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Topic: STEEL GUITAR WOBBLE by AL PETTY |
Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Brian Henry
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Posted 20 Jun 2011 5:59 pm |
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It sounds a bit like one of Elvis' rock songs!
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LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN GEORGIA |
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Jody Sanders
From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Jun 2011 1:24 am
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| Al was very secretive of his tunings back then. At intermission, he would detune several strings before he left the stage to keep others from getting the tunings. Bobby Tuttle could probably shed some light on these tunings as he was one of Al's students and worked with Al later. Jody. |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 21 Jun 2011 9:40 am
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That was actually billed as "Jack Rhodes with Al Petty" and was recorded in the Starday label owner's living room in Beaumont in late 1953. The flip side was a vocal by Freddie Franks.
There are 4 or 5 other instrumentals by Al from that same period---Twin Steel Ride, Steelin' The Boogie, Galloping Steel, etc. All with that unique style. |
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Bobby Bowman
From:
Cypress, Texas, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 21 Jun 2011 12:59 pm tuning?
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Sounds alot like a 13'th tuning to me.
BB
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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!
http://www.bobbybowman.com |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 21 Jun 2011 8:55 pm
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I always liked that tune. I had it on a radio station promo disc with about six songs. I remember the disc was thin and flexible. Sounds to me like he is playing the meat of the tune in some kind of open E tuning and jumping necks to a 13th tuning for the boo wah switch end line. He definitely has open E, B and G# notes.
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LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Harlow Dobro |
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Brian Henry
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Posted 22 Jun 2011 3:22 am
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Why would one be secretive about ones tuning? Is it job security?
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LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN GEORGIA |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 22 Jun 2011 1:09 pm
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I knew Al back in the last half of the 50's and into the 60's out here in So. Calif. I never heard of Al being secretive or protecting his tunings. He took great pleasure in showing and explaining his style of playing. Al would even help you with tunings and pedal set ups. When he and Guitarist Danny Michaels teamed up, they were playing jazz together, away ahead of any one else. Al modified his fender to have two sets of pedals for both heel and toe. One time he had a second Steel Bar clamped onto his ring finger and was alternating between the two bars. This did not last long but he was always experimenting.
A friend of mine said that recently Al had a radio program once a week from the prison he is in. Al will never sit still no matter what his circumstances are.
Last edited by Billy Tonnesen on 23 Jun 2011 9:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 22 Jun 2011 1:51 pm Al Petty
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In 1973 while traveling between Minneapolis & Seattle I stopped in Butte, Montana for the night. That evening I went to a club with a country band. The steel guitarist was Al Perry (aka Al Petty). Al was playing a Fender 1000 with a dozen or more heel and toe pedals.  |
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Rich Peterson
From:
Moorhead, MN
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Posted 23 Jun 2011 5:23 am
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All the stuff I've read about Al Petty, there should be a book or movie "The Al Petty Story." But people would probably think it was fiction.
I suspect, from the various stories, that Mr. Petty has bipolar disorder, so he might well have been open and helpful at times, and paranoid and secretive at others. But there is no question at all about his talent. |
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Bryan Bradfield
From:
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
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Posted 23 Jun 2011 4:30 pm
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| I’m intrigued with Rich’s diagnosis, in that I’ve felt that Al’s recorded output was inconsistent. The early 1950’s non-pedal stuff was very good according to my taste and understanding, while some later pedal work when he was promoting that advanced, “does-everything” type of steel, was not nearly as interesting. |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 23 Jun 2011 10:09 pm
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I've heard the same thing about Jerry Byrd & Leon McAuliffe being secretive about their tunings in the 1940s & 1950s.
I'm sure many other steel players did the same thing in those days. |
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Jody Sanders
From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Jun 2011 2:57 pm
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| Naa. Ain't gonna say nuthin else. Jody. |
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Bryan Bradfield
From:
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
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Posted 24 Jun 2011 4:30 pm
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| C’mon Jody. You know so much about Al’s career, and it seems to me that folks aren’t beating on Al and his supporters as much now that he’s been away for awhile. I’m hopeful that there will come a time when Al will be remembered for the music rather than for the financial stuff. |
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Jody Sanders
From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Jun 2011 8:45 pm
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| Hi Bryan,I have known Al since he was 16 years old. Worked stage shows, live radio broadcasts, and other venues with him. Was a teacher at his steel guitar school, and lived in the same house with him for a period of time. I could tell some things that would curl your hair. But I still consider Al a dear friend, and so I won't. Besides there are those on the forum that seemingly like to dispute any info on anyone. Nuff said. Jody. |
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Bryan Bradfield
From:
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
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Posted 25 Jun 2011 7:56 am
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| Jody - If I’m ever in Magnolia, I want to buy you a coffee. |
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Jody Sanders
From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Jun 2011 8:37 am
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| Ok Bryan.The coffee Sounds good to me, and if I ever make it to Canada, I will do the same for you.LOL Have a good one, and I will see you down the road. Jody. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 25 Jun 2011 10:35 pm
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I hope whoever is in charge of these things decides to release Al from prison. It's not like he committed an armed robbery or killed anybody.
Do you suppose a petition to the governor of whichever state he is in,(Texas?) signed by everyone on the forum might convince that governor to commute his sentence?
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Bryan Bradfield
From:
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
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Posted 26 Jun 2011 9:36 am
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I've deleted the offensive comment, and I apologize.
Last edited by Bryan Bradfield on 27 Jun 2011 2:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Rich Peterson
From:
Moorhead, MN
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Posted 27 Jun 2011 2:10 pm
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| b0b wrote: |
Let's not go there, please.  |
Agreed |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 29 Jun 2011 2:42 pm
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| Are there anymore recordings by Al Petty available? |
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Finis Spier
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 9 Jul 2011 10:07 am al petty
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| I grew up in the tyler texas area and knew Al very well theres not much i can add that has not alreaddy been said but i will say Al was a genius when it came to music the depth of his knowledge will probably never be known and i know that Al was very confident in his ability to play and what people say about him good or bad did not move him one way or the other and i hope he can keep on playing and inspiring others where ever he is. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 9 Jul 2011 10:20 am Re: al petty
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| Finis Spier wrote: |
| I hope he can keep on playing and inspiring others where ever he is. |
I was told that Al has a Dobro. They won't allow him to have a pedal steel guitar. I don't know any more than that.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Jody Sanders
From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 9 Jul 2011 4:30 pm
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| You are right , Mike. Dobro only. Jody. |
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