The Steel Guitar Forum

Not at all Paul. I think we all appreciate you maintaining the facts and history of the guitar.

I've read some of your previous posts about yours and your Dad's involvement with Pete's guitars and I'm quite sure you speak from firsthand knowledge.

Paul is exactly right. That is NOT Goldie. Goldie is in the new Country Music Hall of Fame. And, no Kevin, Duane did not service the guitar, I did. I did it as a courtesy for Rose Drake, and she in return let me record with it, at Larry Marrs studio, with Pete's Sho-Bud amp. and volume pedal. I also, did the Sho-Bud permanent with the card suit on the front, at the same time. Goldie is pictured with Pete on a 1973 Guitar Player magazine, with the caption Nashville's top steeler. The guitar has the evolution of Sho-Bud mechanics, and nylon tuning, and the cross-over handle still works,too.

I was a big fan of Pete Drake growing up and still like his music a lot. I went to his record company when I was a teenager visiting Nashville. Pete wasn't there at the time. My dad told the guy that was there that I was a big Pete Drake fan and he treated us really well. He started going through boxes of records and gave me a whole stack of Pete's albums. Pete had a little room off the side of the office with awards and things on the wall and that gold guitar was sitting there against the wall. That was a good day for me as a kid. I'm no expert on Pete Drake memorabilia but I don't remember ever seeing Pete playing the guitar shown here.

Pete played steel on George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass".
I love what he added to that record...

I took these photos at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville about two weeks ago during my trip there. This is Goldie, the one Drake took with him to England to record with Harrison. There was a pic there of him and Harrison, with the steel in the pic as well. Even the legs are gold.

I was reading the album booklet for 'All things Must Pass' (the remastered version) recently. I was shocked to find that the original release did not include 'I live for you'. This song has SUCH a great steel part by Pete Drake. What a great song as well! I think it's my favourite.

We were there too, for the Georgette Jones tribute to Tammy, and I saw Goldie, again. As you can see the raised fret-boards, which would have been added much later to the guitar. Duane Marrs drove Pete and his manager to the airport for the trip to England, to record with the Beatles. It was indeed Goldie he used. I believe there is a photgraph of George Harrison sitting behind it somewhere.

This is probably not necessary, but L to R: Pete Drake, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Peter Frampton, Billy Preston.

Just curious, how difficult was it to gold-plate the aluminum parts, especially back in those days??