Buddy C.'s guitar on Ernest Tubb TV show dvd....

Mike Kowalik · Post by **Mike Kowalik** » 12 Oct 2007 10:51 am

Does any Forum member know what model Sho-Bud Buddy Charleton used on the Ernest Tubb weekly TV show?

I'm thinking it was a Permanent but don't know for sure......sure had super tone though!!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 12 Oct 2007 11:46 am

I believe the older one (with no roller nut) definitely was an old 'Bud "permanent", and the later one (that had a roller nut) was a "fingertip" model.

Of course, BC always sounded great on anything he played.

I think the Fulawkas sound a lot like them older 'Buds, and I often wondered why Buddy never bought one?

Stephen Silver · Post by **Stephen Silver** » 12 Oct 2007 2:15 pm

I owned the permanent Buddy had, from about 72-73 when I traded it to Scotty for an Emmons.

No regrets....it had a plaque on the front of it 'Custom built for Buddy Charleton'

I'm pretty certain Scotty still has it.

SS

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 12 Oct 2007 2:28 pm

ET on DVD? Tell me more! What tunes, where'ja get it, how much etc?

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 12 Oct 2007 5:01 pm

There's two available directly from the ET Record Shop. The first is "The Best Of Ernest Tubb". This is a compilation of just Tubb's tunes from several shows. The second is "1960's TV Shows, Vol. 1". It's 5 of the actual TV shows, so you get other singers and a couple instrumentals as well. Both are about $20 each.

The "Best OF" one is a most excellent example of how a steeler should back a singer. Buddy's playing is near flawless...remarkable for someone that young, actually. Production value is perfect - far better than you'll ever see on the Opry. The steel and lead are right up front, with DH bass, drums, and rhythm very subdued. (That's the way it was...and belongs, IMHO.)

Even today, few steelers could top what Buddy did back then (in his earlt 20's.) No fancy equipment - no digital tuners, no "compensators", no plate reverbs, no processors, no fancy pedals, no 9 knee levers, no whoopie-wow nothing, as a matter of fact...except Buddy!

It's a shining testament to the fact you don't need fancy, elaborate, or exotic gear to make fabulous music and to sound great.

Bobby Caldwell · Post by **Bobby Caldwell** » 12 Oct 2007 5:58 pm

Buddy Charlton was and still is one great player. The ET band was surpassed by none at the time. Everyone in the band helped to make it what it was. A great band. I wish country music would still allow bands like this to be a part of the music we all love. BTW Buddy is one heck of a nice guy also. I have had so much fun working with him. I hope there are more fun times ahead. Bobby

A. J. Schobert · Post by **A. J. Schobert** » 12 Oct 2007 7:03 pm

I got alot of respect for buddy, I got lessons from him, and I would love to get more.

One thing about buddy that I love is when you talk to him how he gets off on story's.

He is a great guy and a teacher, he makes the 9 hour drive from cincy to VA not so bad.

Andy Jones · Post by **Andy Jones** » 13 Oct 2007 10:07 am

How true,Donny.I have VHS tape I recorded years ago of the old Ernest Tubb shows that were played on the Nashville Network.I still watch that tape regularly and it never gets old.Those boys were tight!Real classic country music at its best.
Andy

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 13 Oct 2007 1:30 pm

Donny Hinson wrote:There's two available directly from the ET Record Shop. The first is "The Best Of Ernest Tubb". This is a compilation of just Tubb's tunes from several shows. The second is "1960's TV Shows, Vol. 1". It's 5 of the actual TV shows, so you get other singers and a couple instrumentals as well. Both are about $20 each.

The "Best OF" one is a most excellent example of how a steeler should back a singer. Buddy's playing is near flawless...remarkable for someone that young, actually. Production value is perfect - far better than you'll ever see on the Opry. The steel and lead are right up front, with DH bass, drums, and rhythm very subdued. (That's the way it was...and belongs, IMHO.)

Even today, few steelers could top what Buddy did back then (in his earlt 20's.) No fancy equipment - no digital tuners, no "compensators", no plate reverbs, no processors, no fancy pedals, no 9 knee levers, no whoopie-wow nothing, as a matter of fact...except Buddy!

It's a shining testament to the fact you don't need fancy, elaborate, or exotic gear to make fabulous music and to sound great.

Thanks Donny, you oughta get a commision from that description.

It's sure to sell more than a few extra copies.

I'm a huge fan of the Buddy C era Tubb band.

Bill Maynard · Post by **Bill Maynard** » 13 Oct 2007 2:52 pm

Listen Buddy Charlton is perhaps the most under rated steel guitarists of our time. His work with Leon Rhodes and his own renditions were way ahead of his time. They were all clear and clean presentations. His right and left hands still amaze me how he made truly listenable steel guitar music on that Sho-Bud PSG....I wish someone would pull up the Ernest Tubb TV Show tapes and re-run them again somewhere. I know asking CMT is out of the question and for the most part, that is a joke to list it as a C & W music channel. Back to Buddy, wish we could see more of you on You Tube and sit back and enjoy your wonderful work Buddy, you are truly a great one.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 13 Oct 2007 9:53 pm

Donny,
Buddy is a big proponent of compensators . He has a pretty tricky pedal set up and keeps a delay handy also. He was using the most modern, high tech and complicated gear available at the time of those tv shows. He sure can play too !

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 13 Oct 2007 10:06 pm

You guys just had to go and do it, didn't you? NowI can't get Rhodes Bud Boogie out of my head.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 14 Oct 2007 10:32 am

He was using the most modern, high tech and complicated gear available at the time of those tv shows.

Uhh..nope. Other players (notably Buddy Emmons and Hal Rugg) always led in the equipment race. They consistently had more pedals and more complex setups.
No matter, Charleton held his own. He had the touch, the tone, and the taste required to do consistently memorable and beautiful stuff. And despite what he uses or prefers nowadays, he proved you don't really need all that "stuff" to sound great and play great music.

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 14 Oct 2007 12:32 pm

I took lessons from him for a couple years in Oxon Hill MD. 76-9 mostly.

He played a faded, stock "factory setup" with D on top of the C6 neck, pitted Green ProIII, never discussed common sense tuning issues, disdained "doo dads", and concentrated on technique, exactitude, and a minimum of issues unrelated.

I didn't hear a lot of "stories", but I wasn't there for that. I learned a lot from him. He used a "phase shifter" for "separating his playing from the "students'" on their tapes of the lessons. Also toyed with a Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer and an "E-Bow" from time to time.

I do remember he got a specially set up Emmons with an "active pickup" system, but I know he since went away from it.

In thirty years. I haven't changed a lot, and I'd be surprised if he has either.

A lot of stuff has come and gone. People and players too.

Also, I'm pretty sure the last pix I saw of him playing were on a pretty stock looking GFI.

Plenty of stories about him.

It's only natural I guess.

He's the best.

Under-Rated?

I haven't heard that.

EJL

Brian LeBlanc · Post by **Brian LeBlanc** » 15 Oct 2007 8:55 am

Hate to admit it ...

But I started on steel with Buddy @ Oxon Hill also in 79...

He was still wearing the western stuff ...to teach!

& I'm still working on the same material

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 15 Oct 2007 5:15 pm

Well I suppose there's room for a couple "BC" stories..

Being in the military at Andrews I used to hitch back, or just hang around waiting for a ride. I listened in on a lot of lessons. "Boots" for one, and once in a while Mr Bouten.

Old Man Kellar was quite a figure, and we talked a lot. He found out that I'd played guitar most of my walking years, and had taken a few years of classical guitar.

Well, he cajoled me into taking on some Beginning Students. I ran them through basic chords, reading, and just regular stuff.

During one of my lessons with BC, he said "Go get your guitar and play a couple things with me." I basically froze. I suppose I could have played some Carcassi Excersizes, or some Flamenco Segudillas or Granadas, but I kindly begged off saying that I really "didn't play all that much".

I think he kind of mistook me, and made a comment that I maybe shouldn't be "teaching" if I "couldn't play". And gave me the impression that between Steel and Guitar, that I should "choose one or the other.".

I immediately quit giving beginning lessons, and the subject was never broached again. I pretty much quit playing guitar too..

I continued practicing PSG 8 + hours a day while my fellow soldiers did my military duties for me, until I got out in '79.

I never went back to playing guitar until the last two or three years, and that with a zeal I'd LONG forgotten. Now I spend every waking non working or eating hour workign on as much Tele stuff as I can get my hands on and my brain around.

After 30 years of playing steel for money, and a very honest three thousand paid gigs, (for better or worse) I don't feel like I'm "spreading myself too thin".

The last two or three years before I "branched back out" I went back and painstakingly hammered out EVERY BC lesson I could find on tape, from At E's to Almost to Tulsa, and found out that "Hitchin a Ride" was a break tune I'd played for years. The "Intro" that Mr C always said was "too advanced", I finally heard, and regardless of the diffuculty, I thought it was stupid..

Anyhow, I still play in the bands I want to play in, and as much as the local "scene" will allow. Pedal Steel mostly, though after cramming for a good year, I started to take on "guitar gigs", and sometimes I wish I hadn't taken a "27 year hiatus". All on one comment from Mr C.

I don't think he realized how much I idolized and was in awe of him. More than once while sweating like Michael Vick at an SPCA convention, he asked me if I was "alright".. with that kindly quizzical slightly tilted look.

I remember one time after turning in a flawless execution of I think it was The Bowman Hop, I was passing him at the front desk there with Larry Petrie, Shirley, Mr Bergstaller etc, and said "See you next week 'Bud'". Like I was "One of the Guys". Pro III in one hand and my amp in the other..

He reached out as I went by and gently patted me on the butt. I blushed like Santa's Lead Reindeer, and was so un-nerved that I almost dropped my steel. I turned around and they were all laughing..

I'll never forget those years, or the spark I got from that great man.

Like I said.

He's the best IMHO.

EJL

Dave Diehl · Post by **Dave Diehl** » 16 Oct 2007 3:36 am

I've spent a lot of time around BC and all of the things said here are right on. He is a good a man as he is a great steel player. I'm not sure that "he is under rated" however. I believe no one would ever question his fine playing and would put him in his rightful place among the top. He just don't get the attention that some others do.

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 16 Oct 2007 3:36 pm

Stephen,That seems like a million years ago. That steel went from Buddy, to Tom Kiley(my teacher),to me in 1968, to you in 1972,to Scotty's. I believe Dr. Yates has it now. Tom had it refinished and updated a little by Sho-Bud and added the plaque. My dad and I replaced a couple of knee levers with the more current Sho-Bud style levers.I ended up with a new MSA. The tone of that old Sho-Bud was awsome.

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 18 Oct 2007 7:11 am

The permanent Sho-Bud Buddy is playing is a D 10 with curly maple front and necks. The top was coca bola and had white fret boards and pickups. It didn't have a rear apron. It had single coil pickups with a tap on each one and I think he played through a tube Standel amp. By the time I got the steel in 68 it had three knee levers but I don't think it started out that way. I have pictures of it somewhere.

Stephen Silver · Post by **Stephen Silver** » 18 Oct 2007 1:37 pm

Roger,

Cheers to you again. Yes it seems like a lifetime ago. After my Fender 800, that was my first steel with kneelevers. I hvae a few pics that I will try and scan and send them of to you.

Can you believe how little money changed hands for that guitar back then?

Well, times they do change.

Best to you!

SS

Stephen Silver · Post by **Stephen Silver** » 18 Oct 2007 1:38 pm

Roger,

Cheers to you again. Yes it seems like a lifetime ago. After my Fender 800, that was my first steel with kneelevers. I hvae a few pics that I will try and scan and send them of to you.

Can you believe how little money changed hands for that guitar back then?

Well, times they do change.

Best to you!

SS

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 18 Oct 2007 1:59 pm

SS It was probably a lot of money back then.

It was my first 10 string steel. I went from a Fender 1000 to the Sho-Bud same as Tom Kiley before me. The first day I played it all afternoon until I couldn't do well on either steel. I took it on a gig that night and tip toed my way through it.

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Buddy C.'s guitar on Ernest Tubb TV show dvd....

Buddy C.'s guitar on Ernest Tubb TV show dvd....

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