Who saw Buddy Emmons perform LIVE in the 1950's?

Fish · Posted 8 Dec 2018 9:31 am

I'm working on a book about Buddy Emmons - framed by his memoirs - and need your help.

If you saw Buddy Emmons play "live" in the 1950's, maybe with Ernest Tubb, Little Jimmy Dickens or even Casey Clark up in Detroit, please tell us about it here. Where were you...a nightclub, a state fair, a concert hall, on the Opry, at a jam session? Was he playing his Bigsby or his Sho~Bud? Was the audience gathering on his side of the stage? What impact did Buddy's playing have on you? Anything you can remember would be fun to hear about.

I've had some wonderful input from people like Forum member Dale Thomas, who hung out with Buddy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa the day after Mr. Emmons jumped off the 2nd floor balcony of the Holiday Inn while on tour with Ray Price. Thanks Dale!

Let's stay in the 50's for now please. In the future, I'll ask for your recollections in other decades like "Buddy Live with Ray Price" or "Buddy at the Steel Convention."

With Bobby Lee's permission, I'll add the best quotes to the book, citing the Steel Guitar Forum and your name. Of course, I can't offer you any renumeration for your participation.

Thank you in advance for your recollections!

Steve Fishell

Jeff Keyton · From: Texas, USA

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Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

I saw him at East Carolina University (back then called East Carolina Teachers College) in what may have been his first trip out with Dickens. I had heard him shortly before on the Opry and was really anxious to to see him in person. I'm pretty sure he was playing the Bigsby. Hank Thompson and the Brazos Valley Boys were on the show also, so it was special night for me.
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Billy Knowles · From: Kenansville, N. C. 28349 usa

Saw Buddy with Ray Price In the middle 60s in Kinston, NC, got a program book with all the guys autographs, gave it to Bob Kramer at the CMHOF, it was Buddy, Wade Wray, Charlie Harris, Johnny Bush on drums, don't remember any of the others.
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Roy McKinney · From: Ontario, OR

1954 to 1957,I was stationed at Selfridge AFB in Mt Clemens, MI. Use to go down to 12101 Mack Ave (I think that was the address from about 60 years ago or so) Got to see Buddy the first night he played for Jimmy Dickens on his Bigsby steel. Not much steel playing around there at that time and Casey Clark was the place to go. There was another singer up-start in that area at the same time called Lonnie Barron who was shot and killed by a jealous husband.
The only other local steel player I can remember at that time frame was Jimmy Goodman who played a Ricky B6.
Almost all of the 6 stringers were trying to play like Chet A as Rainbow was a popular song of his.

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Lloyd Green mentioned seeing Buddy pulling strings with his finger in the 50's.
You may try to contact him, he has an accurate memory.
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Ernie Renn · From: Brainerd, Minnesota USA

I guess I did see him with Dickens in my home town, Brainerd, MN in 1958 or '59. I don't remember it, I was two... Mom took a picture though...

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(Note: His Bigsby was too short to put his knee under with his foot on the volume pedal!)
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Ernie

www.BuddyEmmons.com

Blake Hawkins · From: Florida

I saw him in Huntsville, Alabama with an Opry package show.
The show also included Jean Shepherd and Porter Wagoner.
I think it was in 1955.
He had the Bigsby and some of us locals talked with him about it after the show. He was very friendly. None of us had seen one before. He explained how he got it and told us about Paul Bigsby.

Franklin · Posted 11 Dec 2018 7:56 am

Steve, Contact Sonny Garrish, Jernigan, Pete Wade, Buddy Spicher, and Lloyd...They all heard Buddy in their youngest days. I assume many heard him in the mid to late 50's time period.
...Their take would be very valuable and because of their individual musicianship I would think very insightful...I first time I heard him live was during the black album period in the mid 60's.....
Paul Franklin

Fish · Posted 11 Dec 2018 9:59 am

Hi Paul,

These are all great ideas. I've spoken to some of these gentlemen
and I will speak to the rest soon. Thanks for all of your continuing help!

Steve

PS: here's a great quote from my interview with Buddy Spicher. I was asking him about jam sessions in the early days: "One time I think we played out there for a week. I remember looking out the window and it was dark, then Iâ€™d look outside again and it was light."

Fish · Posted 16 Dec 2018 7:00 am

Hello Clyde, Roy and Blake,

This is fascinating. Please share more about what you observed that night. For instance:

1) Was it the first time you'd ever heard Buddy play?
2) What stood out about his playing, what grabbed your attention?
3) What was it like to hear Buddy play three-part harmonies with guitarists Jimmy Wilson and Howard Rhoton?
4) How did you hear about the concert? Was it advertised on the radio beforehand?
5) If you talked to Buddy, describe his personality at age 18.

I you are interested, I would love to hear your recollections about seeing Buddy Emmons perform live with Little Jimmy Dickens in the 1950's.
Please look for private messages I've sent to each of you.

And of course, Ernie you and I will be talking soon...looking forward to it!

Thanks everyone for your ideas and suggestions.

Steve Fishell

Danny Spinks · From: Hendersonville, TN, USA

The first time I heard the name Buddy Emmons was on WSM radio in probably July 1955.

Little Jimmy Dickens said he would like to introduce the newest member of the Country Boys band. He introduced Buddy and Buddy played an instrumental. I don't remember the name of the instrumental, but I had a new hero.

I think it was early 1956 that I went to a package show in Rock Hill, SC that included Dickens, Jean Shepard, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Del Wood. Buddy was playing the triple neck Bigsby with the panel in front so you could not see the pedals. I got his autograph after the show and got a look at what was behind the panel.

I wrote Buddy a letter after that and he answered the letter and sent me an eight by ten picture of himself and the Bigsby. The envelope is postmarked Mar 2, 1956. I still have both.

Fish · Posted 20 Dec 2018 10:57 am

I just found a remarkable video of Little Jimmy Dickens featuring Buddy Emmons and the Country Boys that I have to share. This was filmed in either late 1955 or in 1956. Buddy is 18 or 19 depending on the filming date.

This goes by fast but it's worth your time. Note the attachable ashtray and his hipster cowboy boot tapping four-on-the-floor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhkdxY4Ro4g

PS: Thank you Danny Spinks!

Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

Steve:

Keep looking around on Youtube.

As of a few years ago, they had at least 2 other vids with Buddy and Jimmy:

Take an old cold tater and wait; from the same TV show as the link you just posted, introduced by Carl Smith

I'm comin' over tonight; not sure what the original source on this is, but it's in black and white.

scott murray · From: Asheville, NC

great stuff there.

here's one of my favorites, Buddy takes a very short but hot ride on this version of "May the Bird of Paradise..."

https://youtu.be/ZfYFx6MOTYU
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Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

I helped get him to Kinston, N.C. in the middle 60's.
252-916-6481

Johnie King · From: Tennessee, USA

Nice Scott thanks

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