The Steel Guitar Forum

Anyone know who played the steel on the Marshall Tucker Hit Fire on The Mountain ?
And where is he now ?
Thanks,
John

Toy Caldwell. He's no longer with us.

I really like the sound Toy got on that cut and "Searchin for a Rainbow".. Two of my favorite tunes. A little out of tune I think, but still a cool steel sound. I think it was played on a Marlen.. RIP Toy and Tommy..... bob

Southern Rock with Pedal Steel Guitar.
What a great ideal toy had.
Check out "DESERT SKYS " great song.
The man was great, the group is still
going strong. May they ride on forever.

RICK

Desert Skies is one of my favs. Just something about that band that really did it for me.

Toy played a P/P. Not sure what year.

------------------
MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum

Yes! I loved the way Toy played steel. I grew up learning those parts to play in bars when I was underage. Looking back, he wasn't the worlds best steel player, but who cares. He gave us a different voice to listen to. This is another example of very unique playing, and the world would have suffered if Toy tried to sound like anyone else. He just did his thing and gave us some good musical memories.
Dave Ristrim

Another example of Toy's work is on the album "Hank Williams Junior & Friends", circa mid-70's or so. I can't say that I continued to be Hank Jrs. biggest fan, particularly as his work drifted toward Redneck Drinking Anthems, but that was a great album, and Toy played some good stuff on it.

When did Toy pass? He was a great guy. Vintage Les Paul sound on 6 string, but I don't know what kind of steel he played.

------------------
Ken Drost
steelcrazy after all these years

Never knew Toy was on that Hank Jr album.

I think Toy dies in between 92 or 94 somewhere

Toy played a P/P Emmons back in the glory days. Don't know what he played later on.

------------------
MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum

My old buddy Bruce Marshal toured with them back when A fine singer, picker and songwriter, and still playing the Boston area circuits.

I saw him in concert once but he only played guitar on that show. When he played lead he never used any picks and played a lot with just his bare thumb. Did he use picks on the steel or did he play it the same way?...JH

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

Jerry, now look at what you done. Now I'n gonna have to get my old MTB videos out, hook up the VCR and find out for myself.

I know you are right about the thumb playing on the 6 stringer. That's what gave him that trademark style and sound. I'm thinkin' that he used finger picks on the PSG, but it won't surprise me if I discover that he used his bare thumb. Imagine the callus he must have had on it!

------------------
MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Webb Kline on 24 January 2005 at 08:40 AM.]</p></FONT>

I saw them back in the 70's when they were big, and Toy played his Marlen. Nice all wood guitar, and had the back legs pretty jacked up. He must have been tall. I couldn't tell how he picked on it, but on his old LP, it was just bare thumb. Great concert too. A real innovative band, came out around the same time and same area as the Allmans and Skynrd but found their own sound. They and Jethro Tull had the flute covered in the 70's rock genres...

Jim.. I'm glad I'm not the only one who said he played a Marlen. Most guys say he played a P/P,but I recall an interview with Guitar Player way back when,when Toy said that he used a Marlen ,and I think thats what FOTM was recorded with.. but hey,I'm wrong a lot so who really knows???

At one point he was definately using an Emmons. I recently got the DVD of a Jersey concert and he was plainly playing an Emmons at that show. He was also using finger picks for the steel at that time.

Thanks Chris, you saved me from having to dig out that video. I guess we can all agree that, like most of us, he probably used different brands. When I saw him, he had a P/P, the MTB website lists Emmons as what he played, and he played am Emmons in the video. But, Marlens are from down that way, so he probably supported them too.

Aw, heck , I haven't seen it in a while. Guess I'll get it out tonight.

------------------
MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum

Hey Bob, you're right, I remember that GP article too, in fact Toy was on the cover if I remember correctly. I read it was a Marlen, and I had never heard of Marlen until I read that article and then saw them in concert. What I remember was that at first glance I thought it was a Sho Bud as I was familiar with them, and the older lacquer Marlens did look Sho Buddish from a distance, with the nice wood and inlay etc. The concert was at a small college fieldhouse in Wisconsin and I walked up to the stage before the show and scoped out all the gear good. I mainly wanted to see a real 50's Les Paul, which at that point in time were going for the unheard of price of 5 grand. Now, they are starting at 150 grand and up....

My pleasure Webb, and I'll bet a whole lot that you're right on the money about him probably using more than one.

I saw The Marshall Tucker Band at an outdoor festival in North Carolina just north of Atlanta in 1975. I always thought that Toy Caldwell's steel was a Sho-Bud Professional ( it looked just like the one I have been playing for 30 years ), but Marlen's do look a lot like Sho-Buds. Does anyone know for sure that it was a Marlen?
BTW, I always loved his guitar playing and steel playing.

Bob, I used to think he played a Sho-Bud, too. And maybe he had one, but I have a video of him playing an Emmons, the MTB website lists him as having played an Emmons and we also have pictures of him playing a Marlen that looks a lot like a bud.

------------------
MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum

Toy definitely played a Marlen for awhile. Like most of us, he probably had more than one instrument

For more Toy (post MTB, no steel), try his live solo CD 'Can't You See'. Lots of heart felt rockin' by the man and his hot -hit band.

Ron, does that CD have "Midnight Promises" on it?? Some guys I use to pick with played that one a lot.


Thx
David

No it doesn't, unfortunately, but it does include 3(?) fine tunes off his then forthcoming solo CD and I think you'll dig it non the less. It's a bit ragged in spots and sublime in others, but in the end just like the man himself, it'd be hard to live without.

Remember Toy's guitar intro. on "This Old Cowboy"? He was a player.