The Steel Guitar Forum

Anyone got this CD yet?... Got mine yesterday. Headphones are a must for this CD if you want to hear all the subtle things going on. I don't know where Keith comes up with some of his leads and background riffs but they are original and catchy. When I put my headphones on I felt like I went back in time to a real 50's school dance. Other than 2 ballads, this entire CD will have your feet tapping. A couple of the songs toward the end made me realize that the 60's surfing songs came from this style of music. Keith came up with really great solos on both slow songs. When I first listened to "I'm Gonna Be A Wheel", I thought Keith had lost his mind. The more I listened to it, it cracked me up and finally grew on me. The last song on the CD is as good as any ballad I have ever heard. If these guys don't watch out they are going to start a cult following like the Grateful Dead did. In closing I must say this is authenic Rockabilly and I hope Keith gets some clips of these on his website so you can get a feel of what they have made. This is also an excellent CD tape to practice this style of music with. Gary Atkinson was born to boogie!!!!!!

Saw a show on PBS last night about Roots of Rock-a-billy,Had forgot about Johnny Burnette,He was playing rock-a-billy BEFORE Elvis and his peers,Johnny had a neat song in 53 called Rock-a-billy boogie.DYKBC.

I don't want to be a wise @$$ here, but Johnny Burnette's Rockabilly Boogie was recorded in -56 in Nashville, months after Elvis had been signed to RCA and had the first huge hits. The Burnette Bros did hang around the same joints in Memphis as Elvis and were absorbing the same musical influences. Being amateur boxers, they had some sort of a hoodlum reputation in Memphis. Nevertheless, The Burnette Bros' Coral recordings are corner stones of rockabilly.

Any steel on it?

I played in Jackson New Years Eve, during the second they called up a guy who has being playing some in Branson, well he did a whole hour and a half of rock a billy 50's 60's style and I enjoyed playing that whole set. As they would say I was in hog heaven, had my Sho-Bud rocking. He told me that he didn't know a steel could rock like that.

Yup plenty of steel on it. And Keith did a great job!

So where can you get it???

The PBS Show about Rock-a billy said Johnny Burnett Recorded Rock-a-billy boogie in 53,I don't know,Maybe they don't know either.DYKBC.

Rick, glad you liked the CD. Actually Scott, they used me on pedal steel guitar because I am so good looking. It had nothing to do with my ability to play, I just look good on stage. I suspect some of the licks I played would be pretty hard to copy. I don't know if I could play them again. The E9th picking is not your run of the mill Buddy Emmons stuff from Ray Price records. Concerning the cult following Rick, maybe. Sales have been great. This kind of hot music is fun to play. You have to be agressive, in other words the guitar players have to get out of your way.

Hello Rick, thanks for the good review on this cd.
Ol' Keith will surprise you on a lot of things,he not only builds the best volume pedal there is, he is also a top-notch steel player. When the guys who produced this cd said they wanted a steel player with a lot of imagination they heard Keith and new they had found their man. If you play ol' rock on the C6 neck it comes out like swing sometimes. Keith used the E9th and matched what the guitar was doing.
We wanted a hard driving bass with a simple boogie pattern and thats what we got. Keith did an outstanding job on everything without being reputisous,what a word. To order this CD look at Hilton electronic's web site. You won't be disappointed. Thanks a bunch Gary A.

Charles Davidson wrote:The PBS Show about Rock-a billy said Johnny Burnett Recorded Rock-a-billy boogie in 53,I don't know,Maybe they don't know either.DYKBC.

Yep, they don't know The first recordings Burnette Bros did were in -55 and that single was basic hillbilly. Here's a link to discography pages:
http://www.burnettebrothers.user.fr/

I went to the "Hilton electronic website" but there's nothing there about this CD.

Andy, you are right, there is nothing on my web site about the CD. I have been so busy I have not had time to list the new CD on my web site. I do sell the CD. It costs $14.00 plus $2.00 shipping. Send order to: Keith Hilton 248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721. I do have a different CD, with sound samples, listed on my web site: This is the CD Terry Bethel produced with me playing the steel. Thanks for bragging on me Gary, it was a pleasure working with you on the Rockabilly CD. Rockabilly is different than--Swing,Blues,Rock,Bluegrass,Jazz,Country and everything else. I don't know of any Rockabilly CD where most of the lead work is done by E9th pedal steel. I smiled when Andy said, "Any steel on it?"
On this Rockabilly CD the Steel Guitar is in charge, NOT the guitar.

I picked up my copy early on. This CD will keep your feet moving for sure. I love this old rock a billy stuff and Keith sure does a good job on this CD. If you don't have a copy better get one!!