Deacon Anderson

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 25 Sep 2010 5:55 pm

Deacon Anderson was a hot Texas lap steel soloist best known for his indelible contribution to American pop culture: composing the song, Ragmop... RAGGMOPP RAGMOP!

http://wired-for-sound.blogspot.com/201 ... -1008.html

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 25 Sep 2010 8:18 pm

Spectacular! Great playing, great "room" sound.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 25 Sep 2010 8:48 pm

Yes, he played really Hot! I love these pre-multitrack recordings when the entire band played together live, from start to finish, no overdubs, no "correcting"... and this guy sounds great from start to finish!
His lap steel looks like a National Triplex Chord Changer (6-string). 1950 would be the right era for that.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 25 Sep 2010 9:44 pm

Here is Deacon on "Truck Driver's Blues" from a 1981 live performance with the Texas Swing Pioneers (J.R. Chatwell, Zeke Campbell, Johnny Gimble, Bill Mounce, etc):

http://picosong.com/kn4

As far as I know, he is still out there doing it.

The picture below is from 1999----is that the same guitar as 1950?

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 26 Sep 2010 3:36 am

As late as 2002 he was still gigging. I was trying to track him down when I wrote my lap steel book but we never connected.

Haven't had much time to look but there seems to be some really nice stuff on this blog - and downloadable. Nice steel solo on this cut by (?) on steel ...

http://wired-for-sound.blogspot.com/200 ... p-611.html

And this one ....

http://wired-for-sound.blogspot.com/200 ... etate.html

And some great blues/rock&roll sax on this cut ... be fun try transcribing THAT solo on steel. Not enough hours in the day!

http://wired-for-sound.blogspot.com/200 ... d-354.html

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 26 Sep 2010 5:42 am

He was playing as late as 2006, according to this band web site (the home page was updated in '06) ---> Click

It looks like he's still playing the National Triplex lap steel, but he's removed the lever on the side. I don't blame him.... those "chord changing" levers never worked very well.

You gotta love a guy who plays the same steel guitar for nearly 60 years! Much like Kayton Roberts and his D-8 Fender. It was Kayton's high school graduation gift in the early 1950s, and he's still playing it today! Never owned or played any other steel guitar. Gearheads take note.

Andy, are the songs downloadable on that site? It appears that they "share" the code to listen to the audio clips, but I see no way to download the songs... or maybe I'm missing something?

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 26 Sep 2010 6:19 am

Doug:

The only way I've been able to capture the music on that site is to record it on my PC as it plays. There may be a way to do a direct download, but divshare.com websites are not exactly user-friendly.

Here is an obscure late 50s track with Herb Remington:

http://wired-for-sound.blogspot.com/201 ... le-no.html

That website is operated by a forum member.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 26 Sep 2010 6:22 am

It is a little confusing, Doug. Click on the "share" word at the far right. That takes you to a download link (there's a 14 sec "free user" wait for each download). THe overall sound quality of these old records is quite good - at least by computer audio standards if not audiophile standards.

I'm finding my ears are accepting less and less quality as time goes on and my previous snobby audio geekdom of earlier in my life has really gone by the wayside. There goes the way of the world. There was a time when Hi-Fi geeks would spend thousands on the best and newest components so they could play that new Enoch Light LP in their bachelor pad and impress girls (or more realistically, other stereo geeks). A bygone era. Sigh.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 26 Sep 2010 6:40 am

Andy Volk wrote:...

I'm finding my ears are accepting less and less quality as time goes on and my previous snobby audio geekdom of earlier in my life has really gone by the wayside. ...

It's called coming full circle

. I was just telling a friend that it almost takes me back to the days of my Chuck Berry 45s on a cardboard record player. I love mp3s--I don't like to collect physical "stuff" anymore. Just give me the music!

Mike Harris · Post by **Mike Harris** » 26 Sep 2010 6:50 am

mp3's have come a long way--they can now deliver pretty good quality.

But a great pair of speakers is still a must--the heart and soul of any sound reproduction system. On a budget, a great pair of headphones can work pretty well, but it's not the same.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 26 Sep 2010 7:05 am

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 26 Sep 2010 3:07 pm

Get this guy on the forum!

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 26 Sep 2010 4:07 pm

was he mainly using c6 tuning?

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 13 Jun 2011 5:56 pm

Well, he's gone now. RIP Deacon.

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Deacon Anderson

Deacon Anderson

Somebody...

Too late...