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Topic: Who played steel on very early Conway Twiitty demo's? |
Marco Schouten
From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Posted 5 Aug 2018 7:33 am |
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I have a cd of Conway Twitty which has songs like I Wonder If You Told Her About Me, Have I Been Away Too Long, Let Me Be The Judge. They seem to be recorded in 1961 and have some great steel playing on it. Who could be the steel player?
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 5 Aug 2018 8:24 am
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I thought Hughey was with him from the start.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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John LeMaster
From:
North Florida
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Ian Worley
From:
Sacramento, CA
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scott murray
From:
Asheville, NC
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Posted 5 Aug 2018 11:34 am
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here's a quote from John Hughey which may answer the question:
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| I know that Gene Jones played with Conway while they were in the army together. When Conway got out of the army, he got into the rock scene. In 1964 he went back country and Lew Houston played with him until I started with him in 1968. That's the only players that I know of that played with Conway. Any others would have only sit in or played with him locally in Oklahoma City. |
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1965 Emmons S-10, 3x5 • Emmons LLIII D-10, 10x12 • JCH D-10, 10x12 • Beard MA-8 • Oahu Tonemaster |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 5 Aug 2018 1:51 pm
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http://picosong.com/edit/a60024f09702102579e4e9e1361846f9
Above is Harold Jenkins, supposedly with John and supposedly from 1946.
He turned 13 that year, so the date is probably not accurate, but I have seen a pic of them together, supposedly from 1951, which is a more likely date for the recording. |
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scott murray
From:
Asheville, NC
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Posted 5 Aug 2018 2:42 pm
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definitely pedal steel on the recordings Marco is referring to, couldn't be '51:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qx71SCQ0h0
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1965 Emmons S-10, 3x5 • Emmons LLIII D-10, 10x12 • JCH D-10, 10x12 • Beard MA-8 • Oahu Tonemaster |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 5 Aug 2018 3:06 pm
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Scott:
I was referring to the recording I posted as more likely 1951 than 1946.
There was an entire bootleg LP of those 1961 demos released a long time ago--late 1970s, maybe early 1980s. I don't know that the personnel has ever been identified or that Conway ever talked about them. Some good tunes though--"This Road That I Walk", "The Girl At The Bar", etc. |
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Marco Schouten
From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Posted 6 Aug 2018 3:11 am
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You made me what I am today:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgws1eWrXaQ
I wonder if you told her about me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcE-dPrGi5g
My guess is that Conway didn't have a steel player in 1961 and that they used a studio musician for the steel part on these demo's.
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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David Mitchell
From:
Tyler, Texas
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Posted 6 Aug 2018 7:03 am
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| Being that Conway's early years were on Decca records with Owen Bradley in charge of the recordings it is possible for Pete Drake to be on some of them. I ran around with Walter Haynes for 15 years and he played steel in my band. He worked in the studio many years with Bradley and he said Owen Bradley would not use anybody but Pete for a long time. He had to be convinced that Buddy Emmons was good enough to play on sessions a few years later. Walter had a lot to do with that move. To a major record producer your band members don't mean anything. Being that Owen was a man that liked identity such as the growl in Conway's voice he allowed a few band players to record. I'm sure he was the first to recognize the distinct style of John Hughey. I have all those early year Conway records and they wouldn't be the same without the whine of Hughey's steel and the harmony of Big Joe. |
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 6 Aug 2018 7:47 am
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| Quote: |
| He worked in the studio many years with Bradley and he said Owen Bradley would not use anybody but Pete for a long time. He had to be convinced that Buddy Emmons was good enough to play on sessions a few years later. |
Now that they have all passed, there's really no way to confirm that statement so I guess it will have to be considered hearsay.. |
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David Mitchell
From:
Tyler, Texas
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Posted 6 Aug 2018 8:04 am
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| That's right. I'm full of shit like a Christmas turkey! |
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 6 Aug 2018 9:03 am
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Ian Worley
From:
Sacramento, CA
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Posted 6 Aug 2018 10:20 am
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| Marco Schouten wrote: |
| ...My guess is that Conway didn't have a steel player in 1961 and that they used a studio musician for the steel part on these demo's. |
From what I can see it seems more likely that the steel was added much later when the tracks were first released on a record. For whatever it's worth, this is the session log from the Praguefrank link above:
17 June 1961 [demo session] Kingston Studios, Kingston Road, Scarborough, Ontario, CAN – Conway Twitty (Conway Twitty [vcl], Al Bruno [ld gt], Wes Pickett [rh gt], Joe Lewis [bass gt], Levon Helm [drums])
10801 WHERE YOUR LOVE LEADETH ME BCD 16112
10802 BIG TOWN BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10803 THIS ROAD THAT I WALK BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10804 BAD MAN BCD 16112
10805 EVER SINCE YOU WENT AWAY BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10806 BLUE IS THE WAY I FEEL BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10807 TURN THE OTHER CHEEK BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10808 TREAT ME MEAN, TREAT ME CRUEL BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10809 I'M CHECKIN' OUT BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10810 HEARTACHE JUST WALKED IN BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10811 I WONDER IF YOU TOLD HER ABOUT ME BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10812 THE GIRL AT THE BAR BCD 16112
10813 YOU MADE ME WHAT I AM BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10814 I'LL GET OVER LOSING YOU BCD 16112
10815 HAVE I BEEN AWAY TOO LONG Demand 0020 BCD 16112
10816 LET ME BE THE JUDGE Demand DS 0020 BCD 16112
10817 SOUND OF AN ANGEL'S WINGS BCD 16112 The session includes all the tracks Marco listed (including "Let Me Be The Judge" recorded in 1961). It also says "overdubbed" and "Demand 0020" after several, which refers to the first actual release. There's another list of record releases here: http://countrydiscography.blogspot.com/2010/03/conway-twitty.html. Demand 0020 "The Great Conway Twitty" was first released in '74. It this the record you have Marco?
Demand 0020 The Great Conway Twitty: This Road That I Walk; Big Town; Ever Since You Went Away; Treat Me Mean Treat Me Cruel; Turn The Other Cheek; Wonder If You Told Her; Mojo Workout; Have I Been Away Too Long; Sittin' In A Dim Cafe; Let Me Be The Judge; Blue Is The Way I Feel; You Make Me What I Am; Where I Stand; Lawdy Miss Clawdy - 74 (overdubbed demos. Reissued on Accord SN-7167 Early Favorites in 1980 with omitted songs) It doesn't say what was overdubbed, but it was probably everything that wasn't listed on the original session, including steel, backing vox, etc. Did this happen in '74 when the the tracks were first released on a record? If so, then it likely is Hughey on steel, but who knows...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Schg-MDyILQ |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 7 Aug 2018 12:45 am
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Hughey told me he came on when the album that has "The Image of Me" was being worked on. Lew Houston did the steel on "The Image of Me" and not sure if any others and John said he did the rest.
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GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
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Marco Schouten
From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Posted 7 Aug 2018 5:42 am
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| Ian Worley wrote: |
| Marco Schouten wrote: |
| ...My guess is that Conway didn't have a steel player in 1961 and that they used a studio musician for the steel part on these demo's. |
From what I can see it seems more likely that the steel was added much later when the tracks were first released on a record. For whatever it's worth, this is the session log from the Praguefrank link above:
17 June 1961 [demo session] Kingston Studios, Kingston Road, Scarborough, Ontario, CAN – Conway Twitty (Conway Twitty [vcl], Al Bruno [ld gt], Wes Pickett [rh gt], Joe Lewis [bass gt], Levon Helm [drums])
10801 WHERE YOUR LOVE LEADETH ME BCD 16112
10802 BIG TOWN BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10803 THIS ROAD THAT I WALK BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10804 BAD MAN BCD 16112
10805 EVER SINCE YOU WENT AWAY BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10806 BLUE IS THE WAY I FEEL BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10807 TURN THE OTHER CHEEK BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10808 TREAT ME MEAN, TREAT ME CRUEL BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10809 I'M CHECKIN' OUT BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10810 HEARTACHE JUST WALKED IN BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10811 I WONDER IF YOU TOLD HER ABOUT ME BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10812 THE GIRL AT THE BAR BCD 16112
10813 YOU MADE ME WHAT I AM BCD 16112 [overdubbed:] Demand 0020
10814 I'LL GET OVER LOSING YOU BCD 16112
10815 HAVE I BEEN AWAY TOO LONG Demand 0020 BCD 16112
10816 LET ME BE THE JUDGE Demand DS 0020 BCD 16112
10817 SOUND OF AN ANGEL'S WINGS BCD 16112 The session includes all the tracks Marco listed (including "Let Me Be The Judge" recorded in 1961). It also says "overdubbed" and "Demand 0020" after several, which refers to the first actual release. There's another list of record releases here: http://countrydiscography.blogspot.com/2010/03/conway-twitty.html. Demand 0020 "The Great Conway Twitty" was first released in '74. It this the record you have Marco?
Demand 0020 The Great Conway Twitty: This Road That I Walk; Big Town; Ever Since You Went Away; Treat Me Mean Treat Me Cruel; Turn The Other Cheek; Wonder If You Told Her; Mojo Workout; Have I Been Away Too Long; Sittin' In A Dim Cafe; Let Me Be The Judge; Blue Is The Way I Feel; You Make Me What I Am; Where I Stand; Lawdy Miss Clawdy - 74 (overdubbed demos. Reissued on Accord SN-7167 Early Favorites in 1980 with omitted songs) It doesn't say what was overdubbed, but it was probably everything that wasn't listed on the original session, including steel, backing vox, etc. Did this happen in '74 when the the tracks were first released on a record? If so, then it likely is Hughey on steel, but who knows...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Schg-MDyILQ |
The album that I have is called Big Train. It's on the ASTAN label. Released in 1984.
The tracks are:
I Wonder If You Told Her About Me
You Made Me What I Am
Heartache Just Walked In
Let Me Be The Judge
Have I Been Away Too Long
I'm Checkin' Out
and there are 4 instrumental tracks, but those are not really great.
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo |
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