The Steel Guitar Forum

I heard Charles Lloyd about 1967 at the Costa Mesa Jazz Festival; and am now in a jazz group influenced by Bill Frisell/Greg Leisz, with whom Lloyd has played.

So when a friend of mine sent this article, I perked up.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/ ... with-sound

In it, Lloyd says this:

“Back in Memphis I used to jam with a country band who had a hot pedal steel guitar player so, by playing with Bill Frisell [guitar] and Greg Leisz [pedal steel], I’ve managed to reach after that. I like weird connections because I don’t like to play with one hand behind my back. I got to have a full deck of cards: no restrictions.”

Q: Any idea who that "hot pedal steel player" might have been?

Chris

I remember Lloyd mentioning that in an interview a few years ago and it really piqued my interest; the first name that came to mind was John Hughey. He was playing gigs, TV shows and recording with Slim Rhodes, who had the hot band around Memphis in the mid-fifties, which would be the era Lloyd would be referring to (though John played with Rhodes well into the sixties). Lloyd was around Memphis then doing both jazz gigs and r&b sideman gigs before moving to California in 1956.

Just speculation though; I'd love to hear from anybody that knew for sure.

Thanks for that info, Pete. Either Lloyd or Papa John would fit into that "hot pedal steel player" category.

BTW, Pete, you and I met occasionally in N'ville in the late 80s: congratulations on toughing it out all these years in Music City!

Me? I went into another line of work in '89 after 3 years there.

Chris

Hey Chris, of course I remember you and your great playing. I don't have any other job skills so here I am still, almost 40 years now! You were playing with Ronnie Milsap at some point, right, when he was having non-stop number one records? I've been pretty fortunate to have never gone long without pretty decent gigs, sometimes great ones. Knock on wood.

Every time I used "Lloyd" in the post above I meant Charles Lloyd, not Lloyd Green, guess I should have been more clear. Lloyd Green was never a part of the Memphis scene at any time that I'm aware of so it couldn't have been him.

Hey Pete! No, I never played for Milsap . . never met him in fact.

Steve Bivins and I did a duo (played a lot at Tootsie's), then I played with him and Ray Mann and Chas Williams at the Cowboy Church; did a couple of weeks with the then-little-known Alan Jackson; and 6 trips to Nevada casinos with Ira Allen, who passed away recently, I read.

Best wishes and much success to you, Pete. Mid 80s were a good time in Nashville.

Chris

It was Bruce Brooks that played for Milsap for quite a while. He is from the East Missouri area. Last I heard Bruce is not playing anymore due to some serious health issues. Don't know how he is doing now. He was a great player. Bruce was with Milsap when I seen them live here in Missouri.