Buddy Merrill on Laurence Welk 1956 Quad neck

[Jon Nygren]

I've never seen that bar bouncing trick before, but notice nobody else has commented on it. Was that a common effect at the time?

Speedy West did it from time to time...im sure there were others.

[George Keoki Lake]

Hey guys...I love the organ with steel. They compliment each other, (as do the vibes with steel)Great sound.

Jerry Byrd, (if I am correct), recorded with Owen Bradley playing the organ on a DECCA LP 4078 ("Paradise Island Trio"). Although Jerry's name is not mentioned anywhere on the disc, or the cover, I am 99.9% positive, (no, make that 100% sure!) it is Jerry playing absolutely gorgeous steel with r/guitar, organ and percussion.

Lawrence Welk often announced or pronounced song titles incorrectly...the song Buddy Merrill played was not Paradise Island, the correct title is PARADISE ISLE (which is also the first song on the Decca LP 4078 mentioned above). A (young)Buddy sounded great on that quad Fender and also that double neck, however his pedal guitar tone was the pits IMHO.

The question came up wondering if there are any recordings featuring steel with vibes...just dig up some of those old 49th State recordings with Benjamin Rogers on steel using vibraphone backup....absolutely beautiful !

[Don Kona Woods]

George says,
Hey guys...I love the organ with steel.

George may love that organ, but I don't think Buddy liked it. Did you notice his grimace at one point?

Afterwards he just tuned the organist out and played.
I don't blame him, I would have tuned him out also and complained to Lawrence Welk.

Tom says,

I've never seen that bar bouncing trick before, but notice nobody else has commented on it. Was that a common effect at the time?

Tom, I do not believe it was common in the way Buddy did it.
The Hawaiians have a hammer on/off of the bar, but it is done much different than Buddy did this.
This was Buddy's own gimmick probably learned from some western steel guitar player.

Jon comments,

Cool video! Lots of left hand blocking- was this a method taught by some of the hawaiian guitar teachers back in the day?

I'm not sure about the teachers, but most Hawaiian steel guitar players from Hawaii actually learned on their own without teachers and block more with their right hand.

Aloha,
Don

[Doug Freeman]

I've never seen that bar bouncing trick before, but notice nobody else has commented on it. Was that a common effect at the time?

Joaquin certainly employed it in limited doses, didn't he?

[Wally Pfeifer]

Thanks for the reminder, George. I am aware of the steel and vibes on 49th State LPs as I have every one of the 49th State Hawaiian LPs plus some of the 49th State Japanese LPs.
I was hoping for something more recent but with Arthur, Jerry and Martin gone,- it might be out of the question. Another great vibes player was Pat Silva but now he's gone, too. Any more prospects for a Hawaiian music CD with steel and vibes?
Wally

[Ron Whitfield]

Any more prospects for a Hawaiian music CD with steel and vibes?

If Keoki could find the time between teaching steel with classes of thirty odd students, his Tracadero Big Band shows, the endless hired gun gigs and jams, plus other obligations, he could put together a great CD full of steel, vibes, guitar, bass, vocals, and probably a lot more hidden talents, all by his lonesome. Add in his wife Mary on the uke, and we'd have us a winner.

I'd buy it!

[George Keoki Lake]

MAHALO Ron...90% of what you mentioned is quite true...I do have a very busy teaching schedule...32 students at the moment, plus my jazz trio gigs (bass), plus the Big Band (www.trocadero.ca), and occasional Hawaiian gigs. I did a lot of multi-stuff many years ago and wish I could find the time to do a few more ! Perhaps when I grow old Ill find the time. Right now, I'm only 81.

[Bill Creller]

When I was in Europe in the military, I bought an LP of Guy Mitchell, because one of the other guys had one, and the steel guitar on it was definitely JB.
I wasn't 100% positive until Jerry mentioned it a few years ago. At the time, I couldn't think of anyone else who could play like that.