Pete Drake kills it on this one

About Steel Guitarists and their Music

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Donny Hinson
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Post by Donny Hinson »

David Mitchell wrote:I'm a big Pete Drake fan as well as all the other Nashville cats but listen to that rhythm section on the original version. So tight it sounds like a big ol machine running. Makes the lead parts sound even better when it's so tight nothing is in the way. Not sure why they even re-released it...
They probably wanted a more contemporary sound, one with less steel guitar than the original. :\ By 1977, when this version was released, Reeves had already been gone for 13 years, having died in a similar (private) plane crash to the one that killed Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Cowboy Copas in 1963. The label was trying to satiate his fans make a last few dollars out of his legacy recordings, which hadn't seen a #1 in 10 years. They updated the music, hoping this would help make it a success, and it made it to #23 on the charts. After this release, his catalog would only chart 9 more recordings. Reeves, whose silky-smooth voice was one of the best and most polished in country music, had six #1 songs before his death, and another five afterwards.
Last edited by Donny Hinson on 21 Mar 2022 4:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Kenny Davis
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Location: Great State of Oklahoma

Post by Kenny Davis »

Flying and driving took a toll on several stars in the 60's! Jack Anglin of Johnny & Jack died in a car wreck on the way to Patsy Cline's funeral. There's been several others as well over the last few decades.
Last edited by Kenny Davis on 21 Mar 2022 6:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Best lyric in a country song: "...One more, Moon..."
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Donny Hinson
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Post by Donny Hinson »

You're absolutely right Kenny, Reeves was in another plane crash - just after the one hat killed Patsy Cline. I'll edit and correct that post later.

Thanks for the correction!
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Johnny Cox
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Post by Johnny Cox »

It's defective C6th with G on top. A huge amount of Pete's work during that era was on C6th. Very commercial at that time. I personally love it.
Johnny "Dumplin" Cox
"YANKIN' STRINGS & STOMPIN' PEDALS" since 1967.
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Donny Hinson
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Post by Donny Hinson »

Johnny Cox wrote:It's defective C6th with G on top. A huge amount of Pete's work during that era was on C6th. Very commercial at that time. I personally love it.
Johnny, defective because of the tuning issues, or the lack of harmonic capability?
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David Mitchell
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Post by David Mitchell »

About 1962 when I was learning to play someone gave me a complimation album of Nashville singers. One of the songs was by Roy Drusky and it had that exact same steel guitar sound and licks. I was always fascinated by it. Didn't know anything about pedal steel players back then. I don't think too many existed in those days. Many were still with no pedals.
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