The Steel Guitar Forum

Boggs Boogie and/or Rock Candy come to mind as personal faves.

"Danny Boy", "I Love You So Much (It Hurts Me)"

Of course, I like all of the novelty tunes; but these two are so smooth.

Duane Eddy's "Twang A Country Song", an RCA album from about 1963 is the Buddy Emmons album I've listened to the most. I bought it for the Duane Eddy guitar, but it turned me on to Buddy's steel guitar.

I am a huge fan of all things Buddy, but have a soft spot in my heart for all of the stuff recorded in and around the time he was in California. He did alot of interesting sessions and was recorded differently, I think, than he was in Nashville. Linda Ronstadt's " In My Reply" is one that comes to mind. (Thanks Joe Shelby for reminding me)

Marty Muse

No way to pick a "best" for me from a career replete with such stunning, innovative, and inspiring work. But if I could only have one recording... it would have to be the "Live at Scotty's Convention '77" set. A master at the top of his game, live in front of an adoring crowd, and totally on fire. Superb back-up playing, great tunes... and it always brings me right back to where I was standing in front of the stage. Thanks again, Buddy.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Mark van Allen on 08 April 2006 at 01:30 PM.]</p></FONT>

My favorites!

Wichita Lineman - Suite Steel Album 1970

Wichita Line - Buddy Emmons backs up Ray Charles on Wichita Lineman on the Volcanic Action of my Soul album 1970

My personal favorite is Someone's Child,by Gene Watson.BEAUTIFUL WORK BUDDY !!!!<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Marty Holmes on 08 April 2006 at 03:00 PM.]</p></FONT>

How can you possibly pick a favorite ? I could sit and listen to Buddy as he ATE PEANUT BRITTLE !

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JUST 'CAUSE I STEEL, DON'T MAKE ME A THIEF www.geocities.com/squire592001/jason.html

I do not own one project by Buddy Emmons that I consider to be bad. When I sit down at the record player I usually pull out the "Black Album" first. I have stated several times I just cannot get enough of that Emmons sound. Off the subject a little, our local radio station plays some great country. They have been playing more Ray Price with Buddy Emmons playing steel. His tone was just fantastic then and still is today.

Just to scratch the surface of my list of favorites, not including any instrumentals:
(In no particular order.)

Dreams of a Dreamer - Darrell McCall
Renegade Picker - Steve Young
Gentle on my Mind - John Hartford
Catch a Fallin' Star - John Anderson
Rainy Day Woman - Mel Tillis
Coca-Cola Cowboy - Mel Tillis
Touch My Heart - Ray Price
Someday Soon - Judy Collins
I Hear Little Rock Callin' - Ferlin Husky
Half a Mind - Ernest Tubb
Who Got Our Love - John Anderson
Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurtin' Me - Ray Price & Willie Nelson
Old Chunk of Coal - John Anderson
Remember Me - Billy Walker
I Gotta Get Drunk - George Jones & Willie Nelson
Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes - Ray Price
Night Life - Ray Price
Hold On - J.J. Cale
Houston - Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers
The Lady Takes the Cowboy Every Time - Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers
All I Have to Do is Dream - The Osbourne Brothers
Georgia Piney Woods - The Osbourne Brothers
Among My Souvenirs - Marty Robbins
Farm Boy Blues - Darrell McCall
A Way to Survive - Ray Price
Burnin' the Roadhouse Down - Steve Wariner
If it Weren't for Country Music I'd Go Crazy - Clinton Gregory
Getting Over You Again - Gene Watson
10 Chord Blues - John Hartford
Different Kind of Flower - Ray Price
Invitation to the Blues - Roger Miller
I Cross My Heart - George Strait
When I'm With You - Doyle Holly & the Buckaroos
It's My Lazy Day - Darrell McCall, (Buddy plays killer bass.)

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My best,
Ernie

www.BuddyEmmons.com

Man, that really is a hard one as I don't recall anthing "Big E" has played that dosn't belong on the Best Of Emmons. Just too many to fathom. I know that if such a compilation come to pass that I will own it.

Really too many to choose from, but I would pick the two recordings from Scotty's 1978 LP as it was one of the first steel guitar instrumental albums I purchased.

The tone of "Blue Jade" was simply awesome, especially since it was live. In fact, that recording was used in Scotty's Anthology course. I think Buddy used his 67 Emmons (the blade), Session 400 and one of those old echoplexes on the tune.

The second tune is "You are so Beautiful." He used a phase shifter on it and I played the recording for my wife-to-be on our first date.

Those are two special recordings for me.

What a joy it is to read responses to this topic by heroes like Paul Franklin and Bobby Caldwell. I have nothing to say. Like them, I will wait to see what the future holds.

His performances are countless.....timeless.....priceless (except for Ray)......and not over yet.

Buddy's the reason I play steel.

I simply can't name a favourite, but I'm extremely fond of 'Volcanic Action Of My Soul' - Buddy Emmons and Ray Charles on the same record!!!

RR

While they aren't his greatest, the albums he did with Buddy Spicher and Lenny Breau have their moments (but Lenny's singing isn't one of them). If you're looking for some Buddy you haven't heard, this might be the ticket.

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"Drinking up the future, and living down the past"--unknown singer in Phoenix

A couple of my favorites not yet mentioned are "Our Yesterdays" and "I Built a Wall" on the Swingin' By Request album with Ray Pennington. Buddy also plays a beautiful understated solo on "Till I Can Gain Control Again" on Albert Lee's Heartbreak Hill album.

Three of my favorites have been mentioned, Roger Miller's "Trip In The Country," Ray Charles' "Volcanic Action Of My Soul," and Judy Collins'"Someday Soon."

There is also a very obscure LP by a DJ named Austin Woods. He used the Cherokee Cowboys to back him up, and Buddy plays "Bonaparte's Retreat" and "Twinkle Star" to die for. Oh yeah, and there's a killer "Rose City Chimes" on that Ernest Tubb LP, "Midnight Jamboree," (with the great cover). "Rock Candy" with Danny Gatton is off the charts too.

Joe

Hope you don't mind but I have to correct you on something. The Austin Wood album was recorded with the basic Texas Troubadour band. Austin was a good friend of mine and he talked of this album quite often. I wore out several copies. Emmons, Rhodes, Drake, Buddy Spicher, Gordon Terry, and not sure anymore who played drums but I think it was Jack Greene.

Dittoes on the Austin Wood recording.

Austin's "Songs To Remember" album is totally killer (thanks, Joe ), including Austin's singing which I find soulful, if not quite up to the atmospheric standard of the rest of the band.

I could definitely tell Spicher's fiddling fer sure, but I thought the other fiddler might be Tommy Jackson (esp. on "Snowflake"). But now that you mention Gordon Terry, it could be him as well.

Buddy told me a couple years ago that there was a second album that they did together. Austin Wood has a second disc I'm aware of, but I've been told by a record collector it's rockabilly and didn't have Emmons on it. It sells on the vintage market for more than "Songs to Remember."

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Hi Herb & Les,
I stand corrected. I guess I figured that since i didn't hear Wade Ray, and I did hear twin fiddles, that it had to be the Cherokee Cowboys. At any rate, the Troubadours and Cherokee Cowboys are both wonderful, and they allowed Buddy to shine.

#1 Cover tune: "King Of Broken Hearts" (George Straight)
#1 Instrumental: "Highland Swing"
Are you kidding? you can't narrow it down!
The C6 break on Johnny Bush's, "Drivin' Nails"
Neal Hefty's, "Lil' Darilin'"
"At E's"
And the list goes on and on...
Big Fan,
Don E. Curtis

Tasty stuff w/ John Hartford, Lester Flatt, and Benny Martin on the "Tennessee Jubilee" album. BE plays "thumb style" and dobro.

On the "American Sampler" LP with Spicher, his ride on Lady Be Good, especially the two bar break at the front of the solo.

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Bill Cunningham

Thanks to an alert Forumite who mentioned that Buddy was on the newly released Elektra CD of Paul Siebel's two records "Woodsmoke and Oranges & Jackknife Gypsy", I immediately purchased it.

This is "must-have" CD. Buddy plays beautiful accompaniment to Uncle Dudley, Prayer Song, and a great solo on the shuffle Hillbilly Child, but the bonus track Nervous is worth the price of the CD all by itself.

If you liked what Buddy did on John Sebastian's "Rainbow over your Blues", you will LOVE "Nervous". Buddy starts off with a very catchy little intro, plays all the fills and all the solos, and ends with an outro basically over the I chord with enough signature Emmons' licks to keep anyone busy for a long time. The outro goes on for about a minute on E9, and then he switches to C6 and gets even hotter!

Of course, Weldon Myrick's double-tracked playing on "She Made Me Lose My Blues" is also a classic.

A great CD!

i can't choose 1 or 2
i dig everything that Buddy plays !
like many here, Buddy is the reason i took to steelin'