Tunes Of The Week #25 - Bobby Black

Joe Goldmark · Post by **Joe Goldmark** » 19 Jul 2011 5:18 pm

Steeler: Bobby Black
Artist: Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen
Tune: Down To Seeds & Stems Again Blues
Album: Live From Deep In The Heart Of Texas, Paramount PAS 1017, 1973

Tune: Truck Driving Man
Album: Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Truckers Favorites, Paramount PAS 6031, 1972

Bobby is a local hero and still plays a few nights per week at any and every gig in the S.F. Bay Area. He plays beautifully on both necks, but made his mark on the world with hot E9 solos like these. Commander Cody is still playing around and I recently caught forum member Dave Zirbel tearing it up with that band.

http://www.vinylbeat.com/forum/15-04SeedsNStems.m4a

http://www.vinylbeat.com/forum/16-10TruckDrivingMan.m4a

Dave Ristrim · Post by **Dave Ristrim** » 20 Jul 2011 3:34 am

Yep. Bobby is one of the main reasons I play steel guitar today. Thanks for posting these Joe.

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 20 Jul 2011 4:03 am

Yep! Me too

Bas Kapitein · Post by **Bas Kapitein** » 20 Jul 2011 7:24 am

Yes, this brings back memories.
Amsterdam 1976. I just bought myself an Emmons S-10 and here he was with a D-12, I realized I had a long way to go (I still have)

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 21 Jul 2011 2:44 am

Too cool.

Arch.

Bill Mayville · Post by **Bill Mayville** » 21 Jul 2011 3:05 am

Thank you Joe for putting Bobby on my PC,
.
I saw Bobby in th late 60/s in Garden Grove CA,I think.first time I had seen a steel ,in person.
I didn.t know he was such a great player.
You are quite a nice person,to talk about another so nicely.
I will start to read your post's.
Thanks again
bill Mayville

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 21 Jul 2011 8:10 am

I've seen The Stones, The Kinks, The Who and many other acts during the seventies. Cody and the lads were my favourite of them all. I had a seat right in front of Bobby. I know smoking is frowned upon, but he looked the `business` with a ciggie in his hand whilst playing those hot licks.

Arch.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 21 Jul 2011 8:48 am

Thanks for posting these tunes, Joe. Bobby was one of my prime inspirations when I was starting to play. Now I remember why - that was one great record, and it had the most advanced steel parts I had ever heard up to that time.

Here's a video I made of Bobby Black at a casual event last year: http://youtu.be/wGaMma2ap0U

Edward Efira · Post by **Edward Efira** » 21 Jul 2011 10:00 am

The live album is still one of my very favorites and I keep on playing it all the time,Bobby belongs with the greats!

James Allison · Post by **James Allison** » 21 Jul 2011 11:19 am

Thanks for posting this Joe it brings back a flood of memories. I opened some shows for Cody on their first tour and was blown away by Bobby. You can imagine how thrilled I was to play with him in the Black Bros Band years later. BTW I really enjoyed playing with you in Osage, you are one of my favorite steelers...

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 22 Jul 2011 8:58 pm

Planning to see Bobby tomorrow night at Little Switzerland with the Lost Weekend band. They're opening for Carolyn Martin.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 22 Jul 2011 11:56 pm

One of the great unsung heroes of steel guitar.......always smokin' yet tasty licks.

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 23 Jul 2011 7:12 am

Here's one for the grown ups- strong language here folks, but the song is awesome!
I've crossed paths with Bobby a few times over the years, not only is he a monster player, he's the nicest guy, always willing to chat. A real gentleman.
Bobby is playing a double 12 Emmons-sweet!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LInn_l146co

Jay

Joe Goldmark · Post by **Joe Goldmark** » 24 Jul 2011 8:44 pm

Jay, I've never seen that video, thanks for finding. It's mind boggling that they would actually do an uncensored video for that song in the early '70s. Great to see a young Bobby, and the rest of the LPA. I had the (mostly) good fortune to play with Billy C (The Billy C Farlow Band) for three years after he left Commander Cody. Then a few years back I got to play with Kirchen in the Twangbangers.

Thanks to everyone for your comments about Bobby. For those of us who came to country music through the back door via the early '70s country rock movement, Bobby (along with Sneaky Pete, Rusty Young, Jerry Garcia and Red Rhodes) was one of the major influences.

Abe Levy · Post by **Abe Levy** » 7 May 2013 2:16 pm

Just bringing this back because Bobby Black is so awesome.

Ransom Beers · Post by **Ransom Beers** » 7 May 2013 3:25 pm

Jammin' with Bobby & Larry Black back in the 60's was one of many bright spots in my life.

Mike Daly · Post by **Mike Daly** » 9 May 2013 3:07 pm

Joe...Thanks for the shout out to Bobby Black as he is also one of my favorites....And speaking of shout outs....I just finished a biography on Jerry Garcia and the San Francisco scene and there was mention of you hanging and playing briefly with the New Riders?

Jim Robbins · Post by **Jim Robbins** » 9 May 2013 8:31 pm

Great song, haven't heard it for a dog's age. Thanks for posting. I like the references, musical and textual, to one of my favorite things, viz, the song "Abeline". (Never mind other favorite things ...)

Jim Robbins · Post by **Jim Robbins** » 9 May 2013 8:36 pm

Jay Fagerlie wrote:Here's one for the grown ups- strong language here folks, but the song is awesome!
I've crossed paths with Bobby a few times over the years, not only is he a monster player, he's the nicest guy, always willing to chat. A real gentleman.
Bobby is playing a double 12 Emmons-sweet!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LInn_l146co

Jay

In the future, western swing will meet free love and the world will be a better place ... what a great video.

Gary Schlotterbeck · Post by **Gary Schlotterbeck** » 14 May 2013 3:27 pm

Bobby Black is probably one of the nicest people I've EVER met. He's always willing to share his time, and his knowledge with anyone he talks to. What a great Ambassador for Steel Guitarist everywhere. That custom built ten string lap steel he has is a really great way for him to showcase his E-9th skills in Hawaiian Music; it just doesn't get any better. Thanks Joe!

Joe Goldmark · Post by **Joe Goldmark** » 16 May 2013 7:17 pm

Glad you're liking the Bobby tunes. For us Northern Cal guys, he's our inspiration.

Mike, I never played with the NRPS back in the day, but I did a few fill in gigs a few years ago that were fun.

Joe

Joe Goldmark · Post by **Joe Goldmark** » 16 May 2013 7:23 pm

Here's more Bobby the 2nd tune of the week. This one's a killer, if you missed it.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 4d71c35641

Joe

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Tunes Of The Week #25 - Bobby Black

Tunes Of The Week #25 - Bobby Black

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Bobby Black