The Steel Guitar Forum

I am at work listening to a Lloyd Green CD. a coworker was reading the CD notes and asked 'what does Little Darlin mean?'
I told him it was probably the pet name for Mr Green's ShoBud.

I post here for the definitive answer.
thanks in advance.

When Paychek's career was taking off he recorded for Little Darlin records. Lloyd was the steel player on that record and man; you want to hear some inovative picking, get this cd. Lloyd Green was way ahead of his time on this album. Every country steel player should have it. It's got enough licks on it to keep you busy for years. Greg

http://www.dealtime.com/xPC-The_Real_Mr ... y_Paycheck

Greg is right on. That is one incredible album and some amazing steel playin.

Whats weird is I bought a "best of" Paycheck album to try and get a feel for what he was all about and I hated it. Then a freind turned me on to the real mr heartache album and I absolutely loved it.I guess theres a few best of albums out there that dont really do justice to the artist in question..

That's for sure!! That's my favorite record to study for great E9 stuff.

all right. another album for my country discography.
the Lloyd Green CD I have is titled, " the Little Darlin Sound of Lloyd Green", subtitled 'the Master of The Steel Strings'. KOCH Records. Little Darin Records 2004.
thanks for the feedback.
you guys are the best.

edit:
my god, the typos I missed. I had to correct his name.
how could I have missed that?

Randy, you MUST have the "Real Mr. Heartache" cd. I'd give it to you but someone helped themselves to several cd's that were in my car a while back. If the thieves weren't steel players; they're going to be real disapointed. Greg (still unrecorded)

I will check out the Electric Fetus on the way home. they are a great source for music. they have just about everything for anyone's tastes or genre preferrence.

if I cannot find it...what would be a good alternative source? Amazon.com?

This ones a little high......... click here

I'm checking for you now..

I called our local classic country connection and that cd is now out of print.

Here's another chance. "Pardon me; I've got someone to kill". That's the name of a song on the album and what I'm gonna do if I find those punks who stole my $150.00 cd click here

Johnny Paycheck and Aubrey Mayhew co-owned Little Darlin' records. "Little Darlin'" was one of the expressions that Aubrey used a lot so he just applied it to his record label name. There are going to be more Little Darlin' releases as Aubrey Mayhew is still alive and is overseeing these new releases. Some of them are really raw demo sessions but will include lots of Lloyd Green backup.

Both Wikipedia and this source:

More Info!

have a lot of background on all this.

I've posted this before but here's a REALLY early Johnny Paycheck release from a 45 rpm record I had in my collection:


Early Paycheck


Greg

Back to the original question, What does "Little Darlin'" mean? It was kind of an inside term that musicians used to refer to early country music, since
many of the songs contained that phrase. Benny Martin used it a lot in a humorous way.

"Little Darlin" Was a "sound" Somewhat of a style that LG was playing at that time on that session. Like "tone". IMO (and as Greg said it was the name of the label) But mostly refered to as a sound. Like the "Bakersfield Sound" or that "Nashville Sound"

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Greg,that is an eary one. It sounds more like Donnie Young or even Donnie Lytle.

I have several old Paycheck 8 tracks,cassettes and Lp's of Paycheck with LG on steel.Great music that is timeless.BTW,I used to work with a fellow who called his wife "Lil Darlin'".She was about 5'1",275 lbs and no neck.She also rode a motorcycle!

Little Darlin' Records was Aubrey Mayhew's definition of Country Music. A hard and edgy sound which was defined by Lloyd Green's playing. Lloyd used a very clear and cutting sound and was all over those recordings, in fact the original albums did not list the musicians, but most of them mentioned "feat. Lloyd Green on Steel Guitar" which also proves to the fact how important the steel was in this concept. Other artists who recorded for LD included Bobby Helms, Country Johnny Mathis, Stonewall Jackson and Jeannie C. Riley (who cut her first album "Sock Soul" for LD).

Kind Regards, Walter

you all are the best. I knew it too when I posted the question.
I am eating up those nuggets.
my dad, who loved early country, had a dog named
Lil Darlin'. I don't remember much as I was a tiny crawler then. funny how I am learning more about my father after he is gone and in Heaven.
thanks guys. I appreciate the posts.

As an avid record collector, one of the things I have done is get copies of everything done on the Little Darlin' label I can find.

I have all the Paycheck lp's and contrary to what Walter says, Lloyd is listed on The Lovin' Machine lp as steel player - Lloyd Green. The only other one he is mentioned on is the Jukebox Charlie lp as featured Steel Guitarist.

As for the others, Country Johnny did 2 lp's on LD, a country lp entitled Come Home To My Heart, and a gospel lp entitled He Keeps Me Singing.

I have both of those plus the Stonewall Jackson lp and the Jeannie C. Riley lp.

Haven't had any luck yet with Bobby Helms.

I was working with a couple of other musicians in the early 70's putting together a Bluegrass Band. We were doing a Jimmy Martin song to see whether it was "us" or not. I was singing and used the word "sweetheart" or maybe "lover" or whatever. Our leader the banjo player, stopped us right there and said,"Charley remember this! In Bluegrass it's ALWAYS lil darlin'"! A lesson well learned.

Was Warner Mack part of the Little Darlin group? Seems like that's the same era and style of Lloyd Green.

Just so's we don't get the cart before the horse, the phrase "Little Darlin'", didn't stem from Aubrey Mayhew's record label. (See my earlier post). The
record label came into being about the time that musicians were using the term to define hard edged,
close to the bone, country music. Aubrey probably thought it was the perfect description of what he
wanted to record. (see Walter Stettner's post above).

I just got "The real Mr Heartache " CD a few days ago and had to talk the guy down from $70 to $30 Aus.But I tell you, It's priceless stuff,and a "required listening" for anyone who cares for great music.Someone should re-release this comp,it's killer from go to whoah.Pardon me,I've got someone to kill,cheers.

I recently went looking for the Paycheck recording of "Just Between You and Me" (My band is doing the Charley Pride version). Looks like it has never been released on CD. I did scare up an LP on Ebay though: *Johnny Paycheck sings Jukebox Charlie and Other Songs that Make the Jukebox Play.* Wow!! A holy Grail of country steel playing. 1967 Little Darlin' Mono LD-4006, The only significant credits on the back are to name the jukebox on the cover (!)("Model shown is the [Rowe] 'Music Merchant' witht he 'Dolalr Bill' selector. Model MM 1-A"; a plug for Paycheck's Baldwin guitars and amps(!); and, yes, "Featured Steel Guitarist; LLOYD GREEN." (sic)

I got turned on to some of the songs on this LP from Dale Watson's *Little Darlin' Sessions* (the album he gripes about) which also has Lloyd Green on steel. Amazing that he could take many of the same songs and completely reinvent the steel part. He does things with the second string lower that never would have dreamed of. I guess all that is why he is Lloyd Green and I'm ... well ... NOT!

Dan

Hi Guys
I can only echo all the comments on the Little Darlin' era. Superlative, inventive playing. I can't even sus out some of the things Lloyd did even now and he did it with such a basic set up. Paycheck is my number one artist bar none. How can you listen to 'Or is it love' and not get a lump in your throat. Paycheck and Green, unbeatable ! !.
The one Lloyd Green solo that curls me up, is on a Little Darlin' album (special products) so it says on the cover, by Charlie Louvin, (SP11379). Does anyone else have this album as I've mentioned it before and the response was nil.
The song is 'Who's gonna love me now' and the solo is monstrous . Lloyd starts low and climbs and climbs and resolves it superbly. I defy anyone not to be moved by it.
If anyone could tab it out, it would become a must for all Lloyd Green fans.
Respect, respect, Mr Green, you are the man.
Barry

I stopped at the number one music/cd store in Minneapolis last evening. on;y one Paycheck CD; a compilation. bummer.
next I will try the vintage vinyl shops.

Sometime in the mid to late 70's when I had just started learning pedal steel, I came across LG's "Sweet Cheeks" LP in the cutout bin of a record store for like $1.99 or something. Strictly instrumental steel guitar music on the Little Darlin label directed by Mayhew.

Lots of hot chicken pickin' style and largely uptempo stuff like Green Strings. Not a ballad in the bunch.
The last cut on the disc, Little Darlin', credits Aubrey Mayhew and Johnny Paycheck as writers. One of my other favorites on this one is Drifter's Polka along with interesting chromatic licks on J. Crawford's Pickin' Pot Pie.

Short selections with many under 2 mins. but it's a fun album to listen to.

....you might want this one.

It has a few songs that the "Real Mister Heartache" CD doesn't have.

http://www.amazon.com/His-Way-Johnny-Pa ... 912&sr=8-5


Here's some of Lloyd's Little Darlin' stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/Little-Darlin-Sou ... t_dmusic_5