The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey all,

It's Thursday, day is dragging, need a pick-me-up. Sort of looking for some suggestions on quintessential pedal steel recordings to get me through the afternoon.

Thanks!

Realizing this probably belongs in the "Steel Players" section. Sorry! Not sure I can move it.

what are you into? straight country, modern, jazz, swing, great backup?

in other words, i think one of the essential steel CDs is the Texas Troubadours instrumental CD with Emmons/Charlton - great stuff - mix of mostly C6th swing. the good thing about this CD is that its all instrumental, 36 tunes, LOTS of steel and smoking - they cut loose.
....but if you dont like C6th, it wont float your boat.

How about this for FREE http://www.steelradio.com/ which has a variey of steel stuff...worht checking it out if you haven't seen/heard it before.

-Chuck

If you really wanna give Amazon some money, check out John Doe and the Sadies --> http://www.amazon.com/Country-Club-John ... B001TN1EFW

-Chuck

Tom Cattin' by Tom Brumley, Corn Pickin' and Slick Slidin' by James Burton and Ralph Mooney, anything by Speedy West (and Jimmie Bryant) On Every Street by Dire Straits.( featuring Paul Franklin ) It's like a lesson in taste in my opinion. Jazz by Jernigan by Doug Jernigan....the list goes on forever. Just sign your next paycheck over to Amazon.com and start ordering.

Thanks all for the great recommendations! Listening to Steel Radio right now! But inevitably amazon will get my $$ for some mp3 downloads!

i would say, if you do decide to drop some cash into the bucket...a really cool album is "steel guitar jazz" by buddy emmons...really good stuff in there...

You'll find far more steel stuff for sale right here than you'll find on Amazon.

Sorry to repeat a well-worn line, but a Search of the Forum would turn up a wealth of multi-page threads on this topic. (Probably not including the word "quintessential" in the search--though it's a good one! Try "favorite steel albums" or some such.)

For the continuation of this thread, I agree you might narrow it down a little: Instrumental albums/vocal albums with lots of steel/both? E9th/C6th/both? Classic/Modern? Country/Swing/Jazz/Country-rock/Other/All of the Above?

I've been listening to Mike Perlowin's stuff a lot again lately. His newest is "Spanish Steel." There's a couple of flamenco guitar pieces performed on pedal steel guitar, with amazing precision and intonation - try it sometime, kids - but the bulk of the record is multiple-tracked version of symphonic "Spanish" orchestral music. His "West Side Story" also smokes - it's nutty, like cartoon nutty, though I don't think they could let Mike score the "Spongebob" cartoons - mothers would start complaining when their kids began foaming at the mouth and speaking in tongues. His most popular CD was his first, the "Firebird Suite." Just buy them, you won't be disappointed.

http://pedalsteelmusic.com/music/mikeperlowin.html

Also, "Jazz by Jernigan" and the "3now4" records by Dave Easley. You won't be buying yet another "Steel Guitar Rag".

Not sure if you are talking recordings where steel is the main instrument or doing it's usual "back-up" thing.

If it's the latter, the first album that always comes to mind is Johnny Paycheck's "The Real Mr. Heartache" with Lloyd Green on steel. Amazing album, amazing steel. That one is a "desert island" CD for me.

Thanks Dave. I'm glad you like my stuff.

Ray Price "Touch My Heart" bundled with "Burning Memories" $7.15 used. The "Night Life" CD is available too.

http://www.amazon.com/Burning-Memories- ... 691&sr=1-8

Get the remastered version of "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" - It has some alternate takes that let you hear how Lloyd worked up some of the final parts and if you don't have it.....you should!!!!
JE:-)>

In another thread, somebody asked about a CD of Curly Chalker's "Big Hits on Big Steel." Amazon doesn't list this as being available.

I think Tom Bradshaw's double LP of Big Hits and Counterpoint is also no longer available. Tom still has the rights to Counterpoint but mo longer has them to Big Hits. He is planning on releasing a CD of Counterpoint and the Nevada Breaks album he produced.

That CD will be one of the essentials when it's released.

It's been said once, but bears repeating: Why give your money to Amazon when you can spend it here?

Well spoken, Michael Stover. Available on the Forum:

C-062 Buddy Emmons Emmons Guitar Inc. CD $16