The Steel Ride that Got You Hooked

About Steel Guitarists and their Music

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Pete Finney
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Post by Pete Finney »

Bruce’s ride on Skaggs “ You Got A Lover.”
Bruce Bouton is a great player, a very nice guy and played some timeless, wonderful steel on Ricky Skaggs' records.

But the "You've Got a Lover" track is Lloyd Green all the way.
Last edited by Pete Finney on 30 Nov 2022 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ron Funk
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Post by Ron Funk »

What initially perked up my ears were the Pedal Steel intros to CSN&Y "Teach Your Children" and Marshall Tucker Band's "Fire On The Mountain."
Gary Hoetker
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Post by Gary Hoetker »

1. Jay McDonald on Buck Owens’ Saw Mill
2. Ralph Mooney on Buck Owens’ House Down The Block
3. Ralph Mooney on Wynn Stewart’s Sha Marie
Michael Hartz
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Post by Michael Hartz »

Pete Finney wrote:
Bruce’s ride on Skaggs “ You Got A Lover.”
Bruce Bouton is a great player, a very nice guy and played some timeless, wonderful steel on Ricky Skaggs' records.

But the "You've Got a Lover" track is Lloyd Green all the way.
Wow, I didn’t know that. You learn something new ll the time.
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Jerry Overstreet
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Post by Jerry Overstreet »

That's a great story Michael. It's exciting to meet one of our heroes. So great of him inviting you on stage and to spend some time visiting with you.

Bruce played on a bunch of Skagg's recordings though. Heartbroke, Highway 40 and One Way Rider on the H&H work as you probably already know.

Some very nice playing on several ballads on an earlier recording...such as Crying My Heart Out and You May See Me Walkin' and lots of other cuts. All according to discogs.com

One of my heroes too. Great playing, great tone.
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Fred Treece
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Post by Fred Treece »

Jerry, thank you for mentioning those Ricky Skaggs tunes. I used to sing a couple of them in my bar band days. “You May See Me Walkin’” was just about the coolest sounding country song I had ever heard at the time. Still is. His music was such a great vehicle for all the wonderful players (and singers) in his band! I suppose many of us here covered it all as closely as we could. Highways & Heartaches…there’s a steel guitar clinic in that record for sure - Bruce, Weldon, Lloyd, Fluxedo, all on one album. Did I miss anyone?
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Rich Upright
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Post by Rich Upright »

The first one that got me hooked was Jerry Garcia's steel ride on "Last Lonely Eagle" By the New Riders.

After that it was Buddy on Ray Price's "Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me".
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Dennis Detweiler
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Post by Dennis Detweiler »

"The Hit Sounds" album, Lloyd Green
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J D Sauser
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Post by J D Sauser »

I was born in Switzerland in the 60's.
There was a Fair every year in the town where they build Rolex and Omega watches... Population 65'000.
And when I was a kid, there was a grumpy older man who looked like Pablo Escobar with a not really fitting "Tourist Shop Mexican Hat" who had an electric non-pedal steel guitar solidly built into a small camper trailer he could open the side of.
His name was "Hawaii Johnny"... he played the Wallgreens's Casette rack style of "Hawaiian" with very cheesy rhythm tracks and sold cassettes. I was fascinated but the guy was unapproachable unless you tendered 5 Francs at him for one of his cassettes.


Image

5-6 years later, Europe saw a Rockabilly Revial in the 80's. Stray Cats were born, and Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee toured the continent.
That's when I came across Jerry Byrd's Steelin' The Blues... then I discovered Speedy West and I was SOLD! It took me years to discover later that Speedy used pedals.
It's been a nice exercise, thou.
My first steel I build pretty much of what in the US would be called a "2-by-4"... and weeks later a friend called me stating he'd seen a steel guitar that looked just like the one on the Hank Williams (Sr. of course!) pics. A week later, a grand in debt, I was the proud owner of a Gibson Console Grande D8.
I still had no idea about tunings until an old American came up walking to me, stating he'd played in a Hillbilly band, guitar, and he felt I had the wrong tuning and just proceeded to turn my console's tuners until he said "try that!"... I almost cried on the spot, it sound like JB, Speedy at a stroke across the strings.

We had no YouTube, no Internet, no Tab, NO CLUE... no "Jeff" to call, Nothing..
The first lesson I ever got was over a Decade later in Grapevine, TX... finally I had made it into the States, with a man by the name of Maurice Anderson... who started the conversation with "let's get that neck ORGANIZED!"

I quit playing in 2001 and only got back to put steel on strings just over 2 years ago.

I never dreamed back then, that I would ever be interchanging letters with JB, and meet Speedy and call a guy like Maurice FRIEND.



... J-D.
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Brock Duos
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Post by Brock Duos »

Frank Freniere wrote:The Jerry Garcia intro to “Teach Your Children” really caught my attention when I first heard it - and to this day my ear still lights up whenever I hear it.
I had NO idea Jerry played that on the track. Learn something’ new every day!
Brock Duos
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Post by Brock Duos »

I’m not the first and won’t be the last, but Waylon Live does the thing for me!
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Olaf van Roggen
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Post by Olaf van Roggen »

Neil Flanz with Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels "Live 1973" album

Especially "The New soft shoe"solo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpLXlyijL-w
Bruce Bouton
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Post by Bruce Bouton »

I just saw this thread. Thank's for the kind words regarding my steel solo on Hwy 40. I did play that. I wish I had had the ability to play a solo like Lloyd played on "Nothing can Hurt you".It's one of the best solo's I've ever heard !
I think Lloyd and Buddy played some of the most passionate solo's ever played.
I probably heard Lloyd before anyone when Sweetheart of the Rodeo came out.Jerry Garcia on "Teach your children " may have been a close second. Then it was all of the country rock records with Rusty, Sneaky,Buddy ,tom and Red Rhodes.I finally bought a steel in 73 and met Charlton. Hard to believe that was almost fifty years ago.
Bruce Bouton
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Post by Bruce Bouton »

I just saw this thread. Thank's for the kind words regarding my steel solo on Hwy 40. I did play that. I wish I had had the ability to play a solo like Lloyd played on "Nothing can Hurt you".It's one of the best solo's I've ever heard !
I think Lloyd and Buddy played some of the most passionate solo's ever played.
I probably heard Lloyd before anyone when Sweetheart of the Rodeo came out.Jerry Garcia on "Teach your children " may have been a close second. Then it was all of the country rock records with Rusty, Sneaky,Buddy ,tom and Red Rhodes.I finally bought a steel in 73 and met Charlton. Hard to believe that was almost fifty years ago.
Michael Rademacher
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PSG part that lured me in

Post by Michael Rademacher »

Thinking back to my earliest memories of hearing the steel guitar... I would guess that about up till 7th grade, I did not really pay much attention to individual instruments, just the whole song. But then I got an 8-track player and two tapes. I played them each night till I fell asleep. One of them was a Charlie Pride Greatest Hits. The song "Just Between You and Me" sticks out in my mind. Simple tune, I know. But the steel guitar in that song made me start listening to the instruments on songs, picking out with my ears (as best I could) what each band member was playing.
Then I took another listen to Buck's song "Together Again" (focusing on the steel guitar parts). From there, the whole Live at Carnegie Hall album just about wore out my family's record player. Those got me interested, and from there I was hooked.
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John De Maille
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Post by John De Maille »

As I've said. before, it was Sweetheart of the Rodeo album that piqued my interest. I didn't know what the instrument was however, I knew it was guitar related from the string sound. Man, I was hooked big time on that sound. Unfortunately, it took me 6 years to get my first Steel and try to have some fun. It really has been one hell of a ride since that time and I wouldn't change one bit of it. Thanks Lloyd and JD for the inspiration.
Donny Hinson
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Post by Donny Hinson »

This song just always stood out in my mind, the sound and tone of the steel just grabbed my ear and wouldn't let go... it just barks! (The audio in this video really doesn't do it justice.) It never made the charts, but I heard it on a popular (tiny) radio station and searched almost endlessly until I found a copy. Though unknown to almost everyone, its a "keeper for me", though I doubt most here will be impressed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LyVXLVlWn4
Bob Carlucci
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Post by Bob Carlucci »

Donny Hinson wrote:This song just always stood out in my mind, the sound and tone of the steel just grabbed my ear and wouldn't let go... it just barks! (The audio in this video really doesn't do it justice.) It never made the charts, but I heard it on a popular (tiny) radio station and searched almost endlessly until I found a copy. Though unknown to almost everyone, its a "keeper for me", though I doubt most here will be impressed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LyVXLVlWn4[/quotY


Yeah, what not to love in that tune?..classic....
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Wayne Brown
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steel guitar

Post by Wayne Brown »

Well i know this thread is supposed to be about the songs or rides that got you into steel guitar, however i have to add one that is recent. It just reconfirms my resolve to keep playing. The song is beautifully voiced and composed, and embodies today's country music. The song is called "Every steel guitar is crying" and can be heard here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg9Twtr ... ugan-Topic
Just gives me chills.
thanks
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Dave Hopping
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Post by Dave Hopping »

Came across another one. The flip side of Marvin Rainwater's circa '56-'57 "Gonna Find Me a Bluebird" is a proto hillbilly-rapper called "So You Think You Got Troubles". There's steel throughout it, but pretty far back in the mix until the very end when it ends with a pedals-up to pedals-down V-I. That caught my 13-year-old ear! ;-)
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John Larson
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Post by John Larson »

Lloyd Green's pickup in the intro of The Byrds "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Give praise to the Lord with the harp, chant unto Him with the ten-stringed psaltery. Sing unto Him a new song, chant well unto Him with jubilation. For the word of the Lord is true, and all His works are in faithfulness. The Lord loveth mercy and judgement; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
- Psalm 33:1-5
Joe Jones
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Post by Joe Jones »

amazing grace used to be her favorite song amazing rythem aces
Michael May
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Post by Michael May »

I was 13 when I first heard Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" and thought, "What is that sound?" Fell in love with it right then, and still in love with that sound. Nothing like it! Bought my Sho-Bud about six years later.
Pete McAvity
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Post by Pete McAvity »

As a kid, Jerry on "Teach Your Children" and BJ Cole on "Tiny Dancer", though I wouldn't know to put the name to the player until 20 or so years later for both. By the time I was moved to do it myself, pushes came from Red Rhodes on "Don't Bogart Me", and Buddy Cage on "Truck Drivin' Man". So, crossover rock stuff was my attractor.
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Bob Carlucci
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Post by Bob Carlucci »

Joe Jones wrote:amazing grace used to be her favorite song amazing rythem aces
that one is also one of my all time favorites.. From what I understand [and i could be TOTALLY off base, and mis informed!] Byrd Burton the steel player/multi instrumentalist was not an accomplished session steel player, and did not even use picks,,, However the steel was country as you please, with wonderful tone and execution, and perfect for that song in every way.. there are so many examples of wonderful steel parts played by players that were not "elite" players, but made elite music with their steel playing.

If you have never heard this song give a listen.. Its required of all steel players old and new to hear this tune at least once,,,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se07eaAZucA
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!

no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......
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