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Topic: Steel player on Everly Brothers' "Sleepless Nights" |
Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 7:20 am |
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Anybody know who played the steel (with tremolo) on the Everly Brother's original version of "Sleepless Nights", and what album it was originally on? I've got it on a Warner Brothers compilation with no details and can't seem to find this info online though I've been trying. I think it's from the early 60's...
Something tells me that Roger Rettig and Jason Odd (among others I'm sure) would both know the answer to this one...  |
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Steve Hinson
From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 7:35 am
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Hey Pete...it might be Jimmy Day...I know he did some Everly stuff around that time...I guess it could have been Buddy Emmons, too...hope you are doing good...Steve
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http://www.myspace.com/stevehinsonnashville |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 8:28 am
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It was Jimmy Day on that session.
The track was originally a part of their first Warner Bros LP, 'It's Everly Time'. Jimmy plays on 'Sleepless Nights', 'What Kind Of Girl Are You?'and 'Nashville Blues'.
The fills on 'Sleepless...' are more like chord 'pads', but his blues-tinged fills on the other two are fantastic!
The single, 'Lucille', was cut around the same time period - I trust you've all heard Jimmy's TWO solos on that track. For years I thought it was a guitar-player (Chet?), but a chance meeting with Don E. in the mid-sixties put me straight!
'It's Everly Time' is a real masterpiece. Chet is all over it, too, and the production is perfect.
PS: The three sides featuring Jimmy Day were cut on March 8th, 1960. 'Lucille' was cut on June 8th the sae year.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Last edited by Roger Rettig on 2 Apr 2008 8:35 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 8:32 am
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PS:
'Sleepless Nights' is a lovely song (F&B Bryant yet again!!!), and it has beautiful chord-changes. Add the nice nylon-string guitar-part from Chet, and Don and Phil's exquisite harmony, and you have a perfect musical recipe....
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 8:40 am
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Thanks Roger, I knew you would have ALL the info (and more).
Thanks to you too, Steve; when's the next "45 RPM" gig? |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 8:48 am
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Speaking of Buddy....
..here's a picture of the Everlys (complete with their black Gibson J-200s) at the 6th Annual Country Music Disc Jockey festival in Nashville (11/15/1957).
Can anyone identify the guitar-player with the old Gibson L-5 standing behind?
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 8:53 am
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Kelso Herston? Also, is the 'suit' T Tommy Cutrer?
Now, can anyone identify the brand of cigarettes in Buddy's shirt pocket? |
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Glenn Suchan
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 9:31 am
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Viceroy?
I seem to remember Buddy saying the chevron on the Emmons PSG logo was inspired by the chevron on the packaging of the cigarettes he smoked. I believe he remarked the brand was Viceroy.
Barry, do I get a prize if I'm right? 
Keep on pickin'!
Glenn |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 9:43 am
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Come on, boys!!!
Never mind the 'gaspers' - what about the Gibsons???!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Glenn Suchan
From:
Austin, Texas
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 10:00 am
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Come on, boys!!!
Never mind the 'gaspers' - what about the Gibsons???! |
Oh yeah, right, the Gibsons....
Roger, I'll concede the Everly's guitars are J-200s. I don't think Gibson was bulding the Everly Brothers signature model in 1957. The Everly guitar, if I remember correctly, was a black J-185 with a pickguard that surrounded the sound hole, and stars for fret markers. Yep them twin J-200's look purdy.
I used to own a sunburst 1964 J-200. Sold it to buy a PSG, which I no longer own. Dang, I can never plan things right. 
Here's a link to info on the Everly signature guitar:
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/everly.html
I really can't see the other Gibson, but the keyhead looks right.
Hope all is going well for you, Roger. 
Keep on pickin'!
Glenn |
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Craig A Davidson
From:
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 10:57 am
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| I would say that the guitar player behind the Everly's is Ray Edington. He was a well known guitarist around Nashville for years back when it was still a place for country music. He played a lot of high G tuning sesions. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 2 Apr 2008 12:21 pm
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Hi, Glenn...
The first pair of J-200s that the Everlys had were standard sunburst ones - their earliest pictures show these (see the cover of their first LP 'They're Off And Rollin'').
I'm not sure of the exact chronology, but I think the next pair were the ones in the picture above. Black J-200s with double black laminated pickguards - the laminate ensures that the white outline of the 'guards can be seen against the guitars' black paintwork.
Then there were the light gray J-200s with solid black double pickguards (see the cover of 'Both Sides Of An Evening' LP).
These were followed by another black pair of 200s - these had large white double 'guards. Don Everly gave his one to Albert Lee who still proudly cherishes it today.
The first 'Everly Brothers Model' Gibsons were made in 1962 - a sunburst pair for the Brothers. The standard model was finished in black and had large double-guards in fake-tortoiseshell. Glenn is correct when he says that they were based on the old J-185 with a slightly smaller body than the 200, but the 'Everly' had the strings running through the bridge only (not the guitar's top) which limited their power.
These have become highly-collectible (only 488 were made), but they were never very good instruments. Even J-200s can be a bit of a disappointment tonewise, especially given their large bodies, and those big double pick-guards clamping the top's vibrations couldn't have helped much!
They are pretty, though! Here's a shot of the all-black/laminate-guard version; I don't know about their connection with Gibsons, and what arrangement was made - that's something I'll have to try and ferret out!!!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Last edited by Roger Rettig on 3 Apr 2008 2:23 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 3 Apr 2008 2:15 am
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Jimmy Day was also present at a much earlier Everly Brothers' session (for the Cadence sides - 'I Wonder If I Care As Much', 'Bye Bye, Love' and 'Should We Tell Him' recorded 3/1/57 at RCA).
Let's not forget, though, that another notable steel guitarist to be associated with them was Walter Haynes. Walter played on their 'Both Sides Of An Evening' LP (recorded in 1961 - also featuring Hank Garland).
For a long times I thought Walter had also played on 'Sleepless Nights' because the sound and style was similar to Haynes' work on that later album. Documentation surfaced that subsequently credited Day.
Alvino Rey did a Hollywood, CA date with them in the mid-1960s.
Buddy Emmons did sessions with the boys in California in the late-1960s - notably for the 'Roots' and 'Stories We Could Tell' albums. This latter album had 'Green River', and Buddy played that very distintive descending-chromatic intro that was such a feature in their stage act during the '90s. He was, of course, also in their road-band during that time, so he was there to reprise that great steel part in person!
Buddy also played on sessions for both brothers as when they recorded as individuals during their post-1973 split.
In 1972 they did an album with Chet Atkins for RCA called 'Pass The Chicken and Listen' . Weldon Myrick and Hal Rugg shared steel duties on these recordings.
I know you didn't ask for all this minutia, but I was awake early and I felt like filling in some gaps. There has been a lot of pedal-steel on the Everly Brothers recordings over the years....
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
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Posted 3 Apr 2008 3:54 am
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| Roger - you are a mine of information on this topic. I have a copy of Pass The Chicken And Listen somewhere. Prior to this post, I didn't realise the extent of steel guitar on the EB's recordings over the years. Amazing. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 3 Apr 2008 4:00 am
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Ken,
I love the Everly Brothers. They, and Lonnie Donegan, were the soundtrack to my adolescence. Sure, there were others, but those were the musicians that fired me up and saw to it that I became a musician myself.
My fascination with the 'details' is, I suppose, inevitable.
I've just re-read my posts above, and now I want a J-200 again!!!!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 3 Apr 2008 5:11 am
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Roger,
Always glad to have any info you've got on the Everlys, and steel on their records I particular. I've read all the earlier threads on the subject as they've come up and knew you were one who could answer my particular question, but I'm glad you didn't stop there.
thanks! |
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 3 Apr 2008 7:33 pm
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So is Ray Edington the mystery guitarist? 
And what about the suit guy? |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 3 Apr 2008 8:26 pm
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Buddy Emmons toured with the Everlys for awhile.
Brett |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 3 Apr 2008 10:09 pm
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Definitely Ray Eddington (two D's I believe) in the background. Eddie Stubbs did a great interview with
him a few months back. Lots of stories about his Opry and session days. It may still be in the WSM archives.
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LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 4 Apr 2008 8:25 am
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Guys,
I'm pretty sure that the correct spelling for Ray's surname is:
Edenton
I just didn't know what he looked like. He played rhythm on many of the Everly's earlier records, and he's played on many thousands of other Nashville sessions over the last fifty or so years.
The guitar in the picture I posted earlier in this thread is definitely an old Gibson L-5 - you can just see the big oblong block fret markers which identify it as one of these premier arch-tops. The 'flower-pot' headstock inlay is just visible, too, as well as that lovely little point at the bottom of the fingerboard.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2008 8:34 am
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Do my eyes deceive me or does Buddy's guitar in that picture say "Buddie" (not "Buddy") Emmons on the front?
(I know if so it's old news to many.) |
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Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 4 Apr 2008 8:56 am
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| It does say "Buddie"; I believe that's the old Sho-bud of his that's been on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame for many years. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 4 Apr 2008 9:26 am
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Wasn't that because he thought that having that 'symmetry' in his name (six letters + six Letters) would be a commercial 'plus'?
I thought I'd read that somewhere, but maybe I just dreamed it (  ); whatever the truth, he obviously decided against it later on.
That was one reason I posted the picture, actually - it's of relevance here on our Forum even if the average Everly Brothers fan couldn't care less....
Just think: Our Hero is just twenty years old in that photo!!!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Mitch Adelman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2008 10:14 am
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| It's funny that the Everly Bros thread came out the day after I watched the "Reunion Concert at Albert Hall" on PBS. The band had Albert Lee and a steel player who was great but I didn't know his name. Even after 10 years apart, Phil and Don were amazing and put all their harmony singer copiers (Beatles, Simon and Garfunkle and every one else)in the back seat. What a incredible show it was and thanks for all the history about the steel connections. Those Kentucky Boys were trailblazers for sure! DNA harmony is in a class by itself! |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 4 Apr 2008 10:35 am
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I believe Buddy's Sho-Bud with Buddie Emmons written on it is still at the Country Music Hall of Fame. I saw it the last time I was there and yes, it's the same guitar that's in the Hall of Fame.
Brett |
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