The Steel Guitar Special
Updated: 19 hours ago
As promised, here is the playlist, and our notes for The Steel Guitar Special, a show that aired the first week of August 2022.
1. This Ain’t The Blues- Speedy West- He is believed to be the first o play the pedal steel in country music. He also produced and played on Loretta’s first record and was part of Capitol Record’s house band. He played on the recordings of everyone from Bing Crosby to Wanda Jackson, Moon Mullican, and Johnny Horton. Speedy was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
2. Crazy Arms- Ray Price
Some very interesting facts on this song. For starters, it was first published in 1949 by acclaimed pedal steel musician Ralph Mooney. The song helped establish Ray Price’s new Texas shuffle honky tonk sound. Playing on that song was the great Buddy Emmons who was part of Ray Price’s Cherokee Cowboys band.
Ralph Mooney
The Big E: Buddy Emmons
3. Cold Cold Heart- Hank Williams:
Don Helms on Steel. We can hear him most notably on Patsy Cline's hit “Walking After Midnight, and Lefty Frizzell’s “Long Black Veil”
4. Lost In The Feeling- Conway Twitty.
Hands down my favorite Conway song. It really showcases the soaring steel sound that John Hughey popularized. That style can also be heard on Vince Gill's Look At Us.
John Hughey's styled "crying steel" method of playing is created by using the higher ranges of the instrument. Of this solo, Gill said that it "makes that song recognizable by what happens before any words even get sung."
John Hughey
5. Walk Through This World- George Jones-
It's Tom Killen on Steel in the live album. A 30+ years member of George's band The Jones Boys.
6. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down- Merle Haggard