Steel Players With Ole Rasmussen?

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 31 May 2003 4:55 pm

Who were the steel players with Ole Rasmussen and his Nebraska Corn Huskers Western Swing Band?

Roger

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 1 Jun 2003 12:19 am

It was Billy Tonneson, as far as I know, Rasmussen didn't have any other steel players. [This message was edited by Jussi Huhtakangas on 01 June 2003 at 01:21 AM.]

Carl West · Post by **Carl West** » 1 Jun 2003 4:33 am

Yeah Roger,
It sure was Bill Tonneson. He lives in Anaheim, Ca I believe. Saw him about a year ago at a benifit.

Carl West

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 1 Jun 2003 8:47 am

Roger,Jussi,Carl,

I have nothing to do today so I'll would like to add that Bill Tonneson recorded "Sunflower" with Frank Sinatra back in 1946 at Columbia studios in Hollywood. Great steel player along the same lines as Joaquin.

Carl and you said I didnt know anything

My best to your pedal pushin cat. Oh I forgot,,I recorded "Strangers In The Night" with Frank.Nelson Riddle couldnt find me in the dark although they looked all over with
flash lights.The pay scale was lousy so I beat it.[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 01 June 2003 at 09:51 AM.]

Carl West · Post by **Carl West** » 1 Jun 2003 9:38 am

Now Jody, you know I never ever said that you know nothing, I said you did'nt suspect anything.

Carl West and his Emmons pedal cat.

Carl West · Post by **Carl West** » 1 Jun 2003 9:42 am

Roger, Ole Rasmutton use to do a live radio just across the hall from where Cliffie Stone did his at the old KXLA studios in the hunting Hotel in Pasadena Ca.
Wow . . too long ago.

Carl West

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 1 Jun 2003 10:23 am

Anyone who is as old as the hills would remember that. The Anaheim Hills.

Blake Hawkins · Post by **Blake Hawkins** » 1 Jun 2003 5:04 pm

For Ole Rasmussen fans there is a Bear Family CD, #BCD 16255AH, which contains 28 cuts originally recorded on Capitol.

It also comes with a nice booklet with musician names and session dates as well as a history of the group.

I got mine a couple of years ago from Amazon.com.

Blake

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 1 Jun 2003 9:49 pm

Yes Jody, the BF booklet tells a story of the recording of "Sunflower". The band was booked to do the session and learn the song without knowing whose session it is. They got into the studio and in walks Ol' Blue Eyes in a tuxedo

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 2 Jun 2003 3:52 am

The Sinatra session was in 1948, Billy T. had yet to record with Rassmussen's band at the time, although he had done some 1947 sessions for Jimmie Dolan, some of which have just been issued on the brand new and excellent 'Swingbillies' compilation through Ace Records in the UK.

There were other steel players with Ole's band, but after Billy Tonnesson was drafted in 1952. There's some really rare airshots around, but they might still feature Billy as he rejoined the group.
Billy appeared on all of Ole's Capitol sides, which are on the Bear Family comp mentioned here, and I might a rather fine purchase.
Ole didn't really let the guys play too hot and in some cases the band suffers through this. Way too many piano breaks, but Earl Finley and Billy add excellent standard and pedal steel guitar to every song, a real good band despite it's shortcomings.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 3 Jun 2003 6:30 pm

At this moment Billy Tonneson is working in Southern California with Sammy Masters. My ol' buddy Monte Paul is playing drums and told me that they'd lost their Guitar player so Carl Walden went from steel to lead until they found a guitar player and they'd hired Bill T. on steel. Monte was very impressed with his playing. I knew Bill when I lived in SoCal and always liked his pickin'. The last time I saw him he'd bought a double neck Sierra from Blackie Taylor which had a 12 string neck in the front which he tuned to E13th and a 10 string neck in the back which was either A or C6, I can't remember which. It's good to know that he's still out there gigging and doing well...JH

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Chris DeBarge · Post by **Chris DeBarge** » 4 Jun 2003 4:24 am

Frank Sinatra saved my life once...
Four guys were beating me up in an alley, and then frank said, "That's enough."

Henning Kock · Post by **Henning Kock** » 4 Jun 2003 9:57 am

04.june, 2003,
Ole Rasmussen is a 100 percent danish name, so who was he?
Kind regards,
Henning
Henning Kock
(pedal steel guitar, piano, keyboards, vibraphone)
Henning K. Music
111 Aarhusvej
DK-8300 Odder
Denmark,
Europe
phone +45 8654 2959
--------------------------------------------
e-mail address: henningkmusic@hotmail.com
.........
webpages:
pedal steel guitar: www.geocities.com/Nashville/1520 www.steelguitardanmark.subnet.dk (information)
.........
piano & keyboard: www.sitecenter.dk/henning-kock www.danskmusik.com/dmfbook/selskab/html/henning_kock.html
.........
and for musical instrument products wholesale (to dealers): www.henningkmusic.subnet.dk

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Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 4 Jun 2003 9:55 pm

Henning, hate to disappoint you, but it's been written, that he had either Swedish or Norwegian roots ( to all you non-Scandinavians; it's not the same thing at all, ah-ah

) And maybe Jerry could verify this, but I think Billy T had Scandinavian roots also, I've seen his name written as "Tonnesen" too.
Ole was a western swing band leader in California in the 40's and early 50's and led his Nebraska Corn Huskers band, they were popular but were always shadowed by Wills and Cooley, and despite of the fine recordings and fine band, never managed to get any real hits.