord his recordings will endure forever. RIP.

Larry Toliver · Post by **Larry Toliver** » 22 Aug 2015 9:01 am

Yes it was a sad day for me as well when I heard the news about Buddy. I first met Buddy at Jeff Newmans school back in 1979 if I remember correctly. He came to the school and played at the end of many of Jeff's school sessions. When we 1st got there at the school, Jeff asked us up front....I have Buddy Emmons schedule, Doug Jernigans, Hal Ruggs, etc....and I (being about 6 foot 3) said Jeff we talked it over and we all want to see Buddy every night! (no one said anything) 5 nights straight we saw Buddy. He was the nicest gentleman, showed us any lick we asked for, helped me personally with my picks, bar use, using the thumb and middle finger primarily, and on and on. AND...the last thing I will say...We went the weekend of Jeffs school to DJ convention (this will date me) and Every star was there from Charlie Pride, Barbara Mandrell, to Jerry Reed and Chet Atkins. All in different rooms promoting their songs to all the DJ's in the country. Well, I saw 10 or 15 people in Chet & Jerry's room, 30 or so in Charlie Prides room, but in the little room where Buddy was doing a gig with a guitar, bass, & drum....there was at least 300 people crammed in there. That will tell you how popular he was and how everybody thought about him. There will never be another steeler like Buddy. Nuff Said!
Thanks Buddy for all the help & inspiration!
Larry Toliver
www.westtexassteelguitarschool.com

Andy DePaule · Post by **Andy DePaule** » 26 Aug 2015 7:32 am

To say steel guitar news travels slow out here in Saigon is an understatement.
Was so sad tonight to get an e-mail telling me that Buddy Emmons had passed away last month.
Seems like almost all the great ones are gone now.
Had held on to the hope that he would make a comeback but that was not to be.
I feel so lucky that thanks to Scotty Iâ€™ve had a chance to see so many of the really great players while they were at the best.
Andy

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 26 Aug 2015 8:19 am

I've just found this picture of him. In which year might it have been taken?

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 26 Aug 2015 9:26 pm

It's the cover of the Emmons Guitar Co catalog for 73-74...

Ken Wentworth · Post by **Ken Wentworth** » 28 Aug 2015 8:42 pm

After a lifetime of playing six strings I have taken up the steel guitar an Emmons Push Pull . And I am doing a lot of listening to Buddy Emmons.
There are no words to express the extent of Your impact on all steel players everywhere . And you have shown everyone no matter who or where they are or what they do in life that a man can do whatever he set's his mind to . Thanks for the steel guitar as we know it today and all it can do. And thanks for the example you have set for me and mine . God Bless and keep you .
Ken Wentworth Bangor Maine

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Buddy Emmons R.I.P.

Always Smiles

buddy

Buddy was indeed "the Best,"

buddy emmons

Buddy Emmons

Buddy Emmons R I P

His Impact Cannot be Overstated

Yes so very very sad

RIP . We will all be learning from you until we join u again