The Steel Guitar Forum

Last night PBS had a live Prarie Home Companion show for New Years at the Ryman in Nashville. I saw this great looking Zum and when they panned up, none other than Buddy was sitting behind it. His tone was impeccable....the problem is that they never let him really play. He played some great backup stuff, and they even gave him a small lead on a folk song, but I wanted to hear more!!!! Jerry Douglas was there playing Dobro and they kept throwing him all the bones....I admit that Jerry is a great Dobro player but the Big E has been at that level since Jerry was no more that a twinke in his mother's eye! Oh well, just my New Year's rant.....and who could blame me for wanting to hear more of Buddy's playing?

Happy New Years and have a blessed 2007!

I saw it, loved every minute, great show. I agree, I never get enough of watching and listening to Buddy play; the man is a legend, IMO. Initially, when Garrison was outside, mentioning who was going to be on the show, I didn't hear Buddy's name with the rest, I was really disappointed but he did later on stage. I thought that there were some great camera shots of Buddy and his Zum; I was hoping he would be playing the "Blade", but I'm not choosy; I thought it was a great show. I would love to see more of Buddy on the GOO; I just don't think that there is enough video available of Buddy.

Buddy Emmons is one of the greatest all time 'Smilers' in the steel guitar business, he rarely gets to play anything on these shows but damn, can he smile!! Its a shame, that was way too much Jerry Douglas, too much bluegrass, [yuck] for me. I like a little bluegrass, maybe one song, once a year!! I will skip that show if I make it to next new years eve, regardless of who the steel player is that does not get to play more than 3 licks.

Ernie Pollock
http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm

I did not notice Buddy but I liked what I saw between 11 and 12 eastern. It was interesting to discuss Jack Clement with mother and actuly hear multiple verses of Auld Lang Syne.

This was a Bluegrass show, the fact that Garrison had Buddy on there just shows how much he likes him, I really enjoyed the show, but I wish we could have seen more Buddy also.
Jerry

It was a great show and I would have liked to see Buddy more but Jerry Douglas is so darn good it was hard not to smile!

Russ

Talk about an all star line up of musicians. Although there weren't many solos by Buddy, His fills here fantastic and plenty.

yep, can't hardly remember what key ole bill did 'what are you doin' new years , new years eve', musta bin a classic in capo key, no doubt. L O L. garrison keebler at his best! mr. emmons was able to shine as a guest member of the ' shoe band' . and even got by with out too many oinks. a.k.a. ' all kidding aside ',,, He always displays absolute genious at marketing your music , what-ever you like or dislike,,,He has probably sold as much 'martha white' as lester and earl , perhaps He just chooses to be a pretty good sideman from time to time. coined here, '' sometimes the best music is what you don't even hear''

I knew Buddy was going to be on so I recorded the show. I enjoy Buddy's back up playing so much that it didn't leave me wanting more solo playing. (Although I love Buddy's soloing too.)

What a treat to hear that trademark superb tone with his Zum Hybrid and Revelation Tube Preamp.
TC

The band was really great. I believe the Guy's Allstar Shoe Band [or something like that] is Keillor's reg. lineup on his radio show and the other musicians were just guests as Keillor has some do from time to time.

It was especially nice to see and hear Buddy playing his new axe.

I was hoping for a nice big C6 solo break on the Boggus NYE song, but the fiddle and piano got it.

Nice program.

The playing was especially tasteful and the tone was superb and I do mean superb! I was hoping Buddy would get to do a solo number, but I still enjoyed every minute of seeing and hearing him play.

Tony Rankin

www.daytonambassadorsquartet.com

What a way to bring in the New Year watching Buddy Emmons. Although never enough of him, anticipating what he would do particularly on a blue grass show was exciting. God Bless you Mr. Emmons for bringing us so much joy in all that you do. I wonder if he has any clue as to how much enjoyment he does actually bring to us all with his crystal clear tone and oh those harmonics and everything else he does. What a gift he is.

I like to see Buddy or any performer smile when they work. It makes me feel better; that way I don't reach for the "Prozac".

You're right about Buddy smiling! It's great to see someone who is enjoying playing so much.

Here's a tip guys and gals; ever hear the maxim about "mind and body". Try this; (alone), just start laughing about nothing or put a big smile on your face; makes me feel better when I do it.

I, too, was hoping for some solo action, considering how great it was to hear his "Shenandoah" on a recent PHC program; however, it's always a treat to hear Keillor's Shoe Band, a class act in its own right, and with Emmons as guest, even more so.

Yes,not enough Buddy,too much Jerry,But always enjoy Sam Bush,he's my second favorite mandolin player,IMO David Grismon is my favorite.

Garrison Keillor's show has always been folk-acoustic-bluegrass oriented, and this show was no different. Imagine 'hiding' Buddy Emmons behind a row of acoustic players, and limiting him to three or four solos <b>in a three hour show!</b> 10pm-1am. That's like signing David Ortiz to your baseball team... and making him sit on the bench for 90% of the season!

Is this poll is some kind of trick question?

If I answer yes does that mean I watched the show or does it mean I didn't think Mr. Emmons was featured enough?

Then if I answer no does that mean that I didn't watch the show or that I though Buddy did a fine job and got to be part of a great ensemble of players and singers, adding just the right fills and playing great solos and looking like he was having the time of his life?

I recorded the show and just watched it, I think some of you folks may have been celebrating New Years Eve a little to hard.

First off I don't think there was some kind of contest between all those "great musicians" to see who would get the most solos or fills. They were being "great musicians" by playing together as a group, not as rival sporting teams!!

Now if you guys insist on breaking it down to some kind of a contest(like benched baseball players), instead of MUSIC, then here is what I saw. Buddy had more solos and fills than Pat Donahue(guitar), more than Sam Bush (Mandolin), more than Richard Dworsky (piano and music director), and more solos and fills then Stuart Duncan(Fiddle). Yes Jerry Douglas had a couple of more solos and had a feature song, but a couple of Buddy's solos were longer than Jerry's. Like on Sam Bush doing "Wabash Canon Ball", Buddy Did a full ride where Jerry and Stuart spit one. Then on Cowboy Jack Clement first song Buddy did a full ride while Jerry, Sam, and Stuart split up the ending at two bars a piece.

So I guess my answer to the poll would have to be YES/NO.
Yes I watched the show, but no I don't think there was to little of Buddy's playing. He was up there having a great time, playing terrific, and playing like he was part of a GROUP doing exactly what was needed.
What I'm trying to say is that I like the show. Every part of it, every group, every musician, and all the parts they played or didn't play.
The only part I didn't like is my same complaint on all the Prairie Home Shows. That's the ugly 'piezo quack' that Pat Donahue gets on some of his solos'. I hate that sound.

Now if the show was billed as "New Years Eve at The Ryman with Buddy Emmons", then I may have sided with some of the opinions on this thread.

Also why all the hostility against Dobros/resophonics and/or Jerry Douglas?
Isn't the Dobro basically the grandfather of the steel guitar?

Yeah, really..."too much Jerry"...the instrument was mired in obscurity for decades, and through Jerry, it is getting more popular all the time. And through Jerry, people are going back and learning about the pioneers of the instrument like Uncle Josh and Brother Oswald, and the other great modern players, from Mike Auldridge to Rob Ickes to Phil Leadbetter and so on. Good lord, you'd think we were talking about Robert Randolph or something...

Of course we'd all like to see more Buddy on a show like that, anyone that enjoys pedal steel and is aware of his stature on the instrument would like to see more, but "too much Jerry?"

Please.

Yes & no. This was not the "Buddy Emmons Show" ,however he performed his part to perfection (as usual).

he got 2nd billing right after garrison here:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shows/phc ... hceve.html

and linked to buddyemmons.com on page 2.

Alvin, ya nailed it Bro' - and hey, I'd rather have some Buddy than no Buddy on New Year's Eve

I'm sorry, but I still say Buddy and his PSG should have been shown more prominently, not hidden behind a row of acoustic players. He was not featured enough. I am not a "steel nut" who wants to hear All steel. I know about sharing solos and I know about sharing the stage. I'm just saying that this was basically an acoustic show, and I wish it had been otherwise. Naturally The Big E sounded excellent when he was allowed to play.