George Straitâ€™s steel player

Gary Jarvis · Post by **Gary Jarvis** » 20 Jul 2019 4:30 am

I would like to achieve a sound similar to George â€˜s steel player. It is piercing yet like bells or chimes. Any thoughts about combination of setup, amp settings, pickups, and effects?
I play a Carter D10 through Peavey Session 400 and Goodrich pedal.Thank you

Jeff Garden · Post by **Jeff Garden** » 20 Jul 2019 4:56 am

Is that the steel sound on recordings or live, Gary... have you got a particular song in mind as an example?

Mike Daily has played live with George's Ace In The Hole Band since 1975.

Mike, Sonny Garrish, John Hughey, Buddy Emmons, and Paul Franklin have all recorded with George.

Gary Jarvis · Post by **Gary Jarvis** » 20 Jul 2019 11:09 am

It would be Mike on recordings.

Gary Jarvis · Post by **Gary Jarvis** » 20 Jul 2019 12:43 pm

Many of his songs including River of Love & Wish you well for example.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 20 Jul 2019 9:56 pm

Paul Franklin was on "I'll Always Be The Man In Love With You", "One Night At A Time", "I Just Want To Dance With You", "Carrying Your Love With Me"-to name a few, John Hughey was on "Amarillo By Morning", I'm pretty sure Mike was on "Ocean Front Property", "All My Exes Live In Texas". Sonny Garrish was on "Unwound", Buddy Emmons played on "I Cross My Heart", "When Did You Stop Lovin' Me", and "So Much Like My Dad". Mike Daily played on all the songs on the "Live From The Astrodome" record.

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 21 Jul 2019 3:33 am

I always thought Paul Franklin was on Ocean Front Property and All My Exes but I have been wrong before. Mike Daly had a job that was to die for, playing in a real country music band and he did very well.

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 21 Jul 2019 7:47 am

...I played on almost the entire Jimmy Bowen, Tony Brown, and now Chuck Ainley productions from the George Strait catalogue Most of his 60+ #1's were produced by them and I have played on 51 of them.... I joined the studio band with "Something Special" The first Cd I missed was due to the "Dire Strait's tour"...That is when Buddy Emmon's with my recommendation came on board for the movie soundtrack, "Pure Country" CD...

George's recordings are always over a week stint...Once I came back from the tour I played on all of the recording days but one, which Buddy would play on that day...That process lasted for 3 CD's then it was just me from then on.....When Tony Brown (The producer) got married the dates were moved up and Stuart Duncan and I could not make them..That is when Mike Johnson, played for George.

Mike Daly in Strait's "Ace In The Hole" band (during the Jimmy Bowen production years) always played on one song per CD which started after I believe "Ace in the Hole" When we cut "All my Exe's," that song opened the door for his band to do the swing song for each CD during the Bowen years....

Before me in Jimmy Bowen's era, Weldon played on "The Fireman" and Hank Devito, played on the "Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind" CD. Weldon, Hughey and Sonny Garrish played during the Blake Mevis era...Weldon was on the Ray Baker recording "Right or Wrong" record which was I believe one CD before Jimmy Bowen took over the production....Buddy Emmons, Sonny Garrish, and Doug Livingston played on the "Pure Country" soundtrack....

When I announced to my producers that I was going to be gone for a possible two years commitment many of them asked who I would call...I said "Buddy Emmons" to most....And as a side note according to what Paul Leim told me...My nearly two year absence is what opened the door for Dan Dugmore's move to Nashville....Paul Leim (prominent studio drummer) told me he called Dan immediately to tell him the steel chair was wide open...Paul said he told Dan "if he ever contemplated moving here this was the time" To me Dan Dugmore was a breath of fresh air that the town was looking for and it was Dan who gained some serious ground...Some of those accounts I never got back because Dan was the perfect player for their needs....I don't politic, I just play the way I do and that sometimes is not enough to get back in the door once someone else walks through it.....I talked to Buddy about the session call thing and he said he always handled it the same as I do....Play the best we can and let the chips fall...

This is pretty much the steels history with George Strait....To me George, Vince, and Alan are the lineage from modern times back to Country's foundation.....I am really proud to have been called by them.
Paul

Craig Stock · Post by **Craig Stock** » 21 Jul 2019 9:45 am

Paul, what a great historical synopsis of that time period, Thanks so much for your detailed account. You are a class act and I appreciate your honesty!

Gary Jarvis · Post by **Gary Jarvis** » 21 Jul 2019 6:14 pm

Thanks so much for all that wonderful history of George â€˜s steel players. I had no idea so many of the all time greats were involved.
It would seem the ability to make a steel ring like bells is no secret to any of you. I hope I can achieve that as well. Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.

Jeff Garden · Post by **Jeff Garden** » 22 Jul 2019 3:57 am

Here's a few ideas for Peavey amps you might want to check out
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... 0+settings
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... 0+settings

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 22 Jul 2019 4:54 am

Gary Jarvis wrote:Thanks so much for all that wonderful history of George â€˜s steel players. I had no idea so many of the all time greats were involved.
It would seem the ability to make a steel ring like bells is no secret to any of you. I hope I can achieve that as well. Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.

+1

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 8 Aug 2019 9:20 am

Chiming strings is all right-hand technique.
Gear is secondary.
I use my right ring finger knuckle closest to the nail.
It takes practice.
Here is a photo of my right hand chiming on my dobro.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 8 Aug 2019 9:32 am

And then there's "palm" harmonics.

Erv

David Mitchell · Post by **David Mitchell** » 10 Aug 2019 12:49 am

Every now and then I hear something on a record and I say "I want some of that!" A lot of times the artist was Paul Franklin. What a legend! This is a tune from the "Livin' It Up" album Paul played on. I'm just playing over the top of the record. I thought it to be very tasty. There's a few artist that are great to just play along to their records for fun and Paul Franklin just mentioned 3 of them. I'm not trying to copy Paul here just pulling out the signature licks of his playing. There's a world of great music to pull from Paul's playing. Even the pop/rock music he plays on has some real gems. (No I'm not married to Rachel Weisz. Heehehe)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0g5TujycSc