The Steel Guitar Forum

Ricky,

You played a beautiful intro to Billy Dee's song last night. If you still remember it, could you please tab it out? BTW great show last night!

Hey Mason; I'll give it a try. Haven't done that song but once and did a intro on the fly; but I believe I played this: In key of G and goes to C then back to G then to D then resolves on G:
<font size="3" face="monospace"><pre>
1._________|_____________________|___________________|
2._________|_____________________|___________________|
3._________|_____________8_____3b|_13~15_15b~15~~_10b|
4._________|_3_3_3c~~5c__8_____3_|___________________|
5.______3__|_____________8a~8_~3a|_______15a~15~~_10a|
6._3_3b_3_3|___3_3b~~5b__________|___________________|
7.___3_____|_____________________|___________________|
8._3______3|_____________________|___________________|
9._________|_____________________|___________________|
10.________|_____________________|___________________|


1.________________________|
2.________________________|
3._15__15b__15__13~~~~_10b|
4.________________________|
5._15__15a__15__13~~~~_10a|
6.________________________|
7.__________15____________|
8._15__15L______13L~~~_10_|
9.________________________|
10._______________________|
</pre></font>
Hey Mason; remember that it is 3/4 time. I hope that helps and I think that is pretty close.
Ricky

Ricky,

Thank you very much. It's very generous of you to take the time to share your expertice.

No problem Mason. For a fellow steel player; I will go to the edge, and even the ledge on the other side of the edge; If I can help.
Ricky

Hey Ricky, my cat's stuck up in a tree--can you get it down?
But really--that 8-5-3 grip is real pretty. I love to play with that by myself but never could find a way to work it into song situations.
Regards.

Hey Jon;I get some of those grips from Lloyd Green;who really plays some great grips on the steel. He has one that is so hard and so cool, when the phrasing is done properly, that blows my mind. He will play the 10;8;3 grip. Those three notes are of course the three notes that make up major triad of a major chord; and when used to move and phrase between chords is really beautiful. I'm trying to work out some cool things with it; when ever I get a chance to practice; but I would think it would be a great challange for all of us to see what we could post here in tab; some nice changes and moves using that grip. Ok someone start it; cause I have to go to bed now. Also Jon; if you would talk nicer to your Cat; you will find he will come down all on his own
Ricky

Hey guys...I'm trying to work up "Secret Love" that I heard Lloyd play at the convention one year and I'm having problems with the chord structure, especially when I try to do the bridge. I would appreciate any help anyone has to offer. I don't have a recording of this particular song to work with...just my memory. Thanx

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Hey Kenny!
<font size="3" face="monospace"><pre>
Secret Love

|Eb | | | |
| |G* C7|F- |Bb |
|F- |Bb |F- |Bb |
1st ending
|F- |Bb |Eb C7|F-Bb|
2nd ending
|F- |Bb |Eb | |

Bridge
|C- |F7 |Bb | |
|Bb- |Eb7 |Ab |Ab- |
|Eb | |G* |C7 |
|F- |Bb |Eb (F- Bb7)
</pre></font>

- means minor.
The * beside the G chords means
G half-diminished (Gm7b5), 'cause it didn't fit so well. You could also use C7b9 in place of any of the C7 chords.
I wrote it out in Eb because that's the key it's written in. Feel free to transpose. It's just out of my head, hope it's OK.
Pick 'er Bro...
-John
p.s. Has anyone else heard Monty Alexander's version of "Secret Love" in 5/4 time? Too cool!

John, you are the GREATEST...thanx Bro...

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kd...and the beat goes on...

So who does Secret Love? And which Billy Dee song is that? Or is the song called Billy Dee?

I've got Secret Love by the Moonglows. Not much steel but tons of doo-wop.

I'm not too up on Billy Dee, but Secret Love is an old swing standard, from the big band era. The list of who hasn't done Secret Love would be shorter than the list of who has, but 2 noteable versions rendered by steelers are:
Buddy Emmons on his "Minors Aloud" album, which he did with Lenny Breau, and
Lloyd Green, who recorded it for his "Ten Shades of Green" album. I have to assume it's close what Kenny heard live. Lucky guy
At a jam session of swing enthusiasts last week, the fiddler shared a few Lenny Breau stories with us. Lenny moved up close here in the 70's for a while and lived with the hippies around Wilno, Ont., trying to get straightened out. A few tales of jamming with Lenny at the small local backwoods establishments made me wish I was born sooner. Sorry to stray off topic, it was kinda neat.
-John

The Billy Dee song is a song our Bass player wrote that Mason heard us do the other night. I played an intro; that Mason wanted me to tab out; and that's what that is. I don't know how the Secret Love song got in here; but I'm glad it did; because; Billy Dee also sings that song and thanks to John Steele again; I get to refresh my chord progression for that song.
Ricky