The Steel Guitar Forum

i love the album "you're not the woman you used to be" by gary stewart. anyone know who is playing psg on the album?

probably weldon myrick.

there are some great youtube clips of gary with steve palousek out there....

I say it's John Hughey.

Thoughts?

Ricky...

...it always sounded like Hal Rugg to me...a Sho-Bud for sure...

i have the album..no turntable anymore. no credits on the album. great songs, though.....caffeine, nicotine, benzedrine...

I don't have the vinyl in front of me, but if GS was on RCA and produced by Roy Dea, I'd venture to say it was Weldon or perhaps Pete Drake.

The"You're Not the Woman You Used to Be"album was released on MCA,after Gary's successes on RCA...but it was recorded prior to his signing with RCA,when he was a writer for the Bradleys' publishing company(Forrest Hills Music)and a second engineer at Bradley's Barn...I don't remember who the producer was,but it wasn't Roy Dea..it might have been Jerry Bradley(who signed Gary to RCA when he succeeded Chet as the head of RCA Nashville)...and I'd pretty much bet the farm that Hal Rugg played on that record.

It is Hal Rugg. I played some shows with Gary back when I played with Gary P. Nunn and I asked him at 9am one morning before he got any drugs or alcohol in him and he remembered those sessions and the sweet but quiet Hal Rugg that played "All the right stuff at the right time".
It was sad; when Gary lost his wife and it was sad when we lost Gary.
This was RCA in 1975 and Weldon Myrick on this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhbzFWdI_HQ as another one of your old bosses wrote "Backsliders Wine"...Michael Martin Murphy....yeee haaa.
Also Pete drake and Sonny Garrish on these RCA sessions.
Herb you should of remembered that...Oh wait I was drinking back then....maybe I'm dreaming this whole thing??...don't know...Herb am I??
Ricky

I'm not sure, Ricky. I was drinking myself in those days.

Matter of fact, I'm STILL drinking!

But yes, 3M did write Backslider's Wine, a hit for Gary, BW Stevenson, and others. I think John Denver may have cut it as well.

EDIT: Check that... John Denver recorded "Boy From The Country," Murphey's first charted cover.

thanks, guys. i listened to this album hundreds of times (and "out of hand") in the last few years as i've gotten to country music. it was probably the first country album i listened to that wasn't by george jones, waylon, or merle or buck, and i thought i'd discovered some long lost gem. i had researched gary's life a bit, and learned of his wife's death and his own tragic end.

now that i've gotten into learning the pedal steel, i went back and listened again, and of course, there's "all the right stuff at the right time".

i'd be grateful to anyone who could suggest a few more albums that hal rugg plays on that are in a similar vein, and i'm grateful for the info you kind folks have already offered up.

hal played on most of loretta lynn's hits...'when the tingle becomes a chill' is cool...
he also played on some neat oddball things..delbert mcclinton...kd lang...millions more

weldon and hal were some busy guys, and my main source of playing the way i wanted to.

here was one of gary's steel player. love this band
who else was in this band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JKen1FCrDM

p.w

Paul Wade wrote:here was one of gary's steel player. love this band
who else was in this band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JKen1FCrDM

p.w

That steel player be my main man, Mr. Steve Palousek.

Gary Stewart was a tortured soul, bless his heart. And one soulful performer who was a king here in TX.

What a great talent and a great band. How was he to work for?

If you know them both, you'll find this a bit scary. (Starting at 3:05) Two greats, on the same show. Same tragic ending. Every time this Gary Stewart thing comes up; I find myself listening to him for hours.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIGG1BtU ... 3FE7F42EC6

Greg it's very easy to answer that "how was it to work for him"?? I didn't work for him; I just backed him up a couple times. Most of Gary's bands through the years were "Back up" type bands. He did have some consistency thru the years here and there. But I knew a lot of guys that have played with him. Every one of them will say the same thing when asked and the answer IS in that video of of Gary on Nashville Now. Watch his showman ship; watch his energy. Listen to what he says to Ralph about what kind of Venues he likes to play. THAT is Gary Stewart in a NUTSHELL....he can hardly even sit in that chair; he's ready to BUST OUT!!! ha...RIP.
Ricky

Thanks Rickey. He is very infectious to watch. Sometimes when I start, I cant stop. That vid from Gilly's is great. Great players. Well rehearsed. I think he was someone who couldn't sit still with or without help. He was truly "Honky Tonk!"

Amen Greg. That's the exact word: "Infectious". That's how I know I really REALLY like something.
Happened to me LONG ago. Growing up loving country music and listening to Every steel guitar player known to mankind; because I love the steel. I loved what I heard and made me feel great inside....but when Lloyd green came on; where ever I was; sitting or standing, I found myself moving a little closer to the sound when I heard him play. Several singers have done that to me too...Gary Stewart is one.
Ricky

I believed every word I ever heard him sing.

i sing lead and play lead guitar in a country band up here in nova scotia, it's my first lead singing gig, and my first country band. i had a really hard time "selling" songs on my first few gigs. i watched this video (which is how i "discovered" gary), and i thought "that's how you do it, you tell the story". it changed everything for me.

gary stewart-she's acting single (i'm drinkin doubles)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9893od03Sc

Steve H. I LOVE that statement you just made...AMEN.
Your original old boss was the same way..ha...>then stardom hit..ha.(geeeze I hate saying that).
I don't want to hear someone sing the notes and go thru the motions...I wanna hear "what they lived". I like the Songwriters and the guys that back them up EVERY night...>that's honky tonk.
Dave that is so cool man...what a great story...you go get'um Man.
If you can't make folks cry with a sad song; or Laugh at a fun song....get the hell off the stage..ha.; Or I'm not going to sit here all night and look at your butt; if you're gunna do that.
(that's also why I mainly love playing with women first and foremost); but they are the worst. They other than Martina McBride or KD Lang; I don't wanna hear you sing what you think everyone wants to hear you!!!! Grow some balls; belt it out, you say all these guys broke your heart...well lets hear about it...and please don't freakin barbie doll smile while you do it....sell out!!!
Ok; done ranting for the evening...but I know I'm preaching to the choir here..ha.
Ricky

I started playing gigs with Gary when I was 15 years old in Okeechobee Florida at the Wagon Wheel resturant,bar lounge,dive.He was a regular there and it was after his first round of semi successful hits.Sweet Tater and Cisco was one of my favorites.At the time Gary would travel back and forth from Ft Peirce fl to Nashville and bring information and goodies.One goodie was a steel guitar bar from Hal Ruggs which I have lost over the years.I remember him telling me about Hals playing in the studio and also Pete Drake.He was a real steel guitar fan.On a call from Nashville Gary ask me to come up and help with the recording of Rambin Man and that John Hughie would be playing steel.Check out the lead break.Gary recorded with a lot of different steel players over the years with some classic intros and fills.As far as playing with him or seeing him live it was special as you will repeatedly hear.Sorry for the long post.

That is SO cool Jerry; thanks for the story bro.

...and you can't try to sing or sell a song like gary. it only happens that way if you've got the feeling and the passion and whatever good or bad that creates that type of performance. you want to be careful doing songs that the emotional monsters have done. especially if you try to sound like them...you end up looking very silly.