Sonny Garrish

David Cobb · Post by **David Cobb** » 24 Oct 2002 7:30 am

Could someone tell me a little about Sonny Garrish's sound, like what equip. he uses,effects, playing style, etc. I'm not trying to emulate his tone, just wondering where it originates. You can almost always pick him out without referring to the liner notes. Thanks.

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David Cobb, 1992 Emmons Legrande 8&5,BlueTubeII,TubeWorks RT921Reverb,Stewart World 1.2 poweramp,Black Widow/Steelers Choice cabs,Pro-Fex II/Lemay mods.

Miguel e Smith · Post by **Miguel e Smith** » 24 Oct 2002 8:08 am

I used Sonny on some projects awhile back and he used a simple setup...steel into a multi-efx (a Korg something I think)and then direct into a few DI boxes. Sounded really good. I believe he'd sound his way whatever he decided to use. It's in his personal technique. A true gentleman, great ideas, a pleasure to work with, danceable...I give him a '95'.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 24 Oct 2002 9:12 am

As far as I can tell from listening Sonny doubles his parts quite a bit.

Bob

Billy Easton · Post by **Billy Easton** » 24 Oct 2002 9:32 am

Hey Mike...
When you were dancin with Sonny, I want to know who led?

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Billy Easton
Casa Grande, AZ
Where the Sun Always Shines

[This message was edited by Billy Easton on 24 October 2002 at 10:35 AM.]

Michael Holland · Post by **Michael Holland** » 24 Oct 2002 11:19 am

Dave,

Sonny was my main influence in taking up the steel. After moving to Nashville in 1980 to work with Cristy Lane (playing guitar) I got to work with Sonny on many of the sessions for Cristy. His touch and tone were so inspirational that I took up the pedal steel myself.

Sonny's signature sound (that you hear on all the Judds and Randy Travis sides) is an Emmons push/pull (black, ahem), an old Session 400 and a Boss CE-1 chorus pedal. Sonny has the uncanny ability, Bob, to double his parts exactly. He would always double while everyone else listened to the track. And, at that time, he would always tune to the piano. He'd just tune his pedals down A's to the piano and tune the rest by ear. He's a brilliant player and a wonderful guy.

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Fessenden SD10 - Mesa/Boogie amps

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 24 Oct 2002 12:57 pm

Sonny and Weldon were the guys who got me hooked on steel in the late 70s and early 80s with their gospel session work. My Music

Interesting info Michael--both of you!

Tom Bradshaw has an instrumental recording by Sonny Garrish from around 1975. It includes a very interesting bio. Just click on the link below and look for the title mentioned in the link.

Country Soul Stew - Sonny Garrish

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Frank Estes - 1978 Emmons D-10 8+7 #2441D[This message was edited by Frank Estes on 24 October 2002 at 02:02 PM.]

David Cobb · Post by **David Cobb** » 24 Oct 2002 1:46 pm

Billy, I was gonna ask the same thing but thought Miguel might never reply to ME again.

Thanks to Miguel and everyone for clueing me in. Not much info about Sonny on the Web, at least that I've run across.

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David Cobb, 1992 Emmons Legrande 8&5,BlueTubeII,TubeWorks RT921Reverb,Stewart World 1.2 poweramp,Black Widow/Steelers Choice cabs,Pro-Fex II/Lemay mods.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 24 Oct 2002 7:51 pm

I posted this article in January, but it bears repeating for you, Dave.

This article appeared in the Gospel Voice magazine in 2000.

In the small town of Williamsport, Md., which is on the Potomac River, a little boy named Bruce was destined to make a mark in the world of music. You don't know him by that name, though. This youngster grew up singing in his dad's band, beginning at age seven. His dad took him to local shows and carnivals, and knowing all the bandleaders, he would get them to ask his son to come up and sing. One night, a bandleader was introducing him but forgot his name, so he just brought him on stage by saying, "Here's little Sonny Garrish to sing for you!" The rest, as they say, was history. Sonny Garrish is one of the most "in demand" steel players in the recording industry today. When he was 13 his dad enrolled him in a steel guitar class. "I didn't like taking the lessons, and after a few months started skipping classes," Sonny reminisced. "My dad found out and told me if I didn't want to take the lessons anymore that I should quit, so I did; however, after listening more to Dad's steel players, I became interested again. So I began practicing and learning on my own. For the next several years, I played locally wherever and whenever I could. Finally, I got the opportunity to play for Bill Anderson and served as his band leader for eight years. After that stretch, I decided to stay home and do studio work full-time." Sonny and wife Lois have two daughters, Tammy and Tera. When he is not in the studio, he spends time drawing and painting, playing tennis and golf, and loves eating desserts! He says, "I realize God has blessed me with a great family, and the ability to make a living at something I love is my very own true success." There's a long list of artists that have Sonny's music on their projects: The Rambos, Happy Goodman Family, Amy Grant, Hinsons, Dino, Carmen, Cathedrals, Kingsmen, Oak Ridge Boys, Jeff & Sherri Easter, Stamps Quartet, Betty Jean Robinson, Gov. Jimmy Davis, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Spencers, Gold City, Bishops, Nelons, Hoppers, Sego Brothers & Naomi, Dallas Holmes, Hemphills, LaVerne Tripp, the Crabb Family, and the prestigious list goes on and on. He likes playing all styles of music, which keeps studio work interesting and fresh. "I left home one morning to work three sessions (all in different studios), and I didn't look at my studio book before I left," shares Sonny. "When I got to my third session, I set my steel up. When we started the third song, one of the two producers came over and after we talked about the intro to the next song he paused with a puzzled look on his face and said, 'Who booked you on this session, Sonny?' to which I replied, 'I don't know, my wife booked the session and I didn't ask her.' Then we found out that I wasn't supposed to be at that studio until the next night, but the situation was so funny because each of the two producers had let me play the first two songs, each thinking the other had booked me for that session; meanwhile, the producer for the session I was supposed to be at was calling my wife wanting to know where I was, and she had no idea and couldn't help him. So, if any of you steel players out there have a slow day, just show up at a studio and act like you're supposed to be there.Who knows," he laughed, "they might let you play."

Michael T. Hermsmeyer · Post by **Michael T. Hermsmeyer** » 25 Oct 2002 1:01 am

Back when I started working with Paul Brandt in '96, I got to spend some time with Nashville producer Josh Leo. Josh loved to use Sonny Garrish on sessions and most of Paul's first CD was Sonny on steel. Josh told me that Sonny played his black Emmons P/P through an Alesis Quadraverb and a Peavey Session 400, that's it. He stacked everything, meaning he doubled all of his parts flawlessly. He also kept a big logbook of every setting he used on a particular session so that, just in case he had to return for an overdub or whatever, he could match up his tones and settings perfectly. At that time, I was very fortunate to have been able to learn many steel parts that Sonny created and this has vastly improved my skills. He also played on a lot of Holly Dunn and Daron Norwood sessions that I was priviledged to learn from. I have never met him or seen him perform live, but I sure would like to. Sonny Garrish is truly one of my favorite players. Of course along with Buddy and Lloyd and Paul and Hal and Bruce and Tom and Terry and Mike and etc..........

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UTILITY MAN PRODUCTIONS
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE,
'85 DOBRO 60DS, '95 DOBRO F60S,
'95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1955 FENDER TRIPLE NECK STRINGMASTER. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps.

Miguel e Smith · Post by **Miguel e Smith** » 25 Oct 2002 8:33 am

We took turns...every 4 bars (I'd have said we 'swapped' but that would have opened another whole thingy). Merengue anyone?

M

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 25 Oct 2002 9:31 am

I asked engineer Kevin McManis one time what Sonny was using. He told me that it was just him. At that time he was not using a lot of effects. Some players just have a way of bringing out a different sound on their guitar. Sonny is definitely one of my favorites as well as a fine individual.

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 25 Oct 2002 9:32 am

I asked engineer Kevin McManis one time what Sonny was using. He told me that it was just him. At that time he was not using a lot of effects. Some players just have a way of bringing out a different sound on their guitar. Sonny is definitely one of my favorites as well as a fine individual.

Jerry Wright · Post by **Jerry Wright** » 31 Oct 2002 4:53 pm

About 4 weeks ago I got to the Studio a little late as Sonny was packing up to go to another Studio for some more Recording.I only got to talk to Sonny for a few seconds.
I didn't get to talk to him to see what he was using as for as any effects,but he was still playing that Emmons.Sonny could take hay bailing wire and strech it across a piece of 2x4 and make great music.
Sonny is one of the nicest guy's that you will ever meet.

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www.secondgen.com

David Cobb · Post by **David Cobb** » 31 Oct 2002 8:27 pm

Glad to hear from everyone that success hasn't gone to Sonny's head. He has an unusual or should I say distinctive sound, that I often like and other times dislike, but it's tasteful playing or he wouldn't be where he is. Good Dobro player too. I knew little about him except for a short bio in T. Bradshaw's book and a scant few fuzzy photo's here and there. Thanks to everyone for their info and comments. I'm a bit wiser.