First Time I Met The Emmons

Dave A. Burley · From: Franklin, In. USA

Way back in the early sixties Buddy was playing with, I think, Ray Price. Maybe Ernest Tubb.
Anyway......After their show in Muskegon, Mich., I went backstage and talked Buddy and some of the rest of the band into going out to a club that I used to play at and do a little partying.
Louie Thompson was the steel player.
Louie asked Buddy to sit in which Buddy obliged him.
BUddy sat down to the steel, a triple necker I believe, and immediately turned it upside down and totally changed the push pull mechanism so he could play it.
Buddy did tear them up that night at that club, but, as I recollect, Buddy had to sit in the rest of the night because Louie couldn't hit a lick after all of Buddy's changes.
Louie told me, several months later, that it took him over a week to get his steel un-Emmonized.
It was an honor, though, for Louie to have Buddy sit in on his steel and it's a memory that Louie and I both cherish.
Dave Burley

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

I think if I was Louie, I'd have left the guitar the way Buddy had set it up and tried to learn to play it that way.
The first time I met Buddy was in the late 60's at Blackie Taylor's music store in Hawaiian Gardens, California. This might have been in the time frame when he was living in LA. Blackie had a show and demonstration of ShoBud guitars and in his store that day he had Buddy, Shot Jackson, and Dave Musgrave. There was a jam in the store and I have a picture of me playing bass with the "Big E". That was also the first time I'd ever heard of Dave Musgrave but he was one helluva player too! When Buddy played I just couldn't believe how anyone could play so effortless. He just made the complex things look like they were no problem to him which I guess they ain't.
Anyway, that's my early memory of Buddy.

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

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

The first time I saw Buddy was in St Louis at the 2nd or 3rd convention at a small Holiday Inn type of motel. Tommy White was about 14 or 15 and blew the fiddle player off the stage with the speed of The Orange Blossom Special.

Anyway, Buddy played Exodus, when he got done the crowd just sat there staring up at him, not a sound in the room. Red Rhodes had tears running down his cheeks, my heart was in my throat. It was the most amazing feeling, that was tone to the bone, Buddy and the Blade, I can still hear it today and when I play my 66 PP I try to capture that feeling and sound to the best of my ability anyway. That sound has kept me playing for the last 30 years.

Larry Behm

Jim Eaton · From: Santa Susana, Ca

Jerry,
I think the show you mentioned was about 1973. Buddy was living in LA at that time.
I remember that the show was to be Shot Jackson & Dave Musgrave demoing Sho-Bud's, but when they pulled into the parking lot, Buddy was driving the car!
Shot & Dave did the Sho_Bud "demo" with Buddy playing bass for them as I recall.
Buddy then did about an hour set playing a D-10 Sho-Bud. Great show!
JE:-)>

Ray Jenkins · From: Gold Canyon Az. U.S.A.

Dave,the Louie Thompson you are refering too is the guy who started the Canyon Country Band here in Apache Junction Az. I played Bass for him for years.I have heard the story you just told many times,but to hear Louie retell it,he was the proudest man in the universe.I saw Louie last year and he is having health problems.When you see him tell him and Betty hi for Dixie and I
Ray
P.S. The Guitar is a triple neck Marlen,I think he still has it.
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Steeling is still legal in Arizona

[This message was edited by Ray Jenkins on 12 February 2003 at 09:41 AM.]

scott murray · From: Asheville, NC

So, where can I hear Buddy play Exodus???

I got to meet and hear Mr.E in St.Lou in '98. Love that "Freddie the Freeloader"!
Buddy's the coolest.

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