The Steel Guitar Forum

Does anyone know the composer, the lyrics and the steel player on this great song. Recently I heard it on wsm but my radio crackles so much on that station I missed bits and pieces of it. Thanks.

Go to the COWPIE site and do a search on Sing A Sad Song. It will give you the lyrics and composer. It was one of Hag's first songs, and a great one at that. Rob Parker does a splendid job on it,also.
Roger

I'm pretty sure it was Wyinn (sp?) Stewart and the steel player was Ralph Mooney.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Bobby, you're right. I have on an LP of Wynns. I also remember when he released it.
Perry

You'se mitey right Bobby and Perry! regards, fred

Wynn Stewart with Ralph did the first, Merle Haggard with Ralph did the second.

According to Hag's book(both books), he was working for Wynn,playing bass at the time that this was to be Wynn's next single. He reminded Wynn of a statement that he had made to him earlier in regards to helping Merle become an artist. Wynn, according to the book, had told Hag he would make him a star if it was in his power. Merle reminded Wynn off that statement and Wynn agreed he had said it and would, if he could. Hag then said, you can: let me have "Sing A Sad Song". Wynn agreed, Hag carried it to Fuzzy Owens, they recorded and released it on Tally records. It was Hag's first chart record. Wynn may have had it in an album, but I don't believe he released it as a single, until Merle's version had fell from the charts. I do believe that it was Mooney playing steel, as he was working for Wynn at the time all of this went down---sure sounds like Mooney. I have a mint condition of the Tally 45. Great song by both Merle and Wynn!

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Tommy Minniear
www.ntsga.com

You are right Bobby, it's been one of my all time favorites.

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Martin W. Emmons LG III 3/5 Peavy 1000

I have this song on a Ray Price album, The Cherokee Cowboys, mostly instrumental album with Buddy Emmons. I have listened to this album many times, but the singer of this song does not sound like Ray Price. Does anyone know who sang this song on this album?

Just curious. Either way it is a great album, and a great song.

Dennis

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MSA S-10 Sidekick
Gorilla Amp with Digitech RP100 Processor
pedalman@msn.com
www.geocities.com/mnpedalman/index.html

Dennis,
That would be Charlie Harris. Charlie left us some years ago,,,20 or so. He was from here in Houston.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Bobby, I remember Charlie Harris very well from my years of living in Nashville. He not only was one heck of a singer but was also one fine person. I've never forgotten him.

Thank you Roger and the rest of you guys. I am in love with this tune and off to find tab for it.

tb...Herby Wallace has a super arrangement of this on one of his CD's. Mr. Wallace & Co. is the title I believe. He really does make it cry.

Didn't Cal Smith of the old ET> Troubadors do that one with Buddy Charleton on steel?

Tommy M, You are right. Hag first then Wynn with Moon playing on both. Wynn even says before the steel...and here's Ralph Mooney.

Bob.

I love the solo on the Hag version. Simple, yet so effective!

Dennis: I have the same album and the cover
says the singer is Wade Raye. Back then he often did a lot with Ray on a lots of albums.

Billy P.

In 1963 "Sing A Sad Song" became Merle,s first national hit, reaching 19 on Billboard Magazine's Hot Country Singles chart.

I always felt on Merle's version they bured Moon with a string section. Couldn't hardly hear Moon. But on Wynn's (as I said above) he says before the break, and here's Ralph Mooney. I feel that break may not have been the best ever made...but It was darn sure one of'em.

Bob.

Being in Southern California at the time this record came out I remember it very well. Merle's was the only version that got played on the radio. Wynn wrote the thing I believe. I think that Merle's was originally on Talley records which was a label from Bakersfield. I've heard Wynn's version and although I'm a big fan of his I still prefer Haggard's. A year or two later there was a thing going on in SoCal where Capitol Records started signing some local artists and putting out product as Capitol was in Hollywood. They signed people like Bobby Durham, Cindy Carson, Bobby Austin, and a dude who was working at George's Roundup in Long Beach by the name of Buddy Cagle. One of Buddy's first releases (if not the first) on Capitol was a recording of "Sing a Sad Song". It got a lot of airplay around Los Angeles and on KFOX radio in Long Beach especially.

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Didn't Lynn Anderson also record this song with Lloyd on steel?