Boot Heel Rag

John Parker · Post by **John Parker** » 27 Dec 2006 1:23 am

I'm sitting here listening to "Hall Of Fame-Bob Wills & Tommy Duncan" CD. Great CD!! Of course the steel is very prominent. There is the steel instrumental "Boot Heel Rag" on the CD. The album notes say that it was written by Bob Wills and Herb Remington. Does anyone have tab for this song? I would love to learn it.

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John Parker
Zumsteel SD10 3x5
Peavey Session 400
Fender Steel King

thurlon hopper · Post by **thurlon hopper** » 27 Dec 2006 1:35 am

John i have heard a tune on C6th mostly called Boot Heel Drag that is fairly challening to play. Several of the better players in my area do this tune and i really enjoy hearing it. Not familiar with Boot Heel Rag. Happy Holidays!! TJH

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 27 Dec 2006 2:40 am

Herb Remington named the tune "Boot Heel Drag", but some folks left off the D and mis-named the tune Boot Heel Rag. The tone bar sliding on that lower string is supposed to be the sound of the boot heel dragging.
I believe Herb related how he wrote the tune
at a 1980s ISGC, in St. Louis.

John Parker · Post by **John Parker** » 27 Dec 2006 3:14 am

On place on the album has it titled as "Boot Heel Rag" and another as "Boot Heel Drag." I bet it is Drag instead of Rag. Can it be played E9?

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John Parker
Zumsteel SD10 3x5
Peavey Session 400
Fender Steel King

Perry Hansen · Post by **Perry Hansen** » 27 Dec 2006 5:35 am

I believe the original title is Boot Hill Drag. I always played it on the E13th neck. Or E9th with A pedal down.

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 27 Dec 2006 5:42 am

I got a few letters from Herb back in the 70s and I think one had a tab in E9. I'll look around for it.

Russ

Jerry Lee Newberry · Post by **Jerry Lee Newberry** » 27 Dec 2006 5:54 am

Austin learned "Boot Hill Drag" by listening to a CD. We didn't have a tab or chart for it. It is on his new CD that will be coming out just after the first of January. He plays it on the C6th neck. It is a neat song. I like to hear it played.

Donna

Jack Ritter · Post by **Jack Ritter** » 27 Dec 2006 7:40 am

I use the c-6th side and play it in D----i get the boot heel drag sound by using pedal 8 and lowering 10 th string when i pick it and have enuff volume on vp andthen let off the pedal. that gets me going. i always heard it was "boot heel drag"
Jack----probably get to play it tonite!!!

Robert Thomas · Post by **Robert Thomas** » 27 Dec 2006 8:06 am

I have always played it in C-6th in the key of E, no pedals.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 27 Dec 2006 8:50 am

I play Bootheel Drag on C6 in the key of A. Sometimes I play the song with the "signature sliding low note", sometimes not. <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 28 December 2006 at 05:13 AM.]</p></FONT>

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 27 Dec 2006 9:02 am

I'm with Gene - C6, key of A ....

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 27 Dec 2006 10:02 am

That's where I play it. C6th in A.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 27 Dec 2006 10:53 am

John, go to this page and click on "boot heel sound C6th", there's a tab and sound file to go with it.

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 27 Dec 2006 2:18 pm

When Herb recorded the album Steel Guitar Holiday I believe he used the A-6th tuning listed below. His 8th string A note was one octave below the 7th string A note. Herb really made use of string 8 on a tune called "Deep Beat".

1 E,
2 C#,
3 A,
4 F#
5 E
6 C#
7 A
8 A

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 27 Dec 2006 3:39 pm

Boot Heel Drag, key of F on C6th neck.
Jerry

Kenny Dail · Post by **Kenny Dail** » 27 Dec 2006 4:34 pm

Boot Heel Drag aka Rag was originaly done in the 8 string C# Minor tuning in the key of A according to Herb Remingtoin. However, Jimmie Day did it on his Phillips recording in the D6th tuning I believe the key was A.

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Marty Smith · Post by **Marty Smith** » 27 Dec 2006 5:03 pm

Herb used C#m tunning on that one using same notes from e13th tunning only four strings.He tuned from his a6th neck.
E. 1.E
C#.2.C#
A. 3.G#
F# 4.
E. 5.
C# 6.
A. 7.
F# 8.E

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 27 Dec 2006 5:48 pm

Can someone install Herb Remington's tune
"Deep Beat" on Youtube?

billchav · Post by **billchav** » 27 Dec 2006 8:50 pm

Herb taught me to play Boot Heel Drag using C#m as he recorded it. He also recorded Remington Ride using C#m. He told me not to give up my day job. Fifty plus years later we can still laugh about my feeble attempts. www.bill@billchaviers.com

John Parker · Post by **John Parker** » 29 Dec 2006 11:26 pm

Gene: I liked your version og Boot Heel Drag. Why did you delete it?

Thanks to everyone for the replies. This forum has so much info it's mind boggling.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 30 Dec 2006 8:49 am

Boot Heel Drag is a great old song...i always play it in the key of F...on C6th, and you can use all the open strings to work with as well...It's a great old song.

Robert Thomas · Post by **Robert Thomas** » 30 Dec 2006 2:43 pm

I am wrong, as usual, I have always played it F, not E.

Marty Smith · Post by **Marty Smith** » 2 Jan 2007 6:12 pm

I thought he did Remington Ride using A6th. Thats what he told me.

Brad Malone · Post by **Brad Malone** » 2 Jan 2007 8:29 pm

Doug Jernigan did a course for the Emmons Guitar Company back in the 70's and he played and tabbed it in the key of A on the C6h tuning...Great dance tune.
Brad

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 4 Jan 2007 7:25 am

I don't think you can do the tune justice on a normal E9th tuning unless you have an 11 or 12 string guitar. I personally play it on E9 in the key of G but I have a 12 stringer and use that low E for the "drag" and also the A pedal depressed....JH in Va.