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Who's the Steel Picker? RCA 1966 Liz Anderson
Posted: 26 Feb 2023 7:16 pm
by Dave Grafe
I have wondered for years who played the steel on the 1966 RCA release "The Wife of the Party" featuring Liz Anderson.
https://youtu.be/NuiHtmD1PIk
Besides Chet Atkins, both Bob Ferguson and Felton Jarvis were producing at RCA at the time, and I am certain they each had their favorite crews, but have not been able to find session credits for Liz Anderson's work.
The track was released as the B side of her single "Fairytale" and both tracks were part of her contribution to "The Game of Triangles" with Norma Jean and Bobby Bare, also released by RCA in 1966.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game_of_Triangles
Posted: 26 Feb 2023 8:19 pm
by Greg Cutshaw
Sounds just like the steel riffs on Porter Wagoners Cold Hard Facts of Life and a bit like Pete Drake or Don Warden to my ears.
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 6:00 am
by Ricky Davis
Well Liz was Lynn Anderson's Mom and Lloyd Green played on all of Lynn's albums and the only 3 Liz Anderson I've seen Albums were Lloyd Green and Lloyd was the main Steel Guitar chair at RCA Victor Studio...so "LLOYD GREEN" is my Best Bet.
Ricky
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 6:02 am
by Dave Grafe
Thanks Ricky, that was my first guess from the tone and touch.
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 6:05 am
by Ricky Davis
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 6:09 am
by Dave Grafe
Excellent! Thanks again Mr. Davis, although the 1966 release date would seem to preclude the use of what the museum has labeled Lloyd's "1967 ShoBud." In any case the track sure sounds like an early 'Bud.
As Lloyd points out in a recent performance video, the number of folks alive now who were there then is down to two or three at most, and at lot of history is already lost to those of us still here to carry on.
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 8:44 am
by Ricky Davis
Well when I restored that Fingertip; here is a pic of Lloyd's signature underneath he wrote the date under his name> I circled it in GREEN...ha...LOL. and the guy that originally did the finish in '66 and restored the finish when I got it; was the late AJ Nelson and he confirmed it to me.
Lloyd Green
1966-1970
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 10:28 am
by Dave Grafe
It appears the museum has gotten its date wrong, it happens
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 10:49 am
by Ricky Davis
Yes historical details can easily get misconstrued, all depends on who you're talking to. No I wasn't around in the 60s I was born in 62 but I didn't even start playing pedal steel until 1980, but I had so many great mentors including AJ Nelson and Shot Jackson and Duane Marrs and Paul Franklin Sr and of course a lot of the neighboring steel players that visited the sho-bud often; but Lloyd Green is my closest Mentor and he has a memory like no other, and I talk to Lloyd very frequently.
Ricky
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 11:04 am
by Marco Schouten
The song was recorded in September 1966. According to my info Lloyd got his Fingertip in October 1966, so there's no conflict with the date underneath the guitar. So if the recording date is correct, it would have been recorded with Lloyd's Sho-Bud Permanent.
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 11:32 am
by Dave Grafe
Thanks for yhe research Marco, that ties it all together
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 11:42 am
by Ricky Davis
Yeah that's a good point Marco; I didn't really look at the date of the recording, so yeah most likely it was his perm; if it was him.
I guess I could probably just ask Lloyd but I don't want to bother him. But it does sound more like his perm than the fingertip anyways, so let's just go with that. but yes the fingertip was made in 66.
Ricky
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 11:46 am
by Dave Grafe
Everything you brought was good history Rucky, and supports the notion that Lloyd played everything on the "Triangles" album. If you DO talk to him tell him thanks for me for all I have gained from that LP over the years.
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 1:13 pm
by Steve Hinson
"Wife of the Party"sounds like Pete to me.
SH
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 2:00 pm
by Ricky Davis
OK I just asked Lloyd about that whole project and he will yell back at me I'm sure.
Ricky
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 2:36 pm
by Dave Grafe
Good call Ricky, this is history worthy of documentation
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 2:36 pm
by Greg Cutshaw
That song has the same tone and exact signature licks that Pete used on two of Porter Wagoners albums.
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 3:07 pm
by Henry Matthews
I’m going with Lloyd Green. Not Pete or Don. Never heard either play those fast little riffs which were Lloyds forte.
This Just In from Lloyd
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 3:18 pm
by Ricky Davis
Ok; it is NOT Lloyd; here is exactly what Lloyd said:
Hi Ricky.
I’m ok. Been occupied all day…until now. I hadn’t heard that ancient Liz Anderson version…ever.
It is a good historical question. I didn’t play on some of Liz’s songs. First, let’s be clear; it wasn’t me.
Obviously it sounds like Pete Drake, but the player is really amped up. If it was Pete, it sounds like he’s channeling Pete Drake (I don’t mean that in a disparaging fashion) and the player sounds like, if not Pete, he was encouraged to play Pete.
In those mid-60’s days in Nashville, the only other player that could play that close to Pete Drake was Stu Basore who was loved and used on a lot of RCA sessions by Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson, and Elvis’s producer, Felton Jarvis. Weldon Myrick could emulate Pete to some degree but his fingerprint always was evident somewhere in the song (like for Billy Sherrill later). So it ain’t Weldon either.
Now, it could be Pete. At that moment in time he and I were really competitive, and both of us were called for far more sessions than we could have ever taken, so if we were unavailable there could have been someone else since it obviously isn’t Weldon or Hal Rugg.
And keep in mind there was Jim Baker , a really good player or Doyle Grisham, a superb player.
But, my money would be on a really exuberant Pete, or else Stu Basore , who could play the role.
I think RCA would have had no problem hiring any of the names I’ve mentioned.
You know, a great person to pose the question to is Paul Franklin. He may have better insight on this question than me.
What do you think Paul?
Finally, if it was Pete…”Man, that was really good, Pete”!
Lloyd Green
Thanks so much Lloyd for your incredible input.
Ricky
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 5:27 pm
by Dave Grafe
Outstanding,thanks all!
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 5:41 pm
by Bobby Boggs
Don't think it was Pete. Won't give my reason for ruling him out. Don't want to offend anyone. No way for me to know for sure who it was. But If I had to guess, I'd vote Stu.
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 7:45 pm
by Clyde Mattocks
Yes it's clearly Pete's style, but I don't think it's him either. So besides him, who else was around back then? Ben Keith, Hal Rugg (I don't think it's him), Jeff Newman (he was pretty good at imitating Mooney), others I'm missing right now. Take your pick.
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 8:56 pm
by Kenny Davis
There are three songs from about the same time period as this song and all have very similar licks, sounding like the same player:
That Kind of Girl - Conway Twitty
Pop A Top - Jim Ed Brown
Keeping Up With the Joneses - Faron Young & Margie Singleton
I always thought that Lew Houston played steel on Conway's song - now I'm not sure. There's one short lick that sounds like west coast steel, but the rest sounds like the others. My opinion is it could be the same player.
I looked at Stu's discogs, and it doesn't go back into the 60's for some reason. My guess was Pete, but after listening a couple of times it sounds like someone trying to emulate his sound.
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 9:26 pm
by Gary Hoetker
This is fun stuff. It's Pete Drake and bet the ranch.
In addition to the songs posted for this topic like "That Kind of Girl" and "Keeping Up With The Joneses" that have Pete all over them, please listen to the intros and fills on the two songs I attached below...... Billy Walker's "Faded Lights and Lonesome People" and Shirley Wood's "This One Belongs To Me". They're unmistakably Pete. He was so great!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do-oKCBAeQw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTtchHO73Y4
Posted: 27 Feb 2023 10:09 pm
by Kenny Davis
I think Lew Houston started recording with Conway in 1967, based on listening to Don't Put Your Hurt In My Heart and Walk Me To The Door. The flip side of That Kind of Girl (1966) has Together Forever, which also sounds like Pete, but also a little different.
I'm done...my head is starting to hurt!
