What the hell is BIG EARS thinking?

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 18 Aug 2002 3:13 pm

.[This message was edited by Jeff Lampert on 18 August 2002 at 04:22 PM.]

Ted Solesky · Post by **Ted Solesky** » 18 Aug 2002 3:55 pm

Herb, did you know that Terry Crisp played for Jack and Jean Sealy (package) in the late 70's? Terry had already told Jack that he was leaving and Jack told him he would hire me if I was interested. I wish that I would have tried it for a while after reading your comments.
As for the Night Life ride, listen to the album "The Easy Way" by Claude Gray. I'm sure that Emmons played on that album and they used organ on the ride - no steel.?

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 18 Aug 2002 4:17 pm

Tommy ripped off that C6th thing like he was eating breafast. No sweat. What a great player. A real grand master.

Leslie Elliott · Post by **Leslie Elliott** » 18 Aug 2002 4:21 pm

Thanks, Wayne, for jumping in there for good ole Uncle Jack. We worked with him for almost 8 years and Ron always said "he didn't work for Jack, he worked with him" and I believe this is the case with any musicians that has worked with him. Also, it was Jack's spot with his band, which didn't include the steel, as he is not allowed that many musicians to work the Opry with him. So
his band works up an arrangment without steel and if he needs steel he has to use the house musician. They may or may not work with the artists and if they do, they shouldn't take the spotlight away from the artist's band members. Jack is a great person, musician and singer and is a firm believer in showcasing his band members.
There isn't a finer person any where and we
can attest to this as we are still very close friends with him and always will be.
Former Jolly Green Giant Ron Elliott & Leslie

Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 18 Aug 2002 4:28 pm

Thanks for that clarification Ron

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Mike Kowalik · Post by **Mike Kowalik** » 18 Aug 2002 5:04 pm

My original post was not intended to be an insult...but rather to voice my disappointment about not being able to hear a great steel guitar player give his interpretation of the intro and middle of a classic country song.My reference to Mr.Greene comes from hearing Justin Tubb calling him that during a "Nashville Now"show years ago that featured a reunion of Texas Troubadors during their playing of "Walking The Floor Over YOU".Each member of the band was given a brief solo and when it came for Mr>Greene to do his thing Justin Tubb said..."Here's ole big ears on the drums...thats what my dad called him".My sincere apologies to all who were offended.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 18 Aug 2002 5:21 pm

Herb, my man, I bow to your wisdom. I too was disappointed to not hear the "signature" steel licks in Night Life, BUT, Tommy did a great job and Jack never will never disappoint me with his great voice. I' am guilty of this too, but why do we expect every version of a song to have the same licks in it? JAck Greene is, has been and will always be one of my favorite singers. I wish that Blake Shelton would have just shut up and let Jack do Statue of a Fool by himself during their litte spot with the Blonde.

When Jack announced that he was playing somewhere the next day, I wonder if he has a steel player in his band since he used Tommy on the Opry. I would still go see him even without a steel player.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 18 Aug 2002 8:39 pm

Hi Tommy, thanks for mentioning Penn Pennington. I helped get Penn started on guitar when he was almost a teenager. He is also an excellent bass player, a good steel player and a good harmony singer. I've known Penn and his family for a lot of years and they are a class act. About Jack Greene, One of the greatest. Nuff said. Jody.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 18 Aug 2002 10:32 pm

So Tommy only got 8 seconds of soloing...of course we could listen to Tommy all night and not get tired of it but 8 seconds is a lot better than nothing. We shouldn't think that everyone has to do the same arrangement as the one we're most used to hearing, just because that was "the big one".

I didn't see the GOP, don't even know when it was on, don't even watch TV if there's anything else to do. I don't know if I was off that night or out working with the band the night it was on. I do have a couple weeks off now though, so I guess in some people's books that qualifies me as "not a real musician".

Mike Cass · Post by **Mike Cass** » 19 Aug 2002 12:14 am

right from the git go here, my trip home was longer than Herb's...

I missed the show, as I was in Carthage Tx, backing up Tanya Tucker last night, so the ammount of solo time TW got is out of my realm of knowledge, but I do have THIS to say about the rest of the topic:
Obviously, I agree with the latter comments about Jack Greene as expressed by Tommy, Herb & the others, due to my personal experiences with the man on & offstage at venues like the Opry,
Nightlife Club & numerous package shows, etc, ...notwithstanding is Jack's love of the music we all claim to love & strive to keep alive....AND Jacks love for the steel guitar which is obvious by the many great players he has employed over the years...in summary, Jack doesnt have anything prove to the rest of us

One thing that non-travelling pickers might not take into consideration is the fact that many acts, when they play the Big O, are interweaving instruumentation into their performance that they may not have during their regular live dates..... & "Arrangements While You Wait" dont make it at the Opry.

Many factors can contribute to the arrangements that are played on TV,,.. Mostly though I would think, judging from OUR show last night(brand new 9 piece band that although we all mostly knew & had worked with each other individually, we'd never been a "band" before, much less played Tanya's show), the artists comfort level is the utmost priority.(<<< re-read

)
Tanya had a new group of faces & names to remember,not to mention our lack of adequate rehearsal due to a massive storm on Friday that killed te AC power at"S.I.R." (local rehearsal hall) which necessitated a time consuming move to other surroundings, thus cutting valuable rehearsal time(23 arrangements to learn, 4 hrs to do it in)...not a recipe for comfort.
Heck, I get spooked backing Darrell in Tulsa, so I can only imagine how Tanya, Darrell & other artists feel when their performance needs to go off without a hitch & 5-9 new faces are all they have to depend on....& the gig is maybe their own induction performance into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame???...i think you get my point...btw, she sang her heart out, too...jury's still out on the band, tho

You live & die out there by the show arrangements, & if your playing a pressure gig (& if you dont think the GOO is pressure, youre sadly mistaken) the very last thing you do is to change the show by making room for something, be it Steel or Accordian

On a cheerier note: the great Gene Watson was also inducted last night & sang his a** off as usual; Corky & all were cookin'....Cork, open a thread on the gig, ok? ...played yer tail off son

[This message was edited by Mike Cass on 19 August 2002 at 03:14 AM.]

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 19 Aug 2002 3:54 am

First Mike Cass and also Herb Steiner, Mike Sweeney, Wayne Cox, Ron Elliott and especially Tommy White:

You gentlemen give new life and credibility to the words; PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN !!

I, for one, am at a loss of words to adequately Thank each of you for keeping our attention and thoughts properly focused in this conversation.

Regards, Paul

John P. Phillips · Post by **John P. Phillips** » 19 Aug 2002 4:26 am

WELL !!!! Tommy was there, he explained it, That settles it in my book. NUFF SAID !!!

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"Let's go STEEL something"
If it feels good, do it. If it feels COUNTRY, do it twice
jpp

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 19 Aug 2002 12:28 pm

. I wish that Blake Shelton would have just shut up and let Jack do Statue of a Fool by himself during their litte spot with

Richard,I thought I heard Jack ask him to help him sing it because he could no longer sing the song the way he used to do it.His health is not the best anymore.He still did a great and typical "JACK GREEN" show.
Tommy shined as usual.
Ray[This message was edited by Ray Jenkins on 19 August 2002 at 01:32 PM.]

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 19 Aug 2002 1:44 pm

Oops. Must have missed him asking Blake. Jack still sounded great though.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Herby Wallace · Post by **Herby Wallace** » 19 Aug 2002 2:01 pm

I don't like to get involved in many of these conversations, but I had to add my two cents worth too concerning Jack Green. I have had the honor to get to back him a few times and it was a real treat and honor every time. He was always a true gentleman to work with and I agree with what Tommy and Leslie Elliot said. Also, I might add that he is a real singer, and at his age is still out singing 90% of the singers I hear today. I heard him singing on CMT the other night backstage without a band and he was right on it. In other words, he can really sing and is still on pitch, and doesn't have to fix a word at a time like many so called singers. I just wanted to throw this in as I really respect Jack as a person and vocalist plus all his contribution to Country music.

Herby Wallace

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Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 19 Aug 2002 2:06 pm

I played for Jack Green for a summer in '79 and I've got to say he is a real fan of the steel (not withstanding his decision to hire me). He was the best front man I have ever worked for in terms of respecting the musicians he works with.

About Nightlife....My absolute favorite version of that song has no steel guitar. And the singer? Aretha Franklin (no relation to Paul).

Corky Owens · Post by **Corky Owens** » 21 Aug 2002 3:49 pm

Thanks for the kind words Mike. I'll open a thread tonight. Corky,

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Kenny Yates · Post by **Kenny Yates** » 21 Aug 2002 6:48 pm

Penn Pennington is a pretty fair steeler himself and possibly plays steel on the song on the road.[This message was edited by Kenny Yates on 23 August 2002 at 07:48 PM.]

John Russell · Post by **John Russell** » 21 Aug 2002 6:56 pm

What is it about working with the Great Ones that brings out the best in good players? Not that I've done it very much but I did have the opportunity to back Johnny Gimble several years ago. You can imagine the sweat I worked up before going onstage, but once J. G. takes over it gets to be fun and, true gentleman that Johnny is, he keeps smilin' even if you ain't hitting on all cylinders, as I surely wasn't. I'd been playing steel guitar all of about two or three years, and yup, I was pretty lame, but hung in there.

Well put, Herb, re Jack Green. Check out Willie and Ray Price on the album "San Antonio Rose." While it's basically Ray singing, Willie comes in on the last verse, so it's technically Willie doing "Night Life" with Buddy.

Joe Goldmark · Post by **Joe Goldmark** » 23 Aug 2002 12:12 pm

Nah, you guys give Herb too much credit...and he was tired. What he meant to say was "For chrisakes it's NIGHTLIFE, give the steel some. If anybody knows that, Jack Greene surely does. What's wrong with that boy?" Now that I got this thread back on track, I'll go back to washing the dog!

Ronald Riddle · Post by **Ronald Riddle** » 23 Aug 2002 7:44 pm

Jack Green,a fine gentleman and a fine singer.Didn,t do a bad job as a drummer for mr T.

Ronald Riddle · Post by **Ronald Riddle** » 23 Aug 2002 7:48 pm

Jack Green is a fine gentleman and a fine singer and done a fine job as a drummer for Mr T.
Ron Riddle

Derek Duplessie · Post by **Derek Duplessie** » 31 Aug 2002 8:39 pm

I thought you guys were talking about the
grand ole' party.

-Derek