Info wanted on Phil Baugh

Reece Anderson · Post by **Reece Anderson** » 25 Sep 2003 6:41 am

Phil and I were best of friends. We played music all over the country, played golf and played poker together, and believe me, he done everything exceptionally well.

A dear friend recently sent me a copy of a song Phil and I recorded called "Rapid Ragg" which I had forgotten about. It was by far the fastest thing I have ever played on record. He was incredibly quick.

MSA built the very first pedal guitar which was called the "pedalpitch". If memory serves correct there was a patent issued to Sonny Bennett (who is still the head designer for MSA) and Phil Baugh, both for application and the pulling system.

I know I have a picture of the very first "pedalpitch" ever made which was installed on a Fender Jaguar 6 string guitar. If I can find it, I will post it.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 26 Sep 2003 12:34 am

Phil had an album with Vern Stovall for Longhorn in 1965, Vern sang on about half the tracks. Phil had a bit if chart action with the single 'Country Guitar' in 1965, I used to have a scan of a Billboard ad for the single.

He also cut another album in California in the late 1960s, issued in 1969 while he was playing with the Phil Baugh Trio at a Bowling alley gig, plus the whole studio thing.
In December '69 he split for Ray Price and Texas.

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 26 Sep 2003 5:25 am

Reese;
I remember Rapid Ragg. It was real fast. Real cool tune, too!

Jason;
The first was Country Guitar and the second was California Guitar in '69.

(I'd like to find a copy of California Guitar to put with my copy of Country Guitar. I wonder if it was surf music?

)

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

www.buddyemmons.com

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 26 Sep 2003 10:47 am

the 3 phil baugh lps are:

country guitar, longhorn w02, circa 1964 and also reissued in the 1980s, i think by "club of spade". about half of the songs are vocals by vern stovall.

california guitar, happy tiger/era 801. this contains pop instrumentals such as girl watcher, little green apples, hey jude, and harper valley pta. i think this is all instrumental.

country guitar II, toro 502. this is from the 70s and has vern stovall on a few vocals. tunes include night life, country guitar number two (a remake of the original on the longhorn album), malaguena, flint hill special, panhandle boss, and spanish fandango. great cover shot of phil with what looks like a gibson les paul, an MSA tailpiece, an MSA pedal unit, and a peavey amp.

he also did 6 or 8 singles, some of which are not any of these lps.

he was originally from around yuba city, california. vance terry grew up in the same immediate area and they did cross paths in the 1950s.

vern stovall is still at least semi-active in texas. i got an email from a niece or grandaughter (??) within the last year saying that vern was still picking at casual gatherings. [This message was edited by Mitch Drumm on 26 September 2003 at 11:48 AM.][This message was edited by Mitch Drumm on 26 September 2003 at 11:50 AM.]

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 26 Sep 2003 11:07 am

I once cut a full page picture of a young Phil Baugh from a guitar mag and saved it. Years later, I was in a Forum thread with Buddy and asked him if he wanted the picture. He replied yes but wouldn't you know it; when I went to look for it, I couldn't find it and I'm still looking a year or two later.

I don't recall the name of the song but I can never forget Phil's singing on a guitar sampler number he did. The lyrics went:

Play me something sweet
Like you've never heard
Play me a chorus
Like Jerry Byrd

And then he did just that !!

Regards, Paul

Tom Kaufman · Post by **Tom Kaufman** » 26 Sep 2003 1:10 pm

Wow! This thread is making me want to go pull out my copy of "Country Guitar"..and give it another listen! I was just looking at it in fact..and it is, indeed, on "long Horn." I wonder how many of you remember another tune that Phil did called "The One Man Band?" On that one, he did impersonations of the saxiphone, steel guitar and the upright bass. Don't know if that one ever made it to an LP!

Ed Naylor · Post by **Ed Naylor** » 27 Sep 2003 8:29 am

Interesting posts on Phil. Going thru my "Millions" of old records this morning I found a promo copy of a 45 with Phil and Buddy Emmons.It was cut in 1981 for Sound Factory records in Nashville.It was titled "We're in this love together" written by Keith Stegall and Roger Muhhah.The engineer was Jim Cotton. I haven't had a chance to play it but I am sure it is good. Ed Naylor Steel Guitar Works

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 27 Sep 2003 12:24 pm

There's a Real Audio clip of "We're in this Love Together", Here!

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

www.buddyemmons.com

Mike Cass · Post by **Mike Cass** » 28 Sep 2003 7:08 am

Not sure if its already been mentioned, but the pedal mechanism Phil was using in the mid 80's until his untimely demise in '90 was built by Paul Franklin Sr. I know this, as I was working for Phil & Buddy at the "....Factory" as studio manager & general flunky. I had many occassions to see the rig there as well as doing session cartage for Phil from time to time during my tenure with them. However, as has been stated, the first rig was indeed an MSA product. I saw Phil with 'Reece & Curly Chalker in Mpls in the early '70's & he had the MSA rig then.
Funny thing about Phil though, was the fact that he could reproduce much of his pedal work without the pedals! One of the last things he played for me was an awesome I to II change that incorporated several simultaneous bends...w/o the benefit of pedals!....just those talented mitts of his

. Heck of a player & a good friend. I still miss him & his music everyday. Some of my favorite times were spent @ the Hall of Fame Lounge listening to Phil w/ Buddy, Paul or Doug back when they had a house gig there.
....a guaranteed good time!