The Steel Guitar Forum

Another vote for Poco’s “Deliverin” with Rusty Young. As far as country rock..... Poco’s sound was unique, and Rusty and the band’s live show were on fire.

Another second for Buddy Cage’s work.... truly awesome.

There are some great choices here but come on. Buddy Emmons Live at the ISGA 1977 is the definitive live steel guitar album.

Mike Bacciarini wrote: Another second for Buddy Cage’s work.... truly awesome.

Was Buddy on the Flying Burrito's '72 live album, "Last of the Red Hot Burritos" or was that Sneaky?

Dennis Montgomery wrote: Was Buddy on the Flying Burrito's '72 live album, "Last of the Red Hot Burritos" or was that Sneaky?

Al Perkins

Following...

Michael Nesmith with Red Rhodes - "Cosmic Partners - The McCabes Tapes"

Nice to hear Red playing these great songs, live, very clear in the mix. There's even a couple steel instrumentals on it. Very unique, creative player.

Well, y'all posted the ones I was gonna post, so I ain't got nothing!

Gib Wharton with The Holmes Brothers
Curly Chalker with Dick Curless

Jim Fogarty wrote:Michael Nesmith with Red Rhodes - "Cosmic Partners - The McCabes Tapes"

Nice to hear Red playing these great songs, live, very clear in the mix. There's even a couple steel instrumentals on it. Very unique, creative player.

The fact that the tape - from 1973 - was only recently uncovered is nothing short of a miracle. This is a seminar on how a pedal steel should support a signer-songwriter in a band setting. This is right up there with the Charley Pride Panther Hall album w/Lloyd.

I got one!
Flying Burrito Brothers - Live In Tokyo
This performance not only features mucho glorious Sneaky Pete Steel playing on every song, it also features some of the best Country-Rock drumming I have ever heard.
It also has my favorite version of White Line Fever
https://youtu.be/NPm_1voGkXA

Gram Parsons - Live 1973, with Neil Flanz playing some beautiful stuff throughout.

Anything Desert Rose with Jaydee. Also, don't overlook David Hartley's YouTube videos.

"The Very Best Of The Happy Goodmans Live", with Lloyd Green on Steel.

This is great Eric... Somebody needs to compile a list of "LIVE Steel Albums". There are things on here that I forgotten about and other's I flat out didn't know.

But the one that really did know, was the Charlie Pride/Panther Hall album. I wore that thing out back when.

And remember NRPS with Buddy tearing it up, listening to it for the first time on 8-Track outside a buddy's house.

Great thread Eric

Found another:

JD Call- Pure Prarie League - Songs of Pure Harmony, Alive in America 1974 - once he puts the Banjer down

Buck Owens live In San Francisco 1989 terry kristofferson pulling double duty on steel and lead guitar!!

Ricky Skaggs "Live in London" (1985) with Bruce Boughton. Fine playing from the entire band.

As far as I know, the only live steel guitar instrumental album is Buddy Emmons Live At the Convention (1977). I was there that year. No dubbing. Bucky Barret had to sit out after a couple of tries at The Great Stream while Bobby Caldwell nailed it. Larry London read drum charts while he played that particular song. Buddy was flawless on this double LP album. He played through a Session 400 and a Furman PQ-3. He used the PQ-3 to detail the lower mids.

Dennis- you're saying it's actually Caldwell playing Great Stream on the album?

Yes, Caldwell. He only played on one song on the album.

One of my favourites is Ronnie Milsaps's first live album (from the mid-'70s, I believe).

Milsap is a great singer and here he runs through his regular stage-act. Highly featured throughout is the incomparable Dickie Overby, Yes, he plays the intros as he should and there's the expected level of musical discipline that's the hallmark of the band with a top-level artist, but there's also a lot of mischievous free-reined improv from Dickie that just makes me smile. He was on form that night!

Hank Devito on steel, Albert Lee, Rodney Crowell and the rest of the Hot Band backing Emmylou on almost all of the best cuts. Just missing Luxury Liner. Great selection of tunes with some very tasty steel work throughout! Good Saturday morning discovery!

I'm no expert, but that Nesmith record is the business! DAMN!

I wholeheartedly second what Joe Alterio said on the topic.

Eric Reeves wrote:Found another:

JD Call- Pure Prarie League - Songs of Pure Harmony, Alive in America 1974 - once he puts the Banjer down

Totally agree! JD was like the Energizer Bunny on this one. He said some of the boys had gotten into some Turkey before the show and it sounds like JD is keeping them in tow! He's right on the money!

Charley Pride - Live at Panther Hall - Lloyd Green