The Steel Guitar Forum

Roger:
I couldn't agree more on Lloyd . I first met him in February 1959 on the Midnight Jamboree, he invited me to play his steel on our set. That was also Donny Young's ( Paycheck) breakout with The Mountain Top song. Darrel McCall was also in the house that night.
Lloyds guitar was a D-8 Rick with two pedals as I recall.Two of the Wilburns were on fiddle and bass. I believe it was George and Leslie. The lead picker was Troy Brown.The singer was Danny Mack.

Old Bud

Rick Campbell wrote:Thanks for the ID on Walter. While we're at it, is this also Walter playing guitar in this one? Can you ID any of the other band members?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnq4FDs6 ... L&index=54

Bump = still looking for an answer

Yes,Rick-that is Walter with Carl and Miss Pearl,two of my old bosses...what a couple of sweethearts...Sonny Burnette on steel...another jewel...I don't recognize any of the other guys...great clip!

Steve,

What a treat, getting to work for Carl and Pearl. Thanks so much for the info. That's been bugging me for years. Carl and Pearl were some of my favorites. Del McCoury said he knew them when he worked for Bill Monroe (1963 era) and that they shared a dressing room at that Opry, and that they sang so loud you could harldly stand to be in the same room. I think Carl worked for Monroe at one time too, or at least did some session work.

I was working a show this summer and Pearl's sister was there. I told her how much I liked their music and I sang Don't Let Me Cross Over, on the show.... and even though the band members were all my age (50) they didn't know the song. I think I must have been born in a time warp, because this happens all the time.

Sorry for the side track, back to Apartment #9.

On four versions of Apt #9 ,on a scale of 0-5 with 0 being good and 5 the best, I had one 5, two 2's and one 3. I don,t recall hearing Pauls version ,I am pretty certain however how I would rate it if I heard it.

Has the guy ever played anything that wasn't perfect?

Probably yes, a few times when he was out in the garage practicing on some new ideas.

With out divulging my vote I will say I sure did like LLoyd Greens version of Apt #911

louie hallford wrote:On four versions of Apt #9 ,on a scale of 0-5 with 0 being good and 5 the best, I had one 5, two 2's and one 3. I don,t recall hearing Pauls version ,I am pretty certain however how I would rate it if I heard it.

Has the guy ever played anything that wasn't perfect?

Probably yes, a few times when he was out in the garage practicing on some new ideas.

With out divulging my vote I will say I sure did like LLoyd Greens version of Apt #911

I've never heard a perfect player. I hope I never do. That would be so boring. But, maybe being a perfect player involves a calculated amount of notes and timing that is not exactly on the money, and everyone interpets it differently, and those calculated imperfections makes it perfect. So, playing perfect intonation and timing is not perfect at all, it's actually imperfect. Now smoke on that awhile.

Louie:

Paul's 'version' can be heard if you follow Jamie's link earlier in this thread. It's a performance by the Time Jumpers at the Station Inn. It's far from being a definitive recorded version - rather just a guy being thoroughly inventive on the band-stand - but he does some stunning contrary-motion phrases near the end of his solo.

Well worth a listen!

Kevin Hatton wrote:The genius playing that was Pete Drake. This song is a study for steel players in when NOT to play. Pete Drake creates anticipation here.

Here! Here!
It always beats me how many people bypass Pete Drake as first choice when asking the question "who's the steel player" especially from the era 1962/75.

Its almost as if folks are thinking wow that's great playing but surely it cant be Pete Drake 'cos he's just a three lick player and makes it talk, well the purveyors of that way of thinking need to be ignored, as Kevin said Pete was a session musician of genius, he played to compliment the singer and the song and sometimes playing where you you wouldn't expect it....restraint is not easy but he wasn't playing to impress his peers.

My soap box is now safely back in the cupboard again. (till next time!)

I have just seen this thread, in fact while I have been here on the PC trying to catch up with some emails, I had this from Charley....

Dave,
Although I never went back into the forum thread that I posted in to see how bad I was being flamed by everbody for the comment about Lloyd Green paying attention to you, I guess I'm just a chicken$h!t. I'm sure the responses were very brutal and it probably embarassed you too. Sometimes when you have too many beers, you say what you think without consideration of anyone else. I have a lot of experience with that.

I still stand by my opinion though; I want you to know that, Sir.

I've loved and listened to every lick, intro, fill and phrase of the PSG since I was 15 years old. There's no finer instrument that speaks the emotion and voice of God. He has given you a very special gift and it seems to me, there is nothing that you can't play flawlessly, as far as I'm concerned.

My appologies for any embarrassment I may have caused you.

In my defence, let me say this:

We have heros such as John Wayne, Babe Ruth, Mohamed Ali, Humphrey Bogart, Richard Petty, Wilt Chamberlin, Gene Autry, Mark Spitz, an many many more. These are heros in our minds although their records have been far surpassed by others such as Mark Phelps, etc. If you think about it, we put those folks on a pedastal and enshrine them, anyway. Their talents have been placed in what seems to be an untouchable box. It doesn't matter how great you are, you can never measure up to them. I, however, do not fall for that paradym. If Albert Lee isn't standing up and paying attention to John Stannard, and Lloyd Green isn't paying attention to you, then they are too stuck on themselves. Greatness doesn't end with any so-called super star status.

Let me add that I would have never gotten into country music had it not been for Lloyd Green on one of Charley Prides albumns. I spell my name Charley after Mr. Pride. Lloyd was really the one that hooked me on the feel of pure country music though, I love his music very much.

Dave, I swear to God, you should be inducted to the PSG Hall of Fame for what you do with youtube. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be sitting next to my brand new SD10 3/5. I want to play it well and I don't want this voice of God to die!

I know there are many pro's on the forum and I very much appriciate everything they do, and continue to do. I just happen to be a real fan of yours and intend to remain so.

Please don't write me off as a friend because everyone on the forum may have thought I was stupid. My opinion is what it is and I stand by it strongly. I'd love to disscuss this with Lloyd himself. I bet he would be giving you the kudos you deserve. I have no doubt about that.

If you have been watching that particular thread, you are certainately welcome to copy and paste this email text there. I hope they will understand and forgive me as I ask that you do too.

You friend and fan always
Charley

I thought I would copy/paste it into my reply here, he said he wouldn't mind.

Let me tell you, I totally agree with Roger who quoted...

David plays very well, but he's clearly influenced by Lloyd Green, a man who, by virtue of his unique approach to music in general and E9th in particular, defined a brand-new style all those years ago. Who among us has not - consciously or otherwise - 'borrowed' something from his work?

Credit where it's due - Lloyd Green might be the most innovative E9th player ever.

I was, and still am, highly influenced by Lloyd Greens playing. Even though there was no internet, no CD's or .mp3's etc years ago, I did have a Mum and Dad who had all the old country records. This is how I learned to play, Not much television watching, just spinning records, dropping the needle in the 'steel lead break groove' as much as possible and trying to suss it all out. I am very humbled to be even known of by Lloyd Green, I was nearly in tears when I received his 'Revisited' CD that he signed and also sent a note enclosed too. Believe me, he is still my #1 player of all time. I thank him, and many other great steel guitarists, sadly, some of course are no longer with us, for everything they have recorded, to give me the chance to work out, copy, and play this wonderful instrument, the pedal steel guitar. If I get another 30 years to carry on playing the steel learning from Lloyd alone, I will never get to be, in my personal opinion, anywhere close to him.

Many thanks to you all.
Sincerely from David Hartley

Pete Drake ! I bet there are lots of great steel lines and licks out there that we gave credit to the wrong player. You guys have opened my eyes. I want to know more about Mr. Drake.
Thanks for all the input. It has been a great thread.