Seattle Buddy Emmons sighting

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 19 Jul 2001 8:07 am

My family and I caught the Everly Brothers backing up Buddy last night, and all I have to say is finally I heard those great songs arranged the way they should have been originally, with Buddy playing the most perfect counterpoint to their perfect harmony. His tone and taste was unsurpassed, as usual.

Some comments:

"He was like an ice skater gliding over the music" -my wife Sarah

"Now I know where you ripped off all that country stuff, Dad" -my son Josh

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www.tyacktunes.com

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 19 Jul 2001 8:39 am

"Ripped off all that country stuff?"
Priceless...

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Bob Knetzger · Post by **Bob Knetzger** » 19 Jul 2001 9:13 am

Re; Dan’s comments on Big E with Everlys...AMEN!

Buddy’s taste, tone, touch were fantastic.

Let’s face it, at this point the Everlys are pretty much a nostalgia act, but a very good one. They must play their hits, and with so many to do, that pretty much fills the show so there aren’t going to be many new tunes. The entire audience knows the tunes and the arrangements so what can be played on steel with that?

Buddy played throughout each tune, but never resorted to any pedal steel cliches. Great and different voicings, LOTS of “no bar’”open string harmonics (lots of songs in the key of E) to play melodic motifs and lines, lots of both necks, lots of both-foot pedal work on C6th neck (Even the Big E was discreetly peeking for position at his pedals...). Elegantly restrained and understated, but perfectly effective to feature the singers and the songs.

And always, beaming a big, relaxed smile!

As Don so graciously introduced him..’the Maestro!”

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 19 Jul 2001 9:50 am

Bob;
I imagine Buddy has to look at his pedals from time to time to be sure he's in the right position. He only plays a D-10 when he's out with the Everly's. At home it's two different single neck 12 string guitars.
Links to pictures of his 12 string guitars can be found on the: Buddy Info Page.

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

RickRichtmyer · Post by **RickRichtmyer** » 19 Jul 2001 9:54 am

I've seen that show twice in the past two years - L.V., NV and Alexandria, VA.

Yes! Buddy is awesome. Probably the thing that has struck me most is that on top of everything else, he somehow transcends the "neckness" of the steel guitar. He doesn't play E9th to get that commercial sound and C6th to get that jazz/swing sound. It's more like he plays the neck that gives him the range and tone that he wants and the specific notes that he plays are simply the right ones to fit the song that's being played. So many of us (myself expecially) are "idiomatically challenged" when it comes to playing steel, by which I mean that we have to play the neck that gives us the ability to hit certain licks suitable to a given song. Buddy seems able to play anything on either neck. He can play E9th that sounds like E9th and C6th that sounds like C6th, but so much of the time it just comes across as what should be played at every instant in time without regard to which neck it is.

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Rick Richtmyer
Good News

Dave Robbins · Post by **Dave Robbins** » 19 Jul 2001 1:14 pm

Rick,
"AMEN!" It couldn't be said any better than what you have just so eloquently expressed. Every time I hear him play it reminds me of how "musically challenged" I am compared to the "Big E!"

Dave[This message was edited by Dave Robbins on 19 July 2001 at 02:16 PM.]

ebb · Post by **ebb** » 19 Jul 2001 3:34 pm

are there any splits on e's extended e9?

Bob Knetzger · Post by **Bob Knetzger** » 19 Jul 2001 4:46 pm

..oh, and one more steeler observation..

Buddy played one solo thru what looked like a MatchBro/Superbro box thingy on his E9 neck, but using his regular bar (not the plastic sustain killer bar the unit comes with).

Needless to say, he played the perfect, simple part (well, he made it *look* simple).

... it sounded great and plenty "dobro-y"

...and it got a nice round of applause.

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 19 Jul 2001 7:39 pm

Bob, I was "#@*ing with my digital camera at the Edmonton concert when I heard that part and looked up fully expecting to see that Buddy or Jamie Hartford had picked up a reso - he really nailed the sound

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Greg Simmons
Custodian of the Official Sho~Bud Pedal Steel Guitar Website
shobud.cjb.net

[This message was edited by Greg Simmons on 19 July 2001 at 08:40 PM.]

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 19 Jul 2001 9:26 pm

Ernie- Thanks for the Carter S12 tuning chart that BE is using. That open extended E9 tuning and some pedals are so close to what I have been using on my Carter, that it scares me.
One difference, I put a E on the bottom string. But I don't have that F# inbetween the E and G# on the 8th string. Maybe I should stick that in there and hope it doesn't hurt my E6 grips.
Gee, I guess that I must be doing something right.

I think he has a great unusual and innovative E9, S12 set up. Of course, why not, He is Buddy Emmons! Just great!...al

Bob Carlson · Post by **Bob Carlson** » 20 Jul 2001 7:54 am

He get's that dobro sound from his Match Box but It's not a plain 7A Model. It's called a Match Bro and near as I can remember Buddy had some or all input In It's design for Goodrich.
When we saw him In Phoenix he played Shenandoah with It and If I had an extra 400 dollars I'd have one.

Bob Carlson [This message was edited by Bob Carlson on 20 July 2001 at 09:11 AM.]

Ron Shepard · Post by **Ron Shepard** » 24 Jul 2001 2:20 pm

Looking forward to seeing Buddy play in Cohassett MA. 8/24/01. This will be my first
time hearing him play live.

Dave Robbins · Post by **Dave Robbins** » 24 Jul 2001 7:21 pm

Ron,
if this is your first time to see Emmons live, you are in for a treat!

My first time to see him live was in '67 with the Cherokee Cowboys with some guy named "Ray Price" fronting the band (just kidding!). I have seen him many times since and still get the same feeling everytime like I got that first time. There is something very "charismatic" about Buddy, let alone hearing the "master" of the steel guitar.

You'll really enjoy seeing and hearing Buddy play. Enjoy!

Dave