John Hughey at his finest with Conway circa 1970

About Steel Guitarists and their Music

Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn

User avatar
Dave Mudgett
Moderator
Posts: 9648
Joined: 16 Jul 2004 12:01 am
Location: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

John Hughey at his finest with Conway circa 1970

Post by Dave Mudgett »

Haven't seen this one for a while - I was looking over my band's facebook page and this was linked there - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw82JzPQDCg

All the things that make me love pedal steel in one place. Totally sublime perfection.
User avatar
Marc Jenkins
Posts: 1627
Joined: 11 Mar 2007 7:23 pm
Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Post by Marc Jenkins »

Incredible!!
User avatar
Greg Milton
Posts: 276
Joined: 29 May 2009 7:03 am
Location: Benalla, Australia

Post by Greg Milton »

Thanks Dave, that's amazing!
User avatar
Larry Dering
Posts: 5076
Joined: 17 May 2013 11:20 am
Location: Missouri, USA

Post by Larry Dering »

None better. Johns crying steel with Conways growl. Classic Country sound.
User avatar
Richard Sinkler
Posts: 17067
Joined: 15 Aug 1998 12:01 am
Location: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Post by Richard Sinkler »

My favorite steel player, and favorite country singer. It don't get any better than this.
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 53 years and still counting.
Joe Goldmark
Posts: 1098
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: San Francisco, CA 94131

Post by Joe Goldmark »

Wonder where that steel is now?
User avatar
Carl Williams
Posts: 3105
Joined: 27 Sep 2004 12:01 am
Location: Oklahoma

The Masters

Post by Carl Williams »

I’m thinking the vast majority of us on this Forum remember when this classic first played on our car radios....we’ve been very lucky to have lived the Golden Years and hearing the classics and the Masters setting the bar so high...Thanks Dave....Carl
Kevin Fix
Posts: 1260
Joined: 28 Apr 2007 9:11 pm
Location: Michigan, USA

Post by Kevin Fix »

:) :) :) :)
User avatar
W. C. Edgar
Posts: 724
Joined: 28 Feb 2005 1:01 am
Location: Iowa City Iowa, Madison CT, Nashville, Austin, Phoenix, East Coast Soon!
Contact:

Post by W. C. Edgar »

Pork Chop playing drums too!
Is that John's brother playing Bass on this clip too?
Something about those wood neck push pulls that had a tone.
WC
First owner of Steelseat.com
1980 Sho-Bud Pro II & 1977 Sho-Bud Pro l
Lawrence 610 Pickups
1979 Peavey LTD
1980 Peavey Nashville 400
Goodrich L-120
Toured with Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson & more
wcedgar.com
Paul Norman
Posts: 2600
Joined: 18 Mar 2005 1:01 am
Location: Washington, North Carolina, USA

Post by Paul Norman »

I have never seen John with a green guitar. He always played black or dark colored ones.
Graham Bland
Posts: 378
Joined: 7 Apr 2003 12:01 am
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

John Hughey

Post by Graham Bland »

You are absolutely right Dave...
but lets not forget the countless HIT RECORDS that John played on for other major artists through the years!!!!!
And of course what a terrific human, down to earth guy he was!!!
robert kramer
Posts: 2052
Joined: 27 Nov 1999 1:01 am
Location: Nashville TN

Post by robert kramer »

I'm at a loss for words so I'll just quote Dave Mudgett's words:

"All the things that make me love pedal steel in one place. Totally sublime perfection."

I hadn't heard this one until it was played Friday on a local independent radio station here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZjVezNthOI
User avatar
Ken Byng
Posts: 4313
Joined: 19 Feb 2001 1:01 am
Location: Southampton, England

Post by Ken Byng »

I saw this lineup live at the London Palladium Theatre in 1970. Also on the show was Bill Anderson with Sonny Garrish on steel. 2 brilliant players on the same show!

I buttonholed John H after the show. I was in awe of him as I was a novice player back then, but I needn't have been. John was extremely amiable and was so happy to have someone to talk steel guitar to. I asked him about his pedal setup, and I was tickled to learn that we both played Day setup with E levers on the left knee. He told me how he loved the Emmons guitar, and in fact was arranging to get a new one. I noticed that the case for his current Emmons was totally dilapidated.
Show Pro D10 - amber (8+6), MSA D10 Legend XL Signature - redburst (9+6), Infinity SD10 (4+5) Sho-Bud Pro 111 Custom (8+6), Emmons black Push-Pull D10 (8+5), Zum D10 (8x8), Hudson pedal resonator. Telonics TCA-500, Webb 614-E,
Fish
Posts: 574
Joined: 25 Feb 1999 1:01 am

Post by Fish »

Soulful, heavenly playing. A vibrato Masterclass.

To the woodshed.
robert kramer
Posts: 2052
Joined: 27 Nov 1999 1:01 am
Location: Nashville TN

Post by robert kramer »

This message is for Steve. Did it snow in your neighborhood today? I know you lent me your snow shovel. I forget now if I returned it?

Kramer


Image
Fish
Posts: 574
Joined: 25 Feb 1999 1:01 am

Post by Fish »

Hi Kramer,

Oh yeah, it's snowing heavily over here at the moment. But remember: you brought back my snow shovel the day I gave you the KBOA recording ;0)

Lay low, stay safe, keep carrying the flame.

Steve
User avatar
Ian Rae
Posts: 5826
Joined: 10 Oct 2013 11:49 am
Location: Redditch, England
Contact:

Post by Ian Rae »

I am great admirer of John Hughey. It isn't snowing here.
I have a brand new shovel I bought last winter but I never needed it.
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
Len Ryder
Posts: 264
Joined: 26 Aug 2000 12:01 am
Location: Penticton B.C.

Post by Len Ryder »

Great sound. I may be thinking OLD but it’s nice to see the entertainer and the band looking professional rather than as if they just got off work at a construction site as bands look now-a-days..
User avatar
Richard Sinkler
Posts: 17067
Joined: 15 Aug 1998 12:01 am
Location: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Post by Richard Sinkler »

W. C. Edgar wrote:Pork Chop playing drums too!
Is that John's brother playing Bass on this clip too?
Something about those wood neck push pulls that had a tone.
WC
"Big" Joe Lewis on bass.
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 53 years and still counting.
User avatar
Ian Rae
Posts: 5826
Joined: 10 Oct 2013 11:49 am
Location: Redditch, England
Contact:

Post by Ian Rae »

Len Ryder wrote:It’s nice to see the entertainer and the band looking professional
I have a good suit that I never wear. When we finally get to play gigs again I shall put it on to celebrate!
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
David Gertschen
Posts: 260
Joined: 23 May 2013 12:16 pm
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Post by David Gertschen »

Don't know if this was posted already, but this is an interview with John from 2005. I just wish it was longer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY2Q_xvDllo
User avatar
Bart Bull
Posts: 47
Joined: 8 Oct 2018 8:30 am
Location: New Orleans, USA/Paris FR/Berkeley USSR

Post by Bart Bull »

Evidently, green ones sound best.
Undoubtedly the finest pedal steel player in Paris' 18th Arrondissement
Disaster of Touch, Tone & Taste; Still mastering the manifold mysteries of the Sho-Bud Maverick
Supro, Oahu, pin-striped Rus-Ler SD-10, y tiger-stripe-painted Stella
Hohner Corona Dos en Fa, y Gabanelli en Sol
Jim Pitman
Posts: 1901
Joined: 29 Aug 1998 12:01 am
Location: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Post by Jim Pitman »

...and the mix! steel right out front perhaps overpowering the excellent vocal at times. That's in stark contrast to a modern mix.
User avatar
Bart Bull
Posts: 47
Joined: 8 Oct 2018 8:30 am
Location: New Orleans, USA/Paris FR/Berkeley USSR

Post by Bart Bull »

Hope this doesn't hijack this thread, but thinking about the notorious early Conway Twitty bands, I bumped across this:
Harold Jenkins, with the SGForum's late, lamented Gene Jones killin' it on steel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DkgEUqNWUo
According to a commenter who seems to know their stuff, it's "From March 1956 on board ship ! between Japan-USA. Full lineup as mentioned is Harold Jenkins [vcl/gt], Jimmy Geesie [gt], Chuck Murray [rh gt], Wesley Pickett [rh gt], Gene Jones [steel], Paul Thompson [drums], "Tip" Tipton [bass fiddle])."
Undoubtedly the finest pedal steel player in Paris' 18th Arrondissement
Disaster of Touch, Tone & Taste; Still mastering the manifold mysteries of the Sho-Bud Maverick
Supro, Oahu, pin-striped Rus-Ler SD-10, y tiger-stripe-painted Stella
Hohner Corona Dos en Fa, y Gabanelli en Sol
Thornton Lewis
Posts: 72
Joined: 2 Jan 2017 11:40 am
Location: New York, USA

Post by Thornton Lewis »

Master of the higher frequencies. You go do bar slants above the 15th fret and I'll be here to hold you while we both cry.
Post Reply