Which Television Steeler Had The Most Impact

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 13 Nov 2003 10:22 pm

Hal Rugg, on the Wilburn Brothers (on the 'perfect 36' in San Jose).

Ron Whitworth · Post by **Ron Whitworth** » 14 Nov 2003 4:26 am

I'm gonna name a show i have'nt seen no one else name but i don't know who the steeler was..How about Del Reeves Country Carnival & it was also hosted by Billy Walker..The steeler & whole band got a lot of close-up shots but who was the steeler?? A very young Wimpy???????? Ron

Greg Sullivan · Post by **Greg Sullivan** » 14 Nov 2003 10:12 pm

Deleted by request[This message was edited by Greg Sullivan on 15 November 2003 at 04:14 AM.]

Greg Sullivan · Post by **Greg Sullivan** » 14 Nov 2003 10:34 pm

Deleted[This message was edited by Greg Sullivan on 15 November 2003 at 04:15 AM.]

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 15 Nov 2003 5:16 am

by Billy Walker..The steeler & whole band got a lot of close-up shots but who was the steeler??

It looked like Basil Burnett to me.

Lem Smith · Post by **Lem Smith** » 18 Nov 2003 5:09 pm

Ron,
I don't know who played steel for Billy on the show, but it was indeed Larry "Wimpy" Sasser who played for Del.

Wow...after reading about all this stuff, I'm gonna have to go dig out those Wilburn Brothers, Country Carnival, etc... videos from back when the Outlaw Music Channel was on. GREAT stuff for sure!!!

I guess for me, the T.V. Steel Guitarist with the most impact would have been seeing Buddy Emmons on "That Nashville Music". I started on pedal steel in 1979, and remember him playing on some of the shows around that time.

Lem

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 20 Nov 2003 8:18 pm

Willie Nelson had an Outlaw Network website a few years ago that streamed a lot of the old shows - W. Bros., Porter and others. Not up any more, tho. But I guess he owned some sort of rights to the shows. Wonder if he still does and if he has any plans for them?

Rex Thomas · Post by **Rex Thomas** » 20 Nov 2003 9:21 pm

For me it was always Hal Rugg. On Wilburn Bros. for sure, but my favorite was hearing Hal on I think "Nashville Now" backing the Geezenslaw (sp?) Bros. on their take of "Night & Day". Goodness. Faster than a scalded dog.

Ron Castle · Post by **Ron Castle** » 21 Nov 2003 12:38 pm

Impact? for sheer size of audience must be :
Alvino Rey (1)
and (2) Robert Randolph (VH1)
For me pesonally an unknown steeler on the original (pre hee-haw) Buck Owens show out of Ca. around '69

Jerry Hedge · Post by **Jerry Hedge** » 9 Dec 2003 8:05 pm

CHUCK RICH!!! About the time Chuck moved to Cincinnati to do the "Midwestern Hayride",Carl Smith started recording with Chalker (I Love You Because, etc.). Chuck was influenced by Chalker and played a lot like him then. From the first time I heard him I thought he was a killer player. When a lot of you were listening and being wowed by Rusty Young and Garcia, I could turn on my t.v. every Saturday night and watch one of the finest steel guitarists anywhere!!! From idolizing him as a kid I'm proud to call him a friend.

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 9 Dec 2003 9:15 pm

Don Warden on Porter Wagner
Hal Rugg on The Wilburns
Curley Chalker on the Wilburns
Jack Smith with The Happy Goodmans
Sonny Garrish with Bill Andrews
How about Hank Corwin and Johnny Cox with Jim Ed Brown???? Where is Hank?

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 9 Dec 2003 10:15 pm

We got the Wilburn Bros and Porter in Milwaukee. I used to drive my hippie friends nuts by commandeering the tv on Saturday nights. Then I'd get up early to watch the Sunday morning polka shows.
Speaking of Hee Haw, my best friend, J.L. Myers, worked for the Nashville Network from before they even went on the air. He did post-production audio for years and years of HH. The first time I visited him at the Network, he was adding the timpany (sp?) sound the two fat guys made when they bumped their tummies together. Cracked me up! I thought, "What a great job!" JB

Robert Jones · Post by **Robert Jones** » 11 Dec 2003 6:36 am

Larry (Wimpy) Sasser was a huge impact on me when I was learning. I use to watch him playing on Nashville Now and would record on the VCR when they would give him rides. I have it on tape also the night they featured him and he did a solo act. Brought him right out front and he got to go to the couch and chat with Ralph. Tommy White on Music City Tonight was another one. Like Wimpy I recorded a lot of what Tommy did. Yes Gary I agree that Tommy had a lot of camera time. I wasn't complaining though. I also liked the part when Treva Henderson would sing and Tommy did 99% of her intros and fills and turnarounds. Simply a monster player. I still pull those tapes out and watch them. I need to put them on DVD. Who knows one day these might mean something to someone.

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Buddy Emmons · Post by **Buddy Emmons** » 11 Dec 2003 8:24 am

"Buddy, didn't you play bass and let David Smith play steel one time?"
Malcom Kirby

We sure did, Malcom. Nobody in the TV staff knew or could tell the difference, so I got David back on bass as soon as possible.

[This message was edited by Buddy Emmons on 11 December 2003 at 08:26 AM.]

Buddy Elkin · Post by **Buddy Elkin** » 11 Dec 2003 8:24 am

Jerry Byrd - Nasvhille weekly morning show, mid 50's.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 11 Dec 2003 8:48 am

Dang your hide Buddy, you just caused me to spill a whole cup a coffee in my keyboard. Don' you know better than that yungun?

Why if I had you now I would take you out behind the smokehouse and...

No I wouldn't either neither! I'd chain you to the legs a my Emmons LeGrande and NOT let you loose until you made me play lack David.

carl

kevin ryan · Post by **kevin ryan** » 17 Dec 2003 9:24 pm

Also..... One of my biggest influences...Mike Johnson on all of the "You can be a Star type talent shows" He was the bandleader and boy did he sound good.. Also Jaydee's playing on all those "Paul Bowman" television shows probably only on the west coast.. The band would be set up like in a parking lot of k-mart and they would tape these shows...really corny but great playing!! Anybody see any of those...they were cool shows...[This message was edited by kevin ryan on 17 December 2003 at 09:32 PM.]

Buck Reid · Post by **Buck Reid** » 17 Dec 2003 10:52 pm

Not that it had a big impact on me but i remember watching the Ronnie Profitt show out of Canada in the late 70's and always wondered who the Steel Guitarist was. Does anyone know?

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 18 Dec 2003 8:04 am

I am wondering who the house steel player was on that Hot Country Nights show out of LA ?

Bob

Bob Knetzger · Post by **Bob Knetzger** » 18 Dec 2003 9:24 am

I remember back in the early 70s in MIlwaukee that great Sat night TV line up: Wilborn Bros, Porter, Hee Haw, and for a while, Nashville North, Ian Tyson's show. Great to hear ND Smart's clanking cowbell to kick off the show's theme song on "Long, long TIme to Get Old." (But who on steel? Was Cage gone by then? Maybe it was Ben Keith or Bill Keith, or...?)

Then it was the Opry on the radio, weather reception permitting, in the car on the way to a Sat night gig!

I also remember Rusty Young with Poco on a guest shot on the Joey Bishop TV show...wow! His whip-snappin' sharp E9 single string style really cut through the tiny little TV speaker!!

JERRY THURMOND · Post by **JERRY THURMOND** » 18 Dec 2003 4:37 pm

How about Curly an Thumbs on the Red Foley tv shows, in the 50's, it was out of Springfield Mo.