Most copied steelman

Billy Carr · Post by **Billy Carr** » 27 Sep 2010 8:14 pm

Here's a topic that's sure to get some interesting responses. Who do you think is the most copied steel player in the world? Pick three. Here's mine:
(1) Buddy Emmons (2) Lloyd Green (3) John Hughey.

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 27 Sep 2010 8:30 pm

I agree, Billy. How's things on your side of the county?

Come see me sometime!
Your friend, Mitch

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 27 Sep 2010 9:20 pm

Buddy,Buddy, and Buddy. YOU BETCHA, DYK?BC.

Paul Crawford · Post by **Paul Crawford** » 27 Sep 2010 9:55 pm

Just out of numbers of sessions, teaching materials, and seminars: (1) Emmons (2) Franklin (3) Green

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 27 Sep 2010 10:09 pm

I'd say Winnie Winston, Don Helms and Jeff Newman.

Jeremy Threlfall · Post by **Jeremy Threlfall** » 28 Sep 2010 12:44 am

in just the same way that Angus Young (AC/DC) is probably more copied than Steve Vai - BECAUSE ITS EASIER - I suppose that the fanciest players (Emmons, Franklin) wouldn't be as 'copied' as much as some of the more tasteful simpler players (Dan Dugmore, Greg Leisz) or even the plain old simpler players (Jerry Garcia)

I for one, can certainly play the intro to Teach Your Children better than I can rip off anything Paul Franklin ever made famous.

Granted: volume of teaching material issued will skew results

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 28 Sep 2010 4:17 am

When I started it was L Green and Jimmy Day because I loved the stuff on their albums. I had the Emmons black album but about everything on there was above my ability except maybe Blue Jade. I don't think I ever played that with anybody since then either! Last week I was working on some Lloyd Green licks from his Revisited CD and making sure I had the Farewell Party intro right. Today if I get time to sit down and work on something it'll be Jamey Johnsons CD with some great steel all the way through it. They gave that steel player the whole CD to play with and he was having fun. Great stuff!

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 28 Sep 2010 6:26 am

There is just one...

Santo and Johnny "Sleepwalk"

People still want to learn it
and listen to this magic song today
..Big Time!!

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 28 Sep 2010 7:32 am

I'm gonna go with Pete Drake.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 28 Sep 2010 8:13 am

I'd say it's Ralph Mooney. I was trying to copy him on lead guitar before I ever started getting serious on steel. I even have a "Mooney" pedal in position eight on my steel which doesn't do anything except raise the 4th string E to F# and is used with the right foot. I love ol' "Moon"........Just look at my signature......JH in Va.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 28 Sep 2010 8:31 am

If we're talking about actual quantity of copied tunes and licks these days, I'm betting on Paul Franklin.
Historically, I'd guess Byrd, Emmons, Green.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 28 Sep 2010 8:35 am

In the UK, Lloyd Green is far and away the most emulated E9 player. Perhaps there should have been a poll for this question.

There can't be too many E9 players across the world who have not got at least one Lloyd lick in their repertoire.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 28 Sep 2010 8:37 am

Before MOST of you guys could even spell Sho-Bud....
the most copied steel players were Roy Wiggins, Billy Robinson and Jerry Byrd.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 28 Sep 2010 9:42 am

A lot of people still spell it Sho~Bud, Ray.

Seriously, if you listen to average working steel players, you'll hear more licks by Winnie, Jeff and Don than by any of the fancier players. People say that they copy Emmons, Franklin, Green and Day but most of what they actually play comes from the patterns and licks they learned in their their first few years of playing.

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 28 Sep 2010 9:58 am

When I started it was the Buck Owens records I was scratching up trying to learn the Tom Brumley stuff...then Lloyd Green, who seemed to be on nearly every song played on the radio...but I'd have to say it was Buddy that got my attention, and his licks stick in my head the most...wish I could get a few more of them to the guitar.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 28 Sep 2010 10:18 am

Paul Franklin
He has been on waaaay more hit records coming out of Nashville than anyone else for more than 30 years. Nobody else can make that claim. I tend to think of Paul as a young man -- he is a bit younger than I -- but a lot of his early recording is NOW CONSIDERED CLASSIC COUNTRY.

I'll guarantee you that most steel players in Nashville who hope to get an artist gig have very well developed Paul Franklin impersonations they can do at the drop of a hat.

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 28 Sep 2010 12:17 pm

Stu Schulman wrote:I'm gonna go with Pete Drake.

Right you are! Many steel players copied much of Petes work,and probably didn't know who he was.
Yes Paul Franklin,big time. Sadly so many old timers say I don't like that new country music,and don't listen to it. What a lose!they could be learning alot from him. Joe

Eddie Cunningham · Post by **Eddie Cunningham** » 28 Sep 2010 12:47 pm

IMHO I think most of you are missing the boat !! A Hawaiian guy named Jos. Kukuku was the first one to lay a steel bar on the strings back in 1888 that started the whole thing going !! Then in the 40s Jerry Byrd showed us all what sound and tone was and I think pretty much all non-pedal steelers have copied Jerrys style and then Bud Isaacs came along with the E to A pedal sound and the rest is history !! Those are the three guys that started things going and all of us have followed in their footsteps !! There naturally have been improvements in style and ability but IMHO these three were the first !!! FWIW !!! Eddie "C"

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 28 Sep 2010 1:07 pm

Eddie, you're right. Joe Kukuku actually used a pocket knife at the start and others followed. It actually took a while before someone came up with the idea to use a steel bar. This comes from the source:
Jerry Byrd
..here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0RvvAfcBtY

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 28 Sep 2010 4:29 pm

Buddy Emmons and Jimmy Day are the most plagiarized players in the world of steel guitar, with Ralph Mooney coming in third place. Here's why:

Buddy Emmons conceived of the idea of split pedals, which allowed for far more chord combinations than did the Bud Isaacs' changes. Jimmy Day inserted the E string between the D and F# notes. Ralph Mooney added the high G# note. Buddy added the two diatonic (incorrectly called "chromatic") strings.

Without those four revolutionary developments, there would never have been a successful Pete Drake, Paul Franklin, Sonny Garrish, Hal Rugg, Weldon Myrick, or Lloyd Green... or Dan Dugmore, for that matter... as great as they are, and they are great. But they didn't develop the modern E9th tuning, only expounded upon it.

Disagree if you will, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 28 Sep 2010 6:59 pm

Herb,

Amen, Amen and Amen. For if it had not been for them, I doubt most of the licks, (that embellished what they created) by countless "greats", would have evolved.

May Jesus rest the soul of JD, and may He continue to bless BE for his unprecedented gifts to the world's "most beautiful" instrument. When the rest learn it, BE has forgotten it.

c.

Elton Smith · Post by **Elton Smith** » 28 Sep 2010 7:41 pm

Emmons,Winston,Newman and Day,sorry changed the rules.But there are so many

Brad Malone · Post by **Brad Malone** » 28 Sep 2010 8:32 pm

Buddy Emmons conceived of the idea of split pedals, which allowed for far more chord combinations than did the Bud Isaacs' changes. Jimmy Day inserted the E string between the D and F# notes. Ralph Mooney added the high G# note. Buddy added the two diatonic (incorrectly called "chromatic") strings. <<

Herb, thanks a million for the above statement..the above changes made the E9th tuning what it is today.

Peter Nylund · Post by **Peter Nylund** » 28 Sep 2010 10:45 pm

I have tried to emulate the styles of the great players, but I still sound like me

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 28 Sep 2010 11:15 pm

Jeremy Threlfall wrote:in just the same way that Angus Young (AC/DC) is probably more copied than Steve Vai - BECAUSE ITS EASIER

Angus Young's style is heavily influenced by Chuck Berry's playing. The early AC/DC stuff is proof enough of that.

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Most copied steelman

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