The Steel Guitar Forum

I happen to have been listening lately to both "Nashville Skyline" and "All Things Must Pass" and Pete Drake's great playing on both. Any idea what equipment he was using on these records? I would think a Sho Bud, although the great song "I Live For You" on ATMP sounds like pure Fender to me.

I think that Pete Drake always played a Sho-Bud.

I think Pete Drake always played Sho~Bud wooden neck guitars. His manager once told me he played through original Standel amps, before Randall bought them out. Always liked Pete's sound the best. Seems he played a lot of riffs (like in Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay"), instead of so much melody or countermelody.

I cut a master in Starday Studio in 1968, Pete Drake produced the session and played steel on it. He played a single 10 Sho Bud, great individual and picker, I just redone that session into a digital CD, still sounds great

Somebody please tell me when Randall bought Standel.

I also would love to see a video of Pete Drake, never ever seen him does anyone know of any footage anywhere of him ?

Larry King wrote:Somebody please tell me when Randall bought Standel.

Randall bought Standel in 1972 (after Standel went under from using non-serviceable modules in their amps). Randall sold Standel several years later to an engineering firm, who then sold the company to an amp company (Acoustic, I think), and now they're owned by Requisite Audio.

The few times I saw Pete Drake in person, he used Fender or Standel amps.

As long as I knew him, Pete used a one piece Standel with one 15" speaker.

His manager once told me . . .

Manager?

Who might that have been?

. . . ( Rose? )

~Russ

Donny.....thanks for the info. The reason this takes me by such surprize is that during that exact time period , I was a dealer for Randall and was at the factory perhaps a half dozen times. Chuck Weidner was THE man at Randall and he personally took us through the factory , had lunch together , and never once did that story surface . I loved their middle 70's product and still own two pieces from that period.

Hi Alan,

I do remember years ago seeing Pete play on the Porter Waggoner Show as a special guest with his talking steel, etc. This was 1960's or early 70's. Where you would find a copy of that I am not certain.

He played on Porter's number 1 "Green Green Grass of Home," and of course countless other hits. At one time he and Lloyd Green had the studio sessions just about sewed up in Nashville.

I would like a video tape of anything on the late Steel Hall of Famer, Zane Beck and I can't get that either. I know he was on some of Billy Walker's Country Carnival T.V. shows years ago. Anyone know where you get some of that?

Terry Wood

Pete can be seen in both Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar and Country Music on Broadway from the mid-60's. I think they're both available on DVD now.

Manager?

Who might that have been?

. . . ( Rose? )

~Russ

Russ, In the early '70's, I had driven up to Nashville with tape of some songs I had written. Walked in cold, to many publishers on music row. Back then, most had a receptionist to accept unsolicated material. Saw Pete Drake Productions, on I think 17th street. I called from pay phone to ask Pete what his amp setup was. Receptionist routed phone to person who said he was the manager at Pete Drake Productions. He said Pete was downstairs recording. I asked him what kind of amp Pete played through. He said Standel original, and that Pete always replaced the speaker with a cheaper replacement. --About a year later, on a cold winter day I stopped in at Pete Drake Productions, with some songs. Person named Tom took me and the tape into a listening room with hundreds of filed tapes along the wall. Played my songs twice, then took a tape from the shelf, played it, and explained a song must have a beginning, middle and end. It must go somewhere. Told me to bring any new songs by to see him. Much later I went back and he didn't work there anymore.....Sorry this was so long...

Eddie, do you have any idea where I should look for these DVDs ? Im going to try Amazon . com but any help on locating a outlet that will deliver to UK would be fantastic.
I have always liked the Pete Drake sound from when I first heard him on the " Nashville steel guitar " LP in the 60s . It would be great to find these DVDs .

Hello Alan, I would try the Ernest Tubb Record Shop right here in Nashville, ernesttubb.com, and they do ship all around the world.

Alan I have 4 songs I cut at Starday in 67, Pete played steel and was the director of this session. If you would send me your email address and if you would like, I will send you these songs, and anyone else interested, My email is asmith5655@aol.com

On display at the ET Record Shop on Broadway.

To the best of my recollection, in Feb. of ’68; Pete Drake played on 37 of the Top~40 Country Recordings!!!

John ,
Reading the liner notes on the reverse of his gospel album "Steel away" Pete also won the star instrumentalist of the year in 1966 . It goes on to say that out of 48 BMI award winning songs for 1966 he played on 38 of the sessions.

Alan; That is probably the statistic that I was thinking of!

Shorty,
Thanks ,I got your songs and thats good country , great to hear the Pete Drake sound. He never overplayed, he "layed out" a lot and then poped back in with his signature licks.On the third track " go to sleep now "he plays only the first verse and im anticipating some more steel all the way through to the end but it doesnt come.... leaving us wanting more. The master session man.

I

Alan Miller wrote:John ,
Reading the liner notes on the reverse of his gospel album "Steel away" Pete also won the star instrumentalist of the year in 1966 . It goes on to say that out of 48 BMI award winning songs for 1966 he played on 38 of the sessions.

And in 1959-60, when he came to town, he said it took 18 months of knocking on doors and hanging out to get his first session. "Everybody was wanting to cut pop, no steel wanted."

Sounds vaguely familiar... doesn't it?

I read that Pete was attributed with single handedly opening the door for pedal steel in Nashville.........after 18 months of knocking on them they had to open eventually.