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Author Topic:  Mel Tillis' steel player
Bill Miller

 

From:
Gaspe, Quebec, Canada
Post  Posted 27 May 2004 9:41 am    
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Does anyone know who would have been playing steel on the Mel Tillis version of 'Pick Me Up On Your Way Down'? That has a really nice bounce to it...been fooling around trying to get a similar phrasing.
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Walter Stettner


From:
Vienna, Austria
Post  Posted 27 May 2004 12:03 pm    
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Depends on when it was recorded. Probably Terry Bethel?

Kind Regards, Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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Terry Bethel


From:
Hollister, Missouri (deceased)
Post  Posted 28 May 2004 8:19 pm    
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I appreciate the compliment, but it wasn't me. It could have been Jim Baker who played steel with Mel before I got there. Jim played off and on with Mel for about 2 years before I got there.
Terry Bethel
Sec/Treas OZARK SGA
Bethel Steel Guitars
Paul Harris Show
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Bill Miller

 

From:
Gaspe, Quebec, Canada
Post  Posted 29 May 2004 8:35 am    
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Yeah, the recording sounds pretty old, I'd think it was made in 60's sometime.
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Buddy Emmons

 

From:
Hermitage, TN USA * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 29 May 2004 10:20 am    
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1969
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 29 May 2004 9:30 pm    
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Buddy, didn't you do your fair share of recording with Mel? Was that you on the recording?

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Buddy Emmons

 

From:
Hermitage, TN USA * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 30 May 2004 12:00 am    
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Yes I have Richard. The title gives me the feeling that I may have been on it but I can’t say for sure. I’ve played on a version or two other than Charlie Walker’s so it’s hard to keep track. I recorded a couple of albums with Mel that included “I Got The Hoss (And You Got The Saddle)” and “Coca Cola Cowboy”, but they were released in the late seventies. Then again, I worked a few jobs around Nashville with Mel in the late sixties, so there's a chance I could have recorded with him at the time.
Did that answer your question? I guess it means I don't know.

[This message was edited by Buddy Emmons on 30 May 2004 at 03:29 AM.]

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Bobby Boggs

 

From:
Upstate SC.
Post  Posted 30 May 2004 9:02 pm    
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I think Buddy's saying that he does remember 1969. Well maybe.

Bill if you can post an MP3 we can settle this in a hurry.
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Al Udeen

 

From:
Hendersonville Tn
Post  Posted 30 May 2004 9:28 pm    
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Hank Corwin & myself were at a Mel Tillis session at SawGrass Studio in 69 & Jim Baker was playing steel, It wasn't "Pick Me Up on your way down", I thought it was "Heart Over Mind" au
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Buddy Emmons

 

From:
Hermitage, TN USA * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 31 May 2004 3:59 am    
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Thanks for the compliment Bobby, but I only remember 1969 because I looked it up in Mel’s discography out of curiosity. At my age if it wasn’t for having posted the date here, I would have forgotten it already.

Some songs in albums are recorded the year before the release date and some are from older sessions put in an album to fill it up and tighten the budget. I moved to California in 1968 so the chances I was on the song are nil if it was recorded in 1969 and possible only if it was recorded in early 1968 or before.

I may associate the song strongly with Mel by his singing it on shows I worked with him. I just don’t know… maybe I should have kept my nose out of this.

[This message was edited by Buddy Emmons on 31 May 2004 at 05:00 AM.]

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Bill Miller

 

From:
Gaspe, Quebec, Canada
Post  Posted 31 May 2004 4:44 am    
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Sorry Bobby, I haven't got an MP3, I've got it on an old homemade cassette that came from somewhere. I've got a Mel Tillis greatest hits LP stored away upstairs but I don't remember it being on that. I also have a really old 45rpm record of the Charlie Walker version that my parents must have bought. I like the feel of Mel's cover much better though...mostly because of the classic steel sound. I have part of it worked out...I have no trouble to play along with it but to duplicate the finer riffs is beyond my ability yet. It's a real toe tapper.
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KENNY KRUPNICK

 

From:
Columbus, Ohio
Post  Posted 31 May 2004 6:45 pm    
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Is Tim Sergent playing for Mel at the present time?
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Ron Page

 

From:
Penn Yan, NY USA
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2004 6:10 am    
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Did Lloyd Green play on some of Mel's recordings in the mid to late 70's? I was told he was on one that I have titled "M-M-Mel". There's a cut of "Rainy Day Woman" on there that sounds to me like Lloyd.

I don't know if Mel ever had a hit off of that particular album. My vintage Mel Tillis stuff was on 8-track. Ouch!



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Bob Lawrence


From:
Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia, Canada
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2004 9:21 am    
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re: "Heart Over Mind"

Is it the live show? If so my guess is Paul Franklin.


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Walter Stettner


From:
Vienna, Austria
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2004 10:23 am    
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Ron,

I think Lloyd Green played a lot of sessions that were produced by Jim Vienneau (and were released on MGM records), incl. artists like Mel Tillis and Sherry Bryce. On the M-M-Mel album he's on "Rainy Day Woman" and a beautiful uptempo shuffle version of "Storms Never Last".

Oops, I almost forgot to mention all the great stuff he did with Hank Williams Jr. (also produced by Jim Vienneau, on MGM). That was before Hank Jr. went to the "wild side of life" (musically).

Kind Regards, Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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Reggie Duncan

 

From:
Mississippi
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2004 11:17 am    
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From Lloyd Green:

quote:
Regarding the Mel Tillis recordings, I just did a cursory examination of my session books for the years 1970, '71, '72, '73 & 1974. In each book I have quite a few Tillis sessions listed for MGM Records. I was playing steel on almost everything they were recording during that era, and before. So, unless it's a live album or road album with his band, the odds are I'm playing steel on most of the cuts.
Sometime after that period, after Emmons had moved back from California, Mel started using him on some of the dates. I could have been on others past 1974 but I haven't had time to examine my session books further than the years I provided.

For now, I've got to get back to the studio.

Best regards,
Lloyd Green

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Tim Sergent

 

From:
Hendersonville, TN, USA
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2004 10:49 am    
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Hi, Kenny,

Yes, I'm still a Statesider. It's a fun gig. Good music, (lots of shuffles!), good people and a good boss.

How have you been? I got to see Mark Hale a week or two ago. He's doing great. He's doing a lot of Contemporary music these days, but he said he feels like it's getting back around to the good 'ol Southern Gospel stuff that we all know and love so well.

Take care,

Tim
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Hook Moore


From:
South Charleston,West Virginia
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2004 12:30 pm    
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Tim, Statesider is just one of the things I`ve heard you called... How you been?
Hook

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[This message was edited by Hook Moore on 04 June 2004 at 01:34 PM.]

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KENNY KRUPNICK

 

From:
Columbus, Ohio
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2004 7:56 pm    
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Hi Tim. Good to hear from you. I always thought Mel had that good "classic" country sound. Glad you're doing well,and good to see you playing in his band. I don't know if Mark Hale remembers me or not, but we had fun on that session at Harvest Studio. That's been probably about 4-5 years ago.
He may be able to pull up the master to "Greg Caracofe & Promise", then he may remember. I'm playing for "The Murphy's" now.
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Tim Sergent

 

From:
Hendersonville, TN, USA
Post  Posted 9 Jun 2004 4:32 pm    
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Hey, Hook!

What's goin' on in your world? It's good to hear from you, and yes...I guess a Statesider is one of the nicer things I've been called! Are you doing any pickin'? Last I heard you were operating a dozer or something. Keep in touch! My phone number is still the same... Tim

Kenny,

Glad to hear you're playing with a band. Take care of yourself and call me if you get to town.

Tim
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