Player on Anne Murray's Could I Have This Dance?

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 15 Jan 2003 9:06 pm

Does anyone know who played that beautiful, tasteful solo?

------------------
Rick McDuffie
Debbie Elam Band/Tarheel Jazz Q-tet
www.tarheelmusic.com

Mike Holder · Post by **Mike Holder** » 15 Jan 2003 9:25 pm

i'm prett sure it was Bob Lucier from Chatham Ont. Canada. if not Ben Keith also plyed with Anne on some records produced by
Brian Ahern

Gene H. Brown · Post by **Gene H. Brown** » 15 Jan 2003 10:37 pm

It was Lloyd Green, I'm pretty sure.

------------------
If You Keep Pickin That Thing, It'll Never Heal!

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 15 Jan 2003 10:52 pm

Jay Dee

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 15 Jan 2003 11:18 pm

That was one of the really early songs. Remember, her original steel player was Buddy Cage, and I think that's who played on that one. He was with Anne for a while-at least through Clean Straight and Sober-and a lot of that early sweet steel work was him. He worked on a lot of stuff with Brian Ahern back then. I'll e-mail him and check it out, but I remember him saying that he was on that original cut. Now, he also thinks it's it's been recut a couple of times, and if so, who knows. But before he went to Great Speckled Bird, he worked for Anne Murray.

JB

------------------
Fulawka D-10 9&5
Mullen Royal Precision D-10 8 & 5
"All in all, looking back, I'd have to say the best advice anyone ever gave me was 'Hands Up, Don't Move!"
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel
www.buddycage.net

http://www.nrpsmusic.com/index.html

[This message was edited by JB Arnold on 15 January 2003 at 11:19 PM.]

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 15 Jan 2003 11:46 pm

I gaurentee that I am not an authority on the matter, howsomever; I seem to recall the steel player on "Can I Have This Dance" as being Hal Rugg! But then, what do I know? "Big John", Nashville, Tn. [I'll bet I'm right!]

kyle reid · Post by **kyle reid** » 16 Jan 2003 12:37 am

C'mon guys! This is well known to be Jay Dee Maness

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 16 Jan 2003 2:22 am

Jay Dee Maness.

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

RON PRESTON · Post by **RON PRESTON** » 16 Jan 2003 2:25 am

Hummmm.......
What a selection of top notch steel players here...I don't know who it was on that cut, BUT, I sure loved learning that tune and playing it on the road in the 80's.
I will just watch and see who that steel player was, (or is)

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 16 Jan 2003 5:26 am

Well, here's what Cage says....


Re: Can I Have This Dance
Didn't you play on this one for Anne? I thought you did-there's a
discussion on the forum-guys saying it was Lloyd Green, Bob Lucier, but I
thought you were still with her then

It was I. At the time I was playing with Ronnie Hawkins at his club in Toronto - a place called Le Coq d'Or - the band was later disembled 'cause Hawk had a last-ditch (his words) opportunity to record in Muscle Shoals I believe. But ever caring of his sidemen, he put us with other bands that had their eyes on us. I, went to Ian & Sylvia w/Amos Garrett; the drummer Larry Ataminuk went to Sea Train; the guitar player John Till and the piano player (best I've ever known) went with Janis and became Full Tilt Boogie Band.

I was doing Anne's albums (about 5) as staff steel for Brian Ahern who still lives in Nashville. I also did Geo. Hamilton for Brian along with some of the same session cats AND Lenny Breaux. I'll tell you a couple stories later as they applied to that session! [rehearsal for Sirius Satellite Radio gig - maybe?] - I get to relate R&R stories as they happened to me for Meg Griffin, ostensibly to be interspersed with music tracks for one or two of her stations on Sirius.
I don't see any reason to doubt him-when I did the interview with him he discussed these sessions, and the band meetings that led to them. It may have been recut later for a greatest hits thing or something. But I have found Buddy quick to point out some stuff people THINK he played where he didn't.

JB

------------------
Fulawka D-10 9&5
Mullen Royal Precision D-10 8 & 5
"All in all, looking back, I'd have to say the best advice anyone ever gave me was 'Hands Up, Don't Move!"
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel
www.buddycage.net

http://www.nrpsmusic.com/index.html

[This message was edited by JB Arnold on 16 January 2003 at 05:29 AM.][This message was edited by JB Arnold on 16 January 2003 at 05:30 AM.]

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 16 Jan 2003 7:01 am

Hmmm... Seatrain and Janis' Full Tilt Boogie Band don't square chronologically with the recording I'm speaking of... from the "Urban Cowboy" soundtrack album, which would have been about 8-9 years later. Could there be an earlier recording I'm not aware of? Or was the song that old when it was included on the Urban Cowboy album? I can only find it on that movie soundtrack and on a subsequent (and much later) "Greatest Hits" album. Frankly, I hope it WAS B. Cage, since I only remember him for "Panama Red" : ) All kidding aside, "Could I Have This Dance" is some of the most tasteful, senstive playing I've ever heard... and that TONE... MY GOODNESS! I get the cold chills just thinking about it.

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 16 Jan 2003 7:49 am

I don't know about the Urban Cowboy version-But the song is older than that. It's one of her really early ones-Anne's been at this for a LONG time, she was VERY young when she started out-1968 I'll bet-and Cage was her guy for at least 5 LP's. Most of those have been repackaged and are only available on her website.
If Panama Red is the only thing you know Cage for, you're missing something. First Off, Great Speckled Bird-with Ian and Sylvia, ND Smart, and Amos Garrett as well as Jim Colegrove-was one of the first (some say THE first) country rock bands-predating the entire Southern Cali scene by a year. He's worked for everyone from Brewer and Shipley to Sly Stone to Bob Dylan (Blood on the Tracks)to the Band. Not to mention the NRPS and the Dead.

His straight Country playing gets ignored a lot, but he can make it cry with the best of 'em. His idol for steel is Buddy Charleton. His favorite singers are George Jones, Jack Greene, Waylon and Paycheck. Whe he listens to country he likes it COUNTRY. He also will listen to anything else with an open mind.

For more real country Cage, you should REALLY check out his work with the Brooklyn Cowboys and also Mike Ireland-whose CD made it to virtually ALL the critics top ten country lists for 2002, and features Cage prominently. For his more out there stuff, that live Stirfried CD still has some great stuff on it, although at this point they are bickering over money.

I'd say you've probably heard Cage more than you think. And probably will again-the success of Ireland's project is raising his studio profile signifigantly.

Check out the interview on the website-there's some great stories in there.

JB

------------------
Fulawka D-10 9&5
Mullen Royal Precision D-10 8 & 5
"All in all, looking back, I'd have to say the best advice anyone ever gave me was 'Hands Up, Don't Move!"
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel
www.buddycage.net

http://www.nrpsmusic.com/index.html

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 16 Jan 2003 8:12 am

Anne Murray won a grammy for "Could I Have This Dance" in 1981 which came from the soundtrack for Urban Cowboy. On the album jacket it lists Jay Dee Maness as the steel guitar player on that particular cut. I believe that Jay Dee is on the road with Vince Gill now or I could verify that. It would not suprise me that Buddy played on another version of that song with her however the version that I'm familiar with is the one from Urban Cowboy and it reeks of JayDee's style and tone.

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 16 Jan 2003 8:30 am

Thanks for the education, JB. I know Buddy Cage more by reputation than ear, but I will try to get hold of some of his straight country stuff. I did a search on the web (spent a good deal of time on it too, trying to find out who the steel player was) and couldn't find an instance any recording that contained "Dance" prior to Urban Cowboy.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 16 Jan 2003 8:54 am

The one on the Irving Cowbow sound track has to be Jay Dee, I don't know about an earlier version....

------------------
www.tyack.com

Glenn Austin · Post by **Glenn Austin** » 16 Jan 2003 9:05 am

For everybody's information, Al Brisco does an absolutely killer instrumental version of this waltz on his "Picking Up The Dust" record. The tab is also available and it incorporates a lot of the licks that are on the Anne Murray cut.

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 16 Jan 2003 9:30 am

Yeah, when I did the interview with Cage he said he was almost certain that that had been recut at least once if not twice. It is his belief that the version everyone is used to hearing is one of the recuts.

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 16 Jan 2003 11:10 am

JB or anyone who might know: Which Anne Murray albums exactly would I have to look for if I want to hear Cage? I know they´re out of print for a long time, but I frequently stroll around the used record markets and now and then some Anne Murray record shows up.

Regards, Joe

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 16 Jan 2003 11:48 am

For what it's worth, Jay Dee is in Nashville right now in the midst of 5 "warm up" club shows for the upcoming Vince Gill tour. I talked to him last night and watched several songs from about 3 feet away (the monitor guy's an old pal!) He sounded fantastic (of course); if you get a chance to see Vince's "back to basics" tour of clubs and theaters don't miss it, the band is just spectacular (and Vince himself isn't too shabby!)

And Jay Dee, you're on! We'll finish that conversation over the beer(s) you suggested as soon as possible!

Pete

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 16 Jan 2003 6:00 pm

Thanks for the answer(s). I think we've established that Buddy Cage played on an early version (which I've never heard) and that Jay Dee did the Urban Cowboy version. Great song, great playing, great singer!

Chris Caruso · Post by **Chris Caruso** » 17 Jan 2003 5:38 am

Al Brisco played his version at Frank Caruso's Steel show this past October. It was SUPER!!!

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 17 Jan 2003 6:10 am

One of my old Anne Murray LP records has some musicians listed and on one of them it's BJ Cole on steel. I think it may have been this song. I'll hunt up the album to make sure.....JH

------------------
Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 17 Jan 2003 5:46 pm

Let me say that Al Brisco has a beautiful instrumental version of that song.

Nick

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 17 Jan 2003 6:20 pm

You can hear a 30 sec MP3 of Al's arrangement at http://www.steelguitarcanada.com/audio.htm

Jelle Biel · Post by **Jelle Biel** » 21 Jan 2003 7:47 am

C'mon guys!
"What a selection of top notch steel players here...?"but NOT the name BUDDY EMMONS,,,?? Also i did here it was Jay Dee!
But (for me) the SPECIAL THING was(is) that he has that BEAUTIFUL, TASTEFUL,,,,,,,BIG E way of playing,,,,,how many can do that,,,?
Jelle