Pete Drake Talking Steel Guitar

John Carpenter · Post by **John Carpenter** » 30 Dec 2008 9:34 am

does anyone have this on mp3 they could somehow send to me. I cant find it anywhere and i've been wanting to check it out

thanks

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Dec 2008 9:44 am

does anyone have this on mp3...

You can Watch him playing Forever with his "talk box" on youtube ---> CLICK

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 30 Dec 2008 1:27 pm

John, there's a reason why they say "be careful what you wish for...."!

Incredibly (because it is hard to believe anyone ever played it a second time), that was a hit single back when I was a kid - I used to hear it through the earplug on my transistor radio. I'm fond of lots of Pete's work, but that particular example has not gotten better with age!

The only talking steel I've ever enjoyed is Smiley Roberts at a couple of conventions doing "I'm Just the Guitar, everyone's Picking on Me" (or something like that).

Brennan Mangan · Post by **Brennan Mangan** » 2 Jan 2009 3:53 pm

Here's a link to a cut off a record with strings/chorus. "I Need Your Love". Not exactly what your looking for but pretty great stuff nonetheless.

http://www.basichipdigitalgold.com/weird/005-13.mp3

Brennan Mangan · Post by **Brennan Mangan** » 2 Jan 2009 4:13 pm

If there's one thing I can do it's find mp3's. Here's a link to d/l his "Forever" lp. Still no "talking steel guitar". That track is, however, available for purchase in the CD and Tapes section.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 4 Jan 2009 5:22 am

I heard Willie Nelson's version of "Hello Walls" last night on Willie's Place. I assume that is Pete Drake doing the "Hello, hello" answer part with this technique. Anybody know for sure?

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 4 Jan 2009 8:58 am

Hi Tommy,

That version of "Hello Walls" is from "Country Willie; His Own Songs" from 1965 and it is Pete Drake; he's on the whole album. Probably my favorite Willie album, all his early classics with a small band (Jerry Reed on guitar!) and not overproduced like a lot of his early stuff...

And Pete just used the talking thing on that one song, which is a good thing in my opinion!

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 4 Jan 2009 3:17 pm

There was a radio commercial beck in the 40s that said blue ribbon beer done wih a talking steel guitar.Don't remember who did it and had no idea what was doing it back then.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 4 Jan 2009 4:29 pm

Tracy: It was probably "Alvino Rey". He had a talking Steel Guitar Act in his big swing band back in the late 30's. Pete Drake was not the first to use this technique.

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 4 Jan 2009 6:55 pm

I can certainly appreciate Pete Drakes awesome talent but a little bit of the "talkin guitar" goes a long way. I know a lot of folks really dig it though.

Tracy Sheehan · Post by **Tracy Sheehan** » 4 Jan 2009 7:02 pm

Billy Tonnesen wrote:Tracy: It was probably "Alvino Rey". He had a talking Steel Guitar Act in his big swing band back in the late 30's. Pete Drake was not the first to use this technique.

You are correct.I just coulden't remember who did it.

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 9 Jan 2009 2:05 am

I have an old Starday album called "Stars Of The Steel Guitar", that had Pete playing "Abiline. The album also had Jimmy Day, Walter Haynes, Buddy Emmons,and Shot Jackon doing a duet.
Country music at its best.
Tommy Shown

My wife told me, if I bought another steel guitar, she would leave. Dang I'm gonna miss her

Don Drummer · Post by **Don Drummer** » 9 Jan 2009 2:41 am

that talking tube looks to be hospital grade equipment. Maybe a heart cath for that real emotional treatment. Or for the more risque Conway Twitty song how about... well never mind.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 9 Jan 2009 5:29 am

I remember (I think) hearing a version of "I'm Sorry" with a talking steel guitar. Anybody else remember that, or is that just part of the music and voices in my head? $:\$

Alan Harrison · Post by **Alan Harrison** » 9 Jan 2009 5:40 am

Hi Lee, I have the Pete Drake album "Talking Steel Guitar" on an old 33-1/3 and "I'm Sorry" is one of the songs on that album. Wish I could get the album put on CD. alan

" I'm Steel'n In Lee Baucum Country"

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 9 Jan 2009 6:32 am

I always liked the talking steel thing. It was a gimmick, but you got to hand it to Pete, he capitalized on the idea and laughed all the way to the bank. Also, it sure opened up alot of other recording opportunities with various artists for him and others.

Hi Lee, yes Pete Drake recorded the song "I'm Sorry." He done a great job on it. Ronnie Self wrote this classic song and I used to play steel guitar working with his sister Vicky Self. Brenda Lee of course sold millions with the tune.

Pete Drake is often only thought of as the guy with the talking steel guitar, but he actually did alot for all of us in that he kept busy recording with just bunches of peope in the studios. He recorded with alot of artists that you wouldn't normally associate with the steel guitar including Elvis, Bob Dylan and others when alot of people were turning to Rock-n-roll, etc.

Here is another piece of info on Pete, everyone should consider the Steel Guitar CD titled "Slide" that he produced and released about the time he died 1987. This classic Steel Guitar CD features Hal Rugg, John Hughey, Lloyd Green, Weldon Myrick, Paul Franklin, Jimmy Crawford, Jeff Newman, Larry Sasser, Bill West and others. Each player is featured on two cuts on the CD and there isn't a bad song on it. This CD is still available just about everywhere now. Bob carries "Slide" here on the Steel Guitar Forum and it is worth very penny of the $16 cost. I think it is one of the best compilations of steel I've ever heard.

In my opinion, I think Pete Drake is often underated, but there are others that the same thing can be said for too.

My thoughts as I read this thread.

GOD bless!

Terry Wood

Don Brown, Sr. · Post by **Don Brown, Sr.** » 9 Jan 2009 9:51 am

Speaking of the Steel Talking Box. I made one in or around the middle 70's. I only used it a few times.

It's simply the Metal Horn Speaker "Driver" that you use. I bought it (The loud Speaker Driver Only) at Radio Shack. "They were pretty cheap back then."

I took a very small funnel, and placed it over the Threaded portion, to where the actual Loud Speaker would screw into (or onto) and sealed the funnel with tape (important to have it tightly sealed) then I used a piece of "Clear Plastic 1/4" or possibly 3/8" tubing, (bought at a hardware store) to go over the small end of the speaker and clamped it with a small hose clamp.

After I had the wiring all hooked up, I placed the entire unit in a small cardboard box and sealed the box air tight using 2" wide black plastic tape.

It worked really well, but the trick was, you had to only form the words with the tube in your mouth, but you really didn't say them. Real strange how it works but it does, and the more you practice using it, in order to pick the "Right" strings that produced the best sounding results. The better it sounded.

I'm seriously trying to remember exactly how I hooked it up to the amp. When I figure it back out, I'll let you know, in case you might want to try one out. I probably had a whole $15.00 in the total cost of making it..

Anyway there were only two wires to connect. Positive + and Negative - terminals. for the speaker driver. I'll think of how I did the rest of it, if I don't get too much older first..

...Don

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