The Steel Guitar Forum

Along with Ralph Mooney, Red Rhodes was my biggest influence when I was learning to play steel. I especially like his work with the First National Band.

There's so many things to like about his playing (inventiveness, taste, humor, etc...) But one specific thing I like about his style is his distinctive vibrato. It's very pronounced but very controlled.

I thought of him today because I found this CD wedged under the seat of my car: https://youtu.be/5b43UqPXahU

If you like Red Rhodes or have a favorite tune, I hope you'll share.

On Velvet Hammer I love his version of “Poinciana” in particular! When I started pedal steel in the late 70s Red was a major inspiration. The other major influences on me were Emmons, Green, Mooney and Pete Kleinow, but I can’t really play like ANY of them! This cut may be my favorite solo of Red’s.
https://youtu.be/gueigpmBTzM

Jerry Overstreet wrote:Y̶o̶u̶ ̶W̶e̶l̶c̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶J̶o̶h̶n̶.̶ ̶M̶y̶ ̶e̶d̶i̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶d̶o̶e̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶m̶u̶c̶h̶ ̶i̶n̶f̶o̶ ̶e̶i̶t̶h̶e̶r̶.̶ ̶J̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶a̶ ̶l̶i̶s̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶s̶o̶n̶g̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶p̶u̶b̶l̶i̶s̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶c̶r̶e̶d̶i̶t̶s̶.̶ ̶N̶o̶ ̶l̶i̶n̶e̶r̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶a̶l̶l̶.̶ ̶



I enjoy listening to this a lot...and Red anywhere whenever I can.

From a forum thread several years ago. One of my first steel guitar albums. The only thing I knew about Red Rhodes at the time was from a list of players in one of Tom Bradshaw's publications.

I like how he had his own distinctive style and tone.
I particularly like the cover of Charleton's Almost to Tulsa on this LP.

Always loved Red's work on this John Stewart cover tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apaBF20wqiA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f-BUt0Eywg

The first song I heard with Red Rhodes was this one, "Don't Bogart me" from Fraternity of man.

So I added his name to my favourite Steel players.

Never Going Back is great indeed.

Probably my first serious cognizance of Red's playing was on Sweet Baby James from James Taylor's first WB album of the same title - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyoZLKgLcys - that whole production still massively holds up. The "Turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston" line struck a chord especially at the time, since I was shuttling back and forth between Amherst and Boston on the Mass Pike quite a bit, having recently moved back to Boston from Amherst.

What I loved about Red's playing was - well, everything - but especially his ability to play, but not overplay, exactly what the song called for, and his persistent melodicism.

This Austin City Limits show with Mike Nesmith and the National Band, with Red and John Jorgenson, is absolutely fantastic - https://acltv.com/tag/first-national-band/ - there are a couple of clips there. Joanne is just fabulous. Both he and Jorgenson are perfect.

Listening to the whole cd was a pleasure. Red was extremely talented. His electrical expertise should be mentioned.

the Steel Guitar Favorites album Jerry mentioned is available on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5hC33s ... 5Qwv2Lnh4w

His electrical expertise should be mentioned.

Absolutely...
I spent a good deal of time at his shop in the '70's. One of the coolest things he did was wiring his pickup in stereo... and not your usual stereo.
Even numbered strings went to a left amp & odd numbered strings went to a right amp.
Sounded awesome.

Hey Dave, I live near Amherst! Thank you for that link!

Jerry, I have that album but with a generic cover, not that fantastic photo.

I have heard about his legendary amp shop and his stereo pickups. What a sound that must have been to listen to right in front of the stage.

Joanne, don't know how I forgot that one by Nez.

Andrew, I found that LP in a cutout bin at a local record store as I recall....back when there were record stores.

Besides his amp work, he was involved with Groove Tubes vacuum tubes and with MCI guitars. I think that was early on in their history.

Red was wonderful no other words needed...
My favorite song he added color to?
Gotta be this one.-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MBaGjV ... jVdaIk&t=0

Hoyt Axton-Renee Armond-Red Rhodes... I mean seriously, how could it not be great?
I believe the guitar was a Fender 800, could be wrong.. I thought I saw him play a ZB at some point as well... bob

I remember Red having 2 800's...one in an Eb tuning and one is his diatonic tuning.
He used pedals for knee levers... I remember seeing those black floor pedals hanging down as levers. He later got a Sierra. I never saw him with a ZB, but I know he had one.

So growing up musically in NorCal, I never had the pleasure of meeting, or hearing Red play... however I played for a year or two with guitarist Danny Holder... and he used a souped up Twin Reverb that Red fixed up for him.. along with preamps in his Tele, and his volume pedal. What a sound... if I remember right it featured two 12" Gauss speakers, and had a couple of small fans installed just to keep the amp from overheating.

This was in 1974. Fun stuff.

Wow Bob, that Hoyt Axton song with Renee Armand reminded me of this great song by Butch Hancock and her on his 'Yella Rose' album "Like a kiss on the Mouth' with Lloyd Maines on steel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh3lfrflgNU

Not meaning to hijack the thread but I really like this

great player , old school

https://youtu.be/gQ8OcWMibv0

https://youtu.be/gxbL95Zhb1w

These albums are an education. Wish I were a better student.

Glad to find this topic, i stated i loved the 'Don't Bogart" song earlier.
I searched for more work and liked the ones you recommanded.

I just found this beauty "Michael Nesmith" Harmony Constant with a nice steel solo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N2JQfGBuw4

Thumbs up for Red...unique stylist...

Skip Batten had a Fender Dual Showman amp that Red had rebuilt with 6550 power tubes some years before the introduction of Ampeg's SVT. It was the easily best bass amp I had ever played through at the time.

I first heard Red's steel playing on the Byrds' "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album, but I had already heard of his prowess as an electrical engineer. Truly one of those "Renaissance Men" folks talk about.

Dave Grafe wrote:
I first heard Red's steel playing on the Byrds' "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album, but I had already heard of his prowess as an electrical engineer. Truly one of those "Renaissance Men" folks talk about.

JD Maness and Lloyd Green played on" Sweethearts of the Rodeo".

JD Maness and Lloyd Green played on" Sweethearts of the Rodeo"

My mistake, I was thinking of the earlier "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" as well as his work with early Linda Ronstadt and Brewer and Shipley

Red was a great player. My first "contact" with him was on Freddy Weller's "Games People Play" album. He played some great stuff on that album. I was fortunate enough to see him with Michael Nesmith in San Francisco. Nesmith opened for Linda Ronstadt with Ed Black on steel. It was a great steel day.

I love Red on "Anywhere Like Heaven" by JT -- super sweet licks, just really supports the singer and the song. I used to hang out at his amp shop in the San Fernando Valley back in the 70s, but I had no idea who he was then.

I first became aware of Red in the mid 70’s, when I was just starting out on steel guitar. I was floored by his great playing on the incredible Willis Alan Ramsey record (that to this day is still one of my favorite albums ever!).

Here is a couple of cuts that feature Red:

https://youtu.be/d-cjgALW2wU

https://youtu.be/b8BMkfLwvt4