The Steel Guitar Forum

Spending a lot of time lately with my old Dixie Chix CDs. When I got these albums it was all about the songs, and great vocals by Natalie and the Chix. Somehow I missed how much Lloyd Maines' pedal steel playing makes these songs work.

I arrived to this party kind of late, but wow, Lloyd Maines is a brilliant steeler!

What say y'all? Suggestions for other material that features Loyd's playing?

Dan
Yes sir he's a great player... I also think he put out some instructional material.. I'll have to dig into my achieves. I think I have VHS tape..... Gordy

I love Lloyd's work on James Hands's "I've Got A Lot of Hiding Left To Do." The guitarist is outstanding, too.

Try his work with Joe Ely - especially the first 2 albums. Sensational!

Thanks for the reminder about Joe Ely, Alan.

Yes, 'Joe Ely', first album, 'Honky tonk Masquerade', 'Down on the Drag' also Jerry Jeff Walker 'Live at Gruene Hall',

Funny thing is, I'll be back in Lubbock next week for first time in 34 years with my daughter.

Gordy, let me know if you find that. I still have one working VHS machine.

Alan, I knew that Lloyd had worked with The Clash. I will look for more with Joe Ely.

He actually issued two instructional VHS tapes (that I am aware of, may be others) on the 'Texas Music and Video' label. They were titled; "Hot" Pedal Steel Guitar' and '60 Hot Licks For Steel Guitar' (referred to by Lloyd as "Lick a Minute").

He is a fine producer as well; beautiful work on The Chicks' Home for which he won a Grammy in 2003, but played no steel on the album.
He's produced Pat Green, Butch Hancock, Wayne Hancock, Terri Hendrix, Rita Hosking, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Robert Earl Keen, the Lost Gonzo
Band, Bob Livingston, Charlie Robison, Owen Temple, Two Tons of Steel, Jerry Jeff Walker... not to mention Terry Allen's Lubbock on Everything.

From Wikipedia: "He toured and recorded as a member of the Joe Ely Band and has also played with Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark, Butch Hancock,
Terry Allen, Jimmie Dale Gilmore..." and don't forget The Maines Brothers and The Flatlanders. Did not know about The Clash! Such a fine player.

He played on the McKay Brothers "Cold Beer and Hot Tamales" CD, and also for Mickey and The Motorcars.

I don't think he worked with the Clash on any record. They only shared the stage a couple of times.

Here is a link where it was talked about "anyone can play honky tonk steel guitar" I do have it somewhere I need to dig it out....

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=2619087

Yep they don't come any better as a player and producer,recording engineer,ad infinitum. And he is one really nice guy. His work with Joey is second to none. Stormy

Joe Ely toured Europe opening for the Clash and have a live album called 'Live Shots'.

I think that's where the reference to the Clash comes from. I know they jammed on a lot of shows together, but I think the tour was cut short when Joe Strummer injured his finger. I read about it on Ponty Bone's (accordion player), which has a great diary back from those days in the early eighties.

I once asked Lloyd, who's been my pal and colleague for over 40 years, if he considered himself predominantly a steel player who also produces recordings, or does he see himself as a producer and arranger whose primary instrument is the steel guitar, among other instruments. He said he really didn't know other than he just does what a musician does.

He's actually one of the top producers of all kinds of Texas music, Americana, et al.

For the last few years Lloyd has been predominantly an acoustic guitarist and dobroist, playing with the lovely and talented Terri Hendrix as a duo. I haven't talked to him in a year, so that may be out-of-date info. Whatever, he's an exceptional musician, the type of which don't come along very often.

Herb Steiner wrote: ...For the last few years Lloyd has been predominantly an acoustic guitarist and dobroist, playing with the lovely and talented Terri Hendrix as a duo....

Oh yeah!

Terri and Lloyd:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5e6L6yfBJM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzWJ5zYBM24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1Rmrex_uUI

I had the great fortune to meet and talk with Lloyd only one time and I'm blessed to have had that opportunity. He was with Terri in their duo act, playing resonator guitar and a guitar that looked like it'd been shrunk in the laundry. At that time I had an Emmons P/P 12-string universal guitar and it was set up backstage (we both were performing sets at that event). Lloyd and I talked a little about my guitar and it's tuning and he graciously submitted to autographing the back apron for me. I was on cloud nine the rest of that day.

Lloyd's musicianship is only surpassed by his gentle, friendly and very humble personality.

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

This video is a great example of the Joe Ely Band back in the day,(and I hate that term), but it shows how great a steel player Lloyd was and is, the great Jessie Taylor on guitar and Ponty Bone on Accordion, that sound is etched in my mind.

Please give it a listen, I think Lloyd is a times monster player, he has morphed into such a huge multi-talented person and has been over-looked as to his steel skills.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtube+j ... ebd6a2bd8d

The interplay between Lloyd and Jessie at the end of the song is awesome.

He also played with his brothers for a few years. You can find some of their stuff on youtube The Maines Brothers Band

Craig Stock wrote:Joe Ely toured Europe opening for the Clash and have a live album called 'Live Shots'.

I think that's where the reference to the Clash comes from. I know they jammed on a lot of shows together, but I think the tour was cut short when Joe Strummer injured his finger. I read about it on Ponty Bone's (accordion player), which has a great diary back from those days in the early eighties.

For a lot of us over here in England, Joe Ely was our first taste of country music (live country music at least).

It must have taken some bottle to walk out, wearing cowboy hats and boots, to a crowd of punk rockers waiting to see The Clash but by the end of the first number they'd won most of the crowd over.

"My baby's back up in Lubbock
And I'm down on the drag."
Classic stuff, thanks. There are legendary musicians from The Hub, Ponty Bone and Taylor included along with Maines.

I'm not sure, but maybe Lloyd 'discovered' Joey. Back when (I was playing in town), after I taught him everything he knows (ROTFLMAO)
he had a lot of charisma, capable of holding a room with a solo act. I think Lloyd saw the potential and the energy.

Charlie McDonald wrote:"My baby's back up in Lubbock
And I'm down on the drag."

"The Drag" should correctly be capitalized, since it refers to the well-known commercial section of Guadalupe St. that is the easternmost border of the University of Texas.

(submitted as an educational service for any non-Texans reading this thread.)

Craig is absolutely right, altho it might be regarded as even more hip not to capitalize it.
Boys from Lubbock, you have to sound like part of the scene when you get there. Oh yeah, the drag.

One of my favorites steel solos is on Ely's "Because of the Wind"- just beautiful by Lloyd.

Is he a brother to Jay Dee?