Country Rock songs with steel - what's your favorite??

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 5 Feb 2008 12:48 am

there's so many but I am crazy about the Flying Burritos version of "Tried So Hard" written by Gene Clark of the Byrds.

Gram Parsons was no longer in the group, Chris Hillman sang lead, and Sneaky Pete plays some killer stuff. It is rumored that Gene Clark himself is singing the high harmony, but not confirmed.

also check out
Frank Zappa's "It Just Might Be a One-shot Deal" from the 'WakaJawaka' album. some of Sneaky's most fluid and fast playing.

and
"Dallas" , "Pearl of the Quarter", "Barrytown", "Brooklyn" and others by Steely Dan. Their first 3 albums feature Jeff Baxter's fine steel playing. (Can't Buy a Thrill, Countdown to Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic)

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 5 Feb 2008 5:12 am

I was going to say "How Long" by JD Souther but someone else just redid it.

Mike Headrick · Post by **Mike Headrick** » 5 Feb 2008 8:02 am

There are some thought provoking suggestions so far. Some others have been right on track with songs I'm considering.

The ones that are solid for the CD are:
1. You Better Think Twice (Poco)
2. Bad Weather (Poco)
3. Heart Of The Night (Poco)
4. Crazy Love (Poco)
5. Rose Of Cimmaron (Poco and others)
6. Ramblin Man (Betts / Allman Bros)
7. Jessica (Betts / Allman Bros)

Others I'm leaning toward are:

Amy / Fallin' In And Out Of Love (PPL)
This Ole Cowboy (Marshall Tucker Band)
Henry (NRPS)
Teach Your Children (Crosby, Stills & Nash)
Ol' 55 (Eagles)

Your feedback is helping me get a broader scope, and I thank you for it. Keep 'em comin'!

Olaf van Roggen · Post by **Olaf van Roggen** » 5 Feb 2008 1:28 pm

Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels:"Drug store truck drivin' man,The new Soft shoe"with Neil Flanz.
The Byrds:"Drug store truck drivin man"with Gene Parsons.
Jonathan Edwards:"my home ain't in the hall of fame"with Bill Keith.
The Blue Velvet Band:"The nobody knows about my cares and nobody cares about my nose rag"with Bill Keith.
Shiloh:"Same old story and Du Raison"with Al Perkins.

and for Jim:Sneaky Pete actually recorded"Beat the heat"twice.First with The Burrito's,never officially released but to find on"FBB'"Close up the honky tonks" and he recorded it again on his solo album on Shilo records 1979.
In 1984 At a Burrito's concert I yelled for the song,Sneaky Pete looked up from his steel and smiled at me.After the concert he thanked me for remembering the song.

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 5 Feb 2008 2:17 pm

Olaf - yeah, I know about both but the Shilo version is hard for most people to locate.

I sat next to him at a gig in Hermosa Beach years ago and tried to talk him into playing it. Greg Harris started bugging him as well - he noodled around with a few bars during a break, laughed and said there was no possible way!

FWIW the only other recorded version of that song I'm aware of is one on a banjo album by Alan Munde. It makes a tremendous melodic-style banjo tune.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 5 Feb 2008 2:25 pm

Amy, Teach Your Children. Excellent choices!!

Too many of my favorites might not go over too good these days. For example: Don't Bogart Me.

Craig Stock · Post by **Craig Stock** » 5 Feb 2008 5:21 pm

Pure Prairie League- 'I don't want to fade away'

Burritos w/Gene Clark- 'Here Tonight'

Marshall Tucker Band off 'New Life Record'- 'Too Stubborn'

Jerry Jeff Walker off 'Walker's Collectables'- 'My Old Man'

Elvin Bishop- 'Fooled around and Fell in Love'

Steve Goodman- 'Yellow Coat', any early stuff. I have the record and CD of 'The Essential' compilation, don't know who played on it, maybe Leo Leblanc, but some real good steel playing

New Riders- 'Lonesome L.A. Cowboy'

Poco- 'Magnolia'

Whatever songs you pick, it will be great, I love all of the recommendations so far!!!!

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 5 Feb 2008 6:57 pm

Five Poco songs and no Mike Nesmith? So much great country-rock material to pull from the Nesmith cannon.....to be honest, I would 86 the "Ramblin Man" tune....more "Southern Rock" than "Country Rock" imo.

Bill OCallaghan · Post by **Bill OCallaghan** » 5 Feb 2008 7:52 pm

Here's my three

Poco - Bad Weather
Eagles - Ol' 55
Flying Burrito Brothers - Sin City, Here Tonight

I hope to be able to play these on the PSG some day.

Bill

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 5 Feb 2008 9:29 pm

It's GOT to be "Kind Woman". Man, that just about started it all happening, at least for me and a lot of other steelers I know. A very tricky bobbing-and-weaving style of playing involved in that one, too. Very different from the others.

Whatever you choose, Mike, I definitely want one! It'll be great, like all of your projects are, but this one's especially close to home for me.

Joe Shelby · Post by **Joe Shelby** » 5 Feb 2008 11:15 pm

Not originally considered country rock, but quickly
became a soul standard, and ultimately country rock
(I think Gram was very innovative in his song picking, maybe along with his own songwriting, one of
his strongest traits), "To Love Somebody." Do you call it 'country rock,' or do you just call it a soul ballad done by a country rock band? What do you
think about "Dark End of the Street?" I think the FBB were awful good at blurring song categories.
Anyway, I was thinking this would be great as an instrumental, though that may not be the primary consideration here, though.
I also agree with the others that have voted "Here Tonight."

Joe

John Richmond · Post by **John Richmond** » 5 Feb 2008 11:27 pm

1. Six Days on the Road
2.Blue Moon of Kentucky
3.That's Alright Mama
4. Promised Land(Chuck Berry)
5.Honky Tonk(Bill Doggett)
6.Green River (CCR)
7.Bad Moon Rising (CCR)
Mike, here are some tunes you could "waylon", I really like your style of playing. Thanks for asking for my input, and good luck on this project.
Regards, John Richmond

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 6 Feb 2008 2:39 am

Lots of good ideas here. I really like "Steels on Wheels", Mike. Great stuff, it's been in my rotation for the last 3-4 years.

A couple of things you might not have thought of. Some people might not exactly classify them as "country-rock", but I do.

Brown-Eyed Women - Grateful Dead. We play it a bit faster with a straighter beat than the Dead - it works great as a PSG country-rock tune, IMO.

Friend of the Devil - Grateful Dead. Yeah, it's sorta medium-tempo bluegrass, but again lays nicely with steel.

City of New Orleans - Steve Goodman, Arlo Guthrie. Such a nice melody.

Tennessee Rose - Emmylou Harris. Another nice melody.

(Lost my) Drivin' Wheel - Tom Rush. Later done by Cowboy Junkies. Nice if you want a slow tune. Original had dobro, not PSG.

Long May You Run - Neil Young, Steve Stills.

Nashville Skyline Blues - Bob Dylan, but listen to Duke Levine's version on "Country Soul Guitar". Just blistering and cool.

Blue Bayou - as per Linda Ronstadt. Yeah, not exactly country-rock originally, but this version put it on that map, to me. Strongly associated with PSG, from Dan Dugmore's solo.

I second a bunch of these others:

Willin - Little Feat
Lonesome LA Cowboy - NRPS
Panama Red - NRPS
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - Bob Dylan, The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rodeo

Gary Meyer · Post by **Gary Meyer** » 6 Feb 2008 2:42 am

OK,Dito on Route66 as well as Green River.Hows about My Window Faces the South!

Mike Headrick · Post by **Mike Headrick** » 6 Feb 2008 3:57 am

Man, Lots of Great Suggestions!

I agree with Joe Alterio about Ramblin Man. I had reservations about putting the Allman songs on the project, but after being at a Dickie Betts concert in the early 70's and hearing Julian Tharpe and Dickie play Ramblin' Man and Jessica, I could no longer just classify them as southern rock. I think I will scrap "Ramblin' Man" for one of the tunes you guys suggested, but not "Jessica". I just HAVE to include that one.

Craig, thanks for the reminder of the Poco song "Magnolia", I love that song and had forgotten about it. I passed over "Kind Woman", but if this turns into a Poco tribute I will include it for sure.
Gosh, I may have to do two CDs now, thanks to you fellows on the forum.

"Dark End Of The Street was originally on my short list, but since I've already done the FBB thing, I opted to give the space to one of the other groups. I also would like to keep it early 70's.

Jim Cohen, thanks for the indorsement. You know I love you, Big Sweetie.

Michael McNeill · Post by **Michael McNeill** » 6 Feb 2008 4:46 am

Panama Red - New Riders
My Window Faces South - Commander Cody
Seeds and Stems - Commander Cody
Fire on the Mountain - Marshall Tucker Band
Old 55 - Eagles
AMY - Pure Prairie League
Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised - Jonny Paycheck
Slide off of your Satin Sheets - Jonny Paycheck
6 Days on the Road - Flying Burrito Bros
I've Just Seen a Face - Beatles
Blue Bayou - Linda Ronstadt
Silver Threads and Golden Needles - Linda Ronstadt
Wheely - Emmy Lou
Poncho and Lefty - Willie Nelson
On the road Again - Willie Nelson
Good Hearted Woman - Waylon & Willie
Take it Easy - Eagles

Bill Moore · Post by **Bill Moore** » 6 Feb 2008 4:57 am

Mike, this sounds like a great project. I noticed that the link to your web page at the bottom of your post is not working. Also the link on your profile.

Mike Headrick · Post by **Mike Headrick** » 6 Feb 2008 5:47 am

Thanks for the heads-up, Bill. It's fixed now.

Some of you seem to be unfamiliar with my Gram Parson / Chris Hillman tribute CD, "Steels On Wheels". From the list of songs you've suggested, you may want to check it out. You can listen to some sound clips at:

www.MikeHeadrick.com

__________________________________________

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » 6 Feb 2008 8:40 am

How about "Cornbread Moon" by Joe Ely? Anybody remember the wailing steel Lloyd Maines played on that one?!?! Awesome!

John Richmond · Post by **John Richmond** » 6 Feb 2008 12:36 pm

Mike,
How about "Blame It On Your Heart," a rocker by Patty Loveless?

Mike Headrick · Post by **Mike Headrick** » 6 Feb 2008 1:24 pm

John,

I love "Blame It On Your Heart" and have a future project in mind that it would fit into, but since this one is country rock from the earlly 70's period, I'll save it for later. Great tune, though.

tom anderson · Post by **tom anderson** » 6 Feb 2008 7:01 pm

If you do" Kind Woman", do the Buffalo Springfield version-far far superior to any of the other versions Poco or Richie recorded later over the years. Rusty's pedal steel (which he doesn't even play on the newer versions) is hypnotic on the original.
"Willin" is another that is an anthem from the country rock era.
You should do some Gene Clark song-maybe "Kansas City Southern" or "Tried So Hard"-actually, there are so many-"Train Leaves Here this Morning" was a gem.
Bob Dylan "She Belongs to Me"
Micheal Nesmith "Joannne"
Judy Collins- "Someday Soon"
Everly Brothers-"Bowling Green"-beautiful country song
I also liked "The Day they Drove old Dixie Down"-Band or Joan
A better NRPS song is "Portland Woman"
Then be sure to tab all this out for us.

Bob Doran · Post by **Bob Doran** » 7 Feb 2008 12:18 am

Any other CCR songs have steel?
Bob

Bob Doran · Post by **Bob Doran** » 7 Feb 2008 12:19 am

Heart of Gold

Bob Doran · Post by **Bob Doran** » 7 Feb 2008 12:21 am

Peaceful, Easy Feeling by Eagles

The Steel Guitar Forum

Country Rock songs with steel - what's your favorite??

my three

Country Rock Steel Tunes

Definitely Heart of Gold by Neil Young.

l