The Steel Guitar Forum

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.

Incredible!!

Thanks Dave, that's amazing!

None better. Johns crying steel with Conways growl. Classic Country sound.

My favorite steel player, and favorite country singer. It don't get any better than this.

Wonder where that steel is now?

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

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

I have never seen John with a green guitar. He always played black or dark colored ones.

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

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.

Soulful, heavenly playing. A vibrato Masterclass.

To the woodshed.

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

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

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.

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..

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.

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!

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

Evidently, green ones sound best.

...and the mix! steel right out front perhaps overpowering the excellent vocal at times. That's in stark contrast to a modern mix.

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])."

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.