Thumbs Carllile - hear the steel on this!

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 17 Dec 2005 4:52 pm

Sorry if this is old news but it's new to me. Listen to the great steel playing on these Thumbs songs (Catch Me If You Can/ Curves Ahead) at click here . Sounds like Emmons to me. I considering getting a few of these CD's. Any feedback on how many good songs are on them?

There's a note on the musicians at the bottom, so it is Emmons.
Greg [This message was edited by Greg Cutshaw on 17 December 2005 at 04:57 PM.]

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 17 Dec 2005 5:14 pm

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 18 Dec 2005 10:16 am

I've listened to "Me and Memphis about 10 times! No wonder Danny Gatton loved this guy. I ordered that cd. I wonder if there's Tab available for Thumbs stuff? The steel was great, but wow! The 6-string is amazing too!

Jelle Biel · Post by **Jelle Biel** » 18 Dec 2005 10:54 am

Greg , THANX for the INFO,,,,
shure it is THE BIG E
THE GREATTEST OF ALL

Jelle Biel

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 18 Dec 2005 11:27 am

Is there anyone else who plays guitar using this type of dulcimer-like technique?

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 18 Dec 2005 12:33 pm

Is it Jeff Healy? Blues guy.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 18 Dec 2005 1:15 pm

Sure sounds like Buddy to me. I know that Thumbs and Buddy played together with Roger Miller (Buddy on bass, of course).

I played with Thumbs at the Palomino club for around a year. When he was having an off night, he'd say "Man I'm all fingers tonight".

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www.tyack.com

Richard Bass · Post by **Richard Bass** » 18 Dec 2005 1:29 pm

I remember a jam session at the old Possum Holler club with Thumbs, Buddy, and Lenny Breau. WOW!!!!
Richard

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 18 Dec 2005 2:19 pm

Double wow! (I've turned a lot of SRV fans onto Thumbs' stuff.)

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 18 Dec 2005 2:46 pm

I meant that Healy is another "dulcimer" style player.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 18 Dec 2005 3:01 pm

Gene Fields plays that way. His middle 6 strings are standard dobro tuning, and he adds a high G and low D.
I have frets on my GFI steel, EBGDAD hi to lo with some pedals and a knee lever. Before that I had a fretboard on my Sho-Bud and MSA. But I don't practice so I can't play it.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 18 Dec 2005 3:27 pm

Lonnie Harper, in Kansas City, doesn't play exactly like Thumbs did but he places his left hand on the top of the neck and frets from the top down instead of the usual bottom up.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 19 Dec 2005 4:02 am

I was visiting LA on a trip from England in the early '80s when I ran into Earnest B. at Valley Arts Guitar. That was a lucky encounter for me, because he told me that Thumbs was playing at a club in the area, and urged me to go and listen to him.

Although I'd barely heard of him, I took the advice - and was rewarded by hearing some of the most exciting and stimulating guitar playing I'd ever heard! His solo on 'Mystery Train' (the first tune the band was playing as I walked through the door) will stay with me for ever. Sneaky Pete was in the band, too, but Thumbs had all my attention! Does anyone - other than Doug - remember this band? I seem to recall that they were named the 'Shut Outs', and the venue was 'Calamaty's' on Pacific Coast Highway.

So, Greg, many thanks for the 'heads up' on the CDs - I've ordered all four.

RR

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 19 Dec 2005 5:45 am

Gotta admit that I ordered all 4 also. The only other Thumbs music I've got is a few CD's he did with Herby Wallace and a cut on an old Starday album (Springfield Guitar?) where he imitated other guitarists.

Somewhere around 1980 at the St. Louis Steel Guitar Convention, they had Thumbs Carllile, Buddy Emmons, Jimmy Day, Wade Ray and Phil Baugh (with pedal guitar) all on the stage at the same time for a few songs. Even the vendors in the hall had stopped selling just to watch. I taped it but the quality of my cassettes was so poor I later discarded them.

I picked up a copy of Buzz Evan's Rippin' Steel CD from Scotty this year at St. Louis and I am pretty sure that Thumb's daughter sings and plays bass on this CD. Buzz plays an old Sho-Bud double neck on this album and he is the only lead instrument so it's all steel.

Greg[This message was edited by Greg Cutshaw on 19 December 2005 at 05:49 AM.]

John Daugherty · Post by **John Daugherty** » 19 Dec 2005 5:59 am

Years ago, I heard a story which was passed on as being true: Merle Travis was watching Thumbs play. When Thumbs finished a song, Merle said "Thumbs, can you accept constructive criticism?". Thumbs replied " Why yes Merle, coming from you I can".
Merle said "Thumbs ...... You hold your guitar wrong".

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www.phelpscountychoppers.com/steelguitar

[This message was edited by John Daugherty on 19 December 2005 at 06:00 AM.]

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 19 Dec 2005 7:27 am

Hey, Greg...

The band that I saw Thumbs playing in (see above), the ShutOuts, had a young lady playing bass; I wonder if that was Thumbs' daughter?

RR

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 19 Dec 2005 8:14 am

The Shutouts was Greg Humphrey's band. Greg always played bass, and his wife Rosalie played acoustic guitar.

Dale Bennett · Post by **Dale Bennett** » 19 Dec 2005 10:45 am

Hey John, thats a funny story. I got to know both of them when I was in Ca. I got to pick a little with them, I think it was on Cal's Corral. My qustion is, I can't for the life of me how he passed away. Do you or anyone know? Thanks, db

Robbie Daniels · Post by **Robbie Daniels** » 19 Dec 2005 12:14 pm

I had the great privilege of working with Thumbs for about a year. His talent was fantastic and I will never forget the experience of working with him. His talent is sorely missed. I left Thumbs when he wanted to do more extensive road work. I told him that I just wasn't up to it, so he relieved me with the great Buzz Evans. What a privilege to play with the great Thumbs and be relieved by the great Buzz Evans. Thumbs did tell me that he had done some recordings with Emmons and Chalker as well as many others, but he was buddies with Emmons and Chalker. I remember one night when I was working with Thumbs that Little Jimmie Dickens was making an appearance at the club we were working in. When Dickens got up Thumbs played twin guitar on one guitar. Blew Dickens mind away. Ah, memories.

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MSA D12, MSA S12, 1956 Rickenbacker D8, Evans FET 500LV, Evans SE200, Peavey Transfex Pro

Bill Cutright · Post by **Bill Cutright** » 19 Dec 2005 12:18 pm

Amazing.

Goes to show me that, once again, I've been a victim of my own pre-conceived, small-minded, prejudices:

I remember seeing the "Guitar Player" article about Thumbs, probably, at least 30 years ago, and upon seeing the picture of the guitar in his lap, basically, ignoring it...

Gatton musta cop'd every lick from "Me and Memphis".

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 19 Dec 2005 1:35 pm

On the musical scale of evolution, I feel like a retarded ameba when I hear that kind of playing.

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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.

Tom Stolaski · Post by **Tom Stolaski** » 19 Dec 2005 3:51 pm

One of the high points at Scotty's convention was seeing Thumbs and Buddy trading licks back and forth. No matter what Buddy played, Thumbs copied it note for note. Even the Boo-Wa stuff. It was great!

Pat Goodbla · Post by **Pat Goodbla** » 20 Dec 2005 5:53 am

My first taste of Thumbs was in the early 1970's in Kelso, WA at the Elks Lodge. He was playing with The Linda Lintz Show at that time. What a treat!!! His talent and abilities forever made a mark on me. He was one of the true "turning points" for me musically.

We had fun when he autographed a copy of "On His Own" and wrote, "Eat your heart out Keith Holter". To this day, Keith doesn't believe Thumbs actually wrote this, but Thumbs and I know.

Everyone should get all 4 CD's just because.

Happy Holidays everyone.

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Pat Goodbla
Sierra U12, Les Paul Standard, '60 P Bass Webb 6-14E.

[This message was edited by Pat Goodbla on 20 December 2005 at 04:43 PM.]

David Wren · Post by **David Wren** » 20 Dec 2005 8:57 am

Hey Earnest, wow talk about a name from the past. I grew up with Greg Humphrey, and in fact was playing with him and Danny Holder (another guitar great!) when they made the decision to move to LA (I made the decision to start my career with the Forest Service). Haven't thought of him or Rose for years, thanks for the mention.

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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Session500; Hilton Pedal
www.ameechapman.com

Robbie Daniels · Post by **Robbie Daniels** » 21 Dec 2005 7:30 am

Roger
About the young ladfy playing bass, I doubt seriously that it was Thumbs daughter, unless he had another daughter I don't know about. I played steel solo for Thumb's daughter's wedding. Played wedding march and the whole recession march on steel alone. It was a blast and only Thumb's would request something like that.

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Carter D12, MSA D12, MSA S12, 1956 Rickenbacker D8, Evans FET 500LV, Evans SE200, Peavey Transfex Pro