Did Bob Wills have a "Pedal" Steel guitar player

Scott Henderson · From: Camdenton, Missouri, USA

I am just curious. Was there ever a pedal steel player that actually worked for Bob. I go to western swing shows and don't see much non pedal stuff happening. I take both to the shows. I would appreciate any input from the Bob Wills historians we have out here.
Thanks!
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Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Hey Scotty! How's life after the move to Osage Beach?

I can think of at least three that were official Texas Playboys: Maurice Anderson, Albert Talley, and Phil Sperbeck. All during the 1960's.

I believe many pedal players worked with Wills when he was doing "singles."
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Terry Wood · From: Lebanon, MO

Reece Anderson was one that comes to my mind.

Terry

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

I worked for Bob Wills for three months in the first months of the '60s, he hated pedals, didn't like and wouldn't have any sound that was too "licky" or non-musical. He wasn't into anything but the melodies and pure harmonies. No silly country sounds, These were his comments to me, only once, but that was all it took. I do know of one other player that worked with him that played a sixth tuning and used pedals,(Reece) but not so you could tell it unless you were a steel player yourself. It was the Webb Pierce sound he said no to. (remember the time period), I was an employee of his band and not a "sit-in", later when he did a very few singles, I don't think he cared or noticed what the steel was doing as long as he didn't forget the melody.
Bobbe

Scott Henderson · From: Camdenton, Missouri, USA

I had forgotten about Phil, Maurice, and Albert. Bobby I greatly appreciate your input on BWs opinion on not just steel but his music in general. But it makes since because with the size of bands he used in his hayday no meledoy lines could lead to a train wreck real easy I guess. Thanks to all.
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D-10 JCH Dekley U-12 D-8 Magnatone Mullen RP Evans RE 200 profex 2 BJS bars
Dentyne gum (peppermint)

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Didn't Gene Crownover play pedals?....JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Ron Page · From: Penn Yan, NY USA

Give Bob Wills credit for his originality. Musically, though, I'd much rather hear Haggard's tribute alblum with Norm Hamlet play PEDAL steel.

Wills, Hank and others gave us timeless music, but I like their sound updated with the pedal steel. I'm sure others will disagree.
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HagFan
Emmons Lashley LeGrande II

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Jerry
Gene played non-pedal each and every time I saw him or did gigs with him in the 70's. Very Leon McAuliffe-esque in his style, and he had "the fastest thumb in the West." A great player, IMHO. A truly under-recognized steel hero.
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Scott Henderson · From: Camdenton, Missouri, USA

I agree Herb. Gene had a wicked thumb and was agreat
under rated player. And sorry i would have to disagree. Allthough I play western swing with pedals it gives the Wills sound and entirely different texture. It's 2 seperate beasts. I guess it's pure vs progress and niether are wrong in my opinion.
Herb We're loving the new house in Camdenton. I even have room for a recording studio which I am currently building.
_________________
D-10 JCH Dekley U-12 D-8 Magnatone Mullen RP Evans RE 200 profex 2 BJS bars
Dentyne gum (peppermint)

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Well, I'll tell ya, my favorite western swing album of all time is... "Buddy Emmons Sings Bob Wills" ! That recording just exudes so much infectious FUN, it's wonderful! And, of course, it's on pedal steel.

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Jim.I wonder if Buddy ever did ANYTHING that did'nt sound good,He always sounds like he was wearing a set of finger picks while he was still in the womb.don't you know.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Terry Wood · From: Lebanon, MO

Well, I guess Julian THarpe's licks wouldn't have tickled Bob's ear. Winking

I heard Julian do some great renditions of Bob's tunes and one of the nicest I ever heard was him with Wade Ray and Tommy Williams doing a Will's thing at Scotty's Steel Guitar Convention around 1985.

Next, I too love the "Buddy Emmons Tribute to Bob Wills" and the "Haggard Tribute to Bob Wills."

Scotty, I really dig you guys and your Western Swing group.

Terry Wood

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

One album not mentioned was the early 60's Ray Price tribute to Wills entitled "San Antonio Rose." Jimmy Day played E9 throughout, in his own inimitable style, which Price probably wanted anyway since that was his stylistic bag, so to speak. Great stuff!!!
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My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Dean Parks · From: Sherman Oaks, California, USA

New San Antonio Rose has some A-pedal moves towards the end. Pedal, or pulling the string with left hand fingers?

John McGlothlin · Posted 22 Oct 2007 2:36 pm

Some of the best pedal steel in western swing and Bob Wills music I have ever heard was the album back in the seventies by Vassar Clements called "Hillbilly Jazz" and he used the ever popular magic man with pedals know to us all as Doug Jernigan.

Andy Greatrix · From: Edmonton Alberta

If you used the peddles only to change tunings(as if you were changing necks)instead of using them for licks, it would work to get the authentic sounds.

Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

I think Vance Terry was the first pedal steel player to work with Wills. By the time he joined the band he already had pedals on his Bigsby.

Joe Shelby · From: Walnut Creek, California, USA

Don't recall hearing him with pedals, but as Herb and Scott said it, Gene is very underated in steel guitar history.
Wonderful player, though I always heard him more as a
very Herb Remington influenced (i.e. the Wills recordings on Liberty, from the early '60's) player.
Don't want to argue with Herb Steiner, his knowledge
is too vast...
If you can find the double LP released on Capitol,
entitled something like "Bob Wills Live in Concert,"
Gene is all over that one, especially fine is his solo on "St. Louis Blues," Bob says "tear it up, Gene" and he does.

Joe.

Joe Shelby · From: Walnut Creek, California, USA

Oh, and possibly before Vance Terry, was Billy Bowman, who it sounds like he may have used pedals on
the Decca/MGM Wills recordings.
Another thought, though I'm almost sure he didn't play with the Texas Playboys, Bud Isaacs could have fit in; witness his playing on "A Session With Chet
Atkins."

Joe.

James Pennebaker · From: Mt. Juliet, TN

I have a great old post card from Ft. Worth's Panther Hall from the 1960's. It pictures the Wills band with Albert Talley on what looks to be a Fender 1000. Leon Rausch bass and vocals, fiddlers Johnny Manson and Jimmy Belkins (and of course Bob), Jerry Case on guitar and who I believe is Billy McBay on drums. I used to play a lot of gigs with Leon and a bunch of the old Playboys back in the mid 70's and Tom Morrell always played steel. Makes me wonder if Tom ever played any gigs with Bob? Surely he did at some point. Morrell was definitely on pedals back then but he could have left the pedal bar in the case and you'd never have known the difference.

JP

Ben Rubright · From: Punta Gorda, Florida, USA

Question: What constitutes a good thread?
Answer: One in which the Bobbster AND the Herbster talk history. Thanks Scotty for bringing this up. I had the pleasure of meeting you a few years back at the now defunct (sigh!!) Ozark Opry.

Billy Wilson · From: El Cerrito, California, USA

I wonder what the list of all the Bob Wills steelers would look like.

Terry Wood · From: Lebanon, MO

Or how about the list of steel players and other great musicians and singers who recordd with or who played for the late ET or Ernest Tubb? Winking

Terry Wood

Scott Henderson · From: Camdenton, Missouri, USA

This has been a good thread. I was not so much curious as to the pedal thing as I was keeping the past present in our minds. The non pedal stuff can't go away. It is a big part of what we all do. I am not an exclusive player of nons or pedals. I like them all. I appreciate everyones input it's been very informative! Good to hear from you all. Don't let me stop you all just wanted to jump in and say thanks!
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D-10 JCH Dekley U-12 D-8 Magnatone Mullen RP Evans RE 200 profex 2 BJS bars
Dentyne gum (peppermint)

Charley Wilder · From: Dover, New Hampshire, USA

"I like the Bob Wills sound with pedals better than with non-pedals" Or "the Bob Wills sound updated": Those sort of statements always interest me. They are almost oxymoronic. Keep in mind Bob's own feelings about the pedal steel as pointed out on this thread! The idea that the pedal steel represents "progress" is only correct in a technical sense. NOT a musical sense! Otherwise we'd be burning our nonpedals and Dobros! Or be assigned a static position in the slide scheme of things, locked back in the midfifties forever. Sorry, I just can't buy that. That idea is what makes a lot of non- pedalers feel that they are "up to date" if they can successfully imitate the pedal steel. The two instruments are cousins not father and son!

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