Recording ..Old Habits Are Hard To Break?

GaryHoetker · Post by **GaryHoetker** » 4 Feb 2004 1:46 pm

Recorded around '67-68. The catchy phrase "I can't stop loving you just like that...old habits are hard to break". I think the artis's name was Smokey Stover? Who played steel on the record?

Thanks.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 4 Feb 2004 2:26 pm

Smokey Stover (a rock and roller) may have had it out in the '60's, but the big hit was by Hank Jr., in the early '70s, I believe. Don't know about the steelplayer, though.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 4 Feb 2004 2:33 pm

Did not Don Gibson have a classic recording of this even before that? Or am I mistaken?

Since I have not a clue who Smoker Stover is, I can't say who his steel player was. Don Gibson did not make too many recordinds with a steel player. He used mostly Chet Atkins instead.

carl

Mike Sweeney · Post by **Mike Sweeney** » 4 Feb 2004 2:43 pm

First off, Donny, The Smokey Stover tune and the Hank Jr. tune are two seperate songs. Hank Jr. wrote "Old Habits" and it was the title cut from his "Habits Old And New" album. And Sonny Garrish played steel on that cut Second, Mr. Dixon, Though most of Don Gibson's work featured guitar more than anything else, if you listen to "Sea Of Heartbreak" among others you'll hear a steel.
I don't know who all recorded with him but I know that Curley Chalker was one of them.[This message was edited by Mike Sweeney on 04 February 2004 at 02:44 PM.]

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 4 Feb 2004 3:31 pm

Didn't Don Gibson use Pete Drake on "Sensuous woman"?

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 4 Feb 2004 6:08 pm

Carl.........on Don Gibson's earlier releases on RCA..."A Dark Future"; "Red Lips, White Lies and Blue Hours"; one other and the flip side of one of them, a great steel solo called; "WIGGLE WAGGLE".
The steel player sounded like a cross between Jerry Byrd and Billy Robinson and sound wonderfully like perhaps it was an early Rick. I've forgotten his name and I do apologize for that. Great steel playing on Don Gibson's records.
Also, Howard White there in Nashville did some steel work with Don when he switched over to Columbia Records. How about that? What say you?

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 4 Feb 2004 9:45 pm

Smokey Stover is alive but in bad health in Magnolia, Tx. He was better known for hia songwriting , (:"Sometimes You Just Can't Win". George Jones and Linda Ronstadt both recorded that one.). He stopped recording and became a DJ and worked all around country radio. He continued to perform until his health declined . He recorded a few more songs and I am on some of those recordings. He is a member of the DJ Hall Of Fame. Next time I see him at the Post Office, I will ask him about the early steel players. He is one of the nicest guys around. Jody.[This message was edited by Jody Sanders on 04 February 2004 at 09:46 PM.]

Mike Sweeney · Post by **Mike Sweeney** » 5 Feb 2004 2:25 am

When Don Gibson was in Knoxville, Tn. doing the Tn. Barndance and the Midday Merry-Go-Round, he had a monster steel player from that area named Eagleye Hendricks. I don't know if he ever recorded with Don or not but, he was a dandy.

Mike

GaryHoetker · Post by **GaryHoetker** » 5 Feb 2004 12:39 pm

Jody:

I'm sorry to hear about your friend Smokey. Please send him our best wishes and thank him for bringing alot of joy with his recordings.

Gary

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 5 Feb 2004 1:39 pm

The first steel player Don Gibson used was Summie Hendricks. In 1952 he recorded a couple of songs with Howard White, in 1953 with Bob Foster. In 1960 he recorded five songs ("Lonely Street" was one of them) with Jimmy Day. Many of his 50's and 60's recordings, though, don't have Steel Guitar, they mostly feature the guitar of Chet Atkins.

Kind Regards, Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

------------------

Mike Sweeney · Post by **Mike Sweeney** » 6 Feb 2004 3:54 pm

I was reminded earlier today that Don Gibson's recording of " Woman, Sensuous Woman" had Pete Drake on it. I had forgot all about that one.

Mike