The Steel Guitar Forum

My wife just bought me the George Strait Live At the Astrodome DVD. Wow, that's a great band! I'd seen them on video (and live) many times before, but I always forget how wonderful they are. Mike Dailey is a fine steel player. Does anyone know the story on him?

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Rick McDuffie
Marlen SD-10, Sho-Bud Professional S-10, Paul Reed Smith McCarty, Hofner New President, Fernandes LE2G
Rick's Music Photo Gallery
www.tarheelmusic.com

Hi Rick

I was listening to that CD last evening and I have put it with my all time great CDs which includes 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo', 'Live at Panther Hall' etc.

Most of Georges band have been with him since day one. Too bad many of them havent' been the studio musicians that record with him as well. Mike and whole band are great folks.

If I'm not mistaken I believe that the "Ace in the Hole Band" did do some recording with George.One I can recall is on an older album, with the song" Rythm of the Road" on it, I believe was recorded with Mike and the guys, someone correct me if I'm wrong,please..., <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dale Bessant on 08 September 2003 at 12:07 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dale Bessant on 08 September 2003 at 03:46 PM.]</p></FONT>

Dale,
You are correct!
Theresa

They also recorded "Milk Cow Blues"... "Ahhh, that's Benny & Rick"

Respectfully,
Dave Burr

It was my understanding that they were a band first and hired George later.
Can someone confirm?

I think it would be more correct to say George has been with them since the beginning rather than they've been with him,,,,,, they brought him into the group. I think Mike is the son of "Pappy" Daly (credited with heavy association in the career of George Jones).

<SMALL>I think Mike is the son of "Pappy" Daly (credited with heavy association in the career of George Jones). </SMALL>

Mike is "Pappy" Daily's grandson.

Some of the "Ace in The Hole" Band members did an album with my cousin this year.
Its called Patrick Glenn "Everything But The Words", and its been getting great reviews. Benny McArthur produced it and it has other Ace In The Hole members Mike Kennedy, Mike Daily, Rick McRae and Ronnie Huckaby, along with Asleep At The Wheel fiddler Jason Roberts.

I've known those boys for almost 30 years. Yeah, they hired George for lead singer, not the other way around. The original band was Terry Hale, Tom Foote, Mike Daily, and Ron Cabal. Many players have gone through the band since GS hit it big, but George has always hired and kept a predominantly Central Texas band.

Rick McRae, Benny MacArthur, and Ronnie Huckaby, as well as David Latimer and Leroy Eichler (bus drivers) were all well-known band musicians around here LOOOONG before GS made it.

Rick McRae and Terry Hale (bass) are on my latest album, and I play with them in an offshoot western swing band called The Riff Riders.

Terry tells about how George answered an ad for a lead singer, and showed up at the audition wearing a puka shell necklace and a leather cowboy hat, fresh out of the Army, wanting to sing "Bad Bad Leroy Brown." Terry said "no, we don't do Jim Croce, we do Bob Wills. Here, take this album and learn Bubbles In My Beer."

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Thanks, Herb, for that insight. That's a hoot! At least I know I wasn't the only one wearing puka shells back then

There are a bunch of fine players in that group. I could listen to them for hours.

Parenthetically, our two oldest girls, when they were little, used to sing, "Baddest man in the whole DOWN town". They didn't know the "other" word.

Rick

I think you'll find that Paul Franklin does most of George's steel work on his CD's...at least for the past couple of years..maybe longer..I have most of them....tom

Did John Hughey do some of George's early sessions, as I've been told?

Buddy Emmons has done work on George's albums, I'm thinking that the 1994 "Lead On" CD is predominatly Buddy, though Paul appears too.

The "Holding My Own" album features Buddy on all but two of the cuts.

Weldon Myrick, Sonny Garrish, John Hughey, and even Hank DeVito on the first few albums. PF has more or less been a fixture on his recordings since about '85.

Thanks Rick & all the other guys for all of the great comments concerning The Ace In The Hole Band. We surely appreciate it. Especially the great Herb Steiner & what can I say about Peaveys Mike Brown, and all they have done for us all these years.
To answer a few questions. Strangely enough & to our dismay , when they recorded the "Live at The AStrodome" Cd, we had been off for 9 months. We had 4 days of rehearsals then played one live show, before going to play the last show at the Astrodome in front of 70,000. Although we are happy with the final product, it would have been nice to have about 10-20 shows under the belt. Much less recorded in the Dome which if you ask anybody, has to be the worst possible acoustics of any venue.
The Ace In the HOle band has played on about 4-5 of G. S. cds. "Holding My Own"
"Chill Of An Early Fall", "Ocean Front Property", Livin it Up" "GS Box Set".
We also have a live video concert from New Years 1985/86. Also The Ace In the Hole Band has a cd that we did on our own in 94.
George's first albums had John Huehy on them, then Weldon Myrick, then Sonny Garish, some Buddy Emmons , then Paul Franklin.

Is David Anthony Still with George Straits Band?
Thanks

Mike....the band's 9 month hiatus did not show...that was an amazing live recording and sounds great even on my little home theatre and you should be very proud of it. I watch it often.

Hey there, Mike. I had no idea you were a member. Thanks for responding.

You guys are better on your worst night than most bands are on their best!

How would I go about buying one of those Ace In The Hole CD's?

Rick<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 16 September 2003 at 07:09 PM.]</p></FONT>

To answer a couple of questions.
Our great friend & longtime bandmate David Anthony has been on kind of a leave of abscence. He had some neck & back problems & had some corrective surgery, which in turn screwed up the nerves to his hand & has hampered his ability to play. A real bummer. we hope he will come back soon.
Our Ace in the Hole Band CD may be hard to find right now, but we hope to have it available again someday. However you might check ebay or places like that.
Again , thanks for the compliments on the CD

Mike,
I've been a fan of G.S. since "Amarilo By Morning". I guess that may have been on the fiest album. I think that I've got them all. And I've got to say that YOU are always fantastic when I see you. It must be hard to "cover" someone elses pickin' almost exactly as you have to do. But you guys sounded TERRIFIC on the Astro Dome..and the previous "LIVE" show I think two years ago. And thanks for your insight about George and the AITHB!..
Grouchyvet

by Charlotte Dillon
The Ace in the Hole Band really got its start in Texas around 1975. Members were bassist Terry Hale, drummer Tommy Foote, and guitarist Mike Daily. The young guys had performed together some, but what they really needed was a good lead singer to front the group. It just so happened that a young artist by the name of George Strait was starting out and looking for a band. When Strait answered an ad from a university bulletin board, it was one of those moments like when syrup and pancakes mixed together for the first time.
Things really took off for the band in about 1981 when Strait signed with MCA Records. Soon the Ace in the Hole Band was in Nashville, working at popular clubs and shows. In the early ‘80s there were some other changes for the band; pianist Ronnie Huckaby came aboard and so did guitarists David Anthony and Rick McRae, fiddlers Gene Elders and Benny McArthur, and drummer Mike Kennedy.

In 1994, the Ace in the Hole Band released a self-titled album. The work received good reviews and showcased country numbers like "I'll Be Waiting Til Then," "Back in the Swing of Things," "My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You," and "What Comes Natural to a Fool." The band, which was working as Strait's touring band around that time, had already caught the public's attention in 1991 when they walked away as Touring Band of the Year for SRO.

Great stuff, its always so nice to have the professionals reply to questions raised about them,thanks Mike for your time and your great steel work..... <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dale Bessant on 24 September 2003 at 06:24 PM.]</p></FONT>