Rockabilly and Steel Guitar

David Biagini · Post by **David Biagini** » 22 Feb 2002 9:40 am

Does anyone know of any rockabilly bands, past or present, that features a steel guitar? Thanks.

Gary Carriger · Post by **Gary Carriger** » 22 Feb 2002 10:12 am

BR549 for one. There is also a rockabilly band out of San Antonio, Tx - named "Two Tons of Steel". Has been using a great steel player out of SA - Denny Mathis.
I'm sure there a plenty more than I'm not aware of.
I've been helping out a young rockabilly bass player here in Corpus who has acquired a steel and wants to learn to play it.

Tele · Post by **Tele** » 22 Feb 2002 11:36 am

there are a few present bands though not just strict Rockabilly but also Western Swing or Hillbilly.
Big Sandy and the Fly Rite Boys
Ray Condo and the Hardrock Goners
The Starlighters
Hal Peters and his Stringdusters
The Barnstompers
and even my own band Spo-dee-o-dee.

Of the old bands the first that comes to my mind is Curtis Gordons' band. I think the wildest rockabilly song ever featuring a steel guitar is " Do it bop" by Billy Prager. Check this out, this is a killer !!!

Andy

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1959~60 Sho~Bud D-9 : 1969 Emmons D-10 : 1959 Gibson Super 400CES :1957 Standel 25L15

My steels and more

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 22 Feb 2002 12:08 pm

I can remember seeing some early Bill Haley and the Comets stuff with a fellow standing behind a Fender Stringmaster. They recorded with a steel.

David Biagini · Post by **David Biagini** » 22 Feb 2002 4:36 pm

Thanks to everyone for the leads. Hey Andy, did you guys make it out to San Francisco? I was ready to see you in San Jose before that gig was canceled. Couldn't make up to San Francisco.

Tele · Post by **Tele** » 22 Feb 2002 8:27 pm

David, we've just been there. We played Sacramento, the Elbo Room in SF, Ivy Rooms in Albany, the 23 Club in Brisbane plus some other gigs in Southern CA and ARZ. Was fun but we didn't use a steel this time. Hard to carry if you're travelling around the world

Andy

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 22 Feb 2002 11:58 pm

Did'nt Bill Haley play Western Swing before gettin' famous w: his Rock around the Clock ?
Jason, want to pitch in ?
Steel what ?....

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 22 February 2002 at 11:59 PM.]

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 23 Feb 2002 10:51 am

A search through the Rockabilly Hall of Fame should turn up quite a few bands for you. There's enough of an overlap between country, Western swing, and rockabilly to keep you busy for quite a while.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Chris DeBarge · Post by **Chris DeBarge** » 23 Feb 2002 10:55 am

How 'bout "Hole in my Pocket" by Little Jimmy Dickens. That steel solo by Curly Chalker is mind-boggling.

My band, the Stumbleweeds, play some rockabilly but we prefer to be called hillbilly boogie or honky-tonk.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 23 Feb 2002 4:59 pm

Charlie Ryan, a singer who rebuilt his car into a hot rod, built a song around it.
Ryan recorded 'Hot Rod Lincoln' in 1955; it was released as a single by Souvenir Records in 1957. It became a major hit in many regions of the United States. Now I'm pretty sure the original had some wild steel by a fellow named Neil Livingston.
The song was later covered by Johnny Bond (who had a regional hit with the song in 1959); Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen (covered it in 1972); while in the 80s, Asleep At The Wheel did a version, as did Jim Varney (Ernest) for the The Beverly Hillbillies movie soundtrack.

Bill Haley did indeed have a steel player by the name of Billy Williamson, although on the early 1950s sides as the rock material increased Billy was limited to little swoops and effects on the recordings until he was replaced by a sax player.

Tele · Post by **Tele** » 24 Feb 2002 12:35 am

Chris, I prefer "Western Bop"

Andy

------------------
1959~60 Sho~Bud D-9 : 1969 Emmons D-10 : 1959 Gibson Super 400CES :1957 Standel 25L15

My steels and more

Fernando Fernandez · Post by **Fernando Fernandez** » 24 Feb 2002 8:30 am

I like to add here one of my favourites: Lattie Moore. It's more hillbilly stuff with a rockabilly flavor but those songs are dynamite. Jukebox Johny, I'm not broke I'm badly bent, Pretty woman blues...Tons of great steel and electric guitar.

Chris DeBarge · Post by **Chris DeBarge** » 24 Feb 2002 10:44 am

Chris, I prefer "Western Bop"

I don't play enough flatted seconds to be considered "bop".

Though now I'm confusing "bop" with "bebop". The only bop you'll hear is when I slap my forehead when I screw up an intro.

Tele · Post by **Tele** » 24 Feb 2002 12:31 pm

ok, you won !

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 24 Feb 2002 4:32 pm

The Starliners from Melbourne are a fine Western Bop outfit with non-pedal steel. Their 1999 CD has eluded me for a while, and the group has split off into various musical ventures as it seems all the members are in quite a few groups on the local roots and rockabilly scene. None of the groups are the main ones, they just re-activate certain ones when they can.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 25 Feb 2002 12:06 am

All Bill Haley's pre-Decca recordings feature tons of steel, some of it is equally wild as Speedy's work. Billy Williamson was one of the last original band members to stick with Haley, he wasn't replaced by a saxplayer, he stayed with the Comets good way up to early 60's. Sure his solo spots were limited, but he actually played alot of the hornparts along with Franny Beecher's guitar and Rudy Pompilli's sax. He also sang on quite a few Comets-recordings, "Hide And Seek" being probably the best example. The original Comets are still going strong and playing shows, but sadly Billy is no longer with us. British Rollercoaster-label has released all Haley's Essex recordings on cd, plus they have released compilations of other Philadelphia c&w and rockabilly of that era, alot of steel on those.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 25 Feb 2002 12:15 am

About Lattie Moore, I don't know who was the steelplayer, but the guitarist was Tommy Flint, Merle Travis' cousin, who's written several instructional books for thumb-style guitar.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 25 Feb 2002 8:16 am

I can remember when Johnnie Cash started to get some air play. He called his style of music "rockabilly"

Uff-Da!

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 25 Feb 2002 8:35 am

Add Chris Scruggs who plays with Rosie Flores. I spent some time hanging out with him while he, sacred steeler Roosevelt Collier and I took turns playing a Jerry Douglas model Dobro at the Gibson booth at the Folk Alliance Conference in Jacksonville, FL last week.

Chris plays a Dual 8 professionalin the band. He is the grandson of Earl Scruggs and plays one mean steel. And get this--he's only been playing a year and a half! It's in the genes for sure. He does a lot of bar slams and boo-wahs, a la Speedy West.

The Douglas model is a nice guitar. Solid mahogany and baffle/soundpost construction. Street price is about $2,000 ($2,700 list) and they are in stock, no waiting.[This message was edited by Bob Stone on 25 February 2002 at 08:42 AM.]

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 28 Feb 2002 6:54 pm

Sorry Jussi, yeah Billy was with Haley into the 1960s, he recorded with Bill as late a s September 1961, maybe later I'm not sure.
When I meant to reflect was that I felt that after Bill cracked it with a few R&B covers he pretty much started to place the steel in a less prominant postiion within the group's sound and image.
Rudy became more of a focal point in the promotional shots, there was less steel on their singles, etc.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 28 Feb 2002 10:56 pm

Jason, no need to be sorry, you were absolutely right. I just wanted to point out, that he was still an important part of the band after they hired a saxplayer. Had Billy been just a hired steel player, he probably would have left sooner, but he was one of the business partners with Haley, along with Johnny Grande, the piano player, thus making more money than the hired guys in the band.
I'd still like to encourage people to get Curtis Gordon on Bear Family ( like Tele suggested ). Majority of the material is not rockabilly, but great honky tonk and country bop with tons of great steel by JB, Emmons, Isaacs, plus a couple of lesser known players. About more obscure stuff, lot of recordings on Mar-Vel label feature steel. Bobby Sisco's "Honky Tonkin' Rhythm" is a classic, talk about steel guitar anarchy!