The Steel Guitar Forum

I recently found a CD that had been misplaced for several years. It was made from Jimmie Fletcher's reel to reel recordings of live shows in The Dixie Club and The Peacock Club in San Angelo Texas in the late 50's and early 60's. Buddy and Jimmy take turns on leads and fills on Ray Price songs complete with bloopers and tuning touch-ups between songs on their little 3 pedal no knee lever (ShoBuds I think). Ray Price does 4 songs. There is also one song live with Ernest Tubb at a different time with Buddy and Leon Rhodes. There is also about a 5 minute clip of a Jimmie Fletcher radio show anvertising our dances and coming attractions like Tuesday night dances and Thursday night Sadie Hawkins night:-). We were playing 6 or 7 nights a week with a Sunday evening matinee. It brings back memories of the the good old days for sure.

sounds amazing Don! is there any way you can share it with us?

Yes, share, please!!!

Hi Don- Glad you found that recording! Would like to hear it. Hope you are doing good my friend. Take care. Randall

Hi Randal, our old buddy Bobby Rountree made the CD several years before his death. He also played bass with Ray that night along with other members of Jimmie Fletchers house house band, Jelly Teagarden played drums and Blackie Crawford played guitar. Shorty Lavender played fiddle and Ray Sanders sang harmony. Blackie Crawford started the Cherokee Cowboys band in the first place before Ray took it over. Blackie always told me that and Ray confirmed it that night. Fletcher has hours and hours of old reel to reel tape that was made back in the day. It's over 60 years old now of course so very thankful for this CD.

Wow, please share if you can!

Don- Very cool that you experienced those early days of pedal steel! You were right among the Greats! Sure do miss Bobby. I’m so glad I got know him and pick with him. Take care RP

Another interesting thing happened that night. Jimmy Bigger was a great steel player.He had played around San Angelo for awhile and had played and recorded on Ray Price's first record and had played with Jimmy Fletcher before I did. He played a Blankenship steel tuned to Bb6th.I think it had 2 pedals but everything he played on that tuning was hot as hell and good but never anything commercial. He wasn't too crazy about the vanilla sears and robuck sound. Me and the guitar player, Buddy Smith (bless his heart he later died car wreck while playing with Claude Gray) lived together and invited everyone over to our place to have a jam session after the gig which we did a lot in those days. Every one came over. Buddy Emmons,Ray Price, Jimmie Fletcher and I think Blackie Crawford. Emmons and Bigger started swapping licks. Bigger found out pretty quick he couldn't show Buddy anything so he kinda started laying out a little. Something happend to Biggers amp and it made a horrible growling noise. Ray Price said "damn Biggers your amp shounds like it's having a damned bowel movement":-) After awhile Biggers laid his head on his steel passed out or maybe went to sleep or whatever and left Buddy playing by hisself.

Bob Kramer of the Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame Museum has requested the cd and a copy has been sent to them to do with at their discretion. Thanks to all who responded. Don.

Hey, Don!

Please check your mail. I’d appreciate it!

yes please share it if possible . the world needs more of early ray price live stuff. that was when all the magic was being created