The Steel Guitar Forum

Who played steel on Loretta Lynn's hit "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin'"? Was it Hal Rugg or Pete Drake? At first I thought Hal played on all of her hits, but listening to it I think it might be Pete.

Rugg

My dad always sang "Don't come home a lovin' with drinkin' on your mind"

For sure..Mr Rugg

Pete did play on at least one of her records, "Fist City". Hal and Don Helms both played on some album cut she had; Owen Bradley must have had a wild hair that day. Seems like I remember that Speedy West played on some of her stuff when she was on the Zero label in Washington State.

Alot of people don't know that Don Helms played on her 1st record..I'm the other woman...

Alot of people don't know that Don Helms played on her 1st record..I'm the other woman..

Really like that song. Was that an answer to Price's song?

I always thought Speedy played on her first record. "I'm Just A Honkytonk Girl". Jody.

C# - tho possible, based on the dates of the recordings, I'm doubting there's that kind of reciprocal relationship ('63/LL '65/RP).

The intro, fills, and solo in "Don't Come Home..." are really something special. -lovely dissonant intervals and a real nice percussiveness to the whole vibe on the steel parts. It was a treat to study the song and get a bit closer to what's going on as our band did a cover of the tune for a brief while.

-here's a link to a you tube, live TV appearance of Loretta and band doing the tune. It's not exactly the original steel parts, but right there in the spirit... and even more space than in the original. What fun, -and- a surprise cameo at the end of the segment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBnkAkmLtaw

I think it's Hal Rugg on "Don't come home...", sounds a too busy for Pete Drake....Jerry

From an Interview with Hal:

Interviewer: "I’ve got to mention that great intro you did with Loretta on "Don’t Come Home A Drinking With Loving On Your Mind", is a classic".

Hal: "Thank you very much; that was a lot of fun. Owen Bradley, who was Loretta’s record producer, always seemed to have the ability to pull the best out of you. He’d asked you for an intro, and if it wasn’t right, he’d say, "You did that last week. Do something else." So I’d just fool around until I found something that seemed to work. He’d say, "That’ll work." So then I’d know I had the right thing."

http://www.ntsga.com/id80.html

Hey Al,

Thanks for that link! Way cool to hear Hal go for it. That's the difference between him in a live situation and in the studio where he's more restrained. What a great player. I think that intro might have been the first time the middle position (E-FKL, 11th fret if in C) was used for an intro lick.

Joe

And Bil Monroe handling the backbeat !

I have it recorded that Don Helms said he did the steel on WALKING AFTER MIDNIGHT.

ERNIE

By Loretta Lynn? I've never heard that.

Don Helm's told me he did the steel on Walking After Midnight with Patsy.

How did this shift from "Don't Come Home a Drinkin" to "Walking After Midnight"?

"Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' After Midnight" Loretta sings Patsy Cline's Faves

OK Cal. Take your meds and go back to your room.

Hal Rugg played on all Loretta Lynn recordings.
there is even a blurb about it in the Winnie Winston book... that recording had Hal Written all over it:).
Here is is one of my favorite Loretta songs This is Leon Rhoades that played for Ernest Tubb I think
http://youtu.be/WxVewDLb_34
One of the best Lead rides I ever heard loved his Echoplex

Hal showed me the "Don't come home - song as he called it and said well that's about right - that's how I put in the record - and gave me that half smile.

Great man - I miss him all the time. I was putting strings on a Desert Rose we just finished the night before - someone came in the shop and I did not pay any attention just kept tuning the steel. I start "tryin to play somethin" and all of the sudden I heard this voice that said, "close - one more time and you got it" - it was Hal - I do not remember the song now but I simply ask how it went and he said - "Well the first time we layed it down it was - and he told me - then he said the second time I was not feeling well so it was ---- then for another time I just wanted to change it a little" - he paused and then said, "this is what cracks me up when someone ask about a record I played on and I ask Whick Time"

I still don't know if he was messin with me or being straight with me but it just does not matter.

Great memory

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com

I think I still have the Tab on this song that Hal wrote for me when I had him for a teacher , one on one . I will look and see if I still have it . If anyone would like it , let me know .

crmusolf@peoplepc.com .