Buddy Cage

Craig Villalon · Post by **Craig Villalon** » 2 Mar 2006 4:35 pm

Buddy has always been one of my favorite steel players due to his amazing skills, and his moving the steel into the world of rock. I had the great pleasure of meeting him recently while touring with NRPS..he sat with me for nearly and hour while we talked steel, his recordings, his love of music. He was extremely friendly, warm, informative and very direct in his conversation..which I fully appreciate. Buddy played a solo piece that night that he told me was a tribute to Jerry Garcia...it absolutely raised the hair on the back of my neck. His lively, bouncy, innovative touch on his steel is totally inspiring. Kudos to Buddy for his creativity, outspokeness and warmth and his low tolerance for B.S.

Jim Dempsey · Post by **Jim Dempsey** » 2 Mar 2006 5:12 pm

Yes Craig,Buddy is a great guy.I had the opportunity of meeting him a few years back and we've stayed in touch since.He plays occasionally with some of my friends in the area.He is unbeleivable to watch play,and a great conversationalist.He is truly a master of the steel.I first heard him over 30 years ago,and he still rocks to this day.Not a bad golfer too.-----JD

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 4 Mar 2006 11:19 am

Truer words could not be spoken. The NRPS tour is getting raves all over the country-I'm looking forward to 2 shows here when I get back from Dallas.

He's an interesting combination of new era Rock and Roll monster and old school country purist. Most folks know of him for his work with the NRPS, but before that he pioneered country rock with the legendary Ian & Sylvis project Great Speckeled Bird, and played on Anne Murray's 1st 5 albums. He was with Ronnie Hawkins just before he went to Muscle Shoals, and had he not gotten the call from Garcia (whom he met on the Festival Express) he may well have wound up in The Band. Yet in the car CD he's usually got George Jones, Paycheck, Waylon, or his favorite Jack Greene.

(from Festival Express. Cage, Garcia, Ian, Sylvia, Jim Colegrove, Delany Bramlett.)

If you get to one of the shows (and Hunter has chimed in on his blog-so watch those Northern Cali shows!) Make sure you introduce yourself-Buddy loves to talk steel, and is always interested in meeting forumites.

JB

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Fulawka D-10 9&5
Fessenden D-10 8&8
"All in all, looking back, I'd have to say the best advice anyone ever gave me was 'Hands Up, Don't Move!"
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel
www.buddycage.net

http://www.nrpsmusic.com/index.html

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 4 Mar 2006 1:31 pm

I was there when he did his infamous convention performance.

He was great. Too bad so many of the people who attended the convention were unable to appreciate him.

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 4 Mar 2006 1:33 pm

Guys... ask Buddy about his work in a band called Hog Heaven... HAIR Raising stuff.. with the steel WAY up in the mix.. I had the album decades ago, loaned it out..... GONE!!!!.
Classic Cage and the steel is way more in your face than with the New Riders... Maybe he has a few copies he can sell or something... I'd be the first in line...

Yes Buddy is one of my personal heros also, and I had the pleasure of opening for the New Riders around 1979 in a big rock club in Port Chester NY.. I talked with Buddy and when he saw me playing an MSA said to me....

"Bob you REALLY should be playing an Emmons"....

Well I never took his advice, but still base a lot of my style on what I heard Buddy play 30 years ago... Its a timeless style that sounds as good today as it did in my long hair days.... bob