John Hughey: An Appreciation

Frank Freniere · From: The First Coast

Excerpted from â€œThree Chords and The Truthâ€ â€“ Laurence Leamer 1997.
Chapter 4: â€œWhen I Call Your Nameâ€

â€¦ Far on the other end of the stage sat John Hughey. At sixty-three, John was not simply the oldest member of Vinceâ€™s band, he was the oldest musician in any leading backup band in Nashville. Onstage in his sport coat or dress shirt and slacks, he looked like a grandfather who had won a charity raffle to play one night with Vince Gill.

The pedal steel is the most modern instrument in country music: not even invented until the 1950s. Yet along with the fiddle, it provides much of the distinctive instrumental sound of the more traditional country music. In the late 1940s, John had been a kid in Helena, Arkansas, when his dad had taken him into the radio station to hear the Arkansas Cotton Choppers. John had wanted a guitar but when he heard the sound the lap steel player got out of his funny little instrument, he knew he had found his thing. His daddy thought his son should play electric guitar, but he couldnâ€™t stop John from ordering a lap steel and an amplifier from Montgomery Ward.

When he was nineteen, John auditioned for a band in Memphis. He got the gig. He played with a local band for nineteen years. Then it had bothered him that many people didnâ€™t like his chosen instrument. They took one look at a pedal steel and thought the group was nothing but another fool hillbilly band. The instrument was like a small desk with strings running across the top, manipulated by the fingers and the foot pedals. To disguise his instrument John fixed a piece of cloth around the front. That way anyone sitting out front couldnâ€™t see him working the pedals with his feet and plucking the strings.

They could tell when he played, coaxing sounds that were like some strange animal calling out into the lonely black night, a moaning, groaning, whining, mysterious sound that wrapped pure emotion around the music. After hearing John play, a reporter for the â€œIndianapolis Starâ€ wrote, â€œIf tears made a noise, this is what they would sound like.â€ A minister friend with whom John sometimes recorded gospel music told him once that his hands were anointed, and so perhaps they were.

When Johnâ€™s old friend Conway Twitty started recording country songs, he called on John to add his distinctive flavor to his road band. That had gone on for two decades, and as good as it had been when it started out, it was that bad when it finished. Conway was the kind of star who never introduced his band, didnâ€™t believe in raises, and every night played the same set of songs in the same way. A musician in his fifties with a mortgage to pay didnâ€™t give up a regular gig that easily, but finally John walked away.

Thatâ€™s why it was all the more amazing that John was not only working now but had the best gig of his life. He was still married to the same woman, and he was making the best living he ever made playing the music he loved to play. Vince was the son John never had. He loved him. He loved his band mates. He loved the crew. And best of all he loved what he was doing. He had been at it long enough to know how rare it was to come across an artist capable of such acts of generosity and grace.

John would take to his grave the memory of that night in June of 1993 when Vince won the Instrumentalist of the Year Award at the Music City News Awards Show. It was Vinceâ€™s night, but the singer insisted that old John come up and share the honor with him. John knew that most of the vast audience out there that night didnâ€™t know who John Hughey was. Onstage every evening, Vince didnâ€™t just introduce John with a couple of words. He celebrated him and his music, giving him solos. He pushed John and his bandmates out there into the spotlight as long as he could without losing part of the audience.

Mickey Adams · From: Bandera Texas

Magnificent post....
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Darrell Criswell · From: Maryland, USA

I think the band in Memphis was Slim Rhodes.

Jeff Garden · From: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA

Great article about two extremely classy, generous, and talented musicians. The country music world was blessed to have them both together in the same band.

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Yes, real good read, indeed!

Glad to see you come back, Mickey!

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Papa John was one of the finest gentleman I ever met. Very Happy

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

Thank you Frank!
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Jack Stanton · From: Somewhere in the swamps of Jersey

Made my day.

Walter Stettner · From: Vienna, Austria

Great reading!

Thanks for the post!

Kind Regards, Walter
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Tim Russell · From: Pennsylvania, USA

Thanks for posting this article. John has always been my favorite steel guitarist, I've read a lot about him & his interviews, but I never came across that article. Very interesting.
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Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

John was always my favorite steel player. I'm so glad he got to play with Vince and that Vince gave him the love,
respect and recognition that he so richly deserved.

john buffington · From: Owasso OK - USA

Mr. John Hughey "The Real Deal"

Kenny Foy · From: Lynnville, KY, USA

PaPa John. What a great example of man for man kind and for the Lord. Sure miss him.

Malcolm McMaster · From: Beith Ayrshire Scotland

My favourite player, had honour of meeting him a few times, the nicest guy you could ever meet, a real gentleman.
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Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I remember meeting John at the steel show in Indianapolis. He was walking around and stopped to look at my tab display. I said: "John, you won't learn a thing from my tab" and we both had a good laugh. That a guy! Very Happy

George Duncan Sypert · From: Colo Spgs, Co, USA

I was lucky enough to see Vince Gill and his band at Cowboy's Night Club in Colorado in Colorado Springs when John had just been in the band a short time. The year was l992,October. I know he had not been long because he had a note on his key head with the songs and keys on it. I had talked with John before they went on stage while the warm up act was playing. John told me about his years with Conway and how the people in charge (which may have included Conway) had pushed the pedal steel out using one or more keyboard instruments and changing the sound of the music. It was clear that he had not been happy about that. He also told me about Vince calling him and the conversation that took place and that he was happy to be there. His playing that night was so great it is impossible to put into words. Until that night I never knew what a great 6th player he was. I was lucky enough to sit on the very edge of the bandstand and watch a great pedal steel player (musician) perform. Vince featured him on a long solo on Oklahoma Border Line that was incredible. It must have been 3 or 4 minutes long. I left there that night with a great respect for Vince Gill for bringing his Steel Player to the front of the show as well as all the other players in the band. I could not believe what I had just heard and seen.

Years later I had the great pleasure of talking with John Hughey at the Dallas shows lots of times.

I was also at St Louis in 1996 when John was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Once again Vince Gill went about and beyond to be there to present the award to Mr Hughey. How much can an artist honor a member of his band.

I feel very fortunate to have been there to see these events.

Thanks for posting the article on the Forum Frank.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Oh my! Memories! John and Lloyd,,,, My favorites! Many years ago my band opened for Loretta at Ponderosa Park in Ohio. I walked into the backstage lounge, and there was John sitting there. I recognized him immediately, as I had already worn out three copies of his yellow LP. I freaked! I was going to have to open for my hero? He put me at ease in 30 seconds! One of the nicest people I had ever met! Miss him! RIP John! You live on through your wonderful music!
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Joe Goldmark · From: San Francisco, CA 94131

And nobody's mentioned yet his final years with the Time Jumpers. Unlike most great older steelers who are still wonderful, but not like in their prime, John was still at the top of his game in every way. He was a truly wonderful, innovative, and soulful player as ever played the instrument.

Joe

dlayne · From: OH

Fred Rogan · From: Birmingham, AL USA

Don't forget Jean - she still sells John's CDs and merchandise.
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Paul King · From: Gainesville, Texas, USA

John Hughey was noted for what we call bar shiver on steel guitar. I have met many steel players but John Hughey was one of the most kind and down to earth guys I have ever met. You throw in him being a monster player and it would be hard to top that. I never knew that Vince Gill had him come up as he received his award. That is awesome and John deserved credit for all his years of playing.

David Cubbedge · From: Toledo,Ohio, USA

John Hughey's excellent pedal steel work on Dickey Betts' "Highway Call" album was a prime mover in getting me to learn how to play. I love his raw playing on that first Time Jumpers CD too!
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