Sonny Garrish

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 21 Apr 2002 8:07 am

Just wanted to sing his praises. Great tone, great studio savvy. Sonny's studio credits include The Judds, George Strait, Vern Gosdin, Tim McGraw to name but a few. I am a Sonny fan!....and he also plays a 1979 Emmons P/P like mine, or should I say I have a 79 P/P like his

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 21 Apr 2002 9:20 am

Hi Larry! I totally agree with you on this one, some time ago I sat at my steel & listened to Mamma He's Crazy by the Judds, I was amazed at Sonnys licks, & incredible taste, one that blew me away, was 4&6 string B&C pedal from fret 10 to 15, Ive never heard that one anywhere else! au

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 21 Apr 2002 10:18 am

Al, it's funny you should mention "Mama He's Crazy", as this is the tune that spurred me to start this thread. I'm a Sonny fan!

[This message was edited by Larry Miller on 21 April 2002 at 11:21 AM.]

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 21 Apr 2002 11:25 am

Sonny is on all of Gene Watson's early recordings. Great tone, great creativity. Jody.

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 21 Apr 2002 12:05 pm

Yes, and he only does twenty five sessions a week!

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 21 Apr 2002 12:47 pm

Sonny never has got the recognition in the steel community he has deserved! Not to mention how humble he is.
Theresa

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 21 Apr 2002 2:04 pm

Guys and Theresa, I couldn't agree with you more! The following link is one I posted about Sonny: http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum15/HTML/001114.html

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 21 Apr 2002 11:29 pm

Sonny says he doesn't care about the credit, he wants the money! And he's getting it too!

Greg Derksen · Post by **Greg Derksen** » 22 Apr 2002 6:16 am

Sonny is one of my favorite players, and
alot of times its the small tasty fill ideas
he plays, I think he is a true stylist,
his vibrato alone is identifiable.
His work on Tim Mcgraw's "Everywhere" Cd
is incredable, David Ball's "Thinkin Problem"
Cd, lots of great steel on that.
Three solo's that I have to mention...
Solo on Kenny Chestney's " She's Got it All"
David Ball's " Look what followed me Home"
And of course the hook line to Tim Mcgraw's
"Just to see you Smile"
He seems to play with the timing in cool ways alot of times, when you think he would
come in on the beat, Sonny chooses to come
in on the and's, and like CJ said, smooth
as butter, Greg

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 22 Apr 2002 7:37 am

"Queen Of My Double Wide Trailer" by Sammy Kershaw is one of my favorite Sonny songs!

Tiny Olson · Post by **Tiny Olson** » 22 Apr 2002 9:08 am

I played on Gene Watson's recordings after Sonny, and those were quite the shoes to fill even though I wear 14Es.

One of my favorite Sonny Garrish rides was on Ronnie McDowell's "Wandering Eyes." That was out in about '81 or '82 I think. Very innovative, I think Sonny used an Envelope Follower or filter. A great ride with stacked harmonies that he's so good at...

Sonny Garrish is truly one great guy. He is one of the genuinely nice folks you will meet in your life if you ever have the good fortune to do so.

Tiny Olson

James Smith · Post by **James Smith** » 22 Apr 2002 10:19 am

Does anyone have a photo of SONNY GARRISH? Can you please post it here?? I have always wondered what he looks like. I don't ever hear of him attending any of the shows or anything ..guess he is too busy making all that money/music or maybe spending/saving it .

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 22 Apr 2002 10:24 am

*[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 01 May 2002 at 04:09 PM.]

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 22 Apr 2002 11:19 am

I liked the work he did on some of Red Stegalls albums, Especially "Texas Red". I lent my Stegall albums to someone a long time ago who skipped town with them though. Unfortunately these are out of print and I can't replace them.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 22 Apr 2002 12:05 pm

James,
Here's one picture
and one more
and one more

Those were found with a quick Internet search using Google.

Interesting comment, Gene.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro

[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 22 April 2002 at 01:10 PM.]

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 22 Apr 2002 12:11 pm

Sonny is the guy who got me hooked on steel guitar when I was trying to learn to play lead guitar. All his incredible work with the gospel group the Hinsons is the reason. Weldon Myrick's work on Hemphill recordings was another influence at the time.

Sonny does have an instrumental album that Tom Bradshaw produced called, "Country Soul Stew" and you should get it if Tom still has them in stock because it includes an interesting bio on the album in addition to some interesting playing.

As some have indicated, he probably single-handedly saved steel guitar in country music when all the artists were doing away with steel in the 1980s in favor of those stupid keyboards (DX7?).

With all those sessions he has done, it is a real mystery why he has not been nominated for musician of the year. It makes one wonder how valid those awards are anyway.

I thought it was cool how Steve Wariner thanked Sonny when he got an award for "Holes in the Floor of Heaven." The harmonics are fabulous on it.

I would like to catch him at work in the studio one day.

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Frank Estes - The Country Jazz Mullen

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 22 Apr 2002 12:20 pm

Larry,
I'm gonna show Lois this!

Theresa

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 22 Apr 2002 1:34 pm

*[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 01 May 2002 at 04:10 PM.]

Larry Miller · Post by **Larry Miller** » 22 Apr 2002 5:01 pm

Theresa, very cool! Thanks, Larry