The Steel Guitar Forum

Joe Carson was one of my favorites. His "Double Life" is a classic. I can go back a long way as I started playing steel in 1948. Riley Crabtree "Shackles And Chains". Leon Payne "I Love You Because"

Jody,

The steel guitarist on "I Love You Because" (original version) was Frankie Juricek from Houston.

Jason

I keep coming across great tracks either by Don Gibson or covers of his stuff. Also, try Warner Mack.

Darryl McCall cut many excellent songs. Fellows, who did most of the steel on his recordings?

Well, Buddy has cut a lot with him, Dickey Overby has cut with him. Probably Jimmy, maybe Rick Price?

Andrew, yes..Frank Juricek. I have several Leon Payne records and I enjoy his playin a lot. He did a wonderful job in those songs.

Well, Jason I can mention here some great hillbilly stuff like this:

Leon Chappell (automatic mama, true blue papa, You hear me talkin...) great hillbilly stuff..sorry boys no steel here

Wayne Rayney : I like a lot!!!! ( with the Delmore Brothers in some songs)

Jack Guthrie: Who don't Know Oklahoma Hills? It swings.

Jimmy Heap and the Melody masters: I like alot his " ethyl in my gas tank (no gal in my arms)"

Maybe is too old-time music? ;<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Fernando Fernandez on 19 June 2002 at 10:21 AM.]</p></FONT>

Jason, here are a number of suggestions. My stylistic biases are evident.

Whitey Shafer - He has at least 2 CDs out. The man is a famous writer and co-writer. He is a superb vocalist in the Lefty mold. You'll enjoy his renditions of his own songs, such as "I Never Go Around Mirrors," "All My Ex's Live in Texas," "That's the Way Love Goes," and "Does Fort Worth Cross Your Mind," etc. Sonny Garrish on pedal steel. Bear Family released an LP of his early recordings. I have some of those tracks on 45. As I recall, Pete Drake played on a lot of the early releases.

James O'Gwynn - I like his '50s stuff, which may have been on Starday. I've got some of that material on a foreign label LP. The liner notes say Bobby Garrett and Herb Remington were among those who played steel guitar on some of the '50s cuts. When I first heard Remington on this stuff, I was delightfully surprised he played with the E9th sound. I tend to associate him strictly with Western Swing and not honky tonk. He plays on some of the early recordings of George Jones, too. O'Gwynn's '60s stuff is highly reminiscent of '60s George Jones, so much so that I have trouble telling them apart. In modern times, he has a CD, or two, out. One of the CDs features Pete Drake and Larry Sasser on steel. After that, to my ears, he no longer sounded like Jones.

Shane Worley, Benny Berry, and Roger Cooper - I lump these artists together because their CDs are produced by Mike Headrick a/o Bob Grady. Berry sounds like a young Haggard. I think Worley has a kind of a John Anderson voice. Roger Cooper defintiely has a ABC sessions Lefty sound. Worley's and Berry's honky tonk recordings are available at countrydiscovery.com. I don't know where or how you can get Cooper's CDs. I first heard Cooper on a BBC broadcast, after which, I tracked down a CD of his. Later, I bought a couple more. Mike Headrick plays very good, tasty steel on all these guys' CDs. Herby Wallace plays steel on all the cuts of one Berry CD and plays on one or two tracks on some other Berry sessions.

Kenny Serratt - On his eponymous '72 or '73 LP, he's very nearly a dead ringer for Haggard or vice-versa. Haggard produced the MGM LP. I don't recall if Merle or his late brother, Lowell Haggard, wrote the liner notes. Includes some Haggard covers, which may have been released prior to Haggard's own version of same--I'm just guessing here. He's got CDs, LP, and tapes that were supposedly available last year at the wylieopry.com website. I should have inquired about them last year because they were listed for sale by the site. Earlier this year, I had emailed the Wylie Opry regarding the availability of those recordings and one by Earl Briggs, his hotshot steel player, seeing as how no prices or purchase instructions were shown anymore. Never received an answer. Probably the recordings are available at the Wylie Opry, when performances take place. Serratt's band is the staff band.

Dave Rich - His RCA recordings are on a Bear Family CD. His earliest sides are his remarkable adaptation of the '50s Lefty style. Jimmy Day, on a couple tracks, plays some of the most touching steel you will ever hear. The first dozen tracks are honky tonk. The next ones are rock n'roll and gospel. On several of the gospel cuts (not done country gospel fashion), Jerry Byrd, of all people, plays bass. Rich sang in his own style on the rock n' roll and gospel songs.

Allen Frizzell - Guess who he sounds like. His LPs and 45s are very hard to find. His CD probably is hard to find, also. It's on a Dutch label, though it's recorded in Nashville. Bouton, Jernigan, and Perkins handle the steel chores. Hester on fiddle. The CD shows that he is a very good writer, in additon to being an excellent vocalist. He sings covers of his brother's hits on an LP (may have been a two-record set). btw, the tribute album also included an interview with his father, who reminisced, with some bitterness concerning the business end of things, about Lefty's career.

Mel Street - George Jones with a lower voice. Street was one of the premier honky tonkers. Not sure if he fits under the "obscure"classification, but, anyway, listening to him is an experience not to be missed.

Shuffle recommendations: Darrell McCall, Tony Booth, Curtis Potter, Dugg Collins, Carl Vaughan, and Charlie Walker.

Butch,
Darrell McCall's sessions featured these guys a lot: Dicky Overbey, Buddy Emmons, and Lloyd Green. So, I don't think that any one player played "the most."

Don

What about Billy Keeble? I like his stuff pretty good.

I know Dick Curless is not exactly "Obscure:But he had some great songs, and one of my favorites, was "House of Memories"

Leigh

Try Stoney Edwards. Dead now, but had a couple of top 40s in the late 60s and early 70s. Black guy with a hell of a country heart. Shame that he did'nt fair better.

I seemingly did not make myself clear on Leon Payne . I did demos and played dates with Leon Payne , but no master recordings. My old Pal Frankie Jursek did " Ilove You Because" and some of the early George Jones. Best Regards, Jody.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jody Sanders on 25 June 2002 at 10:38 PM.]</p></FONT>

Vernon Oxford?
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Thanx for the words Myron but you left out a lot people who were there before my rusty dusty got to town.That area was jumping already with guys like Pee Wee Gokey (with a guy by the name of Leigh Howell)(Harold is still alive and kicking near 80 now)and channell 40 had Lee Wayne and the Nomads.Slim Coxx and the Country Caravan (with a teenager on Steel named Smiley something I forget). There were many 7 nighters at one time.Then they closed down the Air Force Base. One thing I couldn't believe is how many great steel players there were and still is in that area.

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CJC

I've been hearing about a guy named Chris Wall, can anyone tell me the particulars on this feller? Is he honky tonk? swing? straight country? what?

Every now and then I'll hear a song on the local Joliet country station WCCQ called (I think) "Cal City Don't Swing Anymore" by (I think) a guy named Tom Willoughby. Does anybody have any better information? where can I find this song?

I was under the impression that Chris Wall is based out of Texas, I think Dale Watson did a tune with him. But I've been wrong before and will be wrong again (probably on a regular basis too).

thanks Jeff, appreciate it

Two singers who I always thought had more talent than they needed to be in the Nashville area where they make home..Willie Rainsford and Dennis Payne.Super Picker also Willies "no relief in sight" should have had a major label pushing it. And Dennis is a quadruple threat.Singer,Songwriter,Picker,and studio boardman engineer with ears plus.

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CJC