The Steel Guitar Forum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzIiNkA9vDA

I love this song and especially love Buddy's intro and subtle chord-pads throughout.

Roger,

That is good one. Kinda sounds like Lloyd playing. A tasteful approach for sure. Thanks for sharing!

Charley

good one Roger!

some classic Buddy licks on this one too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9rjDCWZJR8

Thinking this might be Buddy, too
https://youtu.be/8k09G2A_vZ8

Thinking this might be Buddy, too
https://youtu.be/8k09G2A_vZ8

Definitely.

Check out Glen singing 'You're The One' from the 'I Knew Jesus...' album. Buddy's all over that one.

When Emmons was in LA he was Glen's first-call steel player. It was Glen who booked E for the Ray Charles LP 'volcanic Action...' on Ray's behalf.

Roger's original example is a perfect one of unobtrusive professionalism - as Charley says, kinda sounds like Lloyd playing - it just sounds right and it's only us steel players who wonder who it is....

Interesting that it brings Lloyd to mind. I hear what you mean but, for me anyway, the tone contradicts this.

It's Buddy doing what he did best - serving the singer and the song. He really did some interestingly varied work during his California years.

A mention here for Glen, too - he was a remarkable singer, wasn't he?

Hi Roger, this is the kind of response I hoped for when I posted this;

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... highlight=

Buddy's work for Glen was a fine example of this period

Bas

I must have missed your post. I sometimes go weeks without the Forum, especially if I'm working away from home.

Strange that the 'Aquarium Drunkard' list doesn't include any of his many recordings with Glen.

Roger Rettig wrote:A mention here for Glen, too - he was a remarkable singer, wasn't he?

Yes. He covered a lot of range very comfortably and unpretentiously. He could make you believe every word of the songs he sang. I don’t think he wrote any of the big hits, but they seemed to be written just for his voice and delivery. An amazing multitalented guy. No slouch of a picker either.

Yes, Fred, and there's a wealth of obscure but beautiful work in Glen's catalogue.

Like millions of others, I loved his 'Wichita Lineman' when it was released but felt that, with such a perfect song, almost anyone would have had a hit with it. Then, in 1971, Glen came to London and I was persuaded by friends to go to his show.

I was staggered by the depth of his talent and the remarkable virtuosity of his voice. I came out of that concert a confirmed fan and eagerly awaited each new release until the end of his life. Certainly he was a highly accomplished guitar player but, for me at least, his voice was where the magic lay.

May I recommend his final album 'Adios'? It's not Buddy Emmons, but there's some beautiful steel guitar from Mike Johnson. Production, and some fine playing, from the great Carl Jackson. And some brand new songs from Jimmy Webb. Please make it your business to listen to Glen singing 'It Won't Bring Her Back'; I'm enjoying the whole record but that track is getting worn out!

Adios is really good and because I was such a fan of his, listening to it brings a tear to my eyes. I bought it at Wal Mart and did not realize when I got it that it was a double set. The Adios CD and a CD of some of his hits. I have those songs on his albums but not on CD and the extra CD was a big plus. Yes Roger "It won't bring her back" is super.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b96Ed_MAv8

What a desolately sad song...

Let the link play on and you should hear Glen singing 'Adios', another lovely Webb composition previously recorded by Linda Ronstadt.

I think Glen was one of the few singers with a really melodic voice. Another one that comes to mind is Frankie Laine.
J.M.O.
Good Thread.

Roger, I agree, love Glen, and Adios, My wife and I got to see his farewell tour also which was sad but really good. What a great talent.

Thanks, Charley; I appreciate that.

There's another quality to Buddy's intro on the first link ('Sold American'). His precision and articulation is so authoritative that, after just three notes in the pick-up bar, we already know the tempo and feel of the impending song. Almost as though Emmons is determining the 'pocket' and setting the pace for the whole rhythm-section. Yet still it's understated.

It's a rare ability but Albert Lee has it, too. I recall a session on which we both played. The engineer at one point 'soloed' Albert's track (dropping everyone else out) and we listened to his hybrid rhythm/solo/comping picking. The tempo and the pocket of the song was all there with just Albert's first pass at the song. The rest of us could have stayed at home!

As for Glen Campbell, I don't mind admitting that his death, while not unexpected, affected me in a very personal way. It was almost like I'd lost a close family-member or friend even though I was never lucky enough to have met him. I wish I'd had the chance to tell him how much his music had meant to me for nearly fifty years.

I'm willing to bet that a fair number of us on this Forum felt the same when we lost Buddy Emmons.

Glen was an incredible guitar player. Alice Cooper has spoke about Eddie Van Halen asking him to put him in contact with Glen so he could take guitar lessons from Campbell. Wouldn't that be something to have Eddie Van Halen asking you for guitar lessons..