The Steel Guitar Forum

All of the above!!
Don't forget Rugg, Jernigan and Basore.
You can cross any of the three with an onion and they will bring tears to your eyes !!

I agree that this subject does reoccur on a regular basis but it is fun to hear different opinions. Being more of a fan of the C6 I have to agree with Darvin, Mike, Jeff and Joe, Curly is the one for me. The C6 is more of a mystery to some players and they don't understand it's complex configuration as much as the E9. I listen to so many players in the car or at home but I favor listening to Curly the most. We are blessed with so many great E9 players but the freshest and hard driver has to be Tommy. His playing with the Whites were mind blowing and his work on Music City Tonight with Crook and Chase were legendary and I wish I had every program, so my picks are Tommy on the E9 and Curly on the C6. Now, don't you feel better about me? Oh yeah, who asked you anyway, haha.

Emmons is probably the greatest player ever to grace a steel guitar,but I listen most to the West Coast guys - starting with Mooney,Jay Dee,Sneaky,Brumley,Al Perkins,Bobby Black..... And on a whole 'nuther level,Murphey,Tom Morrell and Jerry Byrd get a lot of airplay around my house. -MJ-

Favorite-Buddy Emmons, earliest influences John Call, Rusty Young, Norm Hamlet.

when I started studying this animal, I only listened to Bobby Black(humor), JD Maness(sharp!) and Neil Flanz(crying).
After this years convention it's Mr. Green.
He's completely in control of these strings,
levers and pedals. He has also made me discover Jimmy Day( yes, I'm relatively new here, i know). And along this line, I think
Tommy White carries the torch further.....

it SHO is BUD EMMONS
and Lloyd,Paul,Curley,Jerry, and all those that carry our beloved Steel to higher ground....
and thanx for the Education here on the Forum

First, Buddy Emmons on Touch My Heart with Ray Price, And Buddy on "Sunday in Dixie!"
In my earliest years it was Jerry Bird.
(not to discount my other favorites i.e. Jimmy Day, Lloyd Green, Weldon Myrick, Doug Jernigan, Terry Crisp, Don Helms, JayDee, and lets not leave out my buddies Tommy White and Mike Cass!!!!)

Sorry, I guess I just got carried away for a moment. All have influenced my playing for the better.

Dave

Tom Brumly turned me on to steel with Buck Owens, but there have been so many wonderfull players and recording since then none better then Charlie Pride live at Panther Hall. To this day that recording still blows me away.
All the best....Geoff.

The two main reasons I fell in love with country music and bought a pedal steel guitar, are:

1) Tom Brumley's playing on Buck Owens' "I Don't Care" LP (1964). Tom's 10 second break in the song "You're Welcome Anytime" and his solo in "Playboy" is exactly what a steel guitar should sound like. Also, the backup work is great all the way through the album. I still wonder what kind of equipment he used to get that tone...

2) Lloyd Green's "Ten Shades Of Green" (released sometime in the 70's). It doesn't get prettier than "Secret Love"! Also, great speed picking on tunes like "Quicksand" and "Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms".

(And of course, the obvious: Buddy Emmons, Weldon Myrick, Hal Rugg etc.)

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Henning Antonsen
Emmons LeGrande III

Michael Garnett, that master with Conway was John Hughey.

My favorite is a tie between John Hughey and Buddy Emmons (Buddy who? ).

Biggest influence would be a tie between Emmons, Hughey and Hal Rugg. In my younger days, Hal was on the Wilburn Bros. show. It was the only time I could really watch a player close up.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Tom Brumley, Weldon Myrick and John Hughey are probably 3 of my favorites (And of course the big E)...

Hey Red, speaking of Lloyd on that album, I am trying to sort through the turnaround to "Cotton Fields" - at least I think it's the turnaround, since I only have the solo portion in Real Audio format. Anyway, right at the end Lloyd does some crazy 3 note lick as it resolves back into the I chord. Do you (or anyone else) know what he does here or has anyone tabbed it out? I can figure out the rest by ear but am having trouble with this one little part...

Thanks in advance to any would-be helpers.

I really like the jazz/pop style of Reece Anderson and Jim Cohen and other music it's
Buddy Emmons and JD Maness.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Richard Gonzales on 20 November 2001 at 08:27 AM.]</p></FONT>

It is hard for me to pick a "favorite" because there are so many wonderful players out there (both now and deceased). One that was a big influence on me was Pete Drake. Also, another one worth mentioning that continues to carry the torch is Donna Hammit who plays with Bill Anderson. I think she is just superb!! Nice person too!!
Lyle in Wisconsin

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Lyle DeHart

I'll elaborate a little on my previous post. Curley Chalker is generally known for his C6 work, but he was also a great E9 player. The album Nashville Sundown is all E9 and is some great playing. He used a fairly minimal pedal and lever setup for E9 and still got some great sounds.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

There are so many great players out there and I like to listen to many especially from the old days, but I´d have to say the three who touched me most and have had the most influence on my own playing are Charleton with Ernest Tubb, Mooney on about everything but mostly with Waylon, and Cage with the New Riders.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Joe Henry on 20 November 2001 at 11:13 AM.]</p></FONT>

Paul Franklin, Jr. .... I had the pleasure of hearing him play live at Fan Fair this year. I realize this is not a fair comparison because I havn't heard many "live" performances, but I can't imagine anyone being very far ahead of him.

Bobby Garrett. While he was in shape, he was recognized as the number 2 steel player in the world, behind Jerry Byrd. Of course BEmmons went on to become the greatest player of modern times. But during his time, Garrett was extremely hard to beat.

Buddy Emmons practically invented pedal steel guitar as we know it today. He has given us two wonderful brands of guitars with changes that are considered the standard of the industry, "THAT SOUND" which we all still chase, a style that is unduplicated and a legacy that will never be matched by anyone.

Lloyd Green gave class to steel guitar. With his unsurpassable expertise and talent, he gave the world a distinct style and sound that shot steel guitar into the spotlight during the late 60's, 70's and 80's.

John Hughey gave us Conway, Hal Rugg gave us Loretta, Weldon Myrick gave us Connie Smith, Buddy Charleton gave us ET and the Texas Troubadours, Jimmie Crawford gave us "chicken picken" and Smiley Roberts gave us himself whether we like it or not. Today, we have players such as Tommy White, Bucky Reid, Mike Johnson and others carrying on the tradition of these above named greats. How can you pick just one? <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Weirauch on 20 November 2001 at 11:21 PM.]</p></FONT>

You guys need to hear Smiley Roberts break in "Love Is A Bottle Of Wine"with Tommy Overstreet. You best take a deep seat when you hear it.You will hit your rewind and play button.It is awsome. Ray

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Steeling is still legal in Arizona

Well steel players I had to get in on this one.
Have any of you heard the ARIA CODE 615 stuff. Weldon Myrick was nothing short of genius particurly on the track Welliphant walk. And how about John Hughey`s steelin on the Willie Nelson tracks purticurly BlOODY MARY MORNING, I think maybe on the Phases and Stages album or somewhere in that ara. Also have you
swing and jazz fans ever heard Albert Talley hopefully will get an album on him one day. He played the 80` Longhorn Ballroom steel convention, Guitar player mag. said he and Reese were the hit of the show with 15 min. version of Watermelon man.
Also an origional stylist the late Gary Hogue the industry will miss him. Need I forget Mr. Texas steel 101,Jr. Knight. If you want to hear the heart of country Steelin, I mean technique,heart,chops,tone all of it he`s got it from swing to contempory.
For speed try Herbie Wallace ,speed is nothing if it dont sing and this guy is a blue bird on a fast moving train.
Hey you ask! Chuck Norris NFM

Wow,where to start? For pure emotion,any Jimmy Day and Bobbe Seymour on the Soulfull Steel album,all the west coast guys,for good old "hell raisin fun" Buddy Cage on the Panama Red album will always make my foot open the 4 barrel and bang the 4 speed.Also Tommy Detamore is a great player,oh hell,I love em all!!

for E9: Jay Dee Maness
for both necks and sound: Paul Franklin

My list of favorite steelers includes Jerry Byrd, Curley Chalker,Tom Morrell, Joaquin Murphy, Sol Ho'o'pii, David Keli'i, David Feets Rogers, Ralph Kolsiana, Speedy West, Barney Issacs, Buddy Emmons, Jay Dee Manes, Bud Issacs and on and on.

The guy who first caught my ear and made me want to play steel - believe it or not - was Pete Wernick, banjo player with Hot Rize who, back in the 80's, moonlighted as Waldo Otto with Red Knuckles & the Trail Blazers. Seeing him play a double neck Fender live made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, a faraway look come into my eyes, and started long, slow draining of my wallet that hasn't stopped yet.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 21 November 2001 at 03:53 PM.]</p></FONT>

Back in 1977 when I was on the road with The Twang Brothers Band, we came across this guy in Kansas by the name of Thunderstorm Bob. He played the C6th neck using the bar, but rarely used his right hand to play. Kind of like Speedy West except with more downward force and the bass turned all the way up on his amp. It really did sound like you were in the middle of a thunderstorm. When he would make a mistake, he would slam the bar down very hard between the necks of his guitar, and just sit there looking really pissed off. It really was a sight to see. In my mind, he will always be one of my favorites.
If anyone in Lawrence Kansas knows him, or knows if he has released any CD's, I would be interested in buying one. He is truly a one of a kind......