Jimmy Day - Remembered

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 6 Feb 2004 7:44 am

It is already over five years that Jimmy left us, so I want to bring one of my all-time heroes back to our minds. His playing gives me chills whenever I hear him, the heart and soul he put into his music, the incredible back-up work he did, his solos, intros,...that's what Steel Guitar is all about.

As I write this, I listen to some of Willie Nelson's 60's recordings and Jimmy is playing so beautiful on "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You".

I miss him!

Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 6 Feb 2004 7:54 am

Walter;

I've been listening to Jimmy Day's work every day for several months now. I have his double album CD (the one with the Steel & Strings tracks) in my Silverado's CD player. Whenever I start the engine, there he is. What beautiful music. It's hard to believe that music was recorded in 1961 and 1962.

The CD stays in the CD player until I take my 13 yr old daughter to to the Ski slope, then, you wouldn't believe what I get to listen to.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 6 Feb 2004 8:56 am

Jimmy Day is the ONLY steel player who I can listen to all the time. I never tire of hearing his playing. His tapes are in my car player and only seem to get replaced by other Jimmy Day tapes. That sound he made is like my soul's soundtrack. It also shuts the kids up. Anyone ever notice that?

Brad Sarno
St. Louis, MO

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 6 Feb 2004 11:19 am

Click HERE for the most Heartfelt solo in History
<pre>
I have to say; this was very difficult for me, both emotionally
and mentally. How do you tab such emotion. Jimmy Day was known
for the best "feel" player and it is very hard to write down all
the inflections and emotion, he puts in playing around, and through
the measures of time, and song. As I, and all of Jimmys' family and
friends said our last goodbyes to this wonderful man; "Farewell Party"
played by "Jimmy Day"; was the last song we heard at his funeral.
I did shed tears on that very sad day. And I have to say; tears were
shed today as I listened along and tried to capture the most emotional
steel player in history. I miss you Jimmy Day.
Ricky Davis

Farewell party(Jimmy Day)steel break/key of F/E9th pedal steel

(F) (Bb)
1.___________|______________|_______________|__________6|
2.___________|______________|_______________|___________|
3.___________|______________|_______________|___________|
4.____6~~~7~~|~8____~10~~8~~|_______________|_______6___|
5._8a_6~a~7a~|~8~a__~10~~8~a|_6~~~8~a___6a~6|_6~~~~____6|
6._8b_6b~~7b~|~8b___________|_6b~~8b____6b~~|_6b~6~_6___|
7.___________|______________|_______________|___________|
8.___________|______________|_6L~~8_________|___________|
9.___________|______________|_______________|___________|
10.__________|______________|_______________|___________|
(F) (F)

1._____________|________________|_______________|__________|
2._____________|________________|_______________|__________|
3._6___________|________________|_______________|__________|
4._6__8~~~~~7R~|~8~~~~__________|_8~~~__~10~~8~~|_________8|
5._6__8a~~~~7a~|~8a~~~__8a~7a~8a|_8~a~__~10~~8~a|_____8~a~~|
6.____8~b~~~7b~|~8b~~~__8b~7b~8b|_8b~~__________|_8b_______|
7._____________|________________|_______________|__________|
8._____________|________________|_______________|_8___8~~~~|
9._____________|________________|_______________|__________|
10.____________|________________|_______________|_8a_______|
(D) (Daug) (G)

1.________________|________________|_________10______|
2.______8______8~~|________________|_________________|
3._____________8b~|________________|_________________|
4._______________8|______________10|_10~~~~______10~_|
5._8a~~___8a______|_10~~~_10~1/2a~~|_10a~~~______10~a|
6.___8~___8~8b____|_10~~~_10~~~~~~~|_10~b~~______10b~|
7.________________|________________|_________________|
8._8~~~___8_______|_10_____________|_________________|
9.________________|_______10~~~~~~~|_________________|
10._______________|________________|_________________|
(G7) (C) (G)

1.__________________|______________________|_______________________|
2._8~8~~6_________2_|_1~~~~~__15___________|_______________________|
3.__________________|______________________|_______________________|
4.________3~~__2____|________________15~~~~|_10~~_____10___________|
5._8~8a~6_3~3a_2a_2_|_1~~15~a_15a~15 15~15a|_10a~_____10~a_10a~8a~8|
6._8~8b~6_3~3b_2b_2b|_1b~15b_________15b~~~|_10~b_10b_10b__10b~8b~~|
7.__________________|______________________|_______________________|
8.__________________|______________________|_______________10~~8L~~|
9.__________________|______________________|_______________________|
10._________________|______________________|_______________________|
(D) (D7) (G)

1.___________|_______________|____________|_______________
2._______8___|_______________|____________|_______________
3.___________|_______________|____________|_______________
4.__________8|_____________5~|_3~__3~~~~~~|_______________
5._8~8a~~~~~~|_10~a________5a|____________|_3~~3a~~5a~~6a~
6._8~~~~~~~~~|_10~~___5~5b~~~|_3~__3b~3~3b|_3b~~~~~5b~~6~~
7.___________|_______________|____________|_______________
8._8~~~~~~~~~|_______________|____________|_______________
9.___________|_10~~__________|____________|_______________
10.__________|_______________|_3~__3a~3~3a|_______________

Jimmy Day
January 9, 1934-January 22, 1999
</pre>

Roger Kelly · Post by **Roger Kelly** » 6 Feb 2004 11:31 am

Ricky...a Classic in my book!![This message was edited by Roger Kelly on 06 February 2004 at 11:32 AM.]

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 6 Feb 2004 12:18 pm

One of my favorite solos!

Thanks, Ricky!

Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 6 Feb 2004 12:55 pm

Definately "cold chill" listening,it don't get any better than that...

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Bill Ford

Rich Young · Post by **Rich Young** » 6 Feb 2004 1:08 pm

Learning that from Ricky's tab, that became one of my favorite solos, not just steel but on everything.

If you look at the technical parts - the voicings, chord structure, moving around, it shows a player who looks at the neck and "sees" the possibilities - pretty amazing. Open my eyes to all sorts of stuff.
If you listen to it, you hear it as an great piece of music.

Pretty cool to be able to do both.

Unfortunatly I got to Austin after he was gone, so I never got to see him play, but some of that stuff on that Willie Nelson demo CD - man, good stuff. He plays amazing stuff that doesn't get in the way of the vocals, not an easy thing to do.

Pete Ballard · Post by **Pete Ballard** » 6 Feb 2004 6:20 pm

"Shotgun Willie" is my personal favorite (well, at least this week it is).

John Hawkins · Post by **John Hawkins** » 6 Feb 2004 7:29 pm

This page will be passed on to Jimmy's brother Joe Day who is a friend of mine and lives in Livingston , Tx. 15 miles from my home . Joe is always glad to receive comments
about his Brother Jimmy. They were very close.

John

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 6 Feb 2004 10:25 pm

Jimmy Day was one of the greatest steel guitarists of our time.

Jerry Byrd and I were having a conversation at the International Steel Guitar Convention way back in 1977. Jimmy had went on stage and was playing the classic Danny Boy, Mr. Byrd said listen how quiet they get when Day plays. There was at least 2000 in the audience, and you could have heard a pin drop.

The late and GREAT Speedy West told me stories about Jimmy and his steel guitar playing. Speedy always held Jimmy in high esteem.

It is interesting that these two great steel players held Jimmy's steel playing in such high esteem, when Jimmy idolized both of their steel expertise, but true artist recognize each other.

Yes, I agree with all the above. Jimmy Day was a Master of the Pedal Steel Guitar and I miss him and his great steel playing too!

Woody

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 7 Feb 2004 12:45 am

Simply beautiful!!

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 7 Feb 2004 2:45 am

Terry,

You are right. I observed the same thing. I had records playing in the background with Jimmy playing steel and even people who don't know much about the Steel Guitar started listening, stopped talking and asked questions about "that beautiful sound"...

Kind Regards, Walter

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Sigi Meissner · Post by **Sigi Meissner** » 7 Feb 2004 4:09 am

I in particular love his steel work on the old W. Nelson Records. There is a song called "Is there something on your mind"
When I was listening J. Day's Solo for the first time I got chicken skin. He also thought me the warmhearted effect of the augmented chord.

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Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 7 Feb 2004 8:40 am

Thank you Ricky.

Chippy Wood · Post by **Chippy Wood** » 7 Feb 2004 10:29 am

Brings a lump to the throat,

Thanks Ricky

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 7 Feb 2004 12:24 pm

Sigi,

Me too! I love the old Willie records from the 60's. His unique phrasing and Jimmy's tasty way of supporting Willie's singing always gives me chills!

Kind Regards, Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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David Holden · Post by **David Holden** » 7 Feb 2004 5:23 pm

Ask anyone around Buda, Texas and you'll know exactly who Jimmy Day was. He definately left his mark, on and off the steel guitar.

Thanks for the inspiration Jimmy.

Budd Kelley · Post by **Budd Kelley** » 8 Feb 2004 4:10 am

Ricky,

Thank you for the clip and the tab. I have the clip saved and the tab printed. Perhaps someday I will be able to play it.

May I ask what recording the clip is from? I will add it to my collection if it is still available.

Thanks again

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 8 Feb 2004 9:05 am

Hey Budd; that is from Johnny Bush very first Recording in 1967 and the album is called "Sounds of a Heartache".
Buddy Emmons played on the Title Cut and "A Moment isn't very Long"....and Jimmy Day played on the rest. Jerry Reid played Guitar.
Ricky

Budd Kelley · Post by **Budd Kelley** » 8 Feb 2004 3:39 pm

Thank you Ricky.