Freddie Hart

B.Jenkins · Post by **B.Jenkins** » 20 Jan 2010 5:38 am

Who is the steel player playing Easy Loving behind Freddie Hart on a Clark steel, on you tube?
Is he playing in the key of "G" ?
Billy

Tiny Olson · Post by **Tiny Olson** » 20 Jan 2010 8:41 am

I haven't had the chance to view the You-Tube video but it almost for certain must have been J.D. Walters. A great player and guy, J.D. worked the road with Freddie for quite ahile in the 70s and 80s and did play a Clark for awhile too as I recall.

If my ear serves me correctly in my mind, "Easy Lovin'" was released in the key of G so you're probably right about that.

Sincerely,
Chris "Tiny" Olson

Tiny Olson · Post by **Tiny Olson** » 20 Jan 2010 8:58 am

Billy,
After some mental/ear consideration I'm thinking that the original recording-release may have actually been in the key of G#. They may very well have played the song live in the key of G however. Of course, I could be totally out in left field too !!!

Tiny O.

Bill Fall · Post by **Bill Fall** » 20 Jan 2010 9:08 am

Correct, it was JD Walters, a superb but very humble player who worked with Freddy Hart, Billie Jo Spears, Crystal Gayle, and others. JD modestly answers Tiny as follows: "That was some hack on the steel. EZ Lovin' was played in Ab and we modulated to A for the instrumental portion."

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 20 Jan 2010 10:59 am

I Belive Lloyd Green Played On the Recording. SONNY.

Bill Fall · Post by **Bill Fall** » 21 Jan 2010 2:38 am

True, Lloyd played on the original recording.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 21 Jan 2010 4:16 pm

I could have purchased Freddie Hart's original "Easy Lovin" guitar for $2500.00 in 1985. I have a personal letter from his bandleader, stating that the guitar was for sale.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 21 Jan 2010 5:47 pm

Bill Hankey wrote:I could have purchased Freddie Hart's original "Easy Lovin" guitar for $2500.00 in 1985. I have a personal letter from his bandleader, stating that the guitar was for sale.

Does anyone know where I could get my hands on the organ they used on that session.

Ben Rubright · Post by **Ben Rubright** » 21 Jan 2010 8:28 pm

If you get your hands on it...please destroy it. Piano, yes....organ NO!!! I have grown to really dislike record producers.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 21 Jan 2010 9:13 pm

Ben Rubright wrote:If you get your hands on it...please destroy it. Piano, yes....organ NO!!! I have grown to really dislike record producers.

It's not piano anymore, it's "keyboard".

Tiny Olson · Post by **Tiny Olson** » 22 Jan 2010 10:49 am

Hey Bill:
Please tell JD that I said hello. I remember now that he worked for Billy Jo too as we did a few shows with her also when JD was with her. "Hack"..??? no way man !!

Sincerely,
Chris "Tiny" O.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 22 Jan 2010 12:19 pm

Chris,

The "Heartbeats" went on to become the "Wyoming Machinery Co. Band", named ater the garage where their bus was repaired after breaking down. The band came to Pittsfield, MA, on April 10, 1983, to play at the "MASSBASH", a popular steel guitar event held once yearly. J.D. was there, and Glen Brodier (Sp?). I remember that Glen was on crutches at the time, due to a leg injury. Chris, I'm sure you were addressing the other Bill, but this counts for something in efforts made to promote the players of the steel guitars.

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 22 Jan 2010 1:18 pm

PC in the Music World.Let's call the whole thing off
Tommy

Tiny Olson · Post by **Tiny Olson** » 22 Jan 2010 8:36 pm

Bill H.
I should have said hello to you also my friend. Your steel guitar shows in the Berkshires of many years were wonderful and are I know, greatly missed by many folks in the northeast. Thanks for sharing and stay well. Drop me a note sometime.

Your friend,
Chris "Tiny" O.

Jack Harper · Post by **Jack Harper** » 23 Jan 2010 5:28 am

rick..........
about the organ....
i have always been under the influence, err, a, impression that the sound on that song was made by a "guit-organ"
a gretch(i think)with sensors between the frets that simulated the organ sounds.(pre-synthesisor)(sp)
the guitar body was full of electronics.
i played with a guy in that time frame that played one(he actually had 2)(needed a back-up).
he was blind and very good up and down the neck.
very sensitive, but he rebuilt automatic transmissions too! by feel!
i think i remember seeing one with the hartbeats.
i know, i thimk?
jack............

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 23 Jan 2010 11:05 am

Jack Harper wrote:rick..........
about the organ....
i have always been under the influence, err, a, impression that the sound on that song was made by a "guit-organ"
a gretch(i think)with sensors between the frets that simulated the organ sounds.(pre-synthesisor)(sp)
the guitar body was full of electronics.
i played with a guy in that time frame that played one(he actually had 2)(needed a back-up).
he was blind and very good up and down the neck.
very sensitive, but he rebuilt automatic transmissions too! by feel!
i think i remember seeing one with the hartbeats.
i know, i thimk?
jack............

Jack,

That could be true. Seems like I remember something about that too. I don't notrmally like the organ, but I have to admit it was a distinctive sound is some of Freedie's music. Freddie had a great cut on "Key's In The Mailbox". I also liked "If Fingerprints Showed Up On Skin".

B.Jenkins · Post by **B.Jenkins** » 24 Jan 2010 6:43 am

I called Lloyd Green at his home, and was asking him about Easy Loving. It was played in G#.
He used his old Sho-Bud and Fender amp, no trick effects,
Charlie McCoy played the organ on that song, and they did it in one take.
Billy Jenkins

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 24 Jan 2010 6:50 am

B.Jenkins wrote:I called Lloyd Green at his home, and was asking him about Easy Loving. It was played in G#.
He used his old Sho-Bud and Fender amp, no trick effects,
Charlie McCoy played the organ on that song, and they did it in one take.
Billy Jenkins

One take. Wow! Today it would take three months to record that. Studios seem to like the one piece at a time technique, rather than having all the players there at once. That explains a lot about why todays music lacks the feeling and character that those recordings had. Except for the "Watermellom Crawl" I got a lot of feeling from that.......sick at my stomach feeling.

B.Jenkins · Post by **B.Jenkins** » 24 Jan 2010 2:39 pm

There was no git-organ or what ever on that song.
Just Lloyd on his Original Sho-Bud, doing that signature lick, Charlie McCoy on organ, and I can not remember who was on lead Guitar
Billy Jenkins

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 24 Jan 2010 4:18 pm

Billy Sanford played lead guitar on"Easy Lovin'"...

B.Jenkins · Post by **B.Jenkins** » 24 Jan 2010 6:12 pm

Thanks Steve, Lloyd told me, but I just forgot
Billy

Billy Morgan · Post by **Billy Morgan** » 25 Jan 2010 8:41 am

I was very fortunate to play pedal steel for Freddie Hart during his last concert. It took place last October at the historic Ritz Theater in Talladega Alabama. Freddie has family that lives in this area and they wanted him to perform during our October celebration. I talked to him a few times and he wanted to use my band (Full Circle). Freddie still sings Easy Loving in G# just like the record. He happens to be one of the nicest people I have ever met and is also very talented. He did two shows, one on Friday night and one on Saturday night. Everything went very well and Freddie told me he is thinking about performing again on a limited basis.

Joe Finley · Post by **Joe Finley** » 25 Jan 2010 6:51 pm

I was called to do a benefit concert for Bob Morris before he died. Freddie Hart performed also. The guitorgan was used that night for the organ part and the steel player was using a dekley.

Jack Harper · Post by **Jack Harper** » 25 Jan 2010 9:24 pm

gee, thanks joe...........
i was sure i didn't make it up about the git-organ
being on stage when i saw them, several times.
though it was several years after the release of the hit. it does make good sense that charlie mcCoy did play the organ part. he was carte blanche in the studios when all those hits were happenin', 'bout that time.
still the luckiest guy of all was lloyd green!
jack.......

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 26 Jan 2010 4:47 pm

Freddie's former steel player J.D. Walters was living in Bellingham, MA, in 1983, when he came to Pittsfield, MA, to play at the "MASSBASH". His band members were:

Bass: Glen Brodeur
Guitar: Brian Calvey
Drums: Bob Carlson
Front man: Mark Chase
Harmony: Linda Walters* (J.D.'s wife)

J.D. Walters and the "Heartbeats" played for Freddie Hart.