Hippie steel guitarists and the Hippies

[tom anderson]

This is another Spotify list I have made so I could drive from Kansas City to Chicago or to Denver to visit my children and not have to listen to modern country music. Disclaimer: I never liked country music before The Byrds “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” in 1968 and wasn’t sure what a steel guitar was until I saw Sneaky Pete at Cowtown Ballroom with the Burritos in 1972, but by then I was hooked. These are artists who performed with various country rock bands, and though they might not have had any “hippie” leanings, they weren’t afraid to play with these musicians and just wanted to make those records better. These songs are what I think is country music. There are probably artists I love that I have skipped, but let me know and I’ll add them.
This list is best listened to shuffled.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/60e3G ... l_branch=1

[Jerry Overstreet]

What a list! I'm right there with you. I own and listen to a lot of the same music.

[Jack Hanson]

The original hippie steel player, Bill Pester, of Palm Springs, CA playing his Weissenborn circa 1919:

[Mike Bacciarini]

Wow Tom, this is great stuff! I’ll be listening to this when I drive down to see Jim Palenscar in a couple of weeks. All of my favorites, and then some! Our band’s set list includes Dire Wolf, Teach Your Children, Garden Party, Heart of Gold, and more.

[Dave Zirbel]

Tons of Neil Young tunes have steel, and then there's more obscure stuff by Mason Proffit, The Misunderstood and Juicy Lucy..

[Dave Hopping]

I came to country via the country-rockers, too. Some of it's a little cringeworthy today, but it was a great introduction to Buck, Merle, Loretta, all the Hanks and the rest of the gang.

I never got to see the Burritos, but Pete's steel solo on "White Line Fever" got me started on the road to pedal steel.

MANY thanks!

[Rick Bernauer]

Tom, great playlists - some songs I hadn't thought of in years. At 6 hours and 30 minutes I think we still need a few more songs to make it all the way from Leawood to Denver. Thanks for sharing.

[Alex Stewart]

Thank you Tom!

[C. Eric Banister]

Great list! Thanks!

[Britt Newsome]

This is another Spotify list I have made so I could drive from Kansas City to Chicago or to Denver to visit my children and not have to listen to modern country music. Disclaimer: I never liked country music before The Byrds “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” in 1968 and wasn’t sure what a steel guitar was until I saw Sneaky Pete at Cowtown Ballroom with the Burritos in 1972, but by then I was hooked. These are artists who performed with various country rock bands, and though they might not have had any “hippie” leanings, they weren’t afraid to play with these musicians and just wanted to make those records better. These songs are what I think is country music. There are probably artists I love that I have skipped, but let me know and I’ll add them.
This list is best listened to shuffled.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/60e3G ... l_branch=1

Love this. Love Commander Cody’s stuff!

[Edward Efira]

I love it so much I made it mine
Thank you so much Britt!