The Steel Guitar Forum

I recently picked up the "Osborne Brothers : 1968 - 1974" Bear Family Box Set, the steel playing is done by Hal Rugg and is some of the finest country steel that can be found on any recording. I highly recomend this "set" for those who love country steel guitar. Best regards. ..jeff bradshaw

Jeff,I'm glad that you posted this.we have a radio show up here on Sun.afternoon and they play old stuff,this past Sun. they played "Rocky Top" by the Osborne Bros.Hal Rugg....what can you say? WOW!

Those records are brilliant. The arrangements are wonderful. Bobby Osborne has always been my favorite bluegrass singer. And Hal of course, what can we say, one of the kings.

When I was a kid we had the album "DOWN TO EARTH"
i think is the title. Anyway the song " A WORKIN' MAN WORKS TO PLEASE HIS WOMAN" has some kickin' steel on it. The whole album is great.

The Osbornes were definitely trendsetters although they regularly took criticism from both sides (Bluegrass purists claimed they were too country and country purists dismissed them as "too Bluegrassy".)There is no denying however that Hal's playing was superb, regardless of how you viewed the Osborne's music..... I remember purchasing an album in the early '70's by a version of "J.D. Crowe and the Kentucky Mountain Boys" which featured the Rice brothers, Tony on guitar and Larry on mandolin. Where there should have been mandolin breaks however, there were pedal steel solos in their place (played by Doug Jernigan I believe)so evidently someone thought the Osborne Brothers idea of adding steel and drums to Bluegrass had merit.

hey randge, we had a couple of 8-tracks of the osborne bros. when i was a kid. did "Down to Earth" have Tennessee Houndog, Ruby, and Somebody's back in Town??? i can't remember but sure did love em. well, anyway, i have a new box set to go buy now!
eddie, you and the boys sounded great last nite!

it was "Up to Date and Down to Earth"!! i think.

In the early 70's I had the chance to have a couple of long conversations with Sonny Osborne, the banjo player of the group, and the more approachable one as well. I was deep into a banjo phase and we talked about sources for new ideas with the instrument. He was a real experimenter, at one time even adding another lower string to the instrument, which can be heard on the "Up to Date...." album. At that time, banjo playing was dominated by either Scruggs style or by the newer "melodic / chromatic" style which was often little more than unending descending scales. Sonny's take was interesting. He said that he looked mostly to pedal steel for inspiration, especially after having such great success with their recordings. The Osbornes caught a lot of flack, but their talented vocal harmonies and musical arrangements were not like any one else, and not really within reach of anyone else.

Dennis

Rusty, Glad to see your name! I remember that "Flyin' South" (to dixie) was on it. Ronnie Reno was on the cover too. I think your right about the title. miss pickin' with ya, Randy

Dennis, you're right about the Osborne's harmony. With Bobby singing a high lead, and Sonny (one of the best baritones in bluegrass), the third part, sung by Red Allen, Ronnie Reno, Dale Sledd, and so many more, was free to bend, emulating the pedal steel sound. Gotta remember too, that during the time the Osbornes, Jim and Jesse, and a few more were using pedal steel on records, was because country stations were beginning to avoid bluegrass music, and get rid of the "hick" image. Sonny and Bobby had pretty good success, but a lot of folks went hungry.
Off the subject a little, for some great bluegrass pedal steel, check out Doug Jernigan's work with J.D. Crowe, especially when Keith Whitley was in the band. ASTOUNDING!!!