Red Rhodes

David Beckner · From: Kentucky, USA

As of late my hobby has been going to local flea markets and yard sales and looking thru old L.P records..Today I found this one..Western Steel Guitar Favorites By RED RHODES...Bought it for $2.00..Was wondering if any body might know anything about Red Rhodes?? Song on the album are...STEEL GUITAR RAG...PLASTIC WRAPPED KISS..PALAMINO RAG..BONE DRY..WALK RIGHT UP TO LOVE...NATURAL BORN LOVER
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WILCOX SD10 (love the white mica)
WALKER SEAT
NASHVILLE 400
BEHRINGER RACK TUNER
CUSH CASE RACK
PEAVEY DELTA FEX
PARTS CASTER.Gospel and Classic Country Music
http://www.dbupholstery.yolasite.com

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

http://www.scottysmusic.com/hofplq.htm

ORVILLE “RED” RHODES

RECORDING ARTIST, BANDLEADER, PERFORMER AND L.A.’S MOST PROLIFIC
SESSION PLAYER DURING THE ‘60S AND ‘70S. HE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO
STEEL’S EXPOSURE AND INTEGRATION INTO THE ROCK AND POP MUSIC OF HIS
PERIOD. AN INVENTIVE DESIGNER OF PICKUPS, AMPLIFIER CIRCUITRY, AS WELL
AS STEEL’S CABINETRY (THE RHODES’ STRUT), HE WAS FOREMOST, A GENEROUS
MENTOR TO THREE GENERATIONS OF FUTURE PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS.

BORN: DECEMBER 30, 1930 EAST ALTON, ILLINOIS
DIED: AUGUST 20, 1995
INDUCTED: 2005

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

One of the all time greats as far as I'm concerned. Played on many records and was an electronic innovator. Some of my favorite tracks of his were with Freddy Weller along with Clarence White on guitar. Drug Store Truck Driving Man by The Byrds doesn't give credit but pretty sure that was Red. Some real fine stuff he did with Michael Nesmith as well.
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www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson

David Beckner · From: Kentucky, USA

Thanks guys..I didnt know anything about Red but got the album home and put it on the turn table...Very impressive style .I will have to look for more of his recordings.. Smile

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WILCOX SD10 (love the white mica)
WALKER SEAT
NASHVILLE 400
BEHRINGER RACK TUNER
CUSH CASE RACK
PEAVEY DELTA FEX
PARTS CASTER.Gospel and Classic Country Music
http://www.dbupholstery.yolasite.com

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

A man of many talents indeed was Red Rhodes! In addition to playing steel guitar with his own unique Eb13 tuning, he operated Royal Amp repair in SoCal and was a genius at taking a little 22w Deluxe Reverb and beefing it up to where it sounded like and was as loud as a Twin Reverb. Also, Red's "Velvet Hammer" pickups for Telecasters were to die for......

I first met him around 1969 or so when I was playing at the old Swizzle Stik in Huntington Beach, Ca. It seems that our bass player (Bobby Ray) had worked for Red at one point at a place called the Bright Torch or something like that. Red had furnished Bobby a bass as he was low on cash and couldn't afford an instrument. Anyway, Bobby left the band taking Red's bass with him and eventually sold it.

One Sunday night at our Jam Session, Red showed up at the S/Stik with fire in his eyes looking for his bass. He and Bobby were going to have a big altercation, or so I thought. It all ended peaceful when Bobby made a deal with the owner of the club to get some money for Red and I think they set up some sort of payment schedule and before the night ended they were almost "friendly"..... Years later I saw Red in St. Louis and we had a good laugh about it. One of my favorite songs that Red played steel on was "Her Name Was Joanne" by Michael Nesmith & the First National Band. Red died much too young....JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Jody Sanders · From: Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.

Red Rhodes was one of the greatest.He came to Texas for a short time to help with the EMCI pedal steel when John Burkhead bought the company. He had some great ideas on steel guitar design. Jody.

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin · From: Sweden

Red was just...GREAT...GREAT...McUtsi

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

Didn't Red Rhodes play the steel in Fraternity Of Man's "Don't Bogart That Joint" from the Easy Rider soundtrack?

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

one of the more fascinating players both on and off the instrument.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn2wYecTJFU

Skip Edwards · From: LA,CA

Oh yeah...I spent alot of time at Red's shop. What a guy...I miss him.
One of Red's kookier inventions was a pickup for his steel that routed every other string to a different amp.
Odd number strings to the left amp, even numbered strings to the right amp. What a sound...surprised it never caught on.
If you were a picker out here in the '70's, Red's Royal Amp Service (where you got it royally) was the place to hang out at.

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Skip,That stereo pickup that Red had was the most awesome sound,I also wondered why it never caught on.It seems like everytime I went to Hollywood from the beach I would go and hang out with Red,as soon as I walked in his shop he would hit me a bunch of jokes,he was the coolest.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

Red sat and watched me play for almost two sets one night and I thought he's either the coolest guy or his car was broke down and he couldn't leave.

Super nice guy in all seriousness.
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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Red took Skip Batten's Dual Showman head and rebuilt it with 6440's in it, doubling the power of Fender's most powerful amp, not a bad idea for Skip, who was playing bass with some LOUD dudes at the time....

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

I have an LP titled Steel Guitar Favorites. Some nice tunes and a couple unusual pieces. Among other things, he does a cover of Charlton's Almost to Tulsa. I like Red's pickin'.

I saw him on ACL a few times with Nesmith. Always an enjoyable experience.

Several years ago at St. Louis, he was at the MCI table surrounded by a bunch of 'em they appeared to be closing out.

I talked with him and nearly bought an orange D10. It was like a Chevy T10 cool orange. I think they were asking $1100 or something like that. I kicked myself all the way home and ever since for not buying it.

I believe he was involved with Groove Tubes at one time too.

Mike Poholsky · From: Kansas, USA

David, you stumbled onto a great player and innovator. I never knew Red, like others on this thread, but I've been a fan since the 70s. Someone turned me on to the early Michael Nesmith and the First National Band records, I've been hooked ever since. If you can get a hold of Reds solo album "Velvet Hammer in a Cowboy Band" it is Red doing some mighty fine steel work with some unique steel sounds. One of my all time favs.
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Zumsteel 12 Universal
SGBB
ShoBud VP
'64 Fender Twin Reverb/Fox Rehab
Fender Steel King w/BW 1501-4
FX to Taste

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

My first real "mentor," and one of the men who got me started as a professional musician, found guitars for me, fixed my amps, got me gigs, and more. Red was a one-of-a-kind human being.
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Storm Rosson · From: Silver City, NM. USA

yep IMHO Red was one of a very few psg players with an instantly identifiable style and sound, he was frikkin GREAT at emulating a finger pickin kinda guitar backup sorta ....well it was and is unique and Red was da man Smile

Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

Saw Red with Mike Nesmith at Marvelous Marv's in Denver circa '71.Didn't even play steel then,but I thought that was a cool sound.The soundman had him mixed too far down(of course!)but I did get to hear a few nice things.

LJ Eiffert · From: California, USA

I have a bunch of song tunes or tracks that I recorded Red on that I never did release on other Artists that I Produced like Dick Campbell,Billy Smith,Jack Tucker,Larry Settle & Pamela Jean. Winking

Brutal Leo J.Eiffert,Jr.

Peter Freiberger · From: California, USA

I also spent some time in Red's shop in the early '70's, and enjoyed some mini-concerts there. Red was quite a character. If you had some little thing wrong with an amp he was likely to fix it for free, or maybe for a six pack. His name came to mind recently when I had my Ampeg B15 serviced. I was asked about the non-original caps in it and it took a while to remember who put them in.

Danny Bates · From: Fresno, CA. USA

I Think Red plays on "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRK5vLUYLmg

Jeremy Threlfall · From: now in Western Australia

Red's solo in "Bye Bye Bye" on Mike Nesmith's Magnetic South (or Loose Salute, I can't remember which) just floors me everytime.

I am assuming that is a C6th tuning - I'd be really interested (and grateful) if someone can explain how he does that/gets that sound

I'm no expert, but I reckon he'd have to be a dead set legend

Bryan Bradfield · From: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

My copy of “Steel Guitar Favorites” is not credited to Red, but contains Palomino Rag and Red’s Ride along with some other different tunes compared to David Beckner’s in the first post. I also have a copy of “Once a Day” by Red Rhodes and the Road Runners, and “Live at the Palomino” by Red Rhodes and the Detours.

Ulric Utsi-Åhlin · From: Sweden

Jeremy,the "Bye Bye Bye" solo is fantastic,I agree...
certainly on my Top Ten list which,by the way,is
composed,mainly,of Red´s licks,solos & breaks ; I be-
lieve he played his Eb 6th throughout his career.
McUtsi

Joe Alterio · From: Irvington, Indiana

Some of his best solos were on Nesmith albums:

Wax Minute (Tantamount To Treason)
Tengo Amor (Loose Salute)
Thanx For The Ride (Loose Salute)
Crippled Lion (Magnetic South)
Grand Ennui (Nevada Fighter)
Tomorrow And Me (And The Hits Just Keep On Comin)

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