Steeler On George Jones Recording

Tom Kaufman · Post by **Tom Kaufman** » 14 Oct 2009 11:54 am

Well it's been a while since I've posted anything on here! But I have a question that I just know that someone here will know the answerto: last night I was listening to Eddie Stubbs; he played George Jones's "Once You've Had The Best"..and was raving about the great steelwork..especially the intro)..and was saying that he thought possibly that it was Lloyd Green. My ear tells me that it's Pete Drake, but is possible that my ear could be liing to me! I know that those guys could play like everybody else if they wanted to! So do any of you know who was, in fact, playing on that session? Was it Lloyd Green? Was it Pete Drake? Was it someone other than those two? Thanks for reading.

frank rogers · Post by **frank rogers** » 14 Oct 2009 12:15 pm

That would have been in George's early years with Epic. Billy Sherrill produced most of the country stuff on Epic and almost always used Pete. Previously George had been on Musicor and maybe Starday. I'm sure it was Pete from another angle in that I was asked to emulate Pete's parts on Jack Kittel's version of "Once you've had the best" in 1974.

Tom Kaufman · Post by **Tom Kaufman** » 14 Oct 2009 12:53 pm

Because I was almost certain that Billy Sherryll was producing Jones at the time, this makes me believe that it was Pete Drake. Just as an asside, before he was on Epic (George Jones)..he was, as has been pointed out, on Musicor; before that, he was on United Artist; before that was Mercury and before any of these, George was on Starday.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 15 Oct 2009 2:26 am

Watch Jimmy Day pop up in this conversation...

Regards, Paul

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 15 Oct 2009 2:37 pm

Definately Pete Drake, no question, unmistakable .
He played on nearly all Epic records sessions when Billy Sherrill was producer. George ,Tammy , Charlie Rich, johnny paycheck, the list is long.

Just as an add on edit to this , I have always thought Lloyd Green and Pete Drake are the two most recognizable pedal steel players ever for their individual and distinctive style and sound, and it amazes me how many ask "Who's that?" like in this instance....But Tom your instinct was right.

Tom Kaufman · Post by **Tom Kaufman** » 15 Oct 2009 3:50 pm

Tom Kaufman wrote:Well it's been a while since I've posted anything on here! But I have a question that I just know that someone here will know the answerto: last night I was listening to Eddie Stubbs; he played George Jones's "Once You've Had The Best"..and was raving about the great steelwork..especially the intro)..and was saying that he thought possibly that it was Lloyd Green. My ear tells me that it's Pete Drake, but is possible that my ear could be liing to me! I know that those guys could play like everybody else if they wanted to! So do any of you know who was, in fact, playing on that session? Was it Lloyd Green? Was it Pete Drake? Was it someone other than those two? Thanks for reading.

Shorty Smith · Post by **Shorty Smith** » 15 Oct 2009 4:17 pm

I cut 4 songs at Starday in 1968, Pete Drake played steel and was the director of the session. I believe George was recording on Starday at that time and Pete was ther steeler, Shorty

Tom Kaufman · Post by **Tom Kaufman** » 15 Oct 2009 4:45 pm

Tom Kaufman wrote:Well it's been a while since I've posted anything on here! But I have a question that I just know that someone here will know the answerto: last night I was listening to Eddie Stubbs; he played George Jones's "Once You've Had The Best"..and was raving about the great steelwork..especially the intro)..and was saying that he thought possibly that it was Lloyd Green. My ear tells me that it's Pete Drake, but is possible that my ear could be liing to me! I know that those guys could play like everybody else if they wanted to! So do any of you know who was, in fact, playing on that session? Was it Lloyd Green? Was it Pete Drake? Was it someone other than those two? Thanks for reading.

I think you're right, Alan, about Lloyd Green and Pete Drake having distinctive styles and sounds. Not if memory serves me correctly, it was Lloyd Green who did the steel work on Tammy's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E." Now as for the guy who said he did some sessions for Starday in 1968: George was on Musicor at that point; did you mean "1958?

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 16 Oct 2009 1:48 am

Tom yes Lloyd did do DIVORCE, I think it was one session where Pete Drake was not available if I remember the story correctly.
The other one was "Apartment No9" some thought it was Lloyd on there but as Michael douchette pointed out in a post on this subject some months ago it was Pete Drake.
I find that many of the younger people do not realise in many instances its Pete Drake they are listening to, an example ....one guy I was talking to who was not a Pete Drake admirer loved the steel guitar on Tammys Apt No9 'cos he thought it was Lloyd Green, I played him a few tracks from other artists albums and he then realised just how much of Pete's playing he had mistaken for other players over the years.

Tom Kaufman · Post by **Tom Kaufman** » 16 Oct 2009 7:56 am

Well..while we're talking "Pete Drake"..you know, I can see how people can be fooled, for Pete had two different styles; there's that style we know of when he did all those recordings on Epic; then there's the eariler stuff..like when he recorded in the early 60s; two entirely different styles here..but the same guy..Pete Drake!

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 16 Oct 2009 8:14 am

"Guitar Player" interview with Pete by Douglas Green.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 16 Oct 2009 9:35 am

it's that early 60's style of Pete Drake that makes me think it was his steel on some of Jim Reeves' tunes.

Shorty Smith · Post by **Shorty Smith** » 16 Oct 2009 10:21 am

Tom, yes you are right,however the session I did was in 1968 and George was not with Starday then, Shorty

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 16 Oct 2009 10:09 pm

Ray , Pete Drake did play on most of Jim Reeves recordings where steel was used, he played some fabulous pure country pedal steel on things like "He'll have to go" very subtle, 'Dont let me cross over", "The talking walls", "Bottle take effect", "you kept me awake last night" and loads more .
It's said that Jim Reeves Didn't like steel guitar (maybe not totally true from some accounts )but he seemed to like Pete Drake's playing.

Andrew Roblin · Post by **Andrew Roblin** » 17 Oct 2009 1:54 am

Thank you, Cal!

Great interview between two fine musicians.

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 17 Oct 2009 6:41 am

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 18 Oct 2009 2:31 am

Cal , Apologies for not also acknowledging the link to that interview.
I had seen it some time ago and could not find it again so yes thanks.
As you all might notice I am also a big admirer of Pete Drake, his philosophy in recording was always to play for the session and compliment the singer ( make a dollar) and leave promoting himself to when he records himself, a brilliant musician and that short interview revealed a massive amount of insight and experience.

Getting back to Tom's original post,as Tom pointed out in a earlier post here, the reason why some dont recognise Pete on many recording is that ( as he said in the interview ) he changes style to suit the singer.
As a young teenager (40 yrs ago now!) I would study his recordings so closely I could recognize him 99% first time....Mmmm! ? Sounds a bit geeky I know! $:\$

Graham · Post by **Graham** » 18 Oct 2009 3:40 am

The steel player of record on most Jim Reeves recordings was Jimmy Day, beginning with the 1st lp "Singin' Down The Lane" in 1956.

Pete Drake and Jimmy both played on Camden release "Country Side" in 1962 and Pete was the solo player on the Camden release "Good'n'Country" in 1963.

Steel pretty well faded from Reeves recordings at this point, to be replaced with orchestral sounds.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 18 Oct 2009 4:02 am

Graham wrote:
Steel pretty well faded from Reeves recordings at this point, to be replaced with orchestral sounds.

Graham, right on. I don't think that Jim did not like steel as rumored by some. It is more like you say that he went for strings and horns more so than traditional country sounds. Jim was the great innovator in that department. His orchestral sounds was way ahead of its time. Imagine, this had to be prior to 1964.

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 18 Oct 2009 7:46 am

Another link that might be of interest to Drake fans:
http://countryrecords.com/index.html

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 18 Oct 2009 1:36 pm

Graham, thats interesting about the great jimmy day I was born 1956 and I only started taking serious notice of country music when I was about 8 yrs old and so my comments are only from that point on.

I have the "good n country" camden album,and the "country side" but 64 is when I got interested in pedal steel when I bought the Nashville steel guitar various artists album , Jimmy day and Pete drake were both on that album as you probably know and thats where my love of pete's playing started.

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 18 Oct 2009 2:28 pm

While I can't speak as to recordings, Bobby Garrett was a big part of the Jim Reeves road work. I just assume that he did some recording with him as Jimmy Day also did some road work with JR.

Regards, Paul

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 18 Oct 2009 3:45 pm

This is slightly related to this thread ....In a very recent thread by Marcus Provis he asked who played steel for Hal Kennedys gospel album.
Sonny Garrish and weldon Myrick were two answers that came up, then Ernst Cowby posted to say he was a close friend of Hal Kennedys and it was Pete Drake who played on that album.

Seems like this happened a lot to Pete Drake, still we all know who made more trips to the bank than anyone else.

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Steeler On George Jones Recording

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