Buddy Charleton and Four Wheel Drive

George King · Post by **George King** » 6 Jan 2002 7:39 pm

I have several of the old Ernest Tubb television shows from the late 60's on tape ,the instrumentals with Charleton are my favorite parts.There is one episode that i've heard exist ,I dont have, where Charleton plays "Four Wheel Drive". If any one has this one on tape I would sure love to get a copy of it,or if you just want to compare what episodes you have to mine let me know.There is a new video tape remake of E.T. out I seen at the record shop lately, of his old tele. shows ,its good but doesnt contain any of their instrumental,unfortunatly. Thanks George

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 7 Jan 2002 3:14 am

I watched all of the ET syndicated shows that were rerun on TNN back when TNN first came on the air. I don't recall Charleton playing Four Wheel Drive on any of them.

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 7 Jan 2002 4:44 am

Buddy Emmons played Four Wheel Drive (with Leon Rhodes) on one of the Grand Ole Opry episodes. (With T. Tommy and ET as hosts.)

Thought I'd add this picture from one of the shows:

The time signature on the screen is for TV stations.
This picture along with a couple of others are on Troubadour 2 which is linked from the Fun Stuff page.

I don't remember Buddy C playing it on an ET show episode. Though, I wouldn't put it past him.

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com[This message was edited by Ernie Renn on 07 January 2002 at 04:56 AM.]

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 7 Jan 2002 1:09 pm

Heard a killer version of "4WD" last nite on Bill's steel radio. It was Emmons with Thumbs Carlisle!
Anyone know where that came from?

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 7 Jan 2002 1:51 pm

Scott

Was it definitely Buddy Emmons? Herby Wallace recorded at least one album with Thumbs, and I know Herby plays that tune. Whether or not he played it with Thumbs I couldn't say, but I thought it worth mentioning. I have no knowledge of BE recording with the late, and very great, Mr Carlille, but that doesn't mean much!

If it was actually announced as being Emmons, then I apologise for this 'red herring' - maybe either Buddy or Herby will set us, or me, straight......

Roger Rettig

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LeGrande III

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 7 Jan 2002 4:18 pm

Buddy recorded at least two albums w/Thumbs. One is "Guitar Wizard", which was a direct to disk recording; don't remember the other - it's packed away somewhere. But I don't remember "4WD" being on either one.

C#

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 7 Jan 2002 4:25 pm

Scott, I've heard that Emmons cut on Live365 too, but I thought it was Phil Baugh on guitar.

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 7 Jan 2002 8:21 pm

Ironically, a few years ago Tom Bradshaw had a tape of Buddy on tour for sale. A few of the cuts were Herby Wallace. Go figure...

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Ronald Riddle · Post by **Ronald Riddle** » 8 Jan 2002 6:41 am

Thanks Ernie for sharing those tv photo,s
of the Icons of the 1960,s and still today.
I started taking up steel guitar about that time and after I heard Jimmy Day play"I Love You because'

Joe Goldmark · Post by **Joe Goldmark** » 8 Jan 2002 9:52 am

I also have blurry copies of some of the ET shows that were aired on TNN. They're totally great and Buddy C. plays immaculately. A real treat. I've been looking for a commercial tape of these shows but I'm afraid it doesn't exist. If anyone finds a source please let me know. Thanks

wayne yakes md · Post by **wayne yakes md** » 8 Jan 2002 2:46 pm

Everybody is right! Buddy Charleton did do a live video of "Four Wheel Drive" on the "Pet Milk" shows hosted by T.Tommy Cutrer, I believe, Leon Rhodes was on guitar. When Bobby Garrett left ET and Buddy Emmons then played steel for ET, they needed a guitar player. Garrett's last night with ET was at Dewey Groom's Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas. The next night Garrett was with Hank Thompson and the Brazos Valley Boys and lifted them to even greater hights.The
Troubadours heard this guy on guitar in the back-up band at the Longhorn that knocked the Troubadours out! They tried to hire him, especially Emmons. He told them that he was a drummer and they all said that he was a guitar player and to join the Troubadours! After a couple of months, they finally convinced him and Leon Rhodes became a Texas Troubadour! When Buddy was with ET before he left for Ray Price(Jimmy Day left Ray to start the first band with the bass player by the name of Willie Nelson) he did a couple instrumentals with Leon on the "Pet Milk" shows as well.
Scotty recorded Thumbs Carllile and Buddy Emmons live at a Holiday Inn in St.Louis @ 1974 and there is an absolute dynamite version of "Four Wheel Drive", "Bluemmons", and Thumbs guitar work with Buddy on "Danny Boy" is the GREATEST you will ever hear.

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 8 Jan 2002 9:47 pm

What a drummer Leon must have been.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 9 Jan 2002 7:02 am

Wayne, is the Thumbs Carlisle and Buddy Emmons live recording available for sale?

wayne yakes md · Post by **wayne yakes md** » 9 Jan 2002 10:51 am

Call Scotty and see!

Herby Wallace · Post by **Herby Wallace** » 9 Jan 2002 3:35 pm

Well, I probably shouldn't get into this discussion, but there are several questions here that I will try to answer. First, of course, as most of you know Buddy Emmons wrote and recorded Four Wheel Drive on Decca records at a very early age, I think around 18 or 19, and of course played his bottom off back then. Buddy Emmons always has been and always will be at the top of my list of heros. By the way, I still have the original 45 of this cut by Emmons on Decca.

Now, some of you know this story and maybe some don't, so I will briefly repeat it. This is in regard to me playing Four Wheel Drive. I had learned the tune many years ago because I liked the song and when I was on the road back in the sixties and seventies I used to play it sometimes when the band would be featured. It was always as a tribute to Buddy Emmons. Now in 1975, I did a course with Scotty's Music and we diagrammed Four Wheel Drive, mainly because Scotty said he had many requests for tab on it. I recorded it for the course with Donna Fargo's band, which included Odell Martin on guitar playing harmony on it. We did play it a little slower than we did live just for the course. Now the rest of this story. 1978 was the first year I played the Convention is St. Louis and naturally I was scarred to death. I actually scouted around the room to see what "heavy weight" players happened to be in the audience. While I was setting up on stage getting ready to play, non other than B.E. walked in the back door and came all the way around and sat in the front row. Now if you think that's not pressure! Again, this is my first convention and most people don't know anything about or whether I can play or not. Now at that point in my career, I didn't talk on the mike at all, of course, that's all changed now as I probably talk too much, but anyhow back to the convention. I played two songs and things were going fairly well. After the second song, Bobby Caldwell turns to me and said you should play Four Wheel Drive. Of course, I immediately tried to shut him up, but it didn't work. Scotty over heard him and on the mike said, oh I think Herby is going to play Four Wheel Drive, well Buddy started clapping as I'm sure he would get a kick out of me attempting his great tune. Well, like a dummy, I went ahead played it and of course, I felt like it could have been better, but I did get through it without dropping the bar or just stopping or fainting. So this is how I really got pushed into playing it, and I will honestly say that of course I do enjoy playing with a good band, but whenever I play it, it is as a tribute to Buddy Emmons, as no one can play it like him.

Now to the other questions, Buddy & Thumbs never recorded it on an album, but they have played it together live. I think I may have that tape from 1974 where they played it live in St. Louis, but I don't know where it is as I have hundreds of old tapes. Also, Buddy Charleton who is, by the way, another one of my all time heros, did play it on the ET show, and I have a video of it some place, but again I would have to locate. For what it's worth, I've heard Doug Jernigan play it live years ago and of course he burnt it up. Doug and I actually jammed together on it one time in the early seventies on the road.

Well, I'll stop for now, but I thought I would add this for what it's worth. Oh one other thing, I never recorded it with Thumbs. I recorded it on my first album called The Chattanooga Choo-Choo in 1980. Bucky Barrett played guitar on that album, but he didn't play any solos on Four Wheel Drive. Hoot Hester played the fiddle solo and John Propst played the piano solo. This same cut is also on my CD called The Collection.

Herby Wallace

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wayne yakes md · Post by **wayne yakes md** » 9 Jan 2002 5:53 pm

Herby,
I remember a Convention in St.Louis when you were on the stage before Buddy and did your "Four Wheel Drive" finale and mentioned your admiration and total respect for Buddy and his song. Buddy came on around 2 sets later and at the end of his set everyone was clamoring for Buddy to play "Four Wheel Drive". He then gave you a tribute by saying to the audience "You have already heard it played by Herby Wallace,... and it was played well!" Buddy then closed with "S.S.Cool", just like he is!! Great moments by great people you NEVER forget!!

Post by **Joey Ace** » 9 Jan 2002 6:02 pm

H.W. said,

"Well, I probably shouldn't get into this discussion.."

Are you kidding??? It was great to read your post. Thanks for the input!

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 10 Jan 2002 8:08 am

I have Herby's "Four Wheel Drive" course and it is a dandy as is all of Herby's courses. I can almost play it--half speed and I still fake the intro!

Another great course by Herby that has a tune Buddy Emmons made famous is one that has "Night Life," "San Antonio Rose," "Little Red Wagon" and another tune I cannot remember right now. Anyway, this course has vocals and Herby solo/adlib stuff. If you want to get some great ideas for C6 fills behind a singer and first class solos on these tunes, then this is the course for you. It comes with a cassette and costs less than $20! "Night Life" is wonderful with plenty of the "E's" phrasing from the "Black Album."

Order Today!

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Frank Estes