The US Navy's Country Current Band....

[Roger Rettig]

....came to Medora, ND on Monday and performed at the Burning Hills Amphitheater where I'm the resident steel player for the Medora Musical.

I could go on for ever about how great this band is and it's unfair to single any of them out, but we were treated to seventy five minutes of great entertainment and inspired musicianship.

I met and talked with some of them before and after the show and had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

I must make mention of Pat Gulley - their Nashville-based steel player - who was highly accomplished and got a great sound out of his (actually the Navy's ) MSA Legend D10 and Little Walter amp rig. Pat - it was great to visit with you.

Keith Arneson played some of the best 5-string banjo I've ever heard and.... well, they were all outstanding yet worked together in a tight and cohesive manner. Kenny is a great front man and lead singer and the mandolin/fiddle player astounded me.

Their sound-man was excellent and lifted the appropriate levels with great precision so that each player's fills were spotlighted.

They're on tour right now. If you see them advertised then make a serious effort to go and see them. You won't be sorry.

To the whole Country Current team - thanks for relieving the tedium of a 100-night residency for me and the cast and band of the Medora Musical with your excellence!

[chris ivey]

isn't that the same organization that gary lee gimble
used to play with?
as you all know, gary lee is an incredible musician.
it would be cool if the armed forces of all nations just played great music!

[chris ivey]

...and if they just 'have to' fight, it could be a battle of the bands.

[Gary Lee Gimble]

isn't that the same organisation that gary lee gimble
used to play with?
as you all know, gary lee is an incredible musician.
it would be cool if the armed forces of all nations just played great music!

Yes Chris, I was indeed a member of the U S Navy Band...Our tax dollars were spent well

[chris ivey]

good picture gary, thanks!

[Rick Myrland]

I saw Country Current a few weeks ago here in D.C. and yes, they are extremely talented.

[Stephen Gambrell]

Banjo great Bill Emerson was the band leader of Country Current when he retired from the Navy. They were good then, and they'll be good tomorrow.

[Gary Lee Gimble]

There was a sense of animosity and betrayal when Bill joined the U S Navy Band as other C G members had received an invitation to join too. Bill was the only one who didn’t get cold feet. I suppose many folks thought Bill would no longer be a contributor to some of the best bluegrass music ever heard. Bill for sure was an icon, contributing to the bouncy banjo standard.

Bill ran my audition for the U S Navy Band as there were multiple Navy bands throughout the world looking for a banjo player. Listening appreciation for me back then did not include banjo stuff, I was mostly into Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, and Buddy, the other Buddy, Buddy DeFranco. Having said that, my first selected tune was not a bluegrass numbah. It was one I knew, that would not be pleasing for Bill to hear. I wanted to save his expectations for last but wanted to mess with him slightly. Back Home in Indiana as I expected, didn’t set so well. When said ditty ended and as Bill leaned back on his chair, he said, “Well son, do ya play the bluegrass music?” I was bursting with laughter inside and proceeded to pick a few that won his approval. The rest be histowreeee….

Continuing on the topic drift……:

After a year or so, post arrival at my duty station in Seattle, WA., I received a call from Bruce Bouton. He was considering to do a hitch with Country Current and was curious how I liked the job. I’m not sure of the specific time frame, but I believe his inquiry came in around, or about the time he got axed from Mike Whompler’s band, Heavy Country. Bruce opted out of the Navy gig and eventually joined up with Skaggs. After Skaggs first hit single, Bruce sent Mike a letter thanking him for said termination and included inside the mailing envelope, was a gesture of appreciation. Two Red Lobster $25.00 gift certificates…..

[Jeff Agnew]

I rarely post here anymore but there are some inaccuracies and misconceptions I need to clear up.

I must make mention of Pat Gulley - their Nashville-based steel player

Pat may be from Nashville originally but all Country Current members are based in Washington DC and live in the metro DC area during their tenure with the group.

isn't that the same organization that gary lee gimble
used to play with?

Gary was not a member of Country Current.

The title "The United States Navy Band" is reserved for the group based in Washington, DC. It's an official title and it may seem pedantic to harp on it, but the distinction is important. The DC band and the US Naval Academy Band are preferentially manned, meaning that they are by invitation (and audition) only. Other members of the Navy music program are not assigned there, but instead serve in fleet bands. The proper terms for those fleet bands are "Navy Band Southeast", "Navy Band Great Lakes", etc. More info here: http://www.navyband.navy.mil/navy_bands.shtml

BTW, this distinctive title applies to all the service bands based in DC. They are the elite organizations of each service and competition is fierce to join them. As such, the level of musicianship is extremely high.

Country Current was formed in 1972 and from then until at least the late 80s (as I recall) was the only military music group whose full-time mission was country and bluegrass music. The Air Force Band for a time had a country-specific group, formed as a response to the popularity of Country Current, but I believe they are no longer in existence.

Bruce opted out of the Navy gig...

In 1978, I was playing a civilian gig on weekends with several Country Current members. As the band did not then have a steel player they had been bugging me to audition. I finally did so after much deliberation because it required going to boot camp, which was no small task at my then seemingly advanced age. My friend Bruce also auditioned but was not offered the job. I think his career has recovered nicely from that setback.

Bill Emerson was the band leader of Country Current when he retired from the Navy.

For the bulk of his career, Bill was the group's musical director but not its band leader. This owing to the fact that he was outranked by the lead singer. When that person retired, Bill finally was promoted and, though long overdue, became the group's musical and operational leader. I will say that he set a personal musical standard I have rarely heard before or since. Truly one of the finest musicians I've had the pleasure of sharing a stage with. Even if it was on banjo.

[Gary Lee Gimble]

isn't that the same organization that gary lee gimble
used to play with?

Jeff, I interpreted Chris's comment as the entire Navy Band, including the fleet. I suppose further clarification wasn't needed as the Current already had a banjo player, a good one at that. No need to audition another...Reading between the lines might have cleared that up? Maybe not as I was hired to play banjo, and ordered to learn steel once I arrived in Seattle

Country Current was formed in 1972 and from then until at least the late 80s (as I recall) was the only military music group whose full-time mission was country and bluegrass music.

Jeff, you are mis-informed on that one. When I joined in 1976, BUPERS offered me a choice of duty stations which sported country/bgrass bands.And there were three, located in Seattle, WA., Corpus Christi and Hawaii.

Good to hear from ya, how the heck are ya?
Meanwhile, carry on, turn 2....

[Jeff Agnew]

Jeff, you are mis-informed on that one.

No, it's correct and those aren't my words, that's direct from our official description and press releases during the day. Fleet bands have specialty groups, but their secondary mission is to support ceremonial functions and perform other duties, as directed. If you never got called to perform any of those you were fortunate. I had several friends in fleet specialty groups who had to play funerals or help out on base. Not that there's anything wrong with scraping barnacles off a hull.

[Gary Lee Gimble]

official description and press releases during the day.\

Well, during my day I was told differently...The outfit I was with worked closely with Navy recruiting throughout my stay. Secondary duties were unheard of, lucky me.

\

[Stephen Gambrell]

There was a sense of animosity and betrayal when Bill joined the U S Navy Band as other C G members had received an invitation to join too. Bill was the only one who didn’t get cold feet.

I know that Doyle and Bill were supposed to have gone in together, but Doyle changed his mind. I doubt if Charlie was gonna go, and (Bill Yates?) was maybe too old, or something.


Quote:
Bill Emerson was the band leader of Country Current when he retired from the Navy.

For the bulk of his career, Bill was the group's musical director but not its band leader. This owing to the fact that he was outranked by the lead singer. When that person retired, Bill finally was promoted and, though long overdue, became the group's musical and operational leader. I will say that he set a personal musical standard I have rarely heard before or since. Truly one of the finest musicians I've had the pleasure of sharing a stage with. Even if it was on banjo. Wink

Jeff didn't I say "when he retired?"

http://www.navyband.navy.mil/country_cu ... rass.shtml

That's from an official U.S. Navy website.

[Roger Rettig]

Pat tells me he was born and raised in Nashville.

I almost wish I hadn't started this thread - lots of conflicting contributions. I was merely expressing how pleasantly surprised I was to hear such professionalism combined with good, solid musicianship.

[Jeff Agnew]

Stephen,

Yes, you did say "when he retired". My point was that I always felt Bill should have been the leader throughout his Navy career. But due to the vagaries of playing music within a military system, that wasn't possible. It was all about rank (obviously). Not arguing with you, just adding some info. Sorry for the confusion.

Regarding the link you posted, that describes the bluegrass-only sub-group within Country Current that Bill established in 1989, not CC itself. And he was indeed the ranking Chief at that point. Long overdue, IMO.

Roger, I took your original statement to mean that you were under the impression Pat was currently based in Nashville while in the band. But the band is based in DC so everyone has to live near there while serving. Probably a moot point but I thought that perhaps people reading this who aren't familiar with military bands at all might not understand.

To the extent my posts disrupted your thread, I apologize. For the record, I was the original steel player in Country Current and enjoyed my nearly ten years with them, leaving the group in 1988. I was succeeded by a great player named Brad Corbin, and two other gentlemen whose names escape me, finally ending up with Pat, whom I've not had the pleasure of hearing yet. I'm glad you got to see the band and experience their professionalism and talent.

I'm proud of my time in the group. But I'm sure I got much more from the experience than I was able to give back. It's a pretty great gig for a steel player - you get to play with great musicians, travel the world, earn a decent living, and gain experiences that will last a lifetime. Like this gig I played somewhere on Pennsylvania Avenue with my buddy Mike Stein on fiddle (and some other guy who showed up):

[Jerry Berger]

Stephen,


I played somewhere on Pennsylvania Avenue with my buddy Mike Stein on fiddle (and some other guy who showed up):

[Henry Matthews]

There was another military group that played country and blue grass. It was the Country Critters Airforce band. They had steel, banjo and all and were great. I got to sit in with them and play fiddle and it was probably about 1980.
Does anyone remember them or who played steel with them?

[Herb Steiner]

There was a player here on the Forum many years ago that was in the Army country music band, though I can't recall his name.

[Roger Rettig]

Great photo, Jeff!

[Danny Spinks]

The Third Army had a country group called the "Circle A Wranglers". The band was formed when Faron Young was in the army.

I got to spend 13 months with the group from Jan-60 to Feb-61.

Some of the members during my time were Jerry Reed, Earl White, who for many years was the Grand Ole Opry fiddler for the square dancers until his death last year. Woody Woodham who played bass with Wilma Lee and Stoney during the Jimmy Crawford time with them. And "Pappy" Burns, brother of Jethro, was the NCOIC of the group. He also played the bass intro on Jerry Byrd's Steel Guitar Rag.

Danny

[Jay Jessup]

Dang Jeff, I can almost recognize you behind that steel but is that really Mike Stein next to you? I do think I recall he joined the CC but had forgot all about that, I just remember this nice guy with huge hair and a big smile and could really play but was looking for his direction. I wonder what ever happened to him?
I hope you are doing well.
Jay

[Gary Lee Gimble]

Jay,
Michael is a cantor out in California, moved there years ago.

[Mike Archer]

hey Gary Lee I salute you my friend and all Navy

bands and players and all players in all branches


of our great military!! you lift up the spirits

of everyone around you!

mike

[Gary Lee Gimble]

hey Gary Lee I salute you my friend and all Navy

bands and players and all players in all branches


of our great military!! you lift up the spirits

of everyone around you!

mike

[Jeff Harbour]

I am resurrecting an old thread, but I thought that I might be able to contribute some good history as it pertains to Air Force country bands. My dad played bass and some fiddle for the Air Force Academy's Wild Blue Country band, which I believe may be still active as the only AF country band. Though I was very young at the time, my memory should be fairly accurate.

It is important to note that the Air Force Academy band, though based at the academy, was made up of active-duty enlisted members, and Not academy students. While we were there (late 70's & early 80's), the steel player was my good friend Steve Melchi, who is now a Branson player. When he left the band he was not replaced immediately, at least up to the time we left a couple years later. I recently spoke with Kentucky steel player Jerry Taylor (one who is still living, not the to be confused with a steel player of the same name who died several years back). Jerry told me he played in the Wild Blue Country band earlier, back to 1970 or so.

My dad was key in bringing country music to Barksdale AFB (Louisiana) a few years later. The new country-playing band was given the clever name "Silver Wings". I think they played some pop hits too though. That group never had a steel player that I know of, and the base no longer has a band. Years later the name "Silver Wings" was moved to be a rock group at another base, probably by some upper officer who didn't get the song reference.

So, there was at one time definitely more than one Air Force country band, maybe many. The only other one I'm sure of is at Wright Patterson (here in Ohio), where I know they had a steel player in the late 90's or maybe early 2000's. That is since not the case.

Perhaps someone should start a new thread of History of Steel Players in the Military?