The Steel Guitar Forum

I was hoping you all could help me (and other newbies) out by suggesting a readily available recording that is the best representation of a particular player's style. For example, what is the definitive recording of Buddy Emmons' playing? I know there will be differing opinions and that there usually isn't just one album that sums up any player's style, but I think this thread could be a great resource for those of us getting started and trying to figure out who is who. What I want to know is where to go if I am looking for a good example of Buddy Emmons, John Hughey, Hal Rugg, Lloyd Green, Ralph Mooney, Tom Brumley, Buddy Charlton, Sonny Curtis, etc. The key is readily available recordings, and please be specific about tracks if there is more than one player on an album. Thanks!

I like the Buddy Emmons "black" album. I also like the Johnny Paycheck Lil'Darlin' set for some great Lloyd Green stuff. There are many others, but these are two of my personal favorites.

Ya, I think most people would agree that, for Buddy Emmons, you need to get The Black Album. That's where it all began and it holds up magnificently to this very day. (BTW, the official title of the recording is "Emmons Guitar Company" but everyone knows it simply as 'The Black Album')

Thanks, guys! I'll go ahead and recommend Buck Owens' self titled album (I think it's his first)as a great example of Ralph Mooney's style. It's got "Above and Beyond" and "Under Your Spell Again". I know he recorded with Wynn Stewart and Waylon Jennings, but I really like his playing on this one and the other early Buck Owen's records. Definitely a big influence on me. This CD is available on Amazon.

As Jody mentioned, some of Lloyd's most memorable work was with Johnny Paycheck when he was on the Little Darlin' lable. I think pretty much all early Paycheck had Lloyd on the steel. Another couple of other great sources for Lloyd are the earlier Gene Watson material, and also, although a bit harder to come by, the things he recorded with Mel Street. Charley Pride's hits from the late 60's and 70's was also Lloyd. Also pretty much anything you can find by Lynn Anderson would have Lloyd all over it.

Hal Rugg is probably most identifiable on all of Loretta Lynn's big hits. John Hughey was the steel guitar sound behind Conway Twitty on pretty much all his major hits, and of course John was also the steel guitarist on a lot of Vince Gill material. One of the best albums that Vince did that has John all over it is called "The Key".

Of course Tom Brumley can be found on the majority of Buck Owen's material from probably around the mid 60's up through most of the 70's at least.

Buddy Charleton is on a great deal of Ernest Tubb's recordings, but I really couldn't give any specifics on that.

Pete Drake can be heard on Tammy Wynette's hits from the 60's and early 70's, with the exception of D.I.V.O.R.C.E., which was Lloyd G.

For Lloyd Green, it's really impossible to name just one, because his style has changed so much over the years, while always being superlative:
(In roughly chronological order)

the Johnny Paycheck Little Darlin' stuff, in particular The Real Mr. Heartache album, is great showcasing his early style.

An instrumental album also from his earlier days that's outstanding is Green Country (available in cassette from the Forum--see "CDs & Tapes" at the top of the page).

He plays backup in his prime on Charley Pride In Person--Live At Panther Hall; it's unusual in that Lloyd plays 99% of the solos and fills throughout.

Lloyd plays on only two songs on Ricky Skaggs's Highways and Heartaches--"You've Got a Lover" and "Nothing Can Hurt You"--but those two alone would be well worth the price of the album. Great steel by Bruce Bouton and Weldon Myrick also on the album.

His most recent instrumental album, Revisited, is a superb representation of his "mature" style. (Not suggesting for a moment that there's anything "immature" about any of the earlier stuff!)

Not sure how to define 'definative', but I'll add Jay Dee Maness' (and Herb Pederson and Chris Hillman's) Bakersfield Bound CD. This is basically all Jay Dee, all the time, and it is just astounding.
Speaking of Jay Dee (and Lloyd), I'll also throw Sweetheart of the Rodeo in as well. Sure was definative to me back in the day...

Curly Chalker: Counterpoint

Maurice Anderson: Universal Direction

Paul Franklin: Christmas Collection

Jim Cohen wrote:Ya, I think most people would agree that, for Buddy Emmons, you need to get The Black Album. That's where it all began and it holds up magnificently to this very day. (BTW, the official title of the recording is "Emmons Guitar Company" but everyone knows it simply as 'The Black Album')

I prefer the Maestros work backing a singer on a great song. I prefer all my steel in that context and find "steel albums" virtually unlistenable tho the playing is certainly phenomenal. i realize Im probably in the minority here. I own the black album and it never gets played.

I like albums like Bakersfield Bound, Panther Hall (actually i think its called Charley Pride in Person), You Dont Know Me, Sweetheart, etc. Great songs, great singers...mind blowingly great steel playin. just my personal preference I guess.

what would you all say is the definitive Buddy Emmons backing a singer?
What would you all say is the "best" steel centric or steel intrumental album? Im listening to the black album as I type this...it is pretty darned good I must admit.

Flying Burrito Brothers "Guilded Palace of Sin". My favorite steel player, Sneaky Pete on one of my favorite albums.

Ben, My opinion on Buddy backing a singer would be between Ray Price and those great Swinging albums with Ray Pennington, I think those are some of the best Country (swing) out there, Those are my Favorites.

... with Roger Miller ('A Trip to the Country')?

Don't forget Paul Franklin on George Strait Ocean Side Property, and all the rest of that album.

LLoyd on Charlie Pride At Panther hall.

Weldon and Connie Smith.

ernie

Can't resist.

My most influential recordings in order:

George Jones - Live at Dancetown USA (Buddy Emmons)
Johnny Paycheck - The Real Mr. Heartache [best of Lil' Darlin] (Lloyd Green)
The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo (Lloyd's playing especially)
Charlie Pride - Live at Panther Hall (Lloyd)

For Ralph Mooney I love his record with James Burton called "Corn Pickin and Slick Sliding" (I think that is the name anyway).

Also his playing on the "Waylon Live" cd is a must.

My favorite album with Buddy backing a singer is actually a Buddy Emmons album(!), "Buddy Emmons sings Bob Wills". Also noteworthy: Ray Price's "Reunited", Darrell McCall's "Lily Dale", and Benny Martin's "Tenessee Jubilee" (with banj@, scary stuff!).

Among steel instrumental albums by Buddy E, the "white" album (Steel Guitar, on Flying Fish) is also a must, showcasing all types of steels and all kinds of music they can be used in, from island songs and oldtime country to modern rock and Pachelbel's Canon in D.

Other unmissable steel albums IMO: Lloyd's Ten shades of Green and Lloyd's of Nashville; John Hughey's On and off stage, Crawford/Hicks's Chicken pickin' good, Weldon Myrick's Pedalman and Bob Lucier's Eleven Favorites.

Otherwise I tend to agree with Ben J – with a few exceptions steel is really best used as a backing instrument, a whole album of steel instrumentals can actually be a little too much of a good thing.

I'm with you, Jim. "Trip In The Country" is my favorite Emmons backing album. It's so under-produced that it almost sounds live. No frills or extra stuff, just basic hard core country with the definitive Emmons tone. If you can learn these licks your career would be assured. Well, you could probably pass on the "Tall Tall Trees" solo.

Speaking of Emmons, I think you get a little bit of everything on the "Emmons-Ray Pennington " albums. These were real productions with great arrangements.

Looks like we've got plenty of good examples for Buddy Emmons and Lloyd Green. Thanks.

Note: Roger Miller's "Trip in the Country" is out of print as far as I know, but I was able to find a handful of tunes from the album on "King of the Road: the Genius of Roger Miller"

Just a reminder that we are looking for readily available recordings that are good examples of the player's unique style.

Take a look at the steel guitar hall of fame for other influential players that we haven't hit on yet here. If there is a recording that you think exemplifies their unique style, I'd appreciate your input.

Eventually, I'd like to make a list for easy reference which I will post.

Per, Ten Shades of Green is my favorite Lloyd Green instrumental album, but it seems not to be currently "readily available", which is what Brian asked for.

Brian, another potential way to get the Roger Miller "A Trip In the Country" album is a CD called "Roger Miller--Country Tunesmith". It has the entire "A Trip In the Country" album plus other material (not with BE). It, too, I think is out of print, but is more recent, and I was able to get a copy through Amazon about a year ago.

I don't have all the "Swingin'" series albums by BE and Ray Pennington, but of the few I have, "Swingin' By Request" is my personal favorite, FWIW.

The question asked, was fair indeed, HOWEVER, for those of us that date back a way, we were not blessed with the specifics about which you ask.

We picked out a single artist that really rang our bell then we sought to acquire virtually every record he produced. Gradually, not minutes or hours, but after months of listening for 'clues', we were then able to identify our 'chosen one' as he played on records of other OPRY STARS. As our identification skills expanded so did our record collections and so did our playing abilities.

The great players you mention are playing from their own creative instincts and altho' we all have preferences, no single cut, record, album or CD is going to display for you, all that I believe you're inquiring about.

Take one step at a time with one artist at a time before choosing to move ahead. You'll be much happier in less time, will enjoy less confusion and most likely will have learned a great deal.

I think the cuts from "Trip" are available in a Bear Family Roger Miller collection.
BE also played some great stuff on Nancy Sinatra's country album around that same time. It's probably not available, though, but definitely worth searching for. The highlight would be his smokin' solo on "Oh Lonesome Me".

+1 on both the"Trip"and Nancy Sinatra records...two of my favorites!

"Just a reminder that we are looking for readily available recordings that are good examples of the player's unique style."

-alot of this stuff is sadly out of print Brian.
Trip in the Country, Panther Hall (Charlie Pride in Person), The Real Mr. Heartache, etc etc.

I'd have to include Jimmy Day's "Steel and Strings" double CD.