Players To Listen to

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 21 Aug 2019 9:07 am

I am new to playing the steel guitar. I just subscribed to Apple Music so I can spend some time listening to great steel players. Would you guys be kind enough to list some of your favorite players and albums? Both pedal and non pedal players are good.

Thanks

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 21 Aug 2019 10:35 am

Hey there, Doug!

Here's my list, short version:

Buddy Emmons,
Lloyd Green
Gary Carter
Randy Beavers
Jimmy Day
Ralph Mooney

That leaves out a lot of great players, but that group consists of my faves and most influential to my way of thinking and playing. We can discuss more at your next Skype lesson!

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 21 Aug 2019 11:15 am

Thanks John, going to take a listen to a couple of these guys. Much appreciated

David Nugent · Post by **David Nugent** » 21 Aug 2019 1:16 pm

Billy Cooper's recordings are highly recommended. Billy has some great arrangements of well known tunes and tends to stick rather closely to the melody. An added plus; if you desire to learn a particular tune most of what he has recorded is available in tab from his music store.

Jeff Garden · Post by **Jeff Garden** » 21 Aug 2019 1:41 pm

Tommy Detamore..check out Doug Sahm's album "The Return of Wayne Douglas" and Jim Lauderdale's "This Changes Everything"
Ricky Davis with Weldon Henson
Buddy Cage with the New Riders of the Purple Sage
John Hughey with Conway Twitty, Richard Betts, Vince Gill, and the Time Jumpers
Paul Franklin...just about any studio recording in country music from the 1980's on...George Strait, Joe Diffie, Mark Chesnutt, etc etc
Hal Rugg with Loretta Lynn
Steve Palousek with Gary Stewart "Live at Billy Bob's"

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 21 Aug 2019 2:20 pm

not sure if they're on Apple Music but Curly Chalker, Doug Jernigan, and the aforementioned Buddy Emmons all cut a number of pedal steel guitar albums using both necks to their fullest potential.

Buddy's 'Emmons Guitar Co.' album (aka The Black Album) is generally thought of as the greatest example of pedal steel mastery in the studio. his Live at the International Steel Guitar Convention is probably the best live album for steel.

Lloyd Green cut more steel albums than perhaps anyone but I don't know their availability. more currently, Mike Sweeney has been putting albums out regularly for awhile. Russ Hicks does about one per year also.

there's a good list of titles over on the SGN website:
https://www.steelguitarsofnashville.com/cds/

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 21 Aug 2019 4:15 pm

Thanks so much for all of the recommendations, some of the names are new to me. Looking forward to checking these guys out

Dave Meis · Post by **Dave Meis** » 21 Aug 2019 5:36 pm

Dickey Overby with Amber Digby..

James Quillian · Post by **James Quillian** » 21 Aug 2019 6:19 pm

I am going to suggest Ron Elliot. He is one of the most soulful players out there and he is not mentioned near enough.

Also, Doug Jernigan plays so good he is untouchable.

If you want to hear a great player who plays rock, blues and gospel, listen to Robert Randolph. He can play country, he just doesn't.

Tony Dingus · Post by **Tony Dingus** » 21 Aug 2019 6:26 pm

Add Tommy White and Eddy Dunlap to your list.

Tony

John Spaulding · Post by **John Spaulding** » 21 Aug 2019 7:54 pm

ROCK
Paul Franklin with Dire Straits: https://music.apple.com/us/album/on-the ... /330811069

COUNTRY
Paul Franklin with Vince Gill: https://music.apple.com/us/album/bakers ... 1443158585

WESTERN SWING
Paul Franklin with The Time Jumpers: https://music.apple.com/us/album/kid-sister/1440949823

AMBIENT/ALTERNATIVE
Will Van Horn: https://music.apple.com/us/album/pedal- ... 1438704989

AMBIENT
Daniel Lanois: https://music.apple.com/us/album/goodby ... 1129027319

AMERICANA
David Lindley with Jackson Browne: https://music.apple.com/us/album/love-i ... /369651005

Roy Carroll · Post by **Roy Carroll** » 22 Aug 2019 4:33 am

Paul Franklin and Tommy White for innovative, new style pedal steel guitar. Not your grandpa's steel guitar.

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 22 Aug 2019 8:13 am

Greg Leisz
Eric Heywood

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 22 Aug 2019 8:59 am

Don't pass over guys like Sol Hoopii, Benny Nawahi, Dick McEntire, Jerry Byrd, Leon McAuliffe, Herb Remington, Noel Boggs, Joaquin Murphey, Speedy West, Vance Terry, etc.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 22 Aug 2019 5:43 pm

Robert Randolph

Speedy West

Lee Jeffriess

Vance Terry

Chuck Campbell

Bobby Nelson · Post by **Bobby Nelson** » 23 Aug 2019 12:19 am

Be sure to check out Buddy Charleton with Ernest Tubb. You can find a lot of really good stuff from the Ernest Tubb Show on Youtube.

Darrell Criswell · Post by **Darrell Criswell** » 23 Aug 2019 7:04 am

Mike Sigler, Joe Wright and Sarah Jory

Andy Vance · Post by **Andy Vance** » 23 Aug 2019 9:24 am

Jody Cameron
Junior Knight
Rick Price
Jim Loessberg
Nathan Fleming

are also some great players to listen to, in addition to those already mentioned.

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 23 Aug 2019 10:21 am

Thanks so much everyone, most of these names I don’t know. Looking forward to exploring each and every name mentioned.

Norman Evans · Post by **Norman Evans** » 26 Aug 2019 3:16 pm

Check out David Hartley on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... pedalsteel

Brett Lanier · Post by **Brett Lanier** » 27 Aug 2019 9:08 am

There are a lot of great players to look up, but finding the good sounding records with the right mixes isn't always easy.

This is some of my favorite playing here by Lloyd Green. There aren't streamable versions of these tunes that sound this good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XsjmmRZMZM

Doug Taylor · Post by **Doug Taylor** » 27 Aug 2019 9:19 am

I am slowly going through each name listed, some streaming and the ones I can’t find there on Youtube. I am enjoying listening to all of the great playing. I truly appreciate everyone for taking time to list all of this great music.

Bobby D. Jones · Post by **Bobby D. Jones** » 27 Aug 2019 7:22 pm

Many of the top steel players have been named already. Mike Johnson, Is another name that needs to be added to the listen list, too.

Mike Bacciarini · Post by **Mike Bacciarini** » 28 Aug 2019 8:37 am

Truly all of these names are the greats. I'll just throw out one more just for grins... Rusty Young with Poco.

Straight-ahead country with some dobro: Honky Tonk Downstairs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF-oIW1nEpY

Country-Rock tunes: Make Me A Smile and Bad Weather
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JtgUyA04WA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soWQ6huD8oc

Tom Keller · Post by **Tom Keller** » 28 Aug 2019 9:49 am

Don't forget Weldon Myrick.

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