Marty Robbins steel player in early 60's?

Gary Schuldt · Post by **Gary Schuldt** » 21 Jul 2006 8:28 am

Could any member tell me who played steel for Marty Robbins in the early 60's.I was watching an old video of my Mom's,of a peformance of Marty.When the steel break came in there were technical diffulculties.The Emmons steel was very distorted and fuzzy.They liked the sound so they left it in the recording.This effect later went on to be the sound for future rock bands guitar players.I just thought that this was pretty cool to have it happen by accident on a steel guitar. I'm sure there might be a posibility that this steel player of Marty's is still alive.
Thanks guys,any help would be appreciated.
Gary

Leslie Elliott · Post by **Leslie Elliott** » 21 Jul 2006 8:37 am

The steel guitarist with Marty back in the early 60's was Bill Johnson. He is retired, but still around Nashville. His wife Moneen co-wrote A Way To Survive with Hank Cochran- the Ray Price hit.

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 21 Jul 2006 8:40 am

Wasn't that actually Grady Martin on a regular electric 6 string guitar, on the song "Don't Worry About Me"...? That's the story I'd always heard, that he got unintentional distortion and they decided to leave it on the record...

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 21 Jul 2006 8:50 am

Pete,

You are correct. The original "Don't Worry" was recorded on July 12, 1960, 2ith no steel. Grady Martin played the guitar with that famous sound.

Here is a Harold Bradley statement:

My brother Owen and I had jsut invested $35,000 in a new mixing board for Decca. They'd sent this new board down and we'd had it installed and we were very proud of it. Don Law was doing a Marty Robbins session, and Grady Martin was playing a bass guitar solo. They were in the middle of one cut when this tremendous big sound filled the control room. The engineer and Don Law just about jumped out of the control room. Don said: Old chap, I think that's a commercial sound." What happened was a pre-amp in the board had gone out. It fuzzed and sustained."

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

David Wren · Post by **David Wren** » 21 Jul 2006 8:58 am

Wow, what a great story... and all this time I thought it was Pete Drake (I know he used to tour wtih Mary Robbins as well).

Maybe sometime a studio will capture:
"PING!", OUCH!" (the sound of a G# breaking

)

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Dave Wren
'96 Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Twin Session 500s; Hilton Pedal; Black Box
www.ameechapman.com

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 21 Jul 2006 12:19 pm

Bass Guitar solo? I always thought it was the six string.

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Howard

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 21 Jul 2006 2:46 pm

It was a Danelectro six-string bass"tic-tac"guitar...

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Keith Poteat · Post by **Keith Poteat** » 21 Jul 2006 5:47 pm

I don't remember the year(maybe mid 70's) I saw Marty doing this song on TV(I think Grand Ol' Opry). The steel player took this turn-around. I was never a real fan of fuzz, but this sounded great. I don't know his name but he looked of Oriental decent and a great steel player. I didn't know much about a steel at that time, but I think he was doing this on the C-neck starting on the 10th string. Always wondered what happened to that great band after Marty passed away.

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 21 Jul 2006 7:33 pm

As usual, my buddy, Austria's top steeler, Walter Stettner, is correct. I know for a fact it was Grady. If you want the straight skinny on anything to do with steel guitar, ask Walter. He maintains a tremendous steel guitar data base.

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Dean Dobbins · Post by **Dean Dobbins** » 21 Jul 2006 8:19 pm

I had read that it was a tube in Grady's amp that failed, not anything on the board.

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Dino

Tony Rankin · Post by **Tony Rankin** » 22 Jul 2006 7:18 am

Keith,

The steeler you saw was likely the late Katz Kobayashi.

Wayne Hobbs was Marty's last steel player and Wayne is going stronger than ever. I saw Wayne backing Connie Smith about three weeks ago in Miamisburg, Ohio. What a show!!

Tony