The Steel Guitar Forum

Circa 1990....
I first thought it was Lucky Oceans, but realized he was long gone from AATW by 1990.. He is playing a Fender 800, or perhaps a 2000 that I can't see the back neck of.. It has a quite "modern" sound IMHO..
I have no idea who this might be, but I love the fact he's playing an old Fender like mine!,,, anyone know who it is? bob


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2U3IinMyO4

..I think it's John Ely playing steel on that one.

It's John but I think it's a 400. The front apron shows four pairs of screws which tells me 4 pedals. Didn't the 800's come stock with 6 or more pedals?

That's John Ely alright. This song is from Asleep at the Wheel 10. It sounds exactly like the recording.

I would suggest that the album sound track is synced to the video. I'm not so sure you are hearing John playing that old Fender, but he's the steeler on the album too.

Dave Zirbel wrote:It's John but I think it's a 400. The front apron shows four pairs of screws which tells me 4 pedals. Didn't the 800's come stock with 6 or more pedals?

Yes.. 6 was standard,, You are probably right, it does seem like a 400... Doesn't sound much like one though... bob

Jerry Overstreet wrote:That's John Ely alright. This song is from Asleep at the Wheel 10. It sounds exactly like the recording.

I would suggest that the album sound track is synced to the video. I'm not so sure you are hearing John playing that old Fender, but he's the steeler on the album too.

I agree with your assesment Jerry... bob

I believe John did use Fender pedal steels. Can't remember where I read it, maybe a discussion about 8 string E9 and he or someone mentioned he used the top 8 with chromatics and not the bottom 8 like Mooney. There were plenty of short scale 400s made with the Jaguar style pickups. No reason it shouldn't sound like an 800, right?

maybe it is an 800.....
http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/interview.php

No that was Live and John Ely sounds like the record because he played that Fender 800 on the record...ha...
That's the ole Texas Connection show done at Fiesta Tx for the Nashville Network they had running back in the '90s...I played it a couple times with Gary P. Nunn....heck if you can find it; I'm playing it with Johnny Gimble on Fiddle...pretty cool.
ricky

Not to be contrary Ricky, but it sounds exactly like the recording, fiddles, rhythm and all. It's a copy....too exact to be live....on all instruments, vocals, rhythm, track time etc. I've had the recording for years and listened to it hundreds of times. I believe whoever posted that synced the album recording and the live video.

I've forgotten what John played on the recording but I'm thinking it was not a Fender.

I'm sorry but I disagree Jerry.
This is the original recording with a video that they are NOT playing live to>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD-FkA3cpn8
Just start with the first verse; John does a walk down on Chimes after "Play" and on the Texas Connection show he doesn't.
I can go piece by piece if you like?? ha.
Plus my brother drove the bus for them boys. And plus I was AT that texas connection show. Plus I played several gigs with the wheel. Plus John is a good friend and I've had many discussions on what steels he played when and where.
So do you want to continue so more controversy?? Or are ya good to go now??
Ricky

I think it's definitely a live show............. those guys are that good. I only hear one fiddle ...........I met John Ely in Reno in 88 and, and he was definitley into old Fenders, and he played one live that night too

Don't know about all the others but the guy on fiddle is my buddy Larry Franklin.I was almost expecting to see Wally Murphy on steel.

there is no doubt that is john ely and ray is tubb incarnate

Okay! Okay! Dang this is a tough room. I have the recording and I thought this was the same. I've been watching the youtube vids as well over the last few week and I suppose it's possible I got 'em mixed up.

This one is the album recording. You all can compare the 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD-FkA3cpn8 Here's John with the Stringmaster. So you can see that the vids are confusing as this is clearly pedal steel.

I've been wrong before, I'll be wrong again. But I'll keep trying anyway.

All right Ricky. This is the same one you just posted. I didn't see it. I guess you edited that post.

Hey Ricky, did John put knee levers on the 800?
dz

His sounds a lot like mine.. More "modern" sounding than the old style 400... Mine has 4 knees and I can play pretty much anything I can play on the Carter I have.. He certainly didn't need modern rod actuated mechanicals, and a high tech changer to play and sound great . Gotta love a guy playing a high profile gig on a cable Fender !

They sounded GREAT on that recording.. I also thought it might be studio, it was too perfect! Not a note out of place... bob

Gosh Dave Z. I can't remember that part...It's been a long while since we talked about the pedal steel....>I'm a huge Fender Stringmaster nut like John.
Hey Jerry no worries bro....> I'm certainly wrong about a bazzillion things...but not this..ha...>that's what I was going to say about playing a few gigs with them....they are THAT good...> they can sound like the recording or even sound beyond the recording...don't matter; they are dang near close to perfect in all their shows.
Ricky

I don't have a problem admitting if I'm wrong. I'm used to eating my hat or a little crow at times.

No argument about them being good. I've been a big fan for a long time. Got a stack of records a foot high. Never seen a live show, but several TV spots over the years. Watched all the changes in personnel over the years.

I bought their 1st LP back in around '74. Songs like Bloodshot Eyes, Dead Man and I became an instant fan..... remained so ever since. For many people, Ray and the group put western swing back in the mainstream.

We opened a show for them several years ago here in NY state.. they weren't near as good as they were in that vid.. Cindy Cashdollar was on steel, and they had her BURIED in the mix.. Could not even hear her. It was all Ray all the time.. Could have been the local sound company.
May also have been a "pickup" lineup of some sort, as the tightness they are known for just was not as evident that particular night. I don;t recall any horns of any type either... bob

I am presently taking lessons from John Ely up here in northern Minnesota and he is still playing an old Fender. Sounds really good too.

OMG, AATW, been a fan since the 70's. Couldn't believe they brought the Willie and the Wheel show out here to NE PA a few years ago. They had nearly a packed house and had them dancin' in the aisles. I was thrilled for them, cuz they're not exactly a household word in these parts. Great show! Wish Cindy was playin' with them, though.

One of my students, Bob Austin, told me about the discussion so I thought I'd chime in and clear things up. I'm flattered that there is still interest in the work we did 25 years ago!

The original track was cut on my D-12 Emmons. It was early in my stint with the band and I was just beginning to acquire Fender instruments. I finally did snap up the Fender 400 -- I think it was a vintage guitar shop near Reno. Ricky is quite right -- the Texas Connection TV show was live. I threw in some Mooney stuff at the end of the solo that wasn't in the original. I was really becoming a Fender nut by that time!

The video that Jerry and Ricky cited -- the one we did to go along with the original release -- was very rushed and I didn't have time to set up my Emmons, so I used the Stringmaster for the "lip sync." I actually worked up the solo the way it would be played without pedals, thinking I might fool somebody out there. Ha!

I was thrilled at the tone of that Fender 400... but it was short lived. The guitar was stolen from our equipment van in New York City (Washington Square Park). Some months later I found the Fender 800 that I have used ever since. I used Duane Mars knee lever kits on both guitars. I find Fender pedal steels to be extremely musical and quite precise. They have unbelievable tone going direct into the board -- that's what we did on "Walk On By."

Thanks, all, for the chance to reminisce a little!

-John

Thanks John. I have 2 Wheel albums that you played on. 10 and Keepin' me up Nights. I listen to them regularly along with the rest of the collection.

I always really liked the Pedernales Stroll instrumental. Enjoy both the Hawaiian, lap tunings and the pedal steel work on both of these albums.

Don't be a stranger and give us an update once in awhile.