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Topic: Buddy Holly Played Steel Guitar |
Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 22 Nov 2014 10:55 am |
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An excerpt from the October 1995 edition of Texas Monthly, which was dedicated to Buddy Holly...
So Buddy played steel guitar. If anyone has any further details about this I would be glad to hear about it.
I remember when Buddy died. I was at school at the time. I had no record player, but as soon as I could I saved up for one and the first record I bought was "The Buddy Holly Story", which was rushed out very quickly after his death.
Of course, I loved all the rockabilly singers at the time: Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, et al; but Buddy Holly was always my favourite.
Unique amongst pop stars, more of his material has been released since his death than when he was alive. Indeed, the majority of his work was not for publication. He made hours of demos for his own use, and, with the lack of available material, backings were added to this for future releases. In fact, in some cases there are several versions of the same Buddy Holly track available, but with different backing. It's not commonly known that the Crickets didn't do the vocals on most of his recordings. That was added by the Pickering Brothers while the Crickets were off touring. In fact, in their haste to get recordings out, some of the numbers were released with no vocal backings, and the versions with the vocals were only released fifty years later.
I've often thought that a backing of steel guitar would have suited his numbers better than the vocal group. Fortunately, the plain recordings of Buddy singing with just an acoustic guitar, with no other backings, are available, and I've long thought of orchestrating these myself and adding better arrangements. I wouldn't be able to publish them, of course, as they would impinge on copyrights.
As an aside, my assistant in my last job before I retired used to hang out with Buddy and his friends in Lubbock as a schoolgirl, went to the same school, and actually dated him. After retirement she returned from San Francisco to Lubbock, where she felt like she always belonged, so there must be something about Lubbock. |
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Antolina
From:
Dunkirk NY
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Posted 22 Nov 2014 12:35 pm
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It's been said that if Buddy Holly had lived... the Brits would never have invaded. 
_________________
The only thing better than doing what you love is having someone that loves you enough to let you do it.
Sho~Bud 6139 3+3
Marrs 3+4
RC Antolina |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 22 Nov 2014 3:20 pm
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| I have similar interest in the real possibility of Duke Kahanamoku being a steel player to some degree, Alan, after seeing a single photo of him seemingly playing an acoustic, looked like he knew what he was doing. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 5:44 am Re: Buddy Holly Played Steel Guitar
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| Alan Brookes wrote: |
| there must be something about Lubbock. |
A lady at the bank told me it's because you can trust people where there aren't many trees to hide behind.
I clicked your link and found where
'I have some friends in the Lubbock area....'
Does that mean we're friends?
I worked for the schools one summer a long time ago; we were removing desks, to be refurbished, and one had BUDDY HOLLY scratched into it.
I should have stolen it. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 10:43 am Re: Buddy Holly Played Steel Guitar
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| Charlie McDonald wrote: |
...'I have some friends in the Lubbock area....'
Does that mean we're friends?... |
Of course, Charlie, (though I was thinking of other friends when I wrote that.) If ever I get round, on my reduced budget, to going over to see them I shall have to stop in and see you. Maybe we can jam together. 
| Charlie McDonald wrote: |
| ...I worked for the schools one summer a long time ago; we were removing desks, to be refurbished, and one had BUDDY HOLLY scratched into it. I should have stolen it. |
Yes, you should have. I wonder if it's still there. Was Holly spelt Holley? The reason I say that is that I scratched the words Buddy Holly into my desk at school, too,(I was still in school in 1957), and Buddy certainly never attended our school.  |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 12:48 pm
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25 or 30 years ago, I saw a published picture of Buddy on stage, circa 1955, with Weldon Myrick on steel.
It was an informal snapshot. As I recall, Weldon was sitting in a folding chair, playing a steel (bakelite Rickenbacher?) in his lap.
Can anyone post this photo? |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 1:12 pm Re: Buddy Holly Played Steel Guitar
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| Alan Brookes wrote: |
| I scratched the words Buddy Holly into my desk at school |
So it was you.
Actually it was probably some girl, or the boyfriend of some girl.... It didn't have much provenance.
I'm on a reduced budget too, we'll have to meet in Clovis at the studio Buddy recorded at.
Muleshoe is about halfway between here and there, where I think Waylon Jennings comes from.
Here's a tune Holly wrote, 'Learning the Game', sung by Waylon with guitar by Mark Knopfler anyone will love to hear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHKREz4Ac_I but you'll have to guess the steeler. |
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Wally Moyers
From:
Lubbock, Texas
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 4:17 pm
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I live in and grew up in Lubbock.. As a youngster I was around Buddy a lot. The first time I remember being around him he was in the group, Buddy, Bob and Larry. They came over to my parents house to talk to my Dad, Wally Moyers Sr. about playing steel with them. At that time they played more of a bluegrass style and wanted to be more country.. My Dad always laughed about the fact that he turned them down because he didn't like Buddy's guitar playing. In those days it wasn't in style to play open cords in country music… He and Buddy were friends though.. They all played radio shows on Saturdays and Sundays at Lubbock's KDAV radio station. KDAV was the first full time country music radio station in the world…. Waylon Jennings was also at those radio shows. Bill Mack was a DJ at the station and my Dad played with him on a TV show and stage shows around the area.. The last time I saw Buddy was at a Lubbock drive in theater called "The Golden Horse Shoe" My Dad and I had gone to the concession to get drinks and snacks. When we were checking out my Dad noticed that it was Buddy checking out in front of him. Buddy took us out to meet his new wife and to show off his
new Cadillac.. That was the summer before he was killed… I'v played on many sessions with his brother and niece through the years, a great family… |
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Wally Moyers
From:
Lubbock, Texas
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Posted 10 Jan 2015 4:23 pm
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I'll add that Buddy took steel lessons at Dunigan's music studios here in Lubbock, the same place my Dad took lessons.. They used the Oahu method if I remember it right...
Last edited by Wally Moyers on 12 Jan 2015 2:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 11 Jan 2015 7:31 am
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That's the coolest story, Wally. The Golden Horseshoe....
The wahoo method on steel, sure.  |
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frank rogers
From:
usa
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Posted 12 Jan 2015 1:49 pm
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| Oahu? |
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Antolina
From:
Dunkirk NY
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Posted 12 Jan 2015 1:52 pm
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Just what is the wahoo method?
_________________
The only thing better than doing what you love is having someone that loves you enough to let you do it.
Sho~Bud 6139 3+3
Marrs 3+4
RC Antolina |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 12 Jan 2015 1:56 pm
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... if I read Wally right.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 12 Jan 2015 1:58 pm
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| Ya tighten up on your riggin', then you nod to the gate-man.... |
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Wally Moyers
From:
Lubbock, Texas
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 12 Jan 2015 3:40 pm
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| Wally Moyers wrote: |
| I live in and grew up in Lubbock.. As a youngster I was around Buddy a lot... |
Did you know Faye Spies? She was my assistant for many years and went to school with Buddy. After living in the San Francisco area for many years she retired about five years ago and returned to Lubbock. There must be something about that place.  |
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Barbara Berg
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2015 6:32 pm Oahu Method
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| Well you have lots of history to tell about Buddy, it just so happens I'm playing "Everyday" on my Ric (1946) for a fund raiser at our local theater in a couple of months along with Sleepwalk. Our theme is songs from the 50's. I played the Oahu method which was open A on my Supro in the mid 50's. I have lots of music, and books about the method which I still sometimes play. I have fun playing all the songs like Love me Tender, On a day like today, etc. I wonder if anyone out there has any old music sheets in open A tuning? |
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Wally Moyers
From:
Lubbock, Texas
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Posted 12 Jan 2015 6:43 pm
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| Alan Brookes wrote: |
| Wally Moyers wrote: |
| I live in and grew up in Lubbock.. As a youngster I was around Buddy a lot... |
Did you know Faye Spies? She was my assistant for many years and went to school with Buddy. After living in the San Francisco area for many years she retired about five years ago and returned to Lubbock. There must be something about that place. |
Alan,
I didn't know her. That would be my Dads generation... Lubbock does have a way of sucking you back home.. Lots of talented people from here.. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 13 Jan 2015 12:36 pm
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| Wally Moyers wrote: |
| ...I didn't know her. That would be my Dads generation... |
You're making me feel old, Wally. She's only a year older than I am. |
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Larry Bressington
From:
Nebraska
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Posted 14 Jan 2015 1:57 pm
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I was in Lubbock last year, what a beautiful clean city...The Buddy Holly museum is great, there were lots of write up's about his childhood. What Wally said about lesson's etc...I don't think Buddy was a pedal steeler but played lap as a child.
Thanks for the insight Wally, you've had a great life down there. 
_________________
A.K.A Chappy. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 14 Jan 2015 3:55 pm
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He has, of course I'd only been his store once; there was a Maverick. Wow. What's with these crazy last two strings?
I saw you ripping it up with the Dixie Chicks, Wally. My gosh, they were children. It was good, pretty exciting.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 14 Jan 2015 4:41 pm
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| Charlie McDonald wrote: |
| ...I saw you ripping it up with the Dixie Chicks, Wally. My gosh, they were children. It was good, pretty exciting. |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GId6zDgHwcs
Here you are. |
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Wally Moyers
From:
Lubbock, Texas
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Posted 14 Jan 2015 7:18 pm
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| Thanks guys, Lubbock is a great place to live with a lot of music history.. That clip was actually a play about West Texas Music I was in awhile ago, not the real Chicks.. Our company videoed the play and one of my employes posted that clip without me knowing about it… |
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