Ok; you can now listen and watch what me and Dale did all those years together(Not one song was ever practiced and he/we Wrote them ALL) with this "Live DVD for the Fans" show we did in Holland many moons ago. It was one of my last Gigs with Dale early 2000's
It is in 3 huge video sections....a million songs and lots of great and some clunkers(actually you won't hear any as we knew how to cover them up LIVE); but these are for inspiration to all my Steel playing friends here on the Steel Guitar Forum that I've been apart of since(what b0b like 1998-ish????Love ya). The main inspiration I want to share is I was very lucky to play with singer/songwriters and had to create EVERYTHING I PLAYED and I learned that from two Main Teachers I had; here is what they said to me when I was starting out>
(Something my next door neighbor and teacher guided me on(yes that was Tom Brumley my Teacher when I first started playing): "Ricky; listen to the song; feel the emotion they are singing about like it happened to you; then Show how it makes you Feel with the sound of your Steel Guitar".
PERIOD...!!!!That was one of the best instructions I've ever had; but the other one was from my next Teacher (yes that is Lloyd Green). : "Ricky; a Song is created by several or more musicians, all having a conversation together with their musical instruments; you can be apart of the conversation or not; you Choose". thanks Lloyd and I Chose to be apart of.
AUTHORIZED George L's, Goodrich, Telonics and Peavey Dealer: I have 2 steels and several amps. My current rig of choice is 1993 Emmons LeGrande w/ 108 pups (Jack Strayhorn built for me), Goodrich OMNI Volume Pedal, George L's cables, Goodrich Baby Bloomer and Peavey Nashville 112. Can't get much sweeter.
Thanks everyone...ya'll are the coolest.
The other band members at that time was Long time Drummer Scott Mathews...who we played together in Gary P. Nunn band; Derailers; Dixie Chicks(before Natalie); Dale Watson; Miss Leslie(my mean ex-wife); and Weldon Henson...also got him the drummer job with Jr. Brown.
The Bass player was a great fill in just on that tour from Austin; James Randorff on Bass...he learned all the songs on the plane ride over has I hummed them to him he wrote a chord chart; then said: "Ok Ricky I got it" and he did..and he did great....Yes; I'm the song arranger and band leader and me and Dale were the producers and we did a LOT of cool stuff through the years.
Ricky
Yes great stuff Ricky . That was the first time I heard/saw you or Dale on that tour and was completely blown away . Been a fan ever since , even got to meet you one night at the Broken Spoke
Great to hear these, although living in The Netherlands, we only met in Austin. Great memories of those days, combining The Dallas steel show, The Austin Record Convention with a holiday. My friend Neil Flanz took me to the finest places to listen to pedal steel players. The good thing being with Neil, besides his great stories and his funny jokes, is that the players came to have a chat or a drink with us. I remember we went to listen to you with Dale Watson and Billy Dee. Great to see your posts here on the forum. Hope to go back to Austin soon again, didn't see much steel players in California when me and my family visited the state recently.
Holy Moley... sometimes I like to think I play the pedal steel guitar - then I see something like this and I don't think I actually play the same instrument. I mean... mine doesn't do those things!
Thanks Robert and Brooks.
Brooks; yes Dale moved to Memphis with his new Wife; he bought a club also; and runs and plays there; and tours every now and then. Not sure about the Band guys; I think they'll go where/when its convenient....but there not 20 year old; so they have adult responsibilities in life like most grownups....But I don't think Dale is looking for any new players. He actually called me for a local gig; but I was in the middle of Covid-19 and he said: "Congratulations" I said: "huh/?" he said: "Now you don't have to worry about it any more" great point.
No Brooks; I won't and not looking to play with Dale; I dropped out in 2003 my last gig. I did fill in once with Don's Dad got sick and then passed.....me and Dale are musical professional friends; but that's it; plus if I started playing with him again consistant; he knows I would be VERY addiment about him playing those "REAL LIFE" songs he wrote many moons ago; that NObody gets to hear as he has never recorded them after I left. And he really doesn't want to be that Musically serious anymore...can be very draining having my "overly demanding; producing pickiness around; when he knows I think the WORLD of him and have been so proud of everything that he has been through and still doing it all.
Ricky
Dale has the best taste in steel players, Ricky and now Don Don, Any time he comes through The New York/NJ area we go, I've said this before, buy one of my most memorable shows was at the Black Cat in Austin with Dale and Ricky and watching the entire show standing over Ricky, sadly I have no pictures, but the memories will live on in my mind.
Glad you are healthy again Ricky!
Regards, Craig
I cried because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet.
Thanks ya'll....WOW Craig that's a great memory; course I don't remember it or ever playing "Black Cat" on 6th street...must of been back in the 90's, cause I certainly would NEVER go down there now....I say "NO YOU CAN'T AFFORD ME"; to anyone that books a job in Austin and wants me to play steel for them. Austin is NOW FREAKIN LA...it's a horrible CITY full of folks that have never been to Texas until within 10 years ago.....YUK...They've destroyed a real Texas town/city.
But like you said; there were some good times musically to remember; being had by everyone, back in the day.
Ricky
Sorry Dirk, I don't remember exactly what the Amps were; they provided and stuck behind us to plug into, 20 years ago in Holland. His amp says Fender on the top..so yes; "Fender something"..ha....and mine; I've never seen it before; but doesn't matter what we plug in to...his guitar and my Sho~bud always sounded great through any amp...>that was our luxury of having GREAT GUITARS.
Ricky
