Pedal Steel Guitar

So far no one has mentioned Ralph Mooney, who IMO, was the greatest. Ralph was one of the pioneers of the "Bakersfield Sound" and played steel on many of the early recordings of Wynn Stewart, Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard in the late 50's and early 60's.

Ralph Mooney - There Goes My Everything - YouTube
 
FIRE'd@51 said:
So far no one has mentioned Ralph Mooney, who IMO, was the greatest. Ralph was one of the pioneers of the "Bakersfield Sound" and played steel on many of the early recordings of Wynn Stewart, Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard in the late 50's and early 60's.
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That is great. He is in the Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame, and with good reason.
 
I just listened to the new (next week) Son Volt album "Honky Tonk" on the way to work...lots and lots of pedal steel on it. Fantastic album.
 
bltkmt said:
I just listened to the new (next week) Son Volt album "Honky Tonk" on the way to work...lots and lots of pedal steel on it. Fantastic album.
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Hmm! Gonna have to check that out, thanks! I've been posting stuff I love, but pretty darn old :)
 
Looking back through this thread, I see that an earlier clip I posted featuring Paul Franklin and Mark Knopfler was removed from YouTube (too bad, it was a great video, but hey copyrights are there for a reason...).

So here's a different one featuring Franklin, completely single-note, called "Coal Train Boogie". It's interesting not only for the music, but it has some angles that show you what it looks like from the steel player's perspective. It's funny how many people looking from the audience say, "What the hell is that?!? An organ :confused:" :LOL:

The Players - Coal Train Boogie - Paul Franklin, Brent Mason, Mike Rhodes, John Hobbs, Eddie Bayers - YouTube
 
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I've been keeping my eyes open for a good YouTube video by this player but most, while fine, don't really show how good he is.

I have a few recordings of him I made at the StL steel convention but still am stuck on how to post pure audio here.

But I watched this after I started the coffee brewing this morning and think it's very good. This an interview with Doug Jernigan, a well-known player from Tennessee, who is one of the cleanest and tasteful guys out there.

There are a few snippets of music in here, the ones I really like are played during the interview itself: the first is called "Hal's That" and should make it clear why you practice scales, and the video closes with a classic called "Cherokee".

So here's Doug Jernigan:


Doug Jernigan Interview - YouTube
 
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A friend of mine sent me this a while ago, and I filed it in the "whoa, that looks odd!" folder.

Fender made these hydras I think in the late 50's, and this one ended up here. I can't imagine dealing with this thing, but I do like the dingus on the lowest neck that reminds me of the cranks they used to start Model T's. Kind of like the music itself.

The player is Buddy Merrill, and he's young but working it. He had to be good, to get on the show of Mr. Anna-One-Anna-Two.

Buddy Merrill plays "South" on the Fender Steel Guitar - YouTube
 
Here's a tune written by Johnny Mercer that's a classic. It's the Texas crowd invading NOLA. The singer makes me think she should hang in the lobby, but the band and the tune more than make up for it. And if Ray Benson, the guy who is Asleep At The Wheel is there, so am I.

Mercer wrote a huge number of songs in the American Songbook, I think this one was for a movie and Bing Crosby sang it. My favorite is "Skylark".

Asleep At The Wheel "Old Cowhand" New Orleans Jazz Fest 2012 - YouTube
 
Been a while. Here's one for our northern neighbors called "Canadian Sunset" and it's The Redneck Jazz Explosion. The guitar player is Danny Gatton and the guy on the steel is the person who is my icon here. He pulls out a device called an "E-Bow", which makes it sound like a bowed instrument. Gatton has this thing called a "Magic Dingus Box" hooked up to his guitar.

Canadian Sunset - Danny Gatton - YouTube
 
I'm on a Labor Day Emmylou roll.

Some years ago, we were trying to put together a western swing band, just me (on bass) and a lead guitarist. We needed a drummer, a steeler, and a female singer.

We put an ad out and a good drummer showed up quickly. We lucked out on the steel because a guy from Nashville had just moved to town who was a real gunslinger.

The vocalist was harder, these women kept calling and telling us their measurements! "But can you sing:confused:?". But one was outstanding and joined the band.

I would sing harmonies and she wanted to do this one, so we worked it up. But there are portions that are beyond my voice for the male part so I just had to stop in the middle one day and say, "I just can't do this one, sorry".

The steeler put his elbows on the guitar and his head in his hands and said, "If you don't have the range, you don't have the range".

We never did this song, but it's a great one from a great album. The tune is called "Wheels", the steel player is Hank Devito.

http://youtu.be/s0PTYK71_20
 
It's been a while. I posted a tune by Leon Russell today in a different thread. I was talking with someone later who asked, "didn't he do some country?", and I remembered albums he did as his alter-ego Hank Wilson.

Here's one I especially like with the great Curly Chalker making the steel cry:

http://youtu.be/FX4H7xS2h8Y
 
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