The Steel Guitar Forum

Does anyone know who played steel for the Birds, on the song, Hickory Wind. Nice clean sound. Jim Goins

Lloyd Green. He and JayDee Maness played on that album. And it's the "Byrds"

I have to say, as a younger player, Graham Parsons-affiliated music definitely was the deciding factor for getting into pedal steel. Before that, Ry Cooder's work on Captain Beefheart's Safe as Milk started me on the path to playing more slide. Something about that little period in music...

I guess I find the music a bit more exciting than traditional country, if I dare say that here! And, when I think of the places I regularly play at (unfortunately leaving the pedal steel at home), I think especially Graham Parsons solo songs would play-off really well with the younger crowd.

I have every record by the Byrds. I bought "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" back in '68 in London, put it it in my trunk and hitch-hiked with it back home. Great memories!

Being an avid Byrd follower since the beginning, I waited with great anticipation for the next album to come out. When THAT album came out, I was mesmerized by the sound. I did t know what it was, but, I wanted to play it and make that sound. Unfortunately, living in the north east, I knew nothing about the PSG. I finally got my hands on one in 74' and it's been an addictive love since then. Lloyd and JD's playing started it all for me.

There was a short period there where some rock and roll type bands incorporated steel into their music. In my opinion, a lot of it would be an improvement over what plays on country stations today. One that comes to mind is Pure Prairie League. One of the best of these is their album called "Dance". They actually had several albums with steel.

THE LATE HOWIE EPSTEIN AND I OPENED FOR THE BYRDS AT UWM in Milwaukee many years ago.

My band opened for the Byrds at the Action House in Island Park,NY
That was in 1966. One night I'll never forget!

The Action House! My band used to play there all the time! 1968-69...
We should talk!

I was a big Byrd's fan but I remember passing on the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album when it came out because it looked too country for me. I bought the next record, Dr. Byrd's and Mr. Hyde", which had a C&W twang to it and liked it so I went back and bought the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album. It was probably the first record I had that had pedal steel on it.

John Billings wrote:THE LATE HOWIE EPSTEIN AND I OPENED FOR THE BYRDS AT UWM in Milwaukee many years ago.

Wow, John this is amazing!
I once heard a solo number from him, which had beautiful steel on it.

I never opened for the Byrds. Just thought I'd mention that...

I took this picture in 1970 at a festival in Franfurt. It's Roger McGuinn on the right.

There were other Byrds songs with steel besides Sweetheart of the Rodeo days..

Sneaky Pete's playing on this was sublime... the tone, touch and taste he displays is otherworldly, and almost no one even knows this song exists.. Its either Gene Parsons or Clarence on vocals..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10gUnQRI-do




This one still brings me to tears every single time I hear it.. The great Gene Parsons on his Fender 800 pedal steel. Clarence on vocals..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EB93IYXK4U

Also Buddy Emmons played on a song that was released later on as a "bonus track" on one of the Byrds "re released" albums decades after they stopped recording together...

Please take the time to enjoy both these wonderful songs, and the lovely steel playing on both of them!

btw, NO one can tell me that those old cable Fenders weren't among the best sounding pedal steel guitars ever built!...bob

Yes, Bob, I had forgotten about those cuts. I have all the albums, but, haven't played them in a long, long time. Simply exquisite!
It's what made me start on the steel and play that wonderful music. To this day, it's still the best music. A never ending emotional experience.

Bob-
which Byrds track features Buddy Emmons? pretty sure he played on one of Roger McGuinn's solo albums but I wasn't aware of a Byrds session. do tell

Then there's Pete with the Burrito Bros. Great songs Bob C.

I don’t believe Emmons appears on any Byrds albums although he is on “The Water Is Wide” and “Bag Full Of Money” on the Roger McGuinn solo album. And of course some cuts with Gram Parsons later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnUfWZ_x1fc

@ 16:54 "Bag Full of Money" / @ 31:56 "The Water is Wide"

Bob Carlucci wrote: Please take the time to enjoy both these wonderful songs, and the lovely steel playing on both of them!

Thanks for that, Bob! Good 'uns!

I had heard "Yesterday's Train", both by the Byrds and also by some one-hit-wonder band which I don't recall, on a record back in the 70's.

"Bugler" is somewhat reminiscent of "You Ain't Going Nowhere". Another enjoyable song for sure!

I guess the song Bag Full of Money was released on a mcGuinn solo album, but was also on the remastered re-release of the Farther Along album in 2000.. The text says it was the Byrds with Buddy on that song -#14.. It says song #12 was not the Byrds, mostly studio guys with McGuinns vocals...bob

Farther Along was remastered at 20-bit resolution as part of the Columbia/Legacy Byrds series. It was reissued in an expanded form on February 22, 2000 with the addition of three bonus tracks. These bonus tracks were all taken from the Byrds' early to mid-1972 studio sessions and included "Lost My Drivin' Wheel", "Born to Rock and Roll" and "Bag Full of Money".[16] The remastered reissue also includes, as a hidden track, an alternate version of "Bristol Steam Convention Blues".
Track listing
Side 1

"Tiffany Queen" (Roger McGuinn) – 2:40
"Get Down Your Line" (Gene Parsons) – 3:26
"Farther Along" (traditional, arranged Clarence White) – 2:57
"B.B. Class Road" (Gene Parsons, Stuart Dawson) – 2:16
"Bugler" (Larry Murray) – 3:06

Side 2

"America's Great National Pastime" (Skip Battin, Kim Fowley) – 2:57
"Antique Sandy" (Roger McGuinn, Skip Battin, Gene Parsons, Clarence White, Jimmi Seiter) – 2:13
"Precious Kate" (Skip Battin, Kim Fowley) – 2:59
"So Fine" (Johnny Otis) – 2:36
"Lazy Waters" (Bob Rafkin) – 3:32
"Bristol Steam Convention Blues" (Gene Parsons, Clarence White) – 2:39

2000 CD reissue bonus tracks

"Lost My Drivin' Wheel" (David Wiffen) – 4:56
"Born to Rock and Roll" (Roger McGuinn) - 2:59
"Bag Full of Money" (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) - 5:58
NOTE: this song ends at 3:18; at 3:29 begins "Bristol Steam Convention Blues" [Alternate Version] (Gene Parsons, Clarence White)

Personnel

Sources for this section are as follows:[2][9][16][28][33]

The Byrds

Roger McGuinn – guitar, vocals
Clarence White – guitar, mandolin, vocals
Skip Battin – electric bass, piano, vocals
Gene Parsons – drums, guitar, harmonica, pedal steel guitar, banjo, vocals

Note: Bonus track 12 is a recording not by the Byrds, but by Roger McGuinn and a group of unknown studio musicians. Bonus track 13 features the regular band line-up plus Charles Lloyd (saxophone), an unknown musician (synthesizer), and a number of unnamed female backing singers. Bonus track 14 features McGuinn, White and Battin, along with John Guerin (drums), Buddy Emmons (pedal steel guitar), and an unknown musician..

robert kramer wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnUfWZ_x1fc

@ 16:54 "Bag Full of Money" / @ 31:56 "The Water is
Wide"

The credits:

"STEELE"?

Man are you picky Jim!

Yes I think people should proof read album covers before manufacturing. But I agree it's a little late to complain now! (But don't you hate it when an album you're on comes out and you're listed as playing "steel pedal"? Arrgghhh...)

Never mind; topic drift.