Guitarist with The Louvin Brothers

Dave Harmonson · Post by **Dave Harmonson** » 25 Jan 2010 1:50 pm

Anybody know who's playing the Gretch on this clip?
There's not alot of video from the Louvins, but this one is sure sweet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkUfv3DoRSw

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 25 Jan 2010 2:16 pm

Looks like Jimmy Capps to me and I believe he was with them for a while. Their other main player was Paul Yandell.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 26 Jan 2010 12:30 am

Yep, that's Jimmy Capps.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 26 Jan 2010 2:47 am

I'm really liking that mandolin Ira was playing on that clip. I heard once that he'd bought one in Germany and took it to the Grand Ol Opry one night and was raggin' on Bill Monroe because Ira's mandolin sounded so much better than Bill's Gibson....JH in Va.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 27 Jan 2010 4:25 pm

a very young Jimmy Capps! great stuff

i love that mandolin too. didn't Ira build instruments and work at Sho Bud?

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 27 Jan 2010 4:36 pm

Dave Harmonson · Post by **Dave Harmonson** » 27 Jan 2010 5:41 pm

Thanks for the response. I didn't recognize Jimmy from his early years. Very nice solo.
I heard an interview with Charlie Louvin one time when he talked about Ira and his temper. Sometimes he would miss a lick and be so mad he'd smash his mandolin to bits, but he would pick up all the peices and put it all back together. It might take a few months but he would have it back almost like new. I don't know if he built them from scratch, but I guess that could be true.
Sure do love there music and too bad there's not more video of them.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 27 Jan 2010 11:49 pm

Jerry Hayes wrote:I'm really liking that mandolin Ira was playing on that clip. I heard once that he'd bought one in Germany and took it to the Grand Ol Opry one night and was raggin' on Bill Monroe because Ira's mandolin sounded so much better than Bill's Gibson....JH in Va.

Jerry, that might be the German mando in the clip; it looks very much like Hoyer arch tops, some of them had similar cat eye f-holes and style. Top of the line Hoyers were really good and super fancy, or whaddya think?? :
http://jazzgitarren.k-server.org/hoyer.html

Jack Harper · Post by **Jack Harper** » 28 Jan 2010 4:22 am

has anyone seen this kid that plays with charlie a lot now, ...ben hall!
i think he's 21 yrs young. about the same age jimmy was then.at one point on this video when jimmy looks out and smiles there is such a similarity in the now and then and the constant is louvin
50 yrs ago and now, the history of country music.
ya' gotta love it!

jack.........

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 28 Jan 2010 1:39 pm

I don't know who played it but the guitar lead break on "You're Running Wild" is one of the prettiest and tastiest solos ever played on a country record IMHO. I don't think it was Capps as the tune predated him with the Louvins. Might have been Paul Yandell before he got drafted. Anyone know for sure? It'd probably be the same guy who played electric guitar on "I Don't Believe You Met My Baby"........JH in Va.

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 28 Jan 2010 2:35 pm

Jacky Phelps did some things with the Louvins. Jody.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 28 Jan 2010 11:33 pm

Jerry, that's Paul Yandell!!

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 29 Jan 2010 7:38 pm

I've been watching this thread and finally decided to put my 2 cents worth in. I didn't know Jimmy Capps back then but I had the absolute privlege and pleasure of workin' at a place called "Buck Lake Ranch" in northeast Ind the same day as the "Louvin Bros. and Paul Yandell played lead guitar for them. I was a green kid and was brave enough to ask Paul Yandell some questions that probably sounded kinda dumb to him at the time, but he took the time backstage to show me some licks that I could understand and I still use them to this day. I just wish I could have absorbed more at the time. By the way did the guy on the video play with a straight pick and the next 2 fingers? I think Paul played with a thumb pick. A Pickin' Bro. Doyle

Dave Harmonson · Post by **Dave Harmonson** » 29 Jan 2010 9:06 pm

Jimmy Capps is using a flat pick and picking with his other fingers in this vid.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 31 Jan 2010 12:40 pm

On the back of Jimmy Crawford's "Ton of Steel" record album there's a picture of Capps with a thumbpick on. I imagine as good a session man as he was (and still is) that he was fluent with flatpickin' or fingerpickin' or both, whichever the situation called for. On Jimmy C's version of "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" Capps plays a very nice modern style on his guitar solo which you can tell has a lot of "meat" or bare finger sounds going on in addition to the pick. A very fine guitarist no matter how he played what he did........JH in Va.

Ricky Hagan · Post by **Ricky Hagan** » 3 Feb 2010 3:34 pm

Jody,
Jackie played on the last album that they did together.(Thank God for my Christian Home).The reason I know this is because my dad Tommy Hagan had already started singing with Charlie.They were under contract to do one more album with capitol.My dad wrote one of the songs on that album and played the rhythm guitar on (what would you give in exchange for your soul).But he told me that Jackie did all the lead guitar work on the album.As for Jimmy Capps he was the guitar player with my dad and Buck Jones before he went to Nashville.Clyde Mattocks also played with those guys back then.Maybe Clyde can tell us about those days.

Jack Harper · Post by **Jack Harper** » 3 Feb 2010 3:56 pm

ricky and all the rest of the guys here.....
now this is what i like ablout these threads...
the story behind the story....
the unsung heros of country music!
rick tell us more about your dad as we wait for clyde to unfold a memory from that time. ...please????
country............

Ricky Hagan · Post by **Ricky Hagan** » 3 Feb 2010 4:13 pm

Jack as far as I know Jimmy was playing with my dad and Buck.They also used a great guitar player named Tommy Mercer.If I'm not mistaken Jimmy was recomended by Paul Yandell to take his place with them when he was drafted.I think Paul had heard Jimmy playing with Clyde and my dad.They did a lot of Louvin songs back then.My dad and Buck enterd a contest at Dunbar Cave back in 61 or 62 and won first place doing Hoping That You're Hoping.Charlie was there and so was Paul.Dad ask Paul to play with them on the song and he did.I don't know if Clyde was with them or not.Later on Charlie ask dad to take Ira's place with him as they were breaking up.A lot of people think that Ira getting killed broke them up but they were already split long before that.

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 3 Feb 2010 5:06 pm

Thanks Ricky, I was not with Tommy & Buck at the Dunbar Cave contest. Jimmy Capps and I were playing with them when Jimmy got the call to come and audition. There is some confusion as to whether the Louvins thought they were auditioning Jimmy or Tommy Mercer. Tommy was/still is an excellent thumb picker whom Paul Yandell had seen with Tommy & Buck
prior to Jimmy replacing him. Tommy & Buck did most of the Louvin stuff in the same keys and Tommy (Mercer) had the Yandell solos worked out. Nontheless Jimmy Capps reputation was considerable as being able to cop most any style. He quicky adapted to the Louvins and played the "thumb" style using a flat pick and his fingers. It is Jimmy's versatility that has kept him in the Nashville studio game for
five+ decades now.

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 3 Feb 2010 5:12 pm

Just to add, Ricky Hagan's dad, Tommy Hagan had every bit, if not more, range than Ira, and Charlie has stated that their (Charlie & Ira's) mother could not tell the difference hearing them on the radio. Talk about another musical family, Ricky is an excellent steel player and singer and his son, Chris is a fine tele slinger.

Ricky Hagan · Post by **Ricky Hagan** » 3 Feb 2010 5:21 pm

Thanks Clyde for those kind words.You already know that U My Hero.I got some songs that dad is doing with Charlie.I'll email them to you when I get home this weekend.I'm out of town right now working.I'm on the ole laptop.By the way Billy is redoing my D10P/P I'll send you pics when he's through.

Doyle Weigold · Post by **Doyle Weigold** » 7 Feb 2010 1:08 pm

Talking about Paul Yandell awhile ago, he was just on the Porter Wagoner with Jerry Reed this morning on RFD.