The Steel Ride that Got You Hooked

Tommy Boswell · Post by **Tommy Boswell** » 6 Dec 2022 7:18 am

Not so much a ride as an event. I played flat top in a production of Always Patsy Cline, watching and hearing my elderly cousin Kenny Boswell as he worked his magic on an Emmons S10. Hooked for sure. About a year later I bought my first PSG, an MSA Classic that my son found at a garage sale in Alaska.

Charlie Hansen · Post by **Charlie Hansen** » 6 Dec 2022 9:17 am

Trucker's Cafe by Ian And Sylvia (The Great Speckled Bird). Buddy Cage I believe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO2acfK_Gr0

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 6 Dec 2022 10:21 am

Although I was listening for the electric guitar licks, Buddy Emmons playing "Rose City Chimes" on the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree album is likely the first time I knowingly acknowledged steel guitar. Even though I didn't go down the rabbit hole until a friend who ran the music store where I bought strings gave me Buddy's "Emmons Guitar, Inc" album and it blew my mind. If that wasn't enough later that same week, I saw an Ernest Tubb concert with Buddy Charleton. Mind totally blown! Rabbit hole ahead!

Dennis A Brown · Post by **Dennis A Brown** » 6 Dec 2022 11:13 am

The first real attention I paid to pedal steel guitar was to Sneaky Pete Kleinow's work in Christine's Tune on the first Flying Burritos recording. The combination of the singers, the song, and the way the steel fills and solos all came together really defined what would come to be known as country rock. The clean country sound of the steel suddenly morphs into a fuzz tone but with a distinct steel character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BITiY8M_oDo

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 7 Dec 2022 4:14 pm

Bob Carlucci wrote:
chuck lemasters wrote:Rusty Young’s fill behind the line, “Colorado mountains I can see your distant skies…it brings a tear of joy to my eyes” on Poco’s Good Feelin To Know….I heard that album before hearing Bad Weather….

That is easily the most gorgeous 10 seconds or so of pedal steel guitar playing I have ever heard..Glad I am not the only one to think so.. honorable mention..

I would say that the steel work by Buddy Cage on The New Riders first live album Home Home on the Road was the catalyst that forced me to buy my first pedal steel guitar, a great shape, contact paper, no neck Maverick, for all of $250 used.. My wife bought it for me for my
22nd birthday, bless her dear heart.
I was beside myself with excitement and anticipation..
Started practicing 8-10 hours a day, and was in good local bands playing 5 times or more a week withing a few months..

There were SO many others of course. In those days the new Riders, PPL, Poco, early Eagles,Burritos,were my musical world, its all I cared about, but Cage's in your face, piercing, staccato playing on Henry and Hello Mary Lou on Home Home on the Road excited me, just pushed me over the edge, and i felt forced to somehow just go and get a pedal steel.. It HAD to be part of my life..

It wasn't too long after that, that I started to listen to the guys that Cage/Young/Call/Klienow/Garcia listened to, and I started to think "oh THATS where they got that stuff"...

Then Mooney, Brumley,Emmons,Green,Charlton etc became as important as the country rock players in my development, but for me, they were MUCH harder to emulate..

Same for me Bob , thanks for putting it into words .

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » 7 Dec 2022 5:33 pm

Bruce Bouton on Ricky Skaggs' "One Way Rider"
Lloyd Green on Ricky Skaggs' No One Can Hurt You"
Tom Brumley on Rick Nelson's "One Night Stand."

John Palumbo · Post by **John Palumbo** » 9 Dec 2022 5:25 am

Hal Rugg on watching the Wilburn Brothers Show

Kevin Fix · Post by **Kevin Fix** » 10 Dec 2022 6:20 pm

John Hughey and Conway Twitty.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 12 Dec 2022 11:55 pm

Then and only then, Connie Smith with Weldon Myrick on steel

Dan Otranto · Post by **Dan Otranto** » 13 Dec 2022 1:35 pm

Anyone know who played steel on Wynn Stewart's Wishful Thinking?

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 13 Dec 2022 2:01 pm

Anyone know who played steel on Wynn Stewart's Wishful Thinking?

Ralph Mooney

Dean Holman · Post by **Dean Holman** » 16 Dec 2022 11:53 am

Fred Treece wrote: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?

I’m unaware that Weldon played anything on Skaggs’ “Highways and Heartaches” album. I’m pretty sure it was just Bruce and Lloyd. I’ve read some responses on this post, and I have to clarify that Lloyd Green played on “You’ve Got a Lover”. Lloyd also played an awesome solo on “Nothing Can Hurt You”. The only other steel players on Skaggs’ albums, are Buddy Emmons on the Country Boy album, and Sonny Garrish and Paul Franklin on Skaggs’ last Country album, Solid Ground. Oh, and I can’t forget Terry Crisp who started with Skaggs in ‘86. He was with Skaggs for 5 years. Tim Sergent played for a couple of years after Terry, and I played for Skaggs after Tim, for 31/2 years. Skaggs went all Bluegrass after that.

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 16 Dec 2022 12:45 pm

I’m unaware that Weldon played anything on Skaggs’ “Highways and Heartaches” album. I’m pretty sure it was just Bruce and Lloyd.

Weldon did play on three tracks on "Highways and Heartaches; "Don't Think I'll Cry" (C6) and "I Wouldn't Change You if I Could" and "Let's Love the Bad Times Away." Great stuff!

Terry Crisp played on some tracks on Skaggs albums in the late 80s that Lloyd also played on, but I don't remember the names of 'em. I would have to dig 'em out...

Ricky always had such great players, and all you guys that could cut that gig earned a lot of respect from everybody in town, IMHO.

Dean Holman · Post by **Dean Holman** » 16 Dec 2022 4:43 pm

Right around the time that I started getting interested in steel, Conway Twitty come out with, “Lost In The Feeling”. John Hughey hooked me on that song. Also, everything Skaggs came out with, with Bruce, Lloyd, and Terry.

Steve Mueller · Post by **Steve Mueller** » 16 Dec 2022 5:00 pm

J D call playing steel on "Tears" with Craig Fuller on guitar. Rusty Young on "Grand Junction." Sneaky Pete on Jackson Brown's "Take It Easy." Bobby Black on Lost Planet Airmen live albums. He nailed some great E9 country and C6 jump/swing.

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 16 Dec 2022 10:30 pm

Whoever played the solo on Linda Ronstadt’s Blue Bayou. Was it Weldon Myrick?

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 16 Dec 2022 10:50 pm

Joe Drivdahl wrote:Whoever played the solo on Linda Ronstadt’s Blue Bayou. Was it Weldon Myrick?

Dan Dugmore

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 16 Dec 2022 11:07 pm

Thanks Fred.

Dean Holman · Post by **Dean Holman** » 17 Dec 2022 2:17 pm

Pete Finney wrote:
I’m unaware that Weldon played anything on Skaggs’ “Highways and Heartaches” album. I’m pretty sure it was just Bruce and Lloyd.
Weldon did play on three tracks on "Highways and Heartaches; "Don't Think I'll Cry" (C6) and "I Wouldn't Change You if I Could" and "Let's Love the Bad Times Away." Great stuff!

Terry Crisp played on some tracks on Skaggs albums in the late 80s that Lloyd also played on, but I don't remember the names of 'em. I would have to dig 'em out...

Ricky always had such great players, and all you guys that could cut that gig earned a lot of respect from everybody in town, IMHO.

Ya know, I can’t believe after all these years, and even playing for Skaggs. I always thought Bruce played on those songs. I’m amazed because to my ears, the tone and style, seemed more like Bruce. It’s been so many years, and I’m sure Weldon’s name was probably on the credits, but I didn’t remember. I have a pretty good ear when it comes to a certain player’s style and tone, and Weldon’s style and tone is definitely unmistakable, but I have to say with all certainty, that Weldon’s style and tone on these songs, doesn’t fit what I’m used to hearing from everything else that I’ve heard Weldon play on. I’m amazed at this, cause it sure sounded more like Bruce to me. As far as the stuff that Terry played on, I know everything that he played on, and what Lloyd played on. One song in particular that Lloyd played on that I really liked on the Love’s Gonna Get You album, was Don’t Stop Gypsy, and also I Wonder If I Care As Much. Great stuff for sure.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 17 Dec 2022 4:13 pm

It was on Skaggs' 'Loves Gonna Get You' album that Terry Crisp played 'Raisin' the Dickens' at a breakneck pace. Unusual for RS, at that point, to feature an instrumental on what was essentially a vocal record.

That same album had the divine 'New Star Shining' with Skaggs and James Taylor duetting! Absolutely beautiful.

I was still living in the UK then and I happened to see Skaggs a few times. Once we were all on a country festival somewhere - I've forgotten the year - but I think Bruce was still in the band. Later, I deliberately went to see his act (as in 'bought tickets'!); once at the Dominion, Tottenham Court Road (that was the basis for his 'Live in London' LP; I believe some overdubbing occurred). Bruce Bouton was on steel and Skaggs had assumed the lead guitar position.

A few years later I saw Terry Crisp in the band - once in Derby, once in Shepherds Bush, West London. On the second gig, the remarkable Denny Sewell was nailing all the Brent Mason/Albert Lee licks from the recordings. I got to meet Denny backstage at the Opry in the '90s; he was still with Skaggs but the band morphed into a bluegrass outfit soon after.

The early RS tracks had my pal Ray Flacke on them. Oddly, I was speaking with Ray only two weeks ago. He claims that he 'doesn't own a guitar anymore'.

Dean Holman · Post by **Dean Holman** » 18 Dec 2022 12:01 pm

Roger Rettig wrote:It was on Skaggs' 'Loves Gonna Get You' album that Terry Crisp played 'Raisin' the Dickens' at a breakneck pace. Unusual for RS, at that point, to feature an instrumental on what was essentially a vocal record.

That same album had the divine 'New Star Shining' with Skaggs and James Taylor duetting! Absolutely beautiful.

I was still living in the UK then and I happened to see Skaggs a few times. Once we were all on a country festival somewhere - I've forgotten the year - but I think Bruce was still in the band. Later, I deliberately went to see his act (as in 'bought tickets'!); once at the Dominion, Tottenham Court Road (that was the basis for his 'Live in London' LP; I believe some overdubbing occurred). Bruce Bouton was on steel and Skaggs had assumed the lead guitar position.

A few years later I saw Terry Crisp in the band - once in Derby, once in Shepherds Bush, West London. On the second gig, the remarkable Denny Sewell was nailing all the Brent Mason/Albert Lee licks from the recordings. I got to meet Denny backstage at the Opry in the '90s; he was still with Skaggs but the band morphed into a bluegrass outfit soon after.

The early RS tracks had my pal Ray Flacke on them. Oddly, I was speaking with Ray only two weeks ago. He claims that he 'doesn't own a guitar anymore'.

It was Keith Sewell who played guitar, and yes, he was killin’ it playing his original ‘52 Tele through an old Fender Twin. For the past 10 years or so, he’s been with Lyle Lovett. I went with Skaggs to England and Ireland in ‘95, if I remember right. Speaking of, ’Raisin’ the Dickens’, Terry did that solo in one take, and they won a Grammy award for that song. A lot of great times and memories back then.

Bruce Bouton · Post by **Bruce Bouton** » 18 Dec 2022 12:37 pm

Pete was correct about Weldon's playing on the second Skaggs album. That particular album has classic playing by both Weldon and Lloyd. Lloyds' playing on "nothing can hurt" is a lesson in itself. Weldon was still playing his Push Pull as far as I can recall.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 18 Dec 2022 5:54 pm

Dean

Keith Sewell - of course. A momentary memory lapse.

There was a particular Brent Mason lick in the guitar solo on 'You Can't Take it With You'. I buttonholed Keith just off-stage at the Opry and got home to show it to me.it was a kind of thumb-rake thing. Yes, he was playing that old blonde Tele. I won't forget his enthusiasm and his willingness to share it. I think he was tickled to bump into an Englishmam in Nashville who had happened to be at the Shepherds Bush gig. He was telling the guys: "Roger saw us in London!'

He is certainly a great player.

Bruce: All of you guys on those early Skaggs albums earned a place in country music history. They were some of the best recordings ever to come out of Nashville!

Mark Greenway · Post by **Mark Greenway** » 18 Dec 2022 5:55 pm

Listening to "The Happy Goodmans" and "The Hinsons" got me interested in steel guitar. I'm not sure who played on those recordings, but I think the majority of it might have been Sonny Garish?

Gil James · Post by **Gil James** » 18 Dec 2022 7:42 pm

Mark, during the 70's, which were in my opinion, the Goodman's best era, it was Jack Smith on steel. He was Great!

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