The Steel Guitar Forum

I was waiting to spring these on ya, but I can hold out no more...

These are the solos that almost made me hang up my picks back in '72. I'm glad I didn't.

The sheer brilliance of these two E9 solos in an otherwise fairly generic country-rock reincarnation ballad, "The Last Time Around" by Rick Nelson (Album "Rudy the Fifth"), gave me, as a neophyte picker, a "crisis of confidence."

I figured I would never be able to create anything even half so beautiful, so why should I even continue playing? I came to my senses a short time later, and became determined to improve.

I may still never have, or ever will, play anything near as cool as these solos, but in reaching for the brass ring I feel I have become more "my own" player. I forever owe a debt to Tom Brumley for the inspiration I took from his work, and his example of how the instrument can be played.

When you do your job and make the prettiest music you can, you never know how it will influence impressionable young'ns

So here they are... two of my personal favorite Tom Brumley Solo's. They are from Rick Nelson's "Last Time Around" on "Rudy the Fifth" (my other fave is the solo from "Sing Me A Song"):


The sparkly, "wistful," mid-song solo That turned my head around... (.7mb MP3)

The "cascading", long, "outro" solo that sealed the deal.(1MB MP3)

I repeat, these are my personal favorites. There is so much great steel guitar music in the world, and I am sure other folks have their own favorites of a particular performer's work that have inspired them.

I am not posting this to create any controversy about who's best or what solo's better; just to share some really good stuff, and perhaps help inspire another impressionable young'n.

The Rebel, Ricky & Jeff Audio Clips site is a good place to seek inspiration.

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"I AM Z-BOY!"


<small>1998 Zumsteel U12 "Loafer" 8&6 :: 1973 ZB Custom D-10 8&5 :: Vintage Fender 'Tube' Amplification

www.dvanet.net :: zbcustom73@dvanet.net :: www.lasttrainhome.com
:: My Tribute to the Hot Club of America in Hi-Fi
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 04 March 2004 at 09:08 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 08 March 2004 at 07:35 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 26 April 2004 at 08:05 AM.]</p></FONT>

Oy vey, that outro is a doozy.

hark...there's one of them impressionable young'ns now...

I had the pleasure of playing in the opening act for RN at the Palamino in North Hollywood shortly after "Rudy the 5th" was released. Tom was playing "extra" good that night and when he did those two parts.....NOTE-FOR-NOTE!!!!!, I was flat amazed!
Just a quick side note to that night...the Palamino could hold 275 people (as per the fire marshal) on a normal night, but RN female fans were, how shall I put this, LARGE WOMEN and they could only get 200 people in for the first show and between shows, they moved all the tables out into the parking lot to make more room for the 2nd show!
JE:-)><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jim Eaton on 04 March 2004 at 01:18 PM.]</p></FONT>

Tom is one of my heroes.. always has been,always will be. That is THE quintessential "West Coast" sound.. There are several proponents of the style,but Tom is #1 IMHO.... I proudly call myself a "west coast" stylist,but its more like a joke than a true statement when I hear Tom's incredible HAPPY sounding ZB......bob

YAY!!!!! someone thinks I'm a young'n!!!

Dave,

THANK YOU for posting those mp3's. Man, TB sounds so bloody country I can hardly stand it! What a sound.

I remember him playing Herby Wallace's Mullen at LT's Michigan a few years back, and it was like he was playing another guitar. It's all in the hands and feet.

cheers,
Drew

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The Saltines

I just went Rebel.Ricky,Jeff's and heard the best TB steel solo I ever heard.. It sounds simple,but to get the tone and feel he has... well,, just try... WHAT a SOUND!! Click on 1965 and listen to "Buckaroo".. I've heard remakes of course but never the original... REAL COUNTRY.. but what sound,taste and CLASS!! Tom IS my hero..... bob

bumping...

TB, ZB




I also highly recommend Tom Brumley's "In Time", a beautiful , modern steel guitar instrumental album...

I've been thinking... and listening- a dangerous combination

At first listen the mid-song solo might not impress a listener as much as the outro; but I feel that solo is deceptive in it's simplicity... listen for the subtle pedal slurs, the precision of the double stops... it is not flashy, but it "speaks", almost conversationally.

And don't get me started on the "tone"...

"I've got the ZB Jeebies™"

Thanks Dave those were cool, I had never heard that before. VERY COOL!!!!!

another historical bump

I would be interested on which CD's you found that cool stuff ? I only find a greatest hits CD by Ricky Nelson, nothing more is available here in Germany.

Several CD sets have been issued by the BGO label in the UK, they are two for one sets that cover Rick's 1970 to 1974 LP output, the bulk (but not all) of the material that he recorded with Tom Brumley.
I figure if I can find and buy them here in Australia, then Germany should not be too much of a stretch.

You're right on Dave. The mid song solo raises the hair on the back of my neck. The disguised virtuosity sounding so simple. The syncopation and sheer musicality are amazing. All carried off with a minimalist accompaniment. I'm thinking of giving up. talk me out of it!

I seem to remember a TB solo
on a Buck Owens Live LP
called Seven Come Eleven
that just stayed in my head
with it's simple but catchy
meolody played by a tasty player.

<SMALL>I'm thinking of giving up. talk me out of it!</SMALL>

Heck, I barely talked myself out of it! You have to find your own path to contentment, Grasshopper...

bump again...

one bump, just one more, and then another....

That cascading deal---WAY COOL!!!

Dave,

Thanks a lot!

Last night I just started trying to figure out (tab out etc.) that other solo of Tom Brumley's you posted. I haven't been playing PSG long, but given I've been doing that on guitar for 40 years I thought I'd try. I'm just to a point where I'm 1/100th familiar with some areas and sounds on the PSG that certain things are familiar sounding. But I thought it was time to try this and that first solo you posted moved me to give it a shot.

Now you've upped the ante.

Like I said.... thanks a lot. You can explain my dissapperance to my wife and kids.

Bob P.

If you do not already have it, may I recommend Rick Nelson's "Windfall." Tom Brumley's work is brilliant.

Hey Dave,
Thanks for the solos. I guess I should really thank Tom Brumley. Now I just have to figure out how to slow down my mp3 player to figure out how he did it.
Sorry I missed hooking up with you when I was in Doylestown last month. If you come to Florida stop by.

Duncan

<SMALL>Now I just have to figure out how to slow down my mp3 player to figure out how he did it.</SMALL>

That's what I've been doing using
The Amazing Slowdowner- a program to do exactly what you want: http://www.ronimusic.com/slowdown.htm

loads an audio file, then slows it or speeds it up keeping the pitch (or you can adjust that too) you can loop a section till you figger it out... just a wonderful learning tool...

If I get to FLA you'll be the second person I call...

I listened again, just for kicks. I gotta repeat myself, oy vey!! that outro is a doozy!!!!!!