Lefty Frizzell

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 9 Jan 2002 7:08 am

After listening to (and loving) the latest Haggard CD, which is comprised mostly of old Lefty tunes, I went out and bought "Look What Thoughts Will Do" a 2 CD "Best Of Lefty" set.

Holy Cow, what a great album. I hate to admit that I was only peripherally familiar with Lefty's music until now.

I can't believe I didn't know just how freakin' great he was. Chalk it up to my "later-in-life" conversion to a country music fanatic, I guess.

Sadly, while it's a great collection it's got jack for liner notes when it comes to who plays what on what.

Does anyone know who was playing with Lefty back then? Most of the stuff is from the early 50's.

Jerry Horner · Post by **Jerry Horner** » 9 Jan 2002 7:20 am

When I worked with Lefty in 57/58, he told me that Chalker was the one who created the style behind him on steel. So I assume that Curly was working with him in the early 50s. Bobbe might know more about this than I do.

Jerry

Mike Sweeney · Post by **Mike Sweeney** » 9 Jan 2002 12:20 pm

Jerry, Curly played with Lefty in 1950-'51. He is the player who come up with the neat little intro to "Always Late". Curly left Lefty's band to go to work for Hank Thompson. He played on some of Hank's records while there,most notably "Wild Side Of Life and "Crying In The Deep Blue Sea". Then he was drafted into the army and served with the army of the ocupation of Germany. Which was the U.S.Third Army of George Patton fame. But this was during the Korean Conflict. Chalker put his mark on alot of peoples music but it was Lefty that could say he was the first. And Curly was just a kid then too. Mike

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 9 Jan 2002 12:39 pm

Some years ago, listening to some early Hag before he fully developed a clear, distinct personal style, I was trying to put my finger on a very familiar influence in his singing--I heard Buck, for sure, but that wasn't it. Then I listened to Lefty. Bingo. It's certainly no surprise that he should do this tribute.

--BTW--I made this same mistake with Robert Duvall's singing in "Tender Mercies". I thought--'man, Bob is trying to channel Hag'. Then I realized--'uh uh. He's calling on Lefty. Anybody else hear it that way?

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 9 Jan 2002 4:21 pm

Interesting to see that Jerry did a stint with Mr. Frizzell...

His first steel guy on his recordings was Jimmie Curtis (Steel), then Dallas-based Jimmy Kelley, who toured with Lefty in the fall of 1950, played steel on Lefty's second session).
Others include: Lefty Frizzell formed a group known as The Tune Toppers, with steel player Charley White in 1950. Charley 'C.B.' White was drafted in 1951.
Curly Chalker (steel), joined in 1951, he was replaced by Pee Wee Whitewing in late 1951. All of them recorded with Lefty.

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 10 Jan 2002 8:34 am

Thanks guys.

Jon, I agree. You can really clearly hear the connection between Lefty and Haggard on Haggard's first album. I just didn't know it until now!

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 10 Jan 2002 10:09 am

Jerry...as long as I've known you, you are still full of surprises! www.genejones.com

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 10 Jan 2002 12:03 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL>--BTW--I made this same mistake with Robert Duvall's singing in "Tender Mercies". I thought--'man, Bob is trying to channel Hag'. Then I realized--'uh uh. He's calling on Lefty. Anybody else hear it that way?
</SMALL><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The way I heard Duvall put it was that he "aped Merle". He's a long-time HagFan and stated this in the "For The Record" TV special. Recently, I saw a video clip of Lefty and realized that not only was there a musical influence, but Merle also "aped" the way Lefty stood and moved on stage.

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HagFan

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 10 Jan 2002 12:28 pm

Thanks for filling in that blank for me, Ron. If Lefty represented a step toward 'refined' male country singer in terms of vocal smoothness, then Hag surely took the next few steps. Duvall aimed for Hag but Lefty was the best he could do. Hmm--I could live with that.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 10 Jan 2002 2:49 pm

I might take this time to pint out that Merle saw Lefty live in 1953 and Left's guitar picker was some hotshot kid named Roy Nichols. He got Roy to work for him in 1965, Norm Stephens took a little longer!

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 10 Jan 2002 5:29 pm

In Merle's more recent book -- My House of Memories -- he tells about going to see Lefty in a honky and Lefty refused to continue the show until the club owner let him get "that kid" up to sing one. I think the kid sang more than one. Lefty was a very early mentor.

Ironic that Hag's only grammy was awarded to a song he didn't write. Lefty wrote "That's the Way Love Goes". Haggard told Lefty to record it, said it could be his "Faded Love" (career twilight hit). Lefty said, "No. You record it and make me some REAL money".

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HagFan