The Steel Guitar Forum

In the early 50's who was the steeler and the lead guitar player on Hank Thompson's "John Henry"

Bobby Garrett/Merle Travis www.genejones.com

Pee Wee Whitewing played steel.-------bb

Different recordings. I was referring to the album recorded at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 06 February 2003 at 04:46 AM.]</p></FONT>

I don't know about the steel player but those old Capitol recordings on 78 & 45 actually had Merle Travis' name listed on them along with Hank's. It was at the bottom of the label and said something like "Merle Travis, guitar".

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

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 06 February 2003 at 06:32 AM.]</p></FONT>

On the original 45' release, the guitarist was Billy Carson, the man who co-designed the Stratocaster. He played a Tele on the recording though. And like Gene said, Merle and Garrett were on the later live version.

Thanks guys...thats close enough for me

I'm thinking he did that song on Hank Thompson's "Golden Nugget" live album and Bobby Garrett was playing steel with him there at the "Nugget." I talked to Boddy one time in Tyler, Tx., and he had some kind of an ageement (not sure I remember what it was now)with Hank in that Hank would put Rose City Chimes on the album, and did. So, yes, Bobby, at least on that album, did the steel work on John Henry.
Best regards, Larry<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Larry Harlan on 06 February 2003 at 12:44 PM.]</p></FONT>

I thought we were talking early 50's??