The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic WHO PLAYED DOBRO ON HARPER VALLEY PTA?
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  WHO PLAYED DOBRO ON HARPER VALLEY PTA?
Tim Harr


From:
Dunlap, Illinois
Post  Posted 27 Feb 2007 4:57 pm    
Reply with quote

I have always wondered that....


I had heard once that it was James Burton... but was never sure about that.


Thanks!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Craig A Davidson


From:
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA
Post  Posted 27 Feb 2007 5:38 pm    
Reply with quote

Tim I heard once that it was Jerry Kennedy. The topic was on here about a year ago, but wow, do I hate forum searches.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

basilh


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 27 Feb 2007 5:48 pm    
Reply with quote

An excerpt from this post :-
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/002443.html


Quote:
A fine example of fretted Dobro playing is on the old Jeanie C Riley record of Harper Valley PTA. It was done by Jerry Kennedy who also played it on some of Tom T Hall's recordings.

_________________

Steelies do it without fretting

CLICK THIS to view my tone bars and buy——>
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Kevin Hatton

 

From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
Post  Posted 27 Feb 2007 8:07 pm    
Reply with quote

Classic expressive playing.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Tim Harr


From:
Dunlap, Illinois
Post  Posted 28 Feb 2007 2:39 pm    
Reply with quote

Kevin,
That's exactly what I am thinking!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Kevin Hatton

 

From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
Post  Posted 28 Feb 2007 3:00 pm    
Reply with quote

That playing is so inspirational that I am thinking about adding it to our set list. I'd like to do tribute to it.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Tim Harr


From:
Dunlap, Illinois
Post  Posted 1 Mar 2007 9:14 am    
Reply with quote

That type of playing has character and instant recognition that unfortunately alot of todays music does not have.

Not meant to take anything away from current session monsters doing thier job. It is just an honest observation.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Kevin Hatton

 

From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
Post  Posted 1 Mar 2007 10:22 am    
Reply with quote

Very keen observation Tim. I whole heartedly agree. Every thing sounds the same today. That playing was stylistic. Thats why I listen to XM Satellite now. They play a variety of country music and artists.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

John Steele

 

From:
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada
Post  Posted 1 Mar 2007 1:50 pm    
Reply with quote

I was hoping someone could explain a bit about "fretted dobros". I've never heard of that before.

-John
Edit: I see Basil's link actually explains it. Thanks Basil.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Mitch Daniels

 

Post  Posted 1 Mar 2007 3:00 pm    
Reply with quote

On the extremely short lived Sit-Com, it was Don Buzard playing Dobro.....
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Larry Bressington

 

From:
Nebraska
Post  Posted 9 May 2024 5:15 pm    
Reply with quote

Jerry Kennedy was the player, and Correct me if i'm wrong, but wasen't that played on a round-neck dobro instead of a square neck, in a standard plectrum guitar style?
_________________
A.K.A Chappy.
View user's profile Send private message

Steve Hinson

 

From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
Post  Posted 10 May 2024 6:54 am     Jk...
Reply with quote

The Dobro Jerry Kennedy played on"Harper Valley PTA"was a 60's model, built by Mosrite...it is a fretted Dobro,with a really"skinny" round neck...

It was co-owned by JK and Grady Martin...Grady played this guitar on"Skip a Rope"and many other hits...Jerry played it on the Tom T Hall hits and a lot of other records around this time...

This guitar hangs in the"Musicians Hall of Fame"in Nashville...

SH
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 12 May 2024 10:50 am    
Reply with quote

Just to be clear on how Mr. Kennedy played the “fretted dobro” on Harper Valley, does anybody know if he was also using a slide of some sort? It sure sounds like it.

The fretted/slide hybrid guitar style is fairly common now, but back in 1968 I imagine it would have been a bit radical.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Steve Hinson

 

From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
Post  Posted 14 May 2024 5:27 am    
Reply with quote

Fred Treece wrote:
Just to be clear on how Mr. Kennedy played the “fretted dobro” on Harper Valley, does anybody know if he was also using a slide of some sort? It sure sounds like it.

The fretted/slide hybrid guitar style is fairly common now, but back in 1968 I imagine it would have been a bit radical.


No,no slide...Jerry bent the notes with his fingers...

SH
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Fred Treece


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 14 May 2024 8:28 am    
Reply with quote

Wow! It’s a great sound.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Steve Hinson

 

From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
Post  Posted 15 May 2024 5:34 pm    
Reply with quote

Fred Treece wrote:
Wow! It’s a great sound.


There's an interview with Jerry somewhere(can't remember where)and he tells about the HVPTA session...he says that Shelby Singleton wouldn't give him any direction other than"play everywhere"...he said he played and played, thinking his fills would be edited out in places,and was really running out of licks to play, but he played all the way to the end, and when the record came out, every lick was still there!

What a great guitar player-talk about a resume!All this while running Mercury Records Nashville during some really successful years...look him up!

SH
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Daniel Dickie


From:
Queensland, Australia
Post  Posted 18 Jul 2024 2:12 am    
Reply with quote

I've always loved the Dobro on that track.
That is pretty amazing that he didn't use a slide!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP