Most "recognizable" steel sound....

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 26 Sep 2004 4:30 pm

And, I forgot to add Don Helms on Hank Williams' records. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel

Mike Hoover · Post by **Mike Hoover** » 26 Sep 2004 8:40 pm

Ben,

your have a good one there, John Hughey has a very unique sound. Jimmy Day in the Ray Price early 60's was also very recognizable.

Mike

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 26 Sep 2004 8:45 pm

Red Rhodes was pretty easily recognizable, as was Jerry Garcia...

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 26 Sep 2004 10:43 pm

Gotta be Speedy West, followed by Don Helms.
Then Buddy and Lloyd in equal measures.

But nobody sounds like Speedy. You hear him, and you just know.

randy · Post by **randy** » 27 Sep 2004 6:43 am

I have never misidentified Buddy E. or John Hughey on any recordings I've heard. So for me, they are the most recognizable.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 27 Sep 2004 7:50 am

Weldon Myrick, took a while, but I can tell now...

Of course It's also fun to pick out Jay Dee, Buddy, and the unmistakeable Jimmy Day in the XM-13 music stream.

Richard Bass · Post by **Richard Bass** » 27 Sep 2004 8:49 am

Ralph Mooney and John Hughey are the first that come to mind.
Richard

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 27 Sep 2004 9:05 am

For me it'd have to be Ralph Mooney. He was my first big influence and remains the same today. Ralph Rules!!

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Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 27 Sep 2004 9:16 am

Most of those mentioned above are recognizable to me also....but I have to name the one who was the "First" most commercially recognizable steel guitarist, primarily because of his recordings with Eddy Arnold more than 50 years ago, "Little Roy Wiggins"!

Like Don Helms, who was the "next" most recognizable steeler, they have both helped feed my family during my career by my shameless "cover" of their "original" styling!

As has been said.......many do it better, but they did it first!

www.genejones.com

Edited for clarification: This topic is about the most "recognizable" steel players, not about one's "favorite" steel players!
[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 28 September 2004 at 01:40 PM.]

Jesse Harris · Post by **Jesse Harris** » 27 Sep 2004 10:34 am

None of those are nearly as distinctive as Earnests intitial post

Leonard G. Robertson · Post by **Leonard G. Robertson** » 27 Sep 2004 11:20 am

When Don Helms played Hank's songs, he ended many of them with a high signature 3 repeated notes in harmony of the root chord. He often used 7th chords that were not followed up with the expected resolved progression. Does anyone else hear this, or am I wrong?

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 27 Sep 2004 4:23 pm

John Hughey. Ralph Monney.

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Terry Downs · Post by **Terry Downs** » 27 Sep 2004 5:13 pm

John Hughey...tone in his hands, not his guitar or amp.[This message was edited by Terry Downs on 27 September 2004 at 06:14 PM.]

Joe W. Gilbert · Post by **Joe W. Gilbert** » 27 Sep 2004 6:22 pm

Leon MacAulife !! (sp)

Ed Altrichter · Post by **Ed Altrichter** » 27 Sep 2004 7:06 pm

Johnny Sibert ! I love that sound on Carl Smith's early records !

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 27 Sep 2004 7:26 pm

In my opinion, the two most recognizable sounds are Jerry Byrd and Buddy Emmons, but then; they're my favorites!

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Kenny Dail · Post by **Kenny Dail** » 27 Sep 2004 9:32 pm

The most recognizable sound award has to go to Don Helms and Ralph Mooney. I would recognize them in a dark room with my hands tied behind my back.

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Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 28 Sep 2004 3:28 am

Style seems to be what everyone is posting about. Tone is a completely different subject.

What if every player was recorded playing the same few chords, whose tone would be instantly definable? I could pick out Byrd and Emmon's, the rest is a crap shoot.

Every players picking style helps define who they are, more than their tone. In my opinion they ALL have a great tone to compliment their style.

Paul

Charlie C Harrison · Post by **Charlie C Harrison** » 28 Sep 2004 5:26 am

John Hughey,Don Helms

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Dwayne Martineau · Post by **Dwayne Martineau** » 28 Sep 2004 9:12 am

Tonewise, you can pick out Eric Heywood in one chord (Calexico, Son Volt, Richard Buckner, Jayhwaks)

Mark Metdker · Post by **Mark Metdker** » 28 Sep 2004 9:54 am

Mr.Mooney

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Phil Johnson · Post by **Phil Johnson** » 28 Sep 2004 10:27 am

Pete Drake and Ralph Mooney

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 28 Sep 2004 10:13 pm

If the question was what the most recognizable steel 'style', I'd say Emmons or Day or Franklin or Green or Mooney or (enter icon of the steel guitar). But I have heard too many *perfect* imitation of styles to be able to tell for sure. I can usually tell the difference between Buddy and Day on old Price records. But I have sat in the Den in Nashville with both Buddy and Randy Reinhart playing and if I closed my eyes I couldn't tell you who was on at the moment.
With Nashville stuff at the moment, I know that I can't tell the difference between Paul Franklin and folks like Mike Johnstone (and neither can his father, so I don't feel bad).

While Lloyd has such a recognizable style, it is so imitated that sometimes it's hard for me to tell for sure. The same goes for most of the Nashville icons (Weldon, Hal, etc.).

The guys that I am pretty sure of right off the bat are Sneaky Pete (actually, I am 100% sure of him), Jerry Byrd, and Pete Drake (Paul gets pretty close, but his underlying technique gives him away every time).

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Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 29 Sep 2004 6:56 am

I think the 5th string B to C# raise ("Emmons" or "Day" Pedal Steel Guitar setup respectively), is the single most "recognizable" steel sound.
As a tie for second place, I would list the half fret slide up, and/or the 12 fret octave slide up (any tuning pedal or non-pedal).
Note: This analysis rules out the player, and focuses on the instrument.

Mickey Lawson · Post by **Mickey Lawson** » 29 Sep 2004 7:04 am

Pete Drake...on Lay Lady Lay by Bob Dylan -- Pass Me By by Johnny Rodriguez -- Blanket On The Ground and What I Have In Mind by Billy Jo Spears -- Stand By Your Man, D-I-V-O-R-C-E, etc. by Tammy Wynette - etc.