The Steel Guitar Forum

Lately I've been rediscovering the magic of Russ Hicks. Here he is taking a turn on one of Ween's 12 Golden Country Greats, "I'm Holding You". What he does in the beginning and throughout is so simple and melodic, and that tone...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YyBZXSUGe8

Tom Brumley's turn around on "Together Again".
J.D. Maness' turn around on "Misty".
Bobby Garrett's turn around on "Oklahoma Hills"
Bobby Garrett on "Rose City Chimes".
Just to name a very few.

Almost forgot the "God Father" of Pedal Steel,
Bud Isaacs, whose Take Off and Turn Around on "Slowly" sent every steel player in Nashville to the "Wood Shed" trying to learn to play like Bud.

The rest is history.

The Waltz You Saved For Me, Bud's Bounce and Steelin' Home just to name a few, are still played 60
years later.

Really cool thread. It's cool to hear what turned everyone's head.

For me it would have to be way BE moves from the G to G minor in the verse to his version of Wichita Lineman, sliding back two frets on strings 5 & 6 and adding A & B pedals. So snaky, cool, and ... backward.
That's the tune and the lick that FORCED me to buy a steel the same day I first heard it. Thanks eternally, Buddy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5Bc2xi-_rU

At 1:26 right at the chorus Pete Drake plays the most perfect lick ever. Right after "stand by your man" that 3 to 4 chord half step thing. The most simple, obvious and effective musical move possible. Its like Bruce Lee's one inch punch.

Pete Drake's steel part in Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" is way more than a lick too.

If I could only listen to one pedal steel thing over and over again forever it would be "Blue Jade" from the black album by Buddy Emmons. I feel like I am ready to die happy every time I hear it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFXp2irVSkQ

Boy,Pete gets overlooked as far as little licks like that...he was right in there,making sure we still had a gig 40 or 50 years later,wasn't he?

Buddy Emmons' steel in Steve Young's version of "Lonesome, Onry and Mean" off "Renegade Picker"

Red Rhodes on Willis Allen Ramsey's "Goodbye To Old Missoula"

Bobby Black's solo on "Truck Drivin' Man" from Commander Cody's "We've Got A Live One Here"

I was trying to think of the best Tommy Detamore solo on Doug Sahm's "The Return of Wayne Douglas", then I realized that practically every track just had me goin' "OHHH YEAHHHHH!!!" Those rides just burn in my brain with their unbelievable steelness.

Ralph Mooney's intro and solo on Buck's "Under Your Spell Again". Pure hillbilly attitude!

Talk about commercial fill licks on PSG here they are, just about everybody copied these. You gotta listen to the whole song. The solo is short and vanilla but the rest you gotta learn.
Click Here
P.S. It's on one of Jeff's early tabs!

Oooeee!! Finally, someone agrees with me that Red Rhodes deserves a mention in despatches when discussing some of the best psg playing of all time. Agree with everyone's assessment of BE, but Red Rhodes has to be up there with the best, if only for his unique, innovative style.
If you haven't heard him, invest your $,£ or Es in a copy of Mike Nesmith's 'And The Hits Just Keep On Coming' and fasten your seat belt! Incredible.

Red Rhodes...a legend...electronics genius...you can tell it's him immediately.

I'll put in a plug for Jaydee Maness on Desert Rose Band's "Hello Trouble", and Randy Reinhard's work on Frenchy Burke's "Big Mamou."

I'm with Mark Van Allen on this - and Wichita Lineman turned my head completely. Prior to that, most pedal steel I'd heard had been distinctly country-flavoured and, as I wasn't very fond of the genre, didn't do much for me.

I just loved that song, though - Glen's version, then Ray Charles' take on it. Buddy's on Ray's record, of course, and to hear pedal steel weave its way seemingly effortlessly through those changes just blew me away. I HAD to have a steel after I heard that!

Then, of course, there's that fabulous descending line Emmons plays on Ray's 'I Feel So Bad' over the '5' and '4' chords in his solo!!!! The whole break is terrific and full of tension but he ends it by absolutely nailing that lick.

Here's a couple of my faves from Tubb songs, featuring Buddy Charleton~ (sorry for the "commercials")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gftgmypDMWs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkBpqEEeLGU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d3Paex ... xdbNnnbjj1

chris ivey wrote: buddy emmons' solo in the middle of roger miller's 'tall, tall trees'.

That solo is among the highest order of the art, in my opinion. Can't think of a superlative that even comes close to describing it. Never ceases to amaze. And it fits that goofy novelty tune to a tee.

And Roger hired the guy to play the bass. Go figure...

just found this and can't stop listening.

I love the classic country jams but greg's simple lines sounds so hip on this tune.

http://youtu.be/-3bMERyIUWo

I don't want to sound cliche' but the steel riff that made me fall in love with the instrument in the first place was nothing other than " Night Life" that chord progression does it all for me. There are thousands ( if not more ) great steel parts, but the Night Life intro is my favorite hands down. Second place to Hughey's "look at us"

Add this one to Buddy Charleton's list....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNUfFh4ikf0

The break comes at 1:40

Weldon's solo on George Strait's version of "Right or Wrong", Buddy Cage's solo on "Contract" by NRPS, Tom Brumley on "I Sang Dixie" by Dwight Yokam, Sneaky Pete on Little Feat's "Six Feet Of Snow & that turnaround on The Gatlin Brothers "Houston" although it is not a solo.

Right link below-had to edit

Here's the song "Touch Me" by Danni Leigh with a great steel solo by Steve Hinson;

www.youtube.com/watch?v=af3fIsXNjF8

Just about to start on PSG, besides my love for western swing and jazzier C6 playing, I love the steel on "Promises, Promises" by Lynn Anderson, and "I'll Come Running" by Connie Smith.

Jimmy Day on "City Lights". Jimmy Day on just about anything.

Lloyd Green's ending solo on "Nothing Can Hurt You" from Ricky Skaggs' Highways & Heartaches record.

1982, I was into metal at the time and this record introduced me to a whole new world! Tried to learn Lloyds's solo on a 6-string guitar as a PSG was out of the question.

The solo just sounds so perfect for the song. Did I read somewhere that it was a one take??

Is there a book, CD or DVD that gives good instruction on backing up a vocalist?