The Steel Guitar Forum

A lot of steel guitar guru's rave about Buddy Emmons, Paul Franklin, Lloyg Green, Mike Johnson and so many other of the greats. We all know those guys are the cream of the crop, but I can't help but notice how great Dicky Overbey was. It seems he's lacking credit where credit is due. To my ears, I believe him to have the most profound touch and tone I've heard. What a talent. What are your thoughts? There is very little info about Dicky on the internet aside from being family and working with Amber Digby and Millsap. Tell us what you know about this great pillar of the pedal steel guitar history.

From the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame:

DICKY OVERBEY

STYLIST, SONGWRITER, SESSION AND ROAD MUSICIAN. PLAYED ON RECORDINGS WITH MANY TOP NAMES ARTISTS. HIS “I’LL BE THERE” TURN-AROUND BEHIND JOHNNY BUSH IS CONSIDERED A CLASSIC. A VERY INFLUENTIAL PLAYER WITH HIS OWN STYLE, HE HAS GAINED THE RESPECT OF THE TOP STEEL PLAYERS

BORN MAY 11, 1942 DETROIT, MICHIGAN
DIED: OCTOBER 4, 2014
INDUCTED 2010

They always called Jimmy Day Mr. Soul, but I think Dicky was the Grandfather.

I loved Dick Overby also, however I never got the hear him in person.

Funny, a friend of mine who knew Johnny Bush well said Johnny didn't care for his playing because he played too loud. He made the comment "on a record you can turn down the volume, but you can't when you hear him live.

I talked with Johnny about steel once, at least as much he could talk, he really loved Buddy Charleton's steel.

Dicky was a treasure! His playing, like that of Jimmy Day and John Hughey, was all about beauty and emotion. He wrung tears with every note and chord. He did a lot of wonderful stuff, but this is still my favorite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jF215SyGZ8

I loved Dickey's playing along with Johnny Cox, another underrated picker.
Dickey may have been born in Mi. but was raised in and around Tulsa from a young age, Owasso I think. Dickey was also Connie Smith's band/road picker for several years as well as some of her recordings. I saw him several times thru the years along with Hank Jr. He had the touch, came from his soul, you could just feel it. R.I.P. Dickey. J.R.

Yes Sir - Dicky Overbey !!!
You said it all Cody.
The man had a touch & style all his own.

Some others were close but just IMHO
did not wring out the very last emotions
in a song like Dicky could/did IMHO.

I agree with all said above & YES Donny,
A great song; singer; & pedal steel guitar player!!
Ron

Yes.

As far as I know, he was raised around Tulsa and was said to be in Benny Ketchum's band in his earliest days.

Ketchum's band below in late 1959 or early 1960.

J.J. Cale on the right, with guitar.

Dickey is supposed to be in this pic, so that must be him on bass.

He made some great records with Lee Harmon and Johnny Bush (I'll Be There) close to 50 years ago.

Here's Dickey during his induction into the SGHOF in St. Louis, 2010.

You could listen to Dicky on a tune and looking ahead thinking what he was going to do next. Most times he would go in another direction. lol Don't know if you know what I mean but I'm always thinking ahead. Like I'm thinking a nice fill on 5&6 string and Dicky would wind up above the 12th on 1&2 or someplace. Great player !

Check out Dicky's steel playing on "Together Again" with his stepdaughter Amber Digby. 'nuf said!

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

Didn't Dickey play on Hank Jr's recording "Whisky Bent". That is a turnaround.

Turn up the steel guitar. Dickey was an awesome player. Played with more soul and vibe than most. I met him briefly in Colorado Springs, Broadmoor International Center when he was with Milsap. My band was the opening act and he came down to our end of the building to say Hello and compliment my playing and tone of my 1969 MSA D 12.

I had never met him before and was not real familiar with his playing at the time. I have listened to him a lot after he settled down in Texas. I am and was in awe of his talent.

Like I said: Turn up the steel.

Wow, I love his style.

I used to go to the ET Midnight Jamboree very often. I can tell you that when Amber was there with Dicky, there was always a lot of steel players in the audience. I first became a huge Dicky fan when I heard Ronnie Milsap's live album. Ronnie did a "new song" on the album called "Busy Making Plans" Dicky did a simple slide in the song that blew my mind. It was not a difficult lick, but the exact timing and precision that it was executed with left no doubt that it was a masters hands on that steel.

There's a lot of great players out there that get very little recognition. People seem to like to talk about the same few players over and over, and often overlook players that are playing wonderful stuff. It's out there but you have to search for it.

Dickie was a lifelong close personal friend of mine. While he lived in the Tulsa/Owasso area for a time he would come over to my house and would set his guitar up and share licks with me for hours on end. Dickie was the most humble, genuine - "real deal" ever. He like Buddy Charleton and Lloyd Green, got more out of a guitar with less pedal set up than anyone I know of. For my ears he was a Buddy Emmons - Jimmy Day clone. Dickie played with a tremendous amount of heart and soul and was a great song writer also. Loved his road stories. In addition, the story of him telling when Buddy gave him one of his personal Emmons guitars, and then when he and Buddy would be sitting down together "jamming" at Buddy's home. Many are not aware of the time when Dickie attending Bible College in Texas for a period of time did an extensive in depth study of Music from a Biblical point of view. I sure miss him and his phone calls. I thank the Lord for time he gave us with Dickie Overbey, he was truly a real gem for sure.

Dickey was the Roy Buchanan of the pedal steel...in other words..nobody played with more soul & feeling. I was very saddened when I hear he had left us. Looking forward to hearing him play in heaven.

Great player. Wish I’d seen him live. He has that classic tone . Love him on every cut I’ve heard.

Bill Moran wrote:You could listen to Dicky on a tune and looking ahead thinking what he was going to do next. Most times he would go in another direction. lol Don't know if you know what I mean but I'm always thinking ahead. Like I'm thinking a nice fill on 5&6 string and Dicky would wind up above the 12th on 1&2 or someplace. Great player !

Bill, I know exactly what you mean. Some players are very predictable, but the ones like Dicky have pleasantly surprised me many times. I sure miss his playing.

RC

I never got to see Dickie play live, but I have watched lots of his videos. Several years ago I bought a CD: Dickie Overbey and Bobby Flores, "Christmas in Ole San Antone." The CD is all Christmas instrumentals and the steel work is just beautiful. Dickie put all his heart and soul into his music.

Dickie got his early lessons on steel from Dick Gordon, a well known Tulsa steel teacher. Randy Beavers did the same although Dickie was older than Randy and came before him. I also had lessons from Dick Gordon as an early teen growing up in Tulsa. Then home of Leon McAuliffe and Johnnie Lee Wills. Lord knows I make no comparison to my modest playing to theirs

All the famous singers and professional musicians knew who he was and what he could do. His resume would look like the Who's Who in Country music. Although Dickey played for many Nashville acts he chose to live the bulk of his life in Texas which took any chances he might have had at most major label sessions. Lots of hits on major labels have been recorded in Texas but it only accounts for less than 5% perhaps. So no hits and no Nationwide distribution and your known about as well as any local player. Dickey played on some records that where hits in his early years but those same artist that had the hits back then haven't even had a major record label in 20 to 40 years. The big labels with distribution power dumped all the old guys when the new breed came to town. I agree Dickey was a very entertaining player to hear.

I disagree with the thread title.. WHO under rates him??.
The guy was an absolute monster player, and everyone that either used his talent in their music, or listened to it, knew how good he was. He might be less well known that some of the greats, thats a valid point. Under rated?. Boy not by his peers, thats for sure... Most of us would love to have his ability........ bob