The Steel Guitar Forum

What is the very best set of Steel Guitar that you've ever heard? The one that stands out for me was Don Helms and Lloyd Green in St. Louis.

Really incredible to hear those old Hank tunes played on the very same guitar that was used to record them. That was one of my favorite steel moments. Whats yours?

Rick Garrett

That's a hard one. Hearing Bobby Koefer at the 1989 ISGC was really something and the whole show that year was really special. I met Jimmy Day and he gave me a room at the hotel because we decided to go at the last minute. That's pretty decent for somebody he didn't even know. I've got Lynn Owlsley to thank for that. I've got some killer pictures of Jimmy and the blue Super Pro and him playing a Sierra too. It was the first time I heard Buddy Emmons play there with the Swing Shift Band and the burgandy EMCI guitar. I was just looking at some of those pictures just before I read this post. I seen Buddy taking pictures of Bobby Koefer and he was wiping tears out of his eyes. Koefer had that place on fire from the first note singing and fronting the band and never looking at his guitar! It gave me real respect for those non pedal players.

Easy
Buddy Emmons - 1977 - St. Louis - Scotty's Convention

Hands down - best performance - best choice of tunes - best sidemen - (oh, yeah, I almost forgot) BEST PEDAL STEEL PLAYER IN THE WORLD at the absolute top of his game

Fortunately for those who weren't lucky enough to be there, it was professionally recorded and released as a two record set -- now available on CD.
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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 30 March 2003 at 06:58 AM.]</p></FONT>

Rick, I would have to say the first time I saw Emmons play in person, at the ISGC in St. Louis, 1981. I have never forgotten how I felt as a 21 year old young man seeing my steel idol for the first time. If my memory serves me correctly, Emmons had a band called the Sound Factory. I know Phil Baugh was in the band and I believe Hoot Hester was there as well. I think they played the Friday night show but I may be wrong about that. That had been over 20 years ago and I have turned over 40 and sometimes the memory does not work as well. To this day I still have not heard enough of Emmons playing. The man is certainly a legend in my books...Paul

Super topic. Several areas send or sent cold chills of appreciation up the back:
---I caught a Johnny Bush show in Waco, I believe (been to several), and Herb Steiner just knocked me dead. Powerhouse fills the entire evening.
---Ricky Davis with Dale Watson is the epitome, IMO, of a Texas Swing player. Nothing but raw talent and perfection personified.
---Maurice Anderson in a rehearsal for the Johnny High Country Music Revue with LeAnn Rimes the first time "Blue" was done on that stage. His lead ride, and patience with Rimes was tremendous.
---Forum posts from such gentlemen as Roy Ayres, Jody Carver, Al Marcus, Donnie Hinson, Carl Dixon, Gene Jones and Sonny Curtis have given me opportunities to learn the technics,history, and legend of the instrument.
---Finally thanks to b0b for the Forum.


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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Fred Shannon on 30 March 2003 at 09:13 AM.]</p></FONT>

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ole Dantoft on 26 February 2004 at 10:43 AM.]</p></FONT>

Jimmy Day, 1995 West Coast Steel Guitar Show.

Herbie Wallace, 1997 (I think) Texas SGA Show.

The SuperJam a few years back in one of the side rooms at ISGC w/Hal Rugg, Tommy White, Paul Franklin, & Jeff Newman sharing the stage. A hour or more of "on the spot" improvisation on country standards and full tilt speedpicking.
Also hearing Mr.'s Emmons, Franklin, Hughey, Day, Mooney, Byrd, etc. in person.

Saw Bobby Garrett with Hank Thompson once, can't remember where, possibly Texas State Fair, and it just didn't get any better than that. Sweet, fast, wild or "Thompson", no one ever did it better than Big Bobby. IMHO. Buddy Emmons runs a very close second where ever you hear him play. He was Garretts favorite.

My favorite steel moment? I'm having it right now, this very moment!


My first one was when I played thumb style in front of Bobby Garrett in 1956 and he came up to the stage and said ,"Hey,I can do that!" I said "oh yea, and who are you?".

The start of a life long friendship. (And yes, he could)

A truly wonderful person. (not me, Bobby Garrett) <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 30 March 2003 at 04:44 PM.]</p></FONT>

That's easy - sitting on Joaquin Murphey's sofa while he seranaded me with 3 or 4 hours of solo jazz C6 steel. Actually that "moment" happened on about 10 different occasions.

Larry Bell-I was there at Scotty's 1977 convention and there were a lot of great pickers there.

But I have to agree with you on Buddy Emmons.

I would also like to include the great,in his own style of playing,Reece Anderson..

Just seeing how far Steel Guitar had come brought a big smile to my face....al

My favorite steel guitar moment was at the Hermitage Hotel in 1969, during the D.J. Convention. I was sitting 10 feet away from Curly Chalker, while he played his Baldwin, Sho-Bud.

Roger

I agree with you Dave Cobb. I saw those shows in 97. I also got to see my friend Terry Bethel do a knock out job. There were other moments that I'll never forget. I saw Mr. Emmons and Mr. Garrett perform with Ernest Tubb when I was a young teenager. And Mr. Day perform with Ray Price when "I wish that I could Fall in love today" just came out. Johnny Paycheck was playin bass and Tommy Jackson was on fiddle. Great moments!

There were so many steel moments I've experienced, but I guess my favorite one was hearing Buddy Emmons play live and meeting him at the Texas Troubador Theater last year in Nashville. My other favorite steel moment was meeting Tommy White at the Grand Ole Opry back in 2000. I also remember meeting John Hughey for the first time in 2000. Brett Day, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel

My favorite was playing a session in Nashville in the early 80's, with Buddy setting three feet from me. I was scared ****less.

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

That's funny, Ernie, because my LEAST favorite was playing a concert where Buddy and I were the only steel players on the bill.

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Having conversations with Jerry Byrd in the WSM studios in Nashville in the late 40’s while he continued playing without looking at his Rick and without missing a note.

Drooling over Joaquin’s playing at the Bostonia Ballroom in San Diego in the early 50’s.

Swapping licks with Noel Boggs when he sat in with us at the Colonial Gardens in Louisville in the late 50’s.

Being jealous when Buddy Emmons sat in with us at the Crossroads in Louisville in the early 60’s and made me look like a beginner.

Larry;
It was my tune. I was playing melody and Buddy was playing harmony. Sid Hudson was on guitar and Henry Strzlecki on bass. I certainly felt out of my league.

Another was opening a show with Buddy for Clem Schmitz in Minneapolis. Our band played first. What a fool I was. I played Witches Brew, (with Buddy standing in the back of the room...)

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

some of my favorite steel moments are not connected with big name pickers-although I have several and they rank right up there too...(most involving like several earlier posts Maestro Emmons, and also Maestros Charleton, Myrick, Hughey, Rugg)

Watching/listening to Don West play at the first steel jam in wheaton md VFW(later became steelin' for hearts events)- the passing chord king...

Rudy Gabrilletto at Hunters Lodge in Centerville VA playin' his SHo~Bud with the PHAT sound...

then there are the "personal triumphs"- the breakthru's in my own playing which are fleeting and not necessarily recognized by others...



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"I AM Z-BOY!"


<small>Zumsteel U12 "Loafer" 8&6 :: ZB Custom D-10 :: Fender Tube Amplification
www.voicenet.com/~vanallen/ :: vanallen@voicenet.com :: www.lasttrainhome.com::
My Live365 Broadcast

1. John Hughey at the Dallas Show
2. Hal Rugg at ditto

In the early 80's--St Louis Convention--Julian Tharpe in a Sierra Demo Room -

Seeing Hal Rugg, Sonny Burnette and Weldon Myrick for the first time on a PBS Opry special! I have never gotten over it!!!!

I've been lucky to have lots of magic steel moments. Here are a few.

watching Jimmy Day upstairs at Sho-Bud in 1972 playing E9 for a couple of hours with no pedals...

playing twin steels with Jimmy a few times with Alvin Crow and also with Johnny Bush...

being complimented by Leon McAuliffe when I was on Alvin Crow's band, having him say that we "did it right..."

sitting cross-legged on the floor next to Buddy and Jernigan, like a bunch of elementary school kids, while watching Koefer at St. Louis...

hanging with Joaquin and Mike Johnstone listening to the rough cuts of Murph's great and final album, with Murph shaking his head and muttering "bullsh*t..."

Joaquin shaking my hand and saying "glad you're my friend."

Stuff like that means a lot to me.

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