more Mooney...

Ricky Littleton · Post by **Ricky Littleton** » 9 Jul 2004 6:27 pm

I've noticed a lot of Mooney talk of late, and I must admit I've posted more than my share of Mooney comments, but I think the man deserves so many accolades.

Coming home from work today, I popped in Waylon Live and like always, was just blown away by Moon.

Even in Waylon's book, he mentioned Moon in very high regard saying (paraphrasing) "...if you weren't in the groove when Mooney took his ride, you would be when he came out the other side...".

on Waylon Live you can hear it actually happen. The opening tune "T for Texas" he nailed the break, then comes "Rainy Day Woman" and the crowd just goes ape when he rips into the break and outtro.

The "Last Letter" just makes the hair on your arms stand, and to hear the crowd cheer the break is something.

Moon is an icon and I think his plaque says it all "...So uniquely original he remains unduplicated..." many try, even the best-of-the best, but try as they may, on the Moon-man can do the Moon-man.

God bless his talent and the music he has given all us.

Ricky

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Emmons LeGrande - 8x4
Session 400 Ltd, Peterson VS-II Tuner
Dan-Echo, E-Bow, Ibanez Distortion, Boss Comp./Sustain, Ibanez Auto-Wah, PX4 Pandoras Box

Ron Whitworth · Post by **Ron Whitworth** » 9 Jul 2004 8:01 pm

Ricky, You sure said a mouthful there about " Moon "...One of the most original of all the greats..What a style!!!.Unique & beautiful yet pure country - never to be forgotten & he can still do it today - the same enduring styla & sound - one of my all-time favorites on the pedal steel...Ron

Joe Yednasty · Post by **Joe Yednasty** » 10 Jul 2004 11:20 am

I agree with everything you said. Last summer, the only album I had in my car was that Waylon Live album, I couldn't get sick of it. I personally like the solo on "Mona" the best. His solo for "The Last Letter" was so good that the crowd cheered more for that than Waylon. That album is what really set the steel guitar hooks in me. Thanks to "Moon"

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"Eskimo" Joe Yednasty
70s Emmons Pedal Steel (3X4)

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 10 Jul 2004 11:38 am

Hey guys, are there any sound clips on the Ricky and Rebel sight on that Mooney album ya'll are talkin about? I love mooney's playin to.

Ricky, how do you like your Dan Echo, and can you tell me a little about it. like the different effects you get with it. or is it just the echo effects? I'd like to get me an FX unit one of these days, and I definately want a unit with the echo effect.thanks
Terry

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 10 Jul 2004 3:51 pm

Now only Ralph can validate this, but I heard that Waylon asked him to try out with the band; never did say he was hired but I believe Ralph was with him for about fifteen years. I like the story; someone could check with Ralph and see if this was the way it was. The first time I heard Ralph I was mesmerized. I hope that someday I'll get a chance to meet him in person to thank him for all the wonderful music.

Mark Metdker · Post by **Mark Metdker** » 10 Jul 2004 3:55 pm

Waylon Live is one of my favorite CD's. I like "Lonesome, Ornery and Mean" among the others already mentioned.

B. Greg Jones · Post by **B. Greg Jones** » 10 Jul 2004 7:35 pm

If you like the Mooney stuff (like I do), you may want to check out Wynn Stewart's complete box set (10 Cd's). That is if it is still available. My father bought it a couple of years ago, and you can hear all the Mooney you want, from no pedals to adding changes and developing his tuning and style. This is a must for any "Moon" fan.

Greg

Joe Yednasty · Post by **Joe Yednasty** » 13 Jul 2004 12:58 pm

Charles, about Ralph supposedly trying out for Waylon's band...... When Waylon is introducing the band members he calls Ralph Mooney the "unemployed Ralph Mooney" but then says "by far the greatest steel guitar player." It sounded like Waylon held Moon in high regard and from the outcome of the Waylon Live album, I'd have hired Moon in a second.

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"Eskimo" Joe Yednasty
70s Emmons Pedal Steel (3X4)

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 13 Jul 2004 3:11 pm

hmmmmmm,

I loooooooooove what Ralph did on Wynn Stewart's and Buck Owen's recordings. However, I could take or leave the Walyon Jenning recordings. I will even say that I was soooooo in hopes Ralph would take us back to Wynn and Buck when he played the first time at the ISGC receiving his SGHOF award.

While there was some of the ealier stuff, to my ears, most of it was the later Jennings' stuff.

to each his own,

carl

Jim Florence · Post by **Jim Florence** » 15 Jul 2004 11:44 am

I was at Waylon's show at "Six Flags" yesars ago and heard what I considered the finest introduction, and maybe the best tribute to a musician I'd ever heard.
Waylon said "AND OVER HERE ON STEEL GUITAR IS RALPH MOONEY, BEST STEEL GUITAR PLAYER EVER WAS,,,, EVER WILL BE.
I was already Mooney fan but I became a W.J. fan,mainly cause he had complemented my hero.
Jim

Joe Yednasty · Post by **Joe Yednasty** » 18 Jul 2004 10:13 am

Jim, you're one lucky guy to have seen Waylon with Mooney playin along. I can't even imagine how great that must have been.

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"Eskimo" Joe Yednasty
70s Emmons Pedal Steel (3X4)

Mike Baxter · Post by **Mike Baxter** » 18 Jul 2004 7:06 pm

Joe, Presumably you have, in addition to the Waylon Live 'Expanded Edition', the DVD or VHS of Waylon's live "Lost Outlaw Performance" featuring a stack of Mooney -- It's another MUST HAVE for Mooney fans.

Note the complete "Lost Outlaw Performance" is featured as part of 'Waylon Jennings: Renegade. Outlaw. Legend' DVD ($11 on eBay).

Truly a unique innovator - of the type I predict that we will see more of on this instrument*.
Mike
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* although not necessarily in the form, shape or structure the instrument is in now!

Jerry Tillman · Post by **Jerry Tillman** » 19 Jul 2004 1:23 am

I had the pleasure of a phone conversation with Mr. Mooney a couple of days ago.I tried to tell him how much I have enjoyed his playing for so many years.I don,t think he knows his own importance to steel guitar and music in general.I think post like this one will help people like Mr.Mooney to realize his true place and to also encourge him to perform for us as much as he can.He is not on line but has freinds who are and I,m sure they will pass on info from post like this one.Thanks Jerry Tillman

Bart Maloney · Post by **Bart Maloney** » 19 Jul 2004 8:22 am

I can't get enough of the 'Moon'

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 19 Jul 2004 9:43 am

When I heard the solo to "Under YOur Spell Again", I was hooked. Ralph Mooney is, and always will be, one of my music idols and the reason I play steel guitar.

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 19 Jul 2004 1:00 pm

The first country record I ever purchased was The Best of Buck Owens, Vol. 1. I was 11 years old at the time. Right a way my oldest brother--15 years my senior-- began to nurture my interest in country music. He turned me on to Merle Haggard and, of course, a lot of the steel work on Merle's early work was Ralph Mooney. I didn't realized that until a year or two later when I began paying closer attention to the liner notes.

Years later, after Moon was with Waylon, I read that Merle had to fire Moon after he put the grip on the tour bus and drove home, leaving the rest of the band stranded. It was actually the SECOND TIME he stole the bus that did it. The fact that he survived the 1st instance speaks volumes about his steel play, don't you think?

Did he really do that or is that just a legend? That's really amusing to look back on if it's true.

I've heard from a couple of big time Wynn Stewart fans that the box set is terrific.

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HagFan

Joe Yednasty · Post by **Joe Yednasty** » 19 Jul 2004 1:13 pm

Mike,
I actually didn't know about the DVD/VHS with footage from those shows. I do have the Waylon Live (Extended Version) but not the video. I won't be without that video for much long, thats for sure.

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"Eskimo" Joe Yednasty
70s Emmons S-10 (3X4)

Johnny Stout · Post by **Johnny Stout** » 20 Jul 2004 1:56 pm

A great instrumental album by Ralph Mooney and James Burton is "Corn Pickin & Slick Slidin"

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Johnny Stout
Mullen SD-10, Session 500, ProFex II
Twin Reverb

Jerry Hendrix · Post by **Jerry Hendrix** » 22 Jul 2004 10:47 am

: Ralph Is indeed a legend & allways will be. Back in late 1959 & early 1960 our band had the every saturday nite gig at the Fresno 'Barn" in Fresno Calif.I got to play pedal steel behind the likes of Buck Owens, Wynn Stewart,& Bobby Auston, ALL of them used Ralph on their records,using his new style, [G#-A],as they ALL recorded at Capital L.A. Let me tell you guys, it was a great time to be right in the middle of all that great music,that was being invented by Ralph & those GREAT singers. I got to watch him work, on his Fender 1000, he played the back neck, using 5 pedals,each one pulled one string,& man THOSE sounds flew out of that Big Fender amp like nothing heard of since. Yep we broke a LOT of " top" strings