Last Date question

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 14 Nov 1999 11:24 am

This is cross posted 'cause I don't know where it belongs:

Is the Twitty/Hughey arrangement of Last Date with the steel intro in C modulating to F for the vocal considered the standard arrangement? Is this what you do on the stand?

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 14 Nov 1999 12:59 pm

I think that the "standard arrangement" is as an instrumental in C. They always get ****ed when I want to do it in D.

Earl Erb · Post by **Earl Erb** » 14 Nov 1999 4:00 pm

Good for you Bob,keep em' on their toes.I know its not that much more difficult to play that song in D unless the capo's are getting in the way. Ha!

Don't know if anyone knows this but I played for Skeeter Davis in 1969 and 70 and Last Date was an instrumental and she wrote the lyrics for it and put it on one of her earlier albums.Many years later Conway released it as a single.[This message was edited by Earl Erb on 11-14-99]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 16 Nov 1999 5:23 pm

The song was written in "C", and stays in "C". Conway Twitty's version, although pretty, and popular, is not considered the "standard".

wayne yakes md · Post by **wayne yakes md** » 30 Nov 1999 11:36 am

"Last Date" was a piano instrumental by Floyd Cramer that launched him to stardom. He developed his "style" from steel guitar phrasings. Legend has it that he heard a steel guitarist cutting it in the studio. He liked it so much he cut it immediatley and released it first. The only steel guitar version of "Last Date" I'm aware of from the '50's is Jerry Byrd's instrumental version.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 30 Nov 1999 11:17 pm

i always assumed floyd wrote this instrumental tune......who did?

Gregg Galbraith · Post by **Gregg Galbraith** » 30 Nov 1999 11:40 pm

Chris,
"Last Date" was written by Floyd Cramer.The first copyright is 1960. It was published by Acuff-Rose.
I always heard that he developed his unique style by listening to and copying the piano playing of Don Robertson on the demo of "Please Help me, I'm Falling."-------But, I've been wrong before!

[This message was edited by Gregg Galbraith on 12-01-99]

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 1 Dec 1999 7:07 am

thnx, gregg!

Billy Johnson · Post by **Billy Johnson** » 1 Dec 1999 10:33 am

I played it once with a piano player in Eb & E. I was kinda impressed until he told that he forgot he had the transpose button on. Don't ya just love that!