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Topic: Bud Isaac/Web Pierce |
Leon Eneboe
From:
Sisseton, South Dakota, USA
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Posted 2 Oct 2003 7:56 am |
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How many of you can identify with trying to do something on a lap steel back in the 50s, when all of a sudden you heard Web Pierce on the radio with Bud Isaac backing him on the "never before" heard of pedal steel. I remember not knowing how or what was being done here, but I knew this was some stuff that I was never going to get on my little six string lap steel. Well, the steel picking has moved on to higher level after higher lever, that's for sure, but perhaps the biggest jump of all may have been what Bud I. did on those early Web Pierce songs. I suppose those early back up sounds were perhaps done with nothing more than an A and B pedal, it blows my mind as I see the changes available and in use today. I recently purchased a Sl2 Williams from Bill Rudolph, all seven floors and all five knees are set up with E9th changes...it is keeping me busy but it is fun. We hear a lot of these changes used on todays recordings, and the challenge is always there to try to learn a little more. I have to say that the Williams guitar that Bill sold me is a superb instrument, it was a great experience meeting Bill and seeing his shop.
Leon Eneboe, ShoBud LDG and Williams Sl2. |
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Jerry Roller
From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
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Posted 2 Oct 2003 8:11 am
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Leon, I remember that sound very well.
"Slowly" sent me into a frenzy I have never
gotten over. Bud's "Waltz You Saved For Me"
was out of this world. It took a while for
news as to how this was done to make it to Fort Smith, Arkansas. I immediately sent my D8 Fender to Springfield, Mo. and had Doc Martin put either 1 or 2 pedals, I don't
recall for sure.
Jerry |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 2 Oct 2003 8:42 am
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Yes Sireeee.....Bud Issacs, and he never did call me up to apologize for the $1,000 he cost me. I immediately found out about and called Paul A. Bigsby and placed an order for my quad Bibsby with six pedals. What a great guitar and great sounds! The Issacs set up, originally at least, was a two pedal
arrangement: #1, raised the second and third strings from an E tuning to an A tuning. (No split A & B pedals back then.
The second pedal raised THREE (3) strings, the lower ones of course, making a full A6th tuning out of the original E tuning.
My biggest thrill was getting to play Bud's arrangement of "Steelin' Away" and "Bud's Bounce". Back in those days, this was still an impossible feat for most pickers. Ahhhhh, those were the days. |
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Bob Carlson
From:
Surprise AZ.
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Posted 2 Oct 2003 8:51 am
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Yep..i'll never forget that sound either. I still listen to it every once in awhile.
Bob |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 2 Oct 2003 9:11 am
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As I was in grammar school at the time, I wasn't paying close attention to country music when Bud invented the pedal steel. Even in the '70s when I started playing pedal steel, I didn't know the history. I quit for many years and started playing again recently. Here on the Forum I've learned the whole history of the pedal steel guitar.
To hear the history, I got a CD, Webb Pierce - King of the Honky-Tonk. It spans the years '52-'59. It quickly became my favorite country CD of all time. Bud Issacs' "Slowly" was in the middle of that period and you can hear how things changed from that point on. What glorious pedal mashin' there was in the late '50s and early '60s.
And "Slowly" was not just any old song. I can see why it immediately grabbed everyone and changed everything. It was born from the git-go as a full blown masterpiece - the words, Webb's plaintive voice, those fiddles, and Bud's pedal steel - wow!
One thing that is so neat about that song is the way it was recorded. The singing and the instruments are so full of emotion and feeling, but somehow it is also done quietly and sparely, with the instruments taking turns, so you can hear each instrument so clearly and separately. The modern country-rock wall of sound does not get that. Those old sessions had a stunning quiet intensity that is rarely heard today.
If you are a beginner, buy this CD and learn to play Bud's leads and fills on "Slowly." It is the essence of pedal steel. Just the AB pedals (together, unsplit) and the bottom 8 strings (no chromatics, and no knees).
________________
Unrepentent pedal masher |
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Jerry Roller
From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
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Posted 2 Oct 2003 11:40 am
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The good old days. Screen door no sags, coat hangers, screen door springs, Ford windshield wiper pulleys and cable, Hammond Organ spring reverbs, plungers under the strings at the keyhead, pickups wound on a Webcor tape recorder, door bell buttons for
"do wah". Yep, time to wake up and go back to work. 
Jerry |
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C Dixon
From:
Duluth, GA USA
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Posted 2 Oct 2003 2:50 pm
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I remember it as though it was yesterday. I could not figure out what he was doing. I used to listen to recordings for hours and hear that moving tone; and just could not figure out how it was done.
When I did find out, I HAD to have one. I will never ever get enough of the moving tone sound on a PSG. There is just something about it that has NO equal in my musical life.
Thank Jesus for Bud Isaacs and all the pioneers that followed. For what they have brought us is truly a blessing,
carl |
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Leon Eneboe
From:
Sisseton, South Dakota, USA
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Posted 2 Oct 2003 5:10 pm
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Several of you have responded with posts on this subject and I thank you for it as it is interesting to me, to hear what someone else remembers about the Webb Pierce/Bud Isaacs sounds of early pedal steel. I knew that I wanted to play something like that, and, when I was in the Navy, over in Oahu, Hawaii, I used to go in to Horners Music store in down-town Honolulu (Does anyone remember Horners Music?) Anyway, they used to have 4 of 5 Fender 400s or l000s on hand and I used to look at them, but figured such an instrument would be too complicated. I finally progressed from Mult-Chord, Fender 400, ShoBud LDG and finally Williams S12. Back in the "Multi-Chord" days, I used to hear Porter Wagoner, backed on steel by Don Worden. Don sort of pumped the pedals on the various chords and this style sort of became possible on my lowly Multi-Chord. Maybe some of you remember Don Worden, he played his PSG standing up...seemed to have about two floor pedals and no knee levers. Anyway, these different, beginning, PSG styles made you feel kind of good because they were not too difficult to play. I better sign off as when I get to remembering some of this "fun stuff", I could go for a long time. How about you?
Leon |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 2 Oct 2003 9:59 pm
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| Hi, Al - love your web site. Yes, I'm aware there were pedals on steel guitars much earlier than "Slowly." Guess we need some new terms to differentiate steels with pedals for changing tunings from Bud's moving harmony style. As I understand it, the earlier pedals changed tunings, but people played them like lap steels with different necks. The modern equivalent I guess would be the tuning change device Jerry Douglas sometimes uses on a Dobro. |
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Willis Vanderberg
From:
Petoskey Mi
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Posted 3 Oct 2003 7:46 am
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Hey Dave:
I remember this so well. I was in the navy and aboard a small aircraft carrier.
Some times we could get WSM at night out on the flight deck. I was playing a little six string lap steel.I heard " Slowly " and went crazy trying to figure out what in the world Bud was doing to get that sound.
I was playing an E tuning on my steel. By bouncing the bar off the B string on the second fret I could get a sound that was close.Then jump up to 12 for the high note.
I guess we all tried different things.My first Multi-Kord was set up open A and lowered to E with the pedals.
I can't even remember all the different set ups and tunings I have tried.I recently made the jump from the " Day " set up to the " Emmons ". That led to some interesting sounds what with the knee changes too.
I think our extremities develope their our way of thinking and when you give them a new one it takes a while to sink in.
Bud
Emmon Le Grande lll , Evans SE-200 and lots more |
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