The Steel Guitar Forum

Just listen to the first verse of "Slide Off Of Your Satin Sheets" and you'll get an idea of some of Big Jim's unique licks and ideas. He integrated "spread chords" (grips on strings 3,5,8 and 4,6,10) in his playing more than anyone I can think of, and used his low notes beautifully. For most of his career he flew under the radar outside of Nashville but I think he's very deserving of the SGHOF.

Joe

I certainly agree that he should be put into the hall of fame. Great player and one who I stole(steelguitar) licks from. RS

Bump up for JV.

Somebody get me Jim Vest's bio, quick!! Like, immediately...

Herb, Refer to 7th posting on first page of this thread. I believe that's a fair start.

Joe Casey wrote:JIM VEST is still one of the most respected players in the Industry...Here is a CONDENSED JIM VEST BIO=. ( Jim Vest has been in the music business what seems like forever. Born in Alabama in "1941",his family moved to Louisville Kentucky. At the age of nine Jims dad bought him his first Steel Guitar at a yard sale for fifty dollars.
Jim then enrolled into a music school and it wasn't long after he was playing any music put in front of him. By the age of 12 he was playing local Honkey Tonk's. At the age of 16 he went on the road with Kentucky native "Pee Wee" King. Jim continued playing the local clubs in his spare time until one day he decided to move to Nashville to become a Studio Musician. Although the sessions did not come easy at first with players like Emmons,Day,Chalker,Green and Drake. Not long after moving to Nashville Jim put together a band called the "Nashville Cats" and they were soon the best band in town. The "Cats" backed up Artist like Weylon Jennings, George Jones, Johnny paycheck ,Johnny Rodriguez to mention just a few. The "cats" were who the Stars wanted to go see, sit in with while Johnny Paycheck was singing with the band. It wasn't long after that Jim got his big break. Johnny came in one night and told him he got a record deal and Jim would be recording on it. (Jims own words)"At the time I thought he was full of Shit But it turned out he wasn't". They recorded the Album "Take this Job and shove it". which also contained the hits of Slide off of your Satin Sheets, Only hell my momma ever raised, along with the monster hit, Take this job. After recording that album Jim became one of the most sought after Steel Guitarist in the recording industry. he went on to play on Albums by Charlie Rich, all of Vern Gosdens albums including the "Chiseled in Stone one of Verns biggest. The list is enormous and would take days to put together. He also did and still does produce numerous albums for independent labels such as BSW out of San Antonio Tex and many Independent Artist in Nashville.) I took this out of Jims Bio to show just a little of why this man is worthy of the HOF. As Smiley said it was his Idea to start a Steel Show and the time restraints of business were too much for him to start it or even get involved with 100% effort.. I have met Jim a few times and he probably would not know me from Adam. But when the "Cats" were playing (at the time Jerry Reed's) the palace , Smiley and I went down to hear the very best. We would wander in his Hendersonville studio . Jim is already a popular and purely skilled and well liked player, one of the greats of the Steel Guitar . Certainly he has a full career of many accomplishments that make him truly deserving. He won't be out there campaigning or blowing his own horn. His peers will certainly attest to his deserving entrance to any Steel Guitar HOF. Like when Russ Hicks received the honor, this is one I would attend.

Looks like a no brainer to me, love his playing...

My vote, if I had one, is for the one and only (IMO) Jim Vest in the SGHOF :

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix1 ... Vest_1.jpg

My vote's for this Jim Vest to setup my Emmons D-10 at the gig:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix1 ... vest_1.jpg

Simply amazing who is in and who isn't.
Sonny Curtis, Sonny Garrish, Sonny Burnett, Jim Vest, Jim Murphy, Jim Baker, Robby Turner, Gene Crownover are not.
It took decades to get Maurice in and he was one of the very early supporters of ISGC. Some that are, well I guess I just don't get it. Maybe the standards have changed a little bit, maybe a lot.
I'm so happy for Tommy White. Well deserved long before now.

Simply amazing who is in and who isn't.
Sonny Curtis, Sonny Garrish, Sonny Burnett, Jim Vest, Jim Murphy, Jim Baker, Robby Turner, Gene Crownover are not.
It took decades to get Maurice in and he was one of the very early supporters of ISGC. Some that are, well I guess I just don't get it. Maybe the standards have changed a little bit, maybe a lot.
I'm so happy for Tommy White. Well deserved long before now.

Simply amazing who is in and who isn't.
Sonny Curtis, Sonny Garrish, Sonny Burnett, Jim Vest, Jim Murphy, Jim Baker, Robby Turner, Gene Crownover are not.
It took decades to get Maurice in and he was one of the very early supporters of ISGC. Some that are, well I guess I just don't get it. Maybe the standards have changed a little bit, maybe a lot.
I'm so happy for Tommy White. Well deserved long before now.

Hey Herb--you must have a daunting amount of paperwork piling up there what with all the people doing all they can to advance this passionate (and worthy) cause. How are you holding up?

It should be a given for Jim Vest. Maybe politics I know nothing about are involved?

Pardon the multiple post.

Pardon the multiple post.

There are a lot of players that deserve to be there. I think three in one year is pretty good though. I'm sure it's not cheep to have the plaques made along with the other expenses involved. Also, many more than that each year would make it not as special for the ones inducted. I have a lot of respect for Scotty and his family for continuing promoting these shows. Whether it be for profit or not, it has to be a major undertaking with major financial risk. I regret not being able to be there to support the show this year. I wish Scotty well and pray for a speedy recovery with his health problems...

Herb i'm sure you have Mr. Sonny Curtis bio also . He should have been in the hof a long time ago ! Sometimes i wonder !

Gary Preston wrote: Herb i'm sure you have Mr. Sonny Curtis bio also . He should have been in the hof a long time ago ! Sometimes i wonder !

Here's my personal opinion: EVERYBODY should have been inducted a long time ago, okay?

Pardon the multiple post.

Can. I vote twice!

Big Jim another great one!

Like everyone here states, let's please get him inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

Terry Wood

This is the nomination I turned in months before the 2012 ISGC
----------------------------------------

I, Danny Hammers of Floral City Florida
am nominating Jim Vest for
The Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame

Jim Vest is known as a musician, producer, actor, songwriter, publisher, singer, and leader of the world famous "Nashville Cats".

At ten years old his dad decided that he wanted him to play steel. He sent him to music school 50 cents a trip. After 6 months they offered him a job teaching but he said no and started playing with his dad one day a week on Sunday at the Savoy Theater in Louisville Kentucky.
At sixteen years old he was playing steel guitar in a rock and roll club through a Hammond Leslie Cabinet.
At seventeen he went to work with Alan McCoy playing honkytonks and bars all over the Louisville area. He would go every week to the King record shop and pick up the latest country record that had steel guitar in it. He was also working for the city as a heavy equipment operator and one day when he was in the record shop Pee Wee King walked in and they talked and he invited Jim to come to his house the next Saturday and play some with him in his basement. His steel guitar player was drinking too much for him and he offered Jim a job. So Jim went to work for Pee Wee in 1962 and played the Grand Ole Opry that first year in 62. He stayed with Pee Wee until 1967.
While driving one night he heard a new song on the radio called "Almost Persuaded". He loved the music so much he decided that's who he wanted to work for next, David Houston.
Jim stayed with David Houston about 2 years and in that time he moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Jim and his wife Helen had a baby girl and he wanted to get off the road. He thought he might could do recording sessions but no one knew him then as a session player. He went back to work on the road with Billy Walker for a few months.
Jim had met and worked with all the Grand Old Opry stars while with Pee Wee King, so they all came to hang out with them in the Alley. That's also where he met Billy Sherrill who started giving me a chance to do big sessions in 1969. Jim would later go on to play on hit records with Johnny Paycheck in 1977.

After leaving Louisville, Kentucky in 1969, Jim moved to Nashville and became the leader of the band at the Western Room in Printer's Alley. There he formed the "Nashville Cats", which has remained one of the top country music groups for over 18 years.

To the hundreds of thousands of fans who have visited Nashville through the years, the name Jim Vest is synonymous with greatness.

Jim holds three awards in the North American Country Music Assoc.’s Country Music Hall Of Fame. 1. for Steel Guitar, 2. for Songwriter, 3. for Actor.

He is in the Alabama Steel Guitar Assoc.’s Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame

He was the 2008 recipient of The Nashville Tennessee Steel guitar Assoc.’s Legends Award
He is the recipient of the "Super Picker Award" (for musicians who have played on million selling records). Given and voted on by musicians.

Recording History
Jim's talent on the steel guitar has made him one of the top "A" team recording musicians in the world. Some of the artists Jim has recorded with include:
Waylon Jennings Ronnie McDowell David Allan Coe
T. G. Sheppard Tammy Wynette Johnny Duncan
Charlie Louvin Pee Wee King Bobby Vinton
John Anderson Janie Frickie Shelby Lynne
Grandpa Jones Joe Stampley Vern Gosdin
Freddy Weller Linda Davis Tim Mensey
George Jones Roy Acuff Less Taylor
Charlie Rich Kansas Moe Bandy
Willie Nelson Hank Cockran Boxcar Willie
Ray Price Statler Brothers Ivory Joe Hunter
Lorrie Morgan
Just some of the "Top 10" songs Jim has played on include:

You Can Put Your Shoes Under My Bed Anytime * Johnny Duncan
What Part Of No (don't you understand) * Lorrie Morgan
Chiseled in Stone * Vern Gosdin (1989 Song of the Year)
Only Hell My Momma Ever Raised * Johnny Paycheck
Take This Job and Shove It * Johnny Paycheck
Slide Off Your Satin Sheets * Johnny Paycheck
I'll Just Take It Out in Love * George Jones
That Just About Does It * Vern Gosdin
Do You Belive Me Now * Vern Gosdin
Rolling With the Flow * Charlie Rich
Set 'Em Up Joe * Vern Gosdin – What a Intro by Jim
Ol' King Kong * George Jones
Stranger * Johnny Duncan

Song Writing History
As a songwriter, Jim has written or co-written many songs that have been recorded by some of the top entertainers in country music. Some of his co-writers include Hank Cochran, David Chamberlain, Arti Portilla, Ed Mannon, Joce Shoaf, and Johnny Walker. Some of their award-winning songs include:
Hank You Tried To Tell Me 'Bout The Mansion On The Hill
Johnny Paycheck
From Cotton To Satin
Johnny Paycheck * Jack Greene * Gene Watson
I'd Better Write It Down
Charlie Louvin * Johnny Paycheck
Just Won't Feel Like Cheating With You
Sammi Smith
Will I Be Free When I'm Free
Johnny Paycheck
Buried Alive
Charlie Louvin * Billie Jo Spears
Someone Loves Him
Sue Richards * Billie Jo Spears
Loser Of The Year
Johnny Paycheck
Underneath It All
Charlie Louvin
I'm Not Easy
Billie Jo Spears
Outlaw Woman
Tangueray
Vern Gosdin * Willie Nelson
Land of Cotton
Dottie West
Your Sweet LiesTammy Wynette

Producing History
Jim has produced albums and singles on such well-known artists as Box Car Willie, Hank Cochran, James Monroe, Ronnie McDowell, Willie Nelson, Willie's daughter Susie Nelson, and The Heart of Dixie. He is currently producing a new artist, Geoffery Buell from Buffalo, Wyoming.
Television/Movie/Video Credits
Nashville Now * Hee Haw * Grand Ole Opry "Live" * Country Music Television * On Stage * Living Proof (with Richard Thomas) * Nashville 99 (with Claude Akins) * New Country * Boone (TV Series) * J.D. and the Salt Flat Kid * Country Western A Go-Go (with Pee Wee King) * Hal Wayne and Jim Vest "Old Friends and New" * Movies starring Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Lorne Greene * Videos with Vern Gosdin, Ronnie McDowell, Shelby Lynne, and Linda Davis
One of Jim's favorite singles was "Home Sweet Homeless People" and can be found on the Gifted Few record label, along with his new album with more great songs written by Jim Vest. Produced by Hank Cochran

Jim did one of the best steel guitar videos I personally have ever seen call Legends of Steel Guitar with Stu Basore, Don Helms, Tommy White, with Scotty watching on
plus a Special tribute to Jimmy Day

He is a Master Mason and 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and he is a Shriner belonging to the Al Menah Shrine Temple in Nashville.


The concept for a Steel Guitar Hall of Fame originated in the early 1970s when Nashville steel guitarist Jim Vest suggested the award as recognition for persons advancing the instrument. Jim intended to implement the award program, but his session work and touring schedule prevented his follow-through. By mutual agreement between Jim and DeWitt Scott, "Scotty" inaugurated the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame and located its headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. The first Hall of Fame induction occurred in 1978. One or more persons have been inducted each year since then


Danny Hammers
7122 S. Duval Island Drive
Floral City, FL 34436-2434
Phone 352-860-0155
Email dhammers@tampabay.rr.com

After reading what Danny sent in about Jim Vest, I must not understand the criteria to be inducted into the steel guitar hall of fame.

Jim

Bee Bumpa doola.

Allllllllllll Rightttttttttt. Lets party Joe.

I met Jim Vest last year in Montgomery when he was inducted into the Alabama HOF at Bill Cook's show. I had always heard of him since the 1970's and just knew of him as one of the many good veteran club and road players in Nashville. Wow! Was I NOT in the know! What a resume and what a nice guy to talk with!! Definitely should be in the HOF.