The Desert Rose Band

[Jim Palenscar]

Last weekend I had the pleasure of hosting a seminar by JayDee Maness and Greg Leisz and tonite I accidentally ran into an Austin City Limits episode here and I was once again astounded the the caliber of the playing in the Desert Rose Band and invite all musical enthusiasts to enjoy the link .

[Jon Jaffe]

Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfOm9-QI95A

[Roger Rettig]

Stunning - that ascending lick Jay Dee plays at the 1'20" mark in the first song is typical Maness and it's what drew me in to the steel guitar fold instantly!

I first heard Jay Dee fifty years ago (Muddy Mississippi Line') and I STILL can't quite pull that stuff off.

Pali: My friend, David Finch attended the seminar and raved about it in an email next day.

And here I am, stuck in 34112 where I may be the best (read 'only') player in town.

[Jim Palenscar]

Glad he liked it Roger- both days were a wealth of information and to have two such world class steelers giving seminars in the shop truly a once in a lifetime educational event.

[Dale Rottacker]

They were THEE Band back in the day ... they had it ALL ... JD, good hooks, and great harmonies

[Joe Bill Moad]

What a Show for everyone to see back in the day! They (Desert Rose Band) were Hotter than throwing a gallon of Gasoline on the stage and lighting it! What a Group!

Thanks

Jbm

[Jim Cooley]

Possibly my favorite band of that time period. I still have their "A Dozen Roses" album on my phone.

[Dave Grafe]

I had the great pleasure of mixing a number of DR shows at fairs and festivals, first with JayDee and later with Tom Brumley. Listening to Jon and JayDee trade licks at speed could make your head spin! A few years later Jon brought his Django show to town and I got to cover that one also. Great band, great humans, great times.

[Joachim Kettner]

I've been able to see them in Hanau Germany, at the so called NCO Club outdoors. Hillman said, if I remember correctly,that Tom was serving here at some time. I was to timid to talk to him.

[Mike Selecky]

What a great band! Does anybody know what Jay Dee's signal chain was during this time? I think I'm hearing some chorus, but was other effects is he using?

[Skip Edwards]

Back then he used to use a Yamaha chorus unit...don't recall the model. Peter Freiberger might know.

[Bob Carlucci]

just a fantastic band.. At the time they and Emmy Lou's Hot Band were the bands that set the standard.. These days, no one touches Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives as far as a self contained "band'...When they were together the DRB might have the best band in their genre' ever assembled. In my opinion its a toss up between the 3 bands I mentioned.

[Graham Bland]

Skip,

I believe it was a Yamaha E1010 that Jay Dee used.

[Mike Bacciarini]

Total agreement regarding DRB! Fantastic
I’d suggest an honorable mention for The Sky Kings (Rusty Young, John Cowan, Bill Lloyd)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iK528I9L1bc

[Brett Day]

I listened to The Desert Rose Band a lot after I started listening to country music in the eighties, and one song that caught my attention was "She Don't Love Nobody". I loved how the guitar starts the song and the steel follows it! After I started playing steel, I told Jay Dee Maness that "She Don't Love Nobody" is one of my favorite Desert Rose Band songs. I also love the song "One Step Forward". I can tell what steel Jay Dee is playing on those songs, an Emmons

[Steve Mueller]

What make is that keyless steel Rusty Young is playing?

[John Larson]

I listened to The Desert Rose Band a lot after I started listening to country music in the eighties, and one song that caught my attention was "She Don't Love Nobody". I loved how the guitar starts the song and the steel follows it! After I started playing steel, I told Jay Dee Maness that "She Don't Love Nobody" is one of my favorite Desert Rose Band songs. I also love the song "One Step Forward". I can tell what steel Jay Dee is playing on those songs, an Emmons

Arguably the best part of Desert Rose Band aside from the vocal harmonies is Jorgenson and Jay Dee trading licks. The solo in "Story of Love" is a good example.

[Jim Palenscar]

Regarding Rusty Young's keyless- my quite suspect memory tells me it was a BMI.

[Chris Templeton]

One of the best bands EVER!
When I saw them in Burlington, VT, JD wasn't playing because he had gone to the Indy 500. Awwwww

[Steve Cattermole]

I watch the DRB videos on Youtube all the time and never get tired of them. If there were more bands like them I would like country music.

[Jerry Horch]

Saw them in my home town Dayton, Ohio back when they first came out…..very small local bar around 100 or so capacity place. The Canal Street Tavern. Sat probably 6 ft to the side of JD… they cooked….all members flat out awesome….

[Dennis A Brown]

For more of Chris and Herb duo harmonies and J D Maness steel magic, check out this Bakersfield Bound playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTKDkl4 ... Bs&index=1

[Steve Mueller]

Nice Album!

[Jeff Peterson]

Being in a band that was a contemporary with the DRB I have to say that they were my absolute favorite band at the time. A few shows later, from our start, I had the opportunity to meet J.D. at the CMA awards for that year for the first time and fell in love(manly/musically) with him. You know, it's always the greatest treat as a musician to meet someone so admired and respected and, as a huge bonus, find out that he is one of the absolute nicest people you could meet. He was so kind and complimentary to me and my playing I was embarrassed. Shortly after that, we hung around backstage at Universal Amphitheater trading stories, just shooting the normal kinda' gossip with John Jorgensen, when Garth came out of the back door after camera blocking and stood there for a minute. Because of a sign over the door behind him saying 'no standing in front of door' I yelled 'Hey! You can't stand there! The result was Garth headed for the hills...We laughed for what seemed like a long time not realizing what he would become-how could we. These guys in Desert Rose were pure pros(of course) but it was funny as all get out! Talented, funny, nice..what more could you ask for?..Just loved those guys.
Just a note, some years later, Brad Paisley opened for us and immediately became another huge favorite for me. For me, some bands just 'have it' from the first time you hear them. Thanks for my trip down memory lane.

[Ron Funk]

One of the best concerts I ever had the opportunity to attend (with backstage pass, no less) was D.R.B. billed with Sweethearts of the Rodeo as D.R.B.'s opening act.

PS - is prior poster on this topic the same Jeff Peterson that toured with Clint Black? If so, great work Jeff !!

Ron