The Steel Guitar Forum

This week I received my copy (two actually) of "He Touched Me", John Hughey's new gospel album. It contains thirteen hymns, which most people would consider to be gospel standards.

I don't think I need to say that it is great. After all, it is John Hughey so you know it has to be great! I have really enjoyed listening to it this week.

If you like Hughey (and who doesn't) and you like gospel, you would love this album!

Thanks John and God bless you!

Tony Rankin

When John was in Forest Lake a month ago, I picked up the CD along with the tracks.
Great stuff!!

Well I just received my copy by mail today. I can't say enough about it. When I think of gospel songs, I think of "pretty" playing. Who is better to do that than John.

I also got my copy of "On and Off Stage". What a piece of work. I had no idea this album existed at the time it came out (I'm thinking early 70s). Of course at that time I lived so far back in the hills of North Carolina we didn't get the Grand Ole Opry until Tuesday.

And once again John was gracious enough to make available the rhythm tracks to "He Touched Me". I'll look forward to playing along with them. Even if I learn a few of his licks, they will never come out of my amp with 1/100th of the soul and style that John has. How many chills has John sent up your spine?

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Terry Downs
http://nightshift.net
terry@nightshift.net

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Terry Downs on 07 August 2001 at 05:59 AM.]</p></FONT>

I Concur with all the above and along with the "James and John" album they have become my Wife's all time favorite Steel Albums...
Puts her in the best of moods ! good for me and don't forget his other albums and Tracks "Neck to Neck" and "John Hughey" if you do not have GET because you will be very pleased.

John is Mr Soul!!! I have all his CDs...No words can say enough about his playing or him as a person!

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Bb is where it's at!

What Junior said !!!!!!!
Fine as a nylon frazzle !!

I received my copy of " HE Touched Me " C.D. and rythm track yesterday. I dont know which is going to wear out first, my C.D. player or the C.D. itself. John has really outdone himself on this one. For those of you who do not yet have this recording, you are really missing some beautiful steel guitar.Highly recomended !!!

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Martin W. Emmons LG III 3/5 Peavy 1000

Our band does a song by Vince Gill; Go Climb High On That Mountain (?). It sounds like a hymn, the lyrics are sort of religious but I don't want to put a label on it. I try to picture John playing in this song where I don't hear him. I try to think and play what John would do when we play the song and we all like to play it. I wondered why John wasn't in the mix and then I remembered....

At the awards ceremony the year Conway Twitty died; Vince brought John out to share in his Musician Of The Year award.
Noone before or since has ever done that.

Once in an interview, Vince said: " I just want to go to the house and listen to John play."

So if I ever wonder what someone thinks of John, I try to remember what Vince did and all the doubt simply leaves me. And I know I'm not alone. The rest of this thread is also proof of that.

Regards, Paul

I too am enjoying John Hughey's newest CD , along with his others. This is certainly some of the prettiest Gospel steel you will ever hear.

BTW - - while we are at it , Tony Rankin [steel guitarist for] "The Dayton Ambassadors" have two wonderful "Southern Gospel" CD's. Be sure to contact Tony for ordering information. Skip

Copy of a previous post:
................................. My dad was the song leader in our church and at revivals around our neck of the woods when I was growing up, and my parents and two of my sisters (all gone now) had a gospel quartet, and most of the traditional hymns from that era seem to have been left behind by newer hymns. But John's new album has brought them back. His spiritual and emotional interpretation of those hymns, combined with his superb playing, has revived those childhood memories of mine of family, church, happy times, and even those times when they were sung as we said goodby to loved ones. This album is going to be a classic that will always be one of my favorites. www.genejones.com posted 31 May 2001 07:16 PM .............................. www.genejones.com

I don't know how many times I've listened to all of John's CD's and think to myself, what an amazing pedal steel guitar player John is. I've had the pleasure and thrill of playing right beside John on numerous occasions......even "try" copying some of his style and licks (without a lot of success) because there's only one John Hughey. His Gospel CD "He Touched Me" is indeed a favorite of mine.....and I really enjoy the rhythm tracks for playing along at church myself......Thanks John for so much inspiration......

This is a great CD. If you like gospel on steel, this recording is for you. The only regret I have is that I did not buy the rhythm tracks when I ordered the CD.

BTW...who's offering this Hughey material w/tracks? thanks, SW.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Steven Welborn on 29 August 2001 at 11:01 AM.]</p></FONT>

Paul, I can appreciate your comments above.

I was reminded of ten or twelve years ago when Larry King was still on late night radio when I heard an interview he had with Conway not too long after John left.

During the interview Larry asked him who was going to take John's place? His answer was.... "I have had the best steel guitar player there is with me for all of these years and I doubt that I'll ever hire any one else".

I don't know whether he ever hired anyone else or not, but it revealed the regard that he had for his long time friend from their school days.

I can also attest to that. After we had all returned from Japan back in the 50s, I was traveling through Helena once and I stopped to visit with Conway for an afternoon and much of that time was spent with Conway having me listen to some tapes made on an old reel to reel recorder that he and some friend of his named John Hughey had made.

If not for Conways temporary "detour" into rock & roll, John would more that likely have been with him for 30 years rather than 20. www.genejones.com

Steven - - I just sent you the requested info on your e-mail , for ordering the CD & tracks. Skip