The Lesser-Known Greats

Bob Coombes · Post by **Bob Coombes** » 25 Oct 2001 12:40 pm

Bob&Jack Its a pleasent suprise to hear about Whit Taylor. I am definitley in agreement with you. It was in the early 1950s when i met him . he was playing a gig with a local band at the Palm Gardens club in Topeka Kansas i beleave the band was fronted by a DJ/Singer named Alabama Dave Rutlidge, anyway my old buddy and mentor Danny Shields introducde us and i found him to be a real gentleman who took time to help a novice like myself to under stand the C/6th tuneing altho its been many years & to many miles, i still recall both Whit & Dannys encouragement. If any of you guys have further info concerning Whit or Danny please post it or e-mail to me . Thanks Bob&Jack for this post, it sure brought back the memorys. Again thanks Bob Coombes

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 25 Oct 2001 4:24 pm

How could I be so stupid?? I have scanned thru all the names mentioned and I realize this is supposed to be about Lesser-Known Greats. Well, I really don't consider Joe Wright a LSG but there have been so many big names mentioned that just the fact that his name has not been mentioned would indicate that he is not getting the recognition in this post he deserves. I don't believe there is a steel guitar player alive with more talent and ability to entertain than Joe Wright. I guess if there was a Joe Wright fan club I would be honored to be the President of it.
Jerry Roller

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 26 Oct 2001 6:45 am

Let me add Smiley Roberts,Carl West,Johhny Davis,Red Rhodes,Norm Hamlet,Bucky Ried,Buzz Evans,Jim Vest,Ron Elliot,Wally Murphy,Niel Flanz,J.D. Maness,George Edwards,Mike Cass,Jim Smith, Jimmy Roule,Doug Beaumier,Hal Higgens,Ray Ganek,Bill Stafford,Terry Sutton,Jim Cohen,Sammy Gibson,Frankie Caruso,Peggy Green.There are so many Journeymen pickers out there that have been content to stay in Markets where they can make a living. The Spotlights have been dimmer but the talents have shined brightly to those of us that have been lucky enough to know the difference.....

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CJC

[This message was edited by Joe Casey on 26 October 2001 at 08:33 AM.]

jess dodson · Post by **jess dodson** » 26 Oct 2001 1:04 pm

Don Ricketson Llano Tex

Steven Knapper · Post by **Steven Knapper** » 28 Oct 2001 10:02 am

To the guys that mentioned the West Coast guy, Blackie Taylor was not mentioned. Been around more than 40 years (player), played for Tom Brumley when he was over booked. Also was buddies with Red Rhodes and Al Petty, played the same venues and traded jobs. Blackie is certainly one of the unsung West Coast heros of PSG that hardly ever gets mentioned. Steve

Bill Myrick · Post by **Bill Myrick** » 28 Oct 2001 12:46 pm

How does this name rate for "lesser known" ?
Kevin Clemons
Some of you have heard him I'm sure. IMHO the hottest thing in and around Branson and yet----"lesser known" He's doing accounting work now and only playing pick up gigs ! Wow, what a talent waste !!!

Evelyn Whitney · Post by **Evelyn Whitney** » 28 Oct 2001 8:42 pm

Doyle Grisham....Frank Rogers..
Leonard T. Zinn.....Bill Stafford
Dennis Robison.... etc
All just simply great pickers.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 29 Oct 2001 5:20 am

couple more Yes definitely Blacky Taylor,Tiny Olsum,Terry Bethel,and all the guys that spend years on the road making all the artist sound great while not getting any real credit except from peers that know the reality.

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CJC

Steven Knapper · Post by **Steven Knapper** » 29 Oct 2001 7:46 pm

I made a mistake when I said that Blackie Taylor sat in for Brumley a lot when he was over booked. It was not Tom Brumley but Ralph Mooney, I stand corrected. I made that statment on page 2 of this topic I think.
Steve

Mark Tomeo · Post by **Mark Tomeo** » 30 Oct 2001 10:32 am

I gotta go with Hank DiVito on this one...
I'd only been playing a year or so around the time of "Elite Hotel" and wore a hole in "Ooh Las Vegas." Years later when the sound file and tab for that solo appeared on Rebel & Ricky's page actually learning it sent me down a whole new road of musical ideas.
Black Emmons, the Hot Band so hip and cool compared to mainstream country in the mid to late '70s - I was already sold on steel by that point but Hank helped reinforce my conviction that steel was exactly the right obsession.

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 30 Oct 2001 6:51 pm

Brian Adams is a great, great player. He is also a top notch push pull tech. He built a new D10 for me in 1981 and it was and is the
best playing push pull I have ever played and sounded great. I sold it a year ago for travelling and lodging money for my heart surgery trip to Cleveland. The guy who bought it said he would only buy it under the condition that I could have it back anytime I wanted it. I may have it back someday. I had a chance to drool over it two weeks ago in Hot Springs!
Jerry

bill ramsey · Post by **bill ramsey** » 1 Nov 2001 2:27 am

dont forget the late ray scearce. friend of don west and buddy charleton. ray was from danville, va. but passed away in michigan.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 1 Nov 2001 7:30 am

Man, Shame on all of us !! I just listened to an album on Live 365 and then went back to this thread and read it very carefully.
Sorry, not a mention of this guy. He has been seen regularly on TV and has several albums and tone "you'd die for" !! But although I kinow everyone knows him, there wasn't even a hint.

Here is one vote for LARRY SASSER and SASSY COUNTRY !!

Go Larry Go !! Regards, Paul

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 1 Nov 2001 7:54 am

KOOS BIEL

Mike Sweeney · Post by **Mike Sweeney** » 1 Nov 2001 10:14 am

Jerry, I agree about Bryan Adams. He is like family to me. He does all my guitar repairs and even though I have to drive from Nashville to Mountain City Tn. to have it done I wouldn't have anyone else do it. I heard it said that Ron Lashley Sr. once said "I have more confidence in Bryan's work on these old guitars than anybody I've ever seen build or work on". And yes he is a great player. Also from that area is Eddie Trent from Kingsport he does so many sessions up in that area that it would make your head spin. And a little farther up the road was Jerry Staley who passed away this past Jan. was from Rural Retreat Va. And Mike Calloway from Salem, Va. Tom Sweeney from Blacksburg,Va. Jerry Flemming from Roanoke, Va. These are the guys who put the fire in me when I was just a Pup. Mike Sweeney

Mike Sweeney · Post by **Mike Sweeney** » 1 Nov 2001 10:18 am

I'm sorry I forgot Joe McCrea from Salem Va. Mike

Susan Alcorn · Post by **Susan Alcorn** » 1 Nov 2001 5:44 pm

There are a few that I would add:

Sneaky Pete Kleinow -- so tasteful, and I just loved the solo album he did years ago with Hanaleii on it. Beautiful

Pete Drake -- he's someone tht shouldn't be forgotten. A very funky sound -- and very country.

Marshall Hall -- a visionary. He's the first musician I ever herd playing Japanese music on the steel guitar

Alvino Rey -- anotherinnovator. I remember when I was little seeing him on TV with the King Sisters.

Rusty Young -- Poco.

Bill Stafford -- My Own Private Idaho

BJ Cole -- who has been making important in music his own way for a long time.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 1 Nov 2001 6:25 pm

How are those great players "lesser known", Susan? I've been hearing those names since I first started playing steel.

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 1 Nov 2001 10:08 pm

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Big Jim Murphy yet. He is truly one of the best steel players on the planet. Great tone, great feel, tons of chops!

andy sainio · Post by **andy sainio** » 2 Nov 2001 12:39 am

Hi! Has anybody mentioned Robbie Springfield? Best wishes,Andy.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 2 Nov 2001 5:10 am

I think we should add Susan Alcorn to this list. Comments like those made by Lloyd Green and Maurice Anderson on her SGWM interview should not be taken lightly. And if my memory serves me well, I think her 6th tuning could be called innovative as well.

Regards, Paul

Henry · Post by **Henry** » 2 Nov 2001 5:47 am

WHAT ABOUT THE GREATEST FROM EUROPE????
THE UNITED STEELS OF EUROPE
NILS TUXEN.Gery Hogan,Jean yeves Lozach,
Andre Sommer and Koos Biel????!!!!

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 2 Nov 2001 8:34 am

What is the name of the Japaneese guy that plays for Mark Chestnut?
Talk about lesser knowns.
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Steeling is still legal in Arizona[This message was edited by Ray Jenkins on 02 November 2001 at 08:36 AM.]

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 2 Nov 2001 11:07 am

Ray; Wasn't that Katz - - - - . or was it Cats Ko - - - Help me out here Gene Jones !
I've forgotten my Kana again. Ko be i ya shi
is how you say it phonically but I can't recall the true spelling. He's cool alright so my spelling should be also.

Regards, Paul

Steve Stallings · Post by **Steve Stallings** » 2 Nov 2001 12:05 pm

The Central Texas area around Belton is an extremely fertile ground for steelers. Some of my favorites who live and work here are.....
Steve Palousek.....need I say more?
Bill Dearmore....very underated player
Les Shelly...tone to the bone
Jr. Myers....Solid player
Don Ricketson....Centex's best kept secret
Skeeter Black....The worst hair in all of Centex, lol. but a great guy with solid chops
CC.Johnson...been there, done it, awesome

If I had ten percent of the talent of these guys I'd be tickled pink.....

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Steve Stallings
Bremond, Texas