CD's of Classic Country A Beginner Should Own

Chris Harvey · Post by **Chris Harvey** » 9 Aug 2009 11:50 am

This instrument has consumed me and I have been able to establish a crude foundation over the past 14 months. I have heard so many great players while listening to the radio and never have the time to write down the artists. I'm a classic country nut so, other than the great Tom Brumley material, I'm not sure if there are some must haves. I purchased a Ray Price CD but it was mainly the much older material and I am more interested in the 60's- early 70's sound. I've heard that old Johnny Paycheck, Loretta Lynn, of course ET. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ethan Shaw · Post by **Ethan Shaw** » 9 Aug 2009 12:12 pm

My personal essentials from that era:
Buck Owens sings Harlan Howard (although that's a little earlier)
Johnny Paycheck Little Darlin' recordings
Waylon' and Willie
Willie Nelson- Shotgun Willie
Waylon Jennings Live
Ernest Tubb Live in 1965
Ray Price - Touch My Heart
Merle Haggard's first record
Conway Twitty-She needs someone to hold her
The early Loretta stuff is great, so is Gary Stewart and George Jones...and a ton of others.

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 9 Aug 2009 1:00 pm

Charley Pride - In Person/Live at Panther Hall
Mel Street
Moe Bandy - 1970s

Ricky Skaggs - 1980–1986, especially Highways and Heartaches and Country Boy. (Slightly later than your designated era, but very worthy.)

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 9 Aug 2009 1:21 pm

Just get a CD of Dale Watson with Ricky Davis playing,Ricky does it right. DYK?BC.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 9 Aug 2009 5:07 pm

The Masters by Bobbe Seymour and Jimmy Day

Buck Owens: Instrumental Hits of the Buckaroos

Steel and Strings/Golden Hits by Jimmy Day

"I Don't Care" CD by Buck Owens

The Ray Price BearFamilyRecords 10 CD set

Just several that come to mind...

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 10 Aug 2009 1:23 am

Anything by George Jones and Tammy Wynette, together or separately. And Ray Price & the Cherokee Cowboys Reunited, if that's available on CD. Red Steagall has great steel on his 70's records.

Rick Winfield · Post by **Rick Winfield** » 10 Aug 2009 4:13 am

Ricky is "da man".

RW

Scott Hay · Post by **Scott Hay** » 10 Aug 2009 9:58 am

D-I-V-O-R-C-E - Tammy Wynette. (Get the album, not a best of)

Merle Haggard, Okie from Muskogee Live

George Jones - Live at Dancetown US (if you can find it)

Buck Owens and the Buckaroos Live at Carnegie Hall

have fun!

Gerald Menke · Post by **Gerald Menke** » 13 Aug 2009 6:16 am

To those above I would definitely add:

Ernest Tubb: Waltz Across Texas (Bear Family Box set)
Buddy Emmons: The Black Album
Paul Franklin's Christmas Album (not classic country, but essential listening)
Po Boys: Po Boys Pick Again (awesome playing by Sonny Garrish)
Loretta Lynn: Honky Tonk Girl (Box Set)

If I could only take one of the above with me to the proverbial desert isle, it would be the ET, that thing is like a master class in steel guitar playing.

Best,

Gerald

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 13 Aug 2009 6:24 am

...and Buddy Emmons's "white album" (on Flying Fish ca 1975), which is about as eclectic as steel guitar will ever get. All possible styles – hawaiian, oldtimey, bluegrass, country, swing, rock, jazz, classical – served up within around 30 extremely well executed minutes. And while we're on the subject of Buddy and Flying Fish, his "Buddy Emmons sings Bob Wills" album is also A+.

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 13 Aug 2009 11:03 pm

The B side of Waylons " are you ready for the country" album. Also the Flying Burrito brothers "Sweet Hearts of the Rodeo" in addition to all the others mentioned. Red Sovine has some good steel as well, but the names of the albums slip my mind right now.

Gary Chiappetta · Post by **Gary Chiappetta** » 13 Aug 2009 11:27 pm

If you can find it...A Salute to West Coast Country Music, Coast-Country by George Hamilton IV. Released in 1966 on RCA Victor (LSP-3510)
Essential Ralph Mooney.
A smorgasbord of Harlan Howard, Buck Owens, and Wynn Stewart tunes featuring the master of the "West-Coast" steel sound.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 14 Aug 2009 7:45 am

The Best of George Jones, Vol. 1: Hardcore Honky Tonk would be one of my top choices. Featuring the fabulous steel guitar of Mr. Buddy Emmons, it also features some of his very best songs from the Mercury and Starday labels.

Nathan Golub · Post by **Nathan Golub** » 14 Aug 2009 7:53 am

Roger Miller's A Trip in the Country has some great steel from Buddy Emmons on it.

Cool thread! Now I have to go find these albums...

Ellis Miller · Post by **Ellis Miller** » 14 Aug 2009 9:03 am

I would try to find these Ray Price albums from the 1960s. They have some great steel, Grady Martin and ... Ray Price.

Another Bridge to Burn
The Other Woman
Night Life

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 14 Aug 2009 9:38 am

another vote for
Roger Miller-Trip in the Country
Charlie Pride-Live and in Person (panther hall)

all the others mentioned and I will add Ronnie Milsap, some fabulous steel on those records.

Conway twitty
Loretta
Tammy Wynette

I find these albums in the $1 bin and they are fantastic!

L. A. Wunder · Post by **L. A. Wunder** » 14 Aug 2009 9:18 pm

Any of Lynn Anderson's recordings from the early to mid 70's. Lloyd Green did alot of great steel work on her records, and it's a study in tone and technique from one of the best players ever.

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 15 Aug 2009 12:12 am

In those classic country days, artists often used the same steel players for their sessions, so if you are looking for a particular player, you might want to search for a specific artist.

Lloyd Green - Charley Pride, Mel Street, Don Williams, Chart Records, Little Darlin' Records

Weldon Myrick - Most of the early Connie Smith material on RCA

Hal Rugg - the classic Loretta Lynn material (her very early recordings feature Don Helms mostly), same is true for the Wilburn Brothers

Ralph Mooney - Early Buck Owens, Wynn Stewart, Johnny & Jonie Mosby, early Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings

Buddy Charleton - 60s material of Ernest Tubb, Texas Troubadours

John Hughey - Conway Twitty

Jimmy Day - Willie Nelson RCA material

Buddy Emmons - Classic Ray Price

Lots of stuff to discover!

Kind Regards, Walter

Dave Magram · Post by **Dave Magram** » 15 Aug 2009 9:53 am

Chris,

One great steel guitarist that hasn't been mentioned yet is Bobby Black.
I'd strongly recommend the Commander Cody CD "Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas".
This album is actually on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "Best 100 Albums of All Time"!

On this 1973 live concert recording, Bobby does a masterful job with country, Western swing, boogie-woogie, rock & roll, etc.

And if you want to hear the rest of the concert, it was recently released on a 2-CD set called "Live from Armadillo World HQ 1973 & Capitol Theatre 1975"

Bobby is still performing quite actively in Northern California, and plays better than ever.
Check out his performance schedule at http://www.myspace.com/bobbyblacksteelguitar

- Dave

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 15 Aug 2009 10:56 am

Check out as many Lloyd Green albums as you can. I don't have enough of them, but these are what I have:

Shades Of Steel
Steel Rides
Lloyds Of Nashville
Cool Steel Man
Mr. Nashville Sound

All these selections are on vinyl, but I imagine they should be available on CD.

Also, check out David Hartley on Youtube. He's an awsome player, and I think you'll like him. You can also visit his website at http://www.amarillocountrymusicduo.com

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 16 Aug 2009 1:04 am

We're all forgetting Curly Chalker's Nashville Sundown! Do NOT miss that one.

Bobby Burns · Post by **Bobby Burns** » 16 Aug 2009 8:44 am

Check the link in steel on the internet to the live show with Dale Watson with Ricky Davis on steel. It's an hour long show. Real country, real good sound and video.

David Nugent · Post by **David Nugent** » 16 Aug 2009 11:05 am

A more modern Cd, but definitely great country nonetheless is by Darrel McCall (great singer, reminiscent of early Ray Price) featuring Dickie Overby on steel. To quote Eddie Stubbs, "He doesn't leave anything out".