The Buddy Emmons Story

Marty Broussard · Post by **Marty Broussard** » 28 Nov 2018 5:52 pm

Anxious to read it and support the funding efforts if needed.

Ron Funk · Post by **Ron Funk** » 28 Nov 2018 6:26 pm

Steve "Fish" Fishell -

As you successfully accomplished with the fantastic audio performances captured on 'The Buddy Emmons Tribute Album,'
I'm extremely confident your written words memorializing Buddy's life story will similarly honor our mutual hero.

Out of All the countless wanna-bees of the World, and All the extremely gifted Professional Musicians of the World, only a select few are truly able to advance their instrument of choice.

Not only did Buddy musically advance his chosen instrument - he invented The Standard which other pedal steel guitars will forever be compared to.

What an honor Buddy Emmons bestowed upon you to document his life story.

Please take the time required to satisfy yourself with your effort...
.. and trust that Buddy would be satisfied as well.

With Best Regards Fish,
Ron Funk

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 28 Nov 2018 7:26 pm

Fantastic work Fish, I look forward to reading Buddy's bio, I'm sure you will make just as good a job of it as you did the CD - fabulous project.

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 28 Nov 2018 8:15 pm

So glad youâ€™re doing this, Steve ... if itâ€™s anything like the Big E Salute, itâ€™s gonna be great!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 29 Nov 2018 12:37 pm

I certainly want one but I might need the large print version , now that I'm older as well!

When is the movie coming out ?

Larry Ball · Post by **Larry Ball** » 29 Nov 2018 2:54 pm

Hi Steve,

I would like to pass a comment on to you that I heard Bill Anderson make while doing a "Tribute" show for Ray Price. Buddy was in attendance, when after Mike Johnson, did his version of "Night Life" comments were made about Buddy's contributions to the "Steel Guitar Community etc." Bill Anderson comments "BUDDY When they write the history of the Steel Guitar your picture should be on the cover of that Book"

I believe these comments reflect the thoughts of many players and people in general.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 29 Nov 2018 5:41 pm

here's that video
https://youtu.be/k-9g0okYkCM

required viewing if anyone hasn't seen it yet!

Susan Alcorn · Post by **Susan Alcorn** » 1 Dec 2018 6:24 am

I also really look forward to reading this.

Johnny Cox · Post by **Johnny Cox** » 1 Dec 2018 4:22 pm

Steve, I can't wait to read the book. I spent about 10 yeats hanging with Buddy in the basement. He was a hard man to get to know. I barely scratched the surface. I learned so much just sitting there watching and listening.

W. Van Horn · Post by **W. Van Horn** » 2 Dec 2018 5:10 pm

Steve,
Thank you for taking on this important and meaningful task. Youâ€™ve done so much for the steel community - your dedication and endurance is remarkable. I find the approach youâ€™ve described to be respectful and wholly appropriate for a figure as important as Emmons. I am, like many have posted, very much looking forward to reading this. Kudos to you.

Fish · Post by **Fish** » 8 Dec 2018 11:56 am

Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement and support.
I really appreciate it! ~Steve

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 11 Dec 2018 3:38 am

Go, man, go! I love it!

We should probably talk at some point...

Since Buddy left us, I don't get here very often. I'm glad to see a few BE posts. I sure miss him...

Please put me on your list to send excerpts, pages or whatever from what you're doing.

Fish · Post by **Fish** » 11 Dec 2018 6:41 am

Hi Ernie,

This story wouldn't be complete without your input.
You were - and will always remain - a loyal and faithful friend to Buddy.
He trusted you with his legacy.

I'm glad to hear from you, pal; by all means, we will chat soon.

thanks!
Steve

John Brabant · Post by **John Brabant** » 16 Dec 2018 11:39 am

Don't forget to get in touch with Neil Flanz, Steve, as we discussed.... He has some amazing photos and stories to boot!

John Brabant · Post by **John Brabant** » 16 Dec 2018 12:29 pm

....and Clem Schmitz should be interviewed as well. Another great guy!

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 17 Jan 2019 2:15 am

Fish I would be very interested to read something about the making of the Skeeter Davies album "She Sings And They Play" with NRBQ and Buddy, Thanks!

Bas Kapitein · Post by **Bas Kapitein** » 21 Jan 2019 7:01 am

Hi Joachim, nice find. It is on Spotify so I played the album last night.
Do you know when that picture is taken. The album is from 1986, but I have my doubts about that picture. The first time I saw Buddy play was in 1977 in a small bar supporting Skeeter Davis and a (her?)band . If you look at the picture below that I took the next day in Jeffâ€™s school you see the same hearcut. I know through the years his beard went on and off, but is there a 11 years difference between the two shots?. I doubt it.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 21 Jan 2019 12:33 pm

Bas maybe there's a time difference. Could it be that Al Andersen and Joey Spampinato met him a few years before the recording? The two really look older on the back of the record cover!

Jack Stanton · Post by **Jack Stanton** » 21 Jan 2019 5:35 pm

Bas,
In the picture with NRBQ Buddy's playing the 2nd short key head Legrand pronto type which he got in the early 80's, which I think he played until 84 (?- I could be off a year). The second picture was taken earlier, he's playing the Blade, a push pull. It was taken at Jeff Newman's school and looks to be from the same photo shoot that Tom Bradshaw used on the cover of his Steel Guitarist issue featuring Buddy. Buddy played the Blade until he got the first Black Legrand Proto type, then the rosewood proto type. He briefly played a natural wood SKH, then apparently things really went south with his relationship with the Emmons company, he briefly went back alternating between the Blade and an old black push pull that he blocked out the chevron on the Emmons logo ( check out the gatefold picture of Swingin' From The 40's To The 80's). Shortly after he started his relationship with MCI. If the NRBQ album came out in 86, it probably sat in the vault for several years..

Bas Kapitein · Post by **Bas Kapitein** » 22 Jan 2019 2:57 am

Jack
I belief you, You observe very well, so you will like the following; I took the photoâ€™s at Jeffâ€™s and yes, one of them ended up as a cover for Tomâ€™s Steel Guitarist. You can clearly see the sticker on the right front of the blade. It was from a music shop in Nashville. Another one of Buddyâ€™s jokes I presume, because no one would believe he bought the guitar in that place. The next day I went to that shop, got me one of these stickers and back in Holland gave it to Koos Biel (who wanted to imitate the Big E in every way) and he put it on the same place on his D-10 push-pull. Later that year Koos would play that guitar at the first international steel guitar convention in Saint Louis.

Paul Mozen · Post by **Paul Mozen** » 1 Jul 2022 7:13 am

I would love to hear a tune with Buddy and carol Kaye. Anyone know of any recordings?

James Woodall · Post by **James Woodall** » 1 Jul 2022 7:19 am

Paul Mozen wrote:I would love to hear a tune with Buddy and carol Kaye. Anyone know of any recordings?

Here is one!

Ray Charles, "Feels So Bad," from Volcanic Action of my Soul, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ilJ3EwQuK4/.

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The Buddy Emmons Story

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