Tunes Of The Week #12 - Weldon Myrick

[Joe Goldmark]

Steeler: Weldon Myrick
Artist: Johnny Bush
LP Title: Here Comes The World Again
Tune: That Rain Makin' Baby Of Mine
Label: RCA APL1-0216

Weldon Myrick and Johnny Bush were a match made in heaven. This whole album is great. Weldon had chops, control, tone for days and he was creative.
http://www.vinylbeat.com/forum/09ThatRainMakingBaby.m4a

Artist: Connie Smith
LP Title: The Best Of
Tune: I'll Come Running
Label: RCA LSP 3848


This is the tune that supposedly "cemented" Weldon's reputation in Nashville. It definitely separates the men from the boys in the steel world.
http://www.vinylbeat.com/forum/18IllComeRunning.m4a

[Steve Hinson]

I've had those Johnny Bush records since way before I got my first steel...they are worn out!Some of the best steel guitar playing ever!

[ebb]

im sure many will agree with me that connie has to be one of the sexiest women ever placed on this planet
spit vinegar and class
and for more stellar weldon check out
http://www.amazon.com/Honky-Tonk-Amnesi ... 610&sr=1-3

[Drew Howard]

Thanks a ton for sharing, Joe! "That Rain Makin' Baby of Mine"- whoa, what's Weldon playing @ 0:35?

[Herb Steiner]

Interesting story about the song "Here Comes The World Again," which, like "Green Snakes On The Ceiling," Bush never liked. Both songs were supposed to be "album cuts," favors to the songwriters.

Bush used to say to me "always cut songs that you like, because for sure if you don't, one that you hate will be the hit and you'll have to sing the sumbitch every night for the rest of your life."

Anyway, JB and the Bandoleros were playing at the Cabaret in Bandera TX, and the crowd was ready. I told Bush he should lead the set off with "Here Comes The World" and he said "nah, nobody likes that POS."

Well, okay chief. Whatever...

The Bandoleros would start the show off, and before our set began I asked our lead singer/bassist Duane Wavra if he knew the song (hell, he knew EVERY Johnny Bush song). Forumite Scott Moon was on fiddle that night said "yeeeeahh, let's do it." Scott and I kicked off the syncopated intro in unison, and the dance floor was filled with cowboys and cowgirls before Duane could finish the first verse.

After a few numbers by the band, Bush came onstage, leaned over to me and whispered "I STILL hate the POS!" I almost soiled myself with laughter!!!

There was a lifetime of laughter in the 14 years I was with the Bandoleros. I do miss those years from time to time.

[Frank Parish]

Weldon was in fine form when he cut these! I recently bought his Pedalman CD that I have completely worn out over the years. I would have to agree with Ebb on Connie Smiths great looks and I think she, Mandy Barnett and the legend Patsy Cline are the best female vocalists I've heard on the Opry stage.

[robert kramer]

Drew Howard – I had the same reaction when I heard “That Rain Making Baby.” I think there are two steel tracks on this song - one overdubbed on another.

"That Rain Making Baby" @ 0.33 - 0.37
E9 Tuning - Key of D
Diagrammed for Emmons AB Pedals - (Weldon plays Day setup)
Lick is over the V.

5 = Note is picked at 5th fret
8- = Note is picked and slid to next fret
(5)- = Note sustained and slid into next note
(10) = Note is still sustaining from previous note.

The first fretboard diagram is the first part and the second diagram is the overdub. The 3rd string is picked once at the 5th fret and sustained through to the 10th fret. The 3rd and 5th strings are picked again in the second group of notes resolving back to the I chord pedals down 5th fret.



I have worked on two ways of approximating this lick without overdubbing. In first fretboard diagram, notice that the 3rd string at the (9)- fret is still sustaining while at the same time the 5th string is picked at the 9- fret and then both strings are slid into the (10)- & (11) frets. In second diagram, notice that the 3rd string at the ( 8 )- fret is still sustaining while at the same time the 5th string is picked at the 8- fret and then both strings are slid into the 10th & 11th frets. Remember to pick the 3rd string once at the 5th fret and let it sustain through to the 11th fret.



Experiment with this. There's a lot of counterpoint to be found here - using slides and combining sustained notes with picked notes. The A pedal 3&5 - 8th fret sliding to the B pedal - 9th fret 3&5 is a great sound.

[Franklin]

Drew,

That fill lick is done with a single track of steel, no more..... I'll teach it as four parts because its actually four licks tied together. Overtime you may want to play any of the steps below as a single lick for a vocal fill. All you have to do is pick the strings starting at each numbered step when you choose to use them as single licks.

Whatever key the song is in (Lets say D major) Weldon's fill starts on the 5 chord (If the song is in D major - the starting position is A major) The fill lick uses the same two strings throughout. The strings Weldon used were 3 and 5 together. Anyway this is how its played.

1) At the 5th fret pick strings 3 and 5 without any pedals. Now press the A pedal down and then release it.....

2) Now while sustaining slide to the 8th fret pressing the A pedal down as you slide. After you arrive to the 8th fret you can release the A pedal........

3) The next move is a little more complicated....while the strings are still sustaining do a forward slant to the 10th fret and simultaneously activate the B pedal as you slant..... (To do the slant correctly the bottom of the bar slant has to place the 5th string at the 8th fret and the top of the bar slant places the 3rd string at the 10th fret....Don't forget, the B pedal remains down)

4) Now with the strings still sustaining you straighten the bar up to the 10th fret and simultaneously activate the A pedal. You must keep the B pedal down as you straighten the bar. The lick ends with both the A and B pedals down.

Paul

[Dale Rottacker]

Paul thanks for that great explanation...
Until just now, for years I thought this was a Terry Crisp lick that he did with Ricky Scaggs on Lord, She sure is good at loving me...
I just did a double take listening to Weldon play this...

I tried to do that lick at about 2:30 of this video,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJVjtnSgxIY

but did NOT pull it off anywhere’s close to what both Weldon and Terry did
Practice practice practice!!!!