Your favorite gritty electric blues on lap steel

Peter Goeden · Post by **Peter Goeden** » 20 May 2005 11:17 am

I'd love to hear what's your favorite CD with lots of gritty electric blues on lap steel. It DOESN'T have to be an all-instrumental lap steel album. I'm thinking a cross between Duane Allman and Ry Cooter but on lap. Thanks

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 20 May 2005 11:28 am

Hands down
Cindy Cashdollar's Slide Show album.

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 20 May 2005 12:39 pm

I like David Lindley's El Ray-o X.

Mercury Blues is raucous.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 20 May 2005 12:48 pm

I'd recommend Greg Leisz's playing on Bill Frisell's records, particularly Blues Dream. Be warned: this is not blues per se, but it's great stuff.
I like David Lindley a lot, too--he gets right to the point.
Sonny Rhodes, Freddie Roulette, Aubrey Ghent, Robert Randolph are a few others that come to mind.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 20 May 2005 1:33 pm

Darrick Campbell on "the Campbell Brothers on Tour". There's a live cut on there with Darrick playing with a 3 piece that will make your hair stand up.

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www.tyack.com

Colin Brooks · Post by **Colin Brooks** » 20 May 2005 1:40 pm

Another vote for Mr. Dave and El Ray-o X. Hop Wilson cut some great blues on steel c.50's/60's which have been reissued, and no matter how he held his guitar Elmore James got one of the best metal (or glass) appendage guitar sounds I ever heard.

Chuck Fisher · Post by **Chuck Fisher** » 20 May 2005 2:33 pm

Pink Floyd - it just doesn't get much gritty-er. You gotta love it![This message was edited by Chuck Fisher on 20 May 2005 at 03:34 PM.]

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 20 May 2005 2:57 pm

Freddie Roulette

Russ Young · Post by **Russ Young** » 20 May 2005 3:21 pm

Freddie Roulette, L.C. "Good Rockin'" Robinson and the very gritty (and often out-of-tune) Hop Wilson. Tom Gray of Delta Moon plays some wicked acoustic lap steel.

And since we're venturing outside of blues, don't overlook Dan Tyack and the Unsanctified Gospel Revival.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 20 May 2005 5:34 pm

L.C. "Good Rockin'" Robinson on a six-string Fender. He also plays blues fiddle.

And for acoustic, The Black Ace, on a National tricone squareneck.

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 20 May 2005 6:30 pm

.[This message was edited by Paul Arntson on 24 May 2005 at 08:09 PM.]

George Manno · Post by **George Manno** » 21 May 2005 3:28 am

David Gilmour

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 21 May 2005 6:44 am

Re: Hop Wilson.

I like him, too, but brilliant might be a bit of hyperbole.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 21 May 2005 6:57 am

I'd second Lindley - especially with El Rayo-X and Cindy C. in her roadhouse mode but two non-steelers who inspire me for gritty blues stuff are Earl Bostic and Stuff Smith. Bostic played swinging blues and Jazz with a wonderful strip club growl that always reminds me of the overdriven steel sound I'd aspire to have. Stuff swings his butt off on jazz violin with a unique attack and a kind of cool scratchy, acidic tone. After I heard Stuff, Grappelli always sounds like an overdecorated creampuff. Stuff gets right to the marrow of the beat. Check out these records:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000176K/qid=1116687291/sr=8-14/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i6_xgl15/103-7888590-5638260?v=glance&s=music&n=507846
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000046TN/qid=1116687355/sr=8-3/ref=pd_ka_1/103-7888590-5638260?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

Michael Whitley · Post by **Michael Whitley** » 21 May 2005 8:15 am

Gilmour.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 21 May 2005 8:48 am

Cooder doing "All Shook Up."

Kevin Macneil Brown · Post by **Kevin Macneil Brown** » 21 May 2005 11:25 am

Andy's reference to sax and violin as influencing his steel makes a great point; Reminds me of David Lindley's Junior Walker licks/phrasing
By the way, does anyone remember a Charlie Musselwhite album called, I think, MEMPHIS,TENNESSEE?. Buried in the mix was some ferocius steel by Freddie Roulette. I used to spin the balance control all the way to one direction and listen --very intensely-- with one ear!!

Bill Blacklock · Post by **Bill Blacklock** » 21 May 2005 12:13 pm

Sonny Landreth "Memphis in the Meantime"

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 21 May 2005 1:08 pm

I did the same thing with that record, Kevin! Horrible mix but great record. I have the Mobile Fidelity (supposedly audiophile) version on CD and the mix stinks as well.

Chuck Fisher · Post by **Chuck Fisher** » 21 May 2005 1:23 pm

Guys, If yer usin a bottlneck, you aint steelin.....<open flaming can o' worms>

Although Sonny is the best!!!!!

Bill Blacklock · Post by **Bill Blacklock** » 21 May 2005 2:45 pm

Hell, bottleneck is just a steel player thinking sideways?

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 22 May 2005 12:33 am

The 1st cut of Cindy's cd is her and Sonny Landreith in harmony,
and worth the cost of the CD,
ands then there is the Marcia Ball cut...
DANG.

I will check out the Linley stuff, I did like his Jackson Browne stuff back in the day.

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 22 May 2005 2:50 am

L. C. "Good Rockin" Robinson willed his steel to a blues musician called Sonny Rhodes who is out of Boston I believe these days. He came through here recently and did some nice stuff on that steel

Gary Boyett · Post by **Gary Boyett** » 22 May 2005 3:13 am

I got to meet Steve Kimock a few weeks ago when he was in town. He had ordered a few of my glass bars and came by to pick them up. Unfortunatly I had not heard his music. After we talked I checked out his web site and I would say there is some prett gritty playing going on in his show. He loves his Fenders too!

Great guy! One heck of a player! http://www.kimock.com/frames/

There is quite a bit of good music on the site. Check it out.

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JCFSGC member since 2005
Fenders- Georgeboard- Melobar
Boyett's Glass Bars

[This message was edited by Gary Boyett on 22 May 2005 at 04:14 AM.]

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 22 May 2005 8:26 pm

Lindley is the all time master, IMO. There are others out there, such as Arizona player Tony Bruno, Tom Gray, and others, but when it comes down to it if you ask those guys that you like who they got it from it's always going back to Lindley. El Rayo X is absolutely amazing.

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Sierra S8, Rickenbacher T-Logo Bakelite lap steel, Peavey Delta Blues, Regal Dobro, Teese RMC2 Wah, Proco Rat, Lap Dawg bar