Lynn Anderson - Top of the World - PSG Player?

Ray Gehringer · Post by **Ray Gehringer** » 1 Dec 2021 3:43 pm

Wondering if anyone knows who played Pedal Steel on Lynn Anderson's cover of the Carpenters' tune "Top of the World?" I know Buddy Emmons played on the Carpenters recording but I just cant find any personnel listing for Lynn's recording.

Thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yztFjX6-4A

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 1 Dec 2021 4:08 pm

Sonny Garrish?

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 1 Dec 2021 4:10 pm

I don't know the answer but Lloyd Green played on some of her stuff.

The Carpenters version features Red Rhodes on the intro and then Emmons was brought in to add all the fills.

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 1 Dec 2021 4:10 pm

I'd say an under-utilized Lloyd Green.

Ray Gehringer · Post by **Ray Gehringer** » 1 Dec 2021 4:52 pm

I checked the Lloyd Greene tribute page and he was listed for almost all of Lynn Andersonâ€™s albums and hits with the exception of Lynnâ€™s Top of the World album and single and Rose Garden.

That is interesting info on both Red Rhodes and Buddy Emmons playing Steel on the Carpenters cut of TOTWâ€¦

Don Downes · Post by **Don Downes** » 1 Dec 2021 6:36 pm

That is interesting info on both Red Rhodes and Buddy Emmons playing Steel on the Carpenters cut of TOTWâ€¦

I wasn't there, but Buddy is credited for "TOTW", whereas Red Rhodes was credited for "A Song For You".

This makes some sense when you see the session musicians on the record: Hal Blaine, Joe Osborne and Louis Shelton were all LA studio guys. Leon Russell was a part of that group, along with Glen Campbell, Carol Kaye, etc. Red would have fit right in there. Buddy, not so much (IMHO).

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 1 Dec 2021 7:42 pm

Lloyd Green and Pete Drake did almost all of the Steel Guitars Lynn Anderson's songs.

Pete Drake played on her hit "Rose Garden."

Not sure on her cut of the song "Top of The World"

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 1 Dec 2021 8:43 pm

Don Downes wrote:
That is interesting info on both Red Rhodes and Buddy Emmons playing Steel on the Carpenters cut of TOTWâ€¦
I wasn't there, but Buddy is credited for "TOTW", whereas Red Rhodes was credited for "A Song For You".

This makes some sense when you see the session musicians on the record: Hal Blaine, Joe Osborne and Louis Shelton were all LA studio guys. Leon Russell was a part of that group, along with Glen Campbell, Carol Kaye, etc. Red would have fit right in there. Buddy, not so much (IMHO).

Buddy lived and worked in LA from roughly 68 to 74. it's fairly common knowledge that both Red and Buddy were utilized on TOTW. I can certainly hear the difference between the intro and the fills

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 1 Dec 2021 9:23 pm

Buddy confirmed and explained here on the forum why both he and Red were used back in 2006...

Buddy Emmons wrote: When Richard rolled the song he told me he was going to keep Red's intro and ending and I was to play the fills...

...Itâ€™s hard to speculate as to what may have been behind Richardâ€™s structuring of the arrangement; but judging from my experience with him I can only assume he wanted more signature licks and movement in the fills. Richard went as far as to sit at the piano and play notes for me to listen to that reflected the style he was looking for.
Replacing someone elseâ€™s track or being bumped off of a track is not a big deal to me. Iâ€™ve been replaced more than once and my solution was to simply pick up pieces of my life and move on. Meanwhile, I suspect that Richard Carpenter was doing his job as a producer by starting with a pedal steel sound in his head and doing what it took to get it on tape.

Don Downes · Post by **Don Downes** » 2 Dec 2021 9:00 am

That's fascinating. Thanks. I love trivia like that. I'll have to go back now and listen, and see if I can hear the difference.

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 2 Dec 2021 9:32 am

I find it odd that the Carpenter's version features more Pedal Steel than the country artist's version. Also, lead guitar emulating steel licks!

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 2 Dec 2021 10:20 am

Buddy's comments first-hand - noting Red was kept on the intro and ending:

https://steelguitarforum.com/Forum10/HTML/201564.html

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 2 Dec 2021 2:43 pm

I like the Steel Intro on the Lynn Anderson version. As a big Lynn Anderson fan I think they coulda used a bit more studio magic on her voice (it sounds very dry to me).
Poking around Youtube I find a few other live and studio versions of Lynn doing TOTW, with Pedal Steel.
I liked a Richard Carpenter comment he made in a Carpenters documentary where he says how suprised he was to find his sister was the best singer to ever walk the face of the earth.
Agreed!

Steve Palousek · Post by **Steve Palousek** » 4 Dec 2021 5:08 am

On Lynn Anderson's version, the steel player is Doyle Grisham.

Ray Gehringer · Post by **Ray Gehringer** » 7 Dec 2021 5:42 am

Steve Palousek wrote:On Lynn Anderson's version, the steel player is Doyle Grisham.

Thank you, Steve, appreciatedâ€¦ and thanks to all who replied.