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Topic: Why so little mention of Buddy Merril?? |
Bob Carlucci
From: Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 5:36 am
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as one of the very elite in the rarified world of truly great steel guitarists??. Some of this guys stuff is great, and he is equally as talented on six string..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-6bAV-J_VU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcipRLzk4zM
Gotta love Lawrence Welk saying to him to "swing out", and then leaning over talking to him as hes playing, telling him to smile!...
and on an early Fender 1000.. LOVE the tone!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF05gVe47S4
This guy really is overlooked by many modern steel players in my opinion... bob _________________ I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time......
Last edited by Bob Carlucci on 8 Mar 2014 6:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Ray Gehringer
From: New Jersey, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 5:47 am
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Thanks for the videos. I enjoyed them both! |
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Roy Heap
From: United Kingdom
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 6:32 am
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Truly great videos, many thanks.Some player. |
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Dale Rottacker
From: Walla Walla Washington, USA
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 8:42 am
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I've always thought that Buddy Merril was a much better musician than LW ever allowed him to be. |
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Bernie Gonyea
From: Sherman Tx. 75092 ,U.S.A. (deceased)
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 10:30 am Buddy Merrill On Steel guitar
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I agree with, Barry; Buddy had loads of Unknown Talent which he NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW IT ON THE BIG BAND STAGE OF Lawrence wELK.. aT LEAST wELK ALLOWED bUDDY TO PUT A SMALL TASTE OF cOUNTRY MUSIC TO THE PUBLIC. bETTER THAN NONE AT ALL.rIGHT..??
_________________ 2007 Zum S-10; 1967 Sho-Bud [ D-10 ]; 85 S-10 Sierra; 1953 Multi-Kord [ 6 String- 4 pedals ] A Sho-Bro six String Resonator Guitar; Nashville 112 Amp; hilton Vol. Pedal |
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Ray Montee
From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 11:03 am For you scientific, mechanics of the steel gutiar world.....
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Did ANYONE notice?:
Buddy did a series of bar slams (or whatever you choose to call them) without the benefit of any mechanical device attached to his index finger and bar. When many of us learned to play, we strived to achieve the same level of success as Speedy West, and Noel Boggs and/or others that were using this affect.......without any tho't being given to any mechanical device or ELECTRONIC CUT-OUT switch.
Perhaps YOU noticed that in conjunction with his series of bar slams how expertly he utilized the TONE CONTROL knob with his right hand and once again, likely with no tho't whatsoever being given to any kind of dumb down electronic cut-off switch painted RED.
His finger harmonics on several of the tunes displayed how it should be done without any necessity to lie down atop the g'tar in order to perform them. Likewise, no need to attempt to invent a new way of doing a proven, decades old method for realizing perfection in harmonics.
Personally, I believe that too much emphasis during recent years, has been devoted toward dependence on mechanical or electronic gimmicks to play this wonderful instrument instead of a devotion and commitment of newbies to invest the same amount of blood, sweat and tears that the old timers ahead of you did, without even thinking about an easy way out.
These comments are contributed to generate responses from all who wish to play the steel guitar and discuss its special techniques without causing any
kind of ruckus or a need to be insulting. |
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Clyde Mattocks
From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 11:43 am
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I agree Ray. He was a master of a lot of different techniques. His playing still excites me today. _________________ LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Roger Shackelton
From: MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 12:43 pm Speedy West Style Tune?
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Does Anyone Know The Title Of The Tune That Buddy Played On The FENDER 1000. Deke Dickerson The youtube Poster Of This Tune Alluded To The Fact That It Sounded Very Much Like A Speedy West Tune.
Roger |
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Dave Hopping
From: Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 2:02 pm
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I watched LW regularly from the late Fifties up till the early Sixties,including the period when Buddy "had to leave town 'cause of Uncle Sam's deal" and Neil LeVang came in.I never saw Buddy play steel and didn't even know he did until years later.If the great majority of his airtime was on six-string,it follows,however regrettably,that most folks wouldn't think of him as a steel player.LOVED the Fender product placement,though! |
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Herb Steiner
From: Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 2:42 pm
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Does anyone recognize the brand of guitar Buddy is playing in this clip?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1lyOFeuMyY _________________ 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? |
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Craig Baker
From: Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 2:58 pm
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We watched the show often and I remember seeing Lawrence and the orchestra surprise Buddy and present him with a new Fender 1000 one Saturday night, right there on live TV. . . of course, Buddy was very delighted!
(pretty smart promotion guy, that Leo Fender)
Sincerely,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792
cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com
C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024 _________________ "Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name. |
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Craig Baker
From: Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 3:03 pm
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Well, Herb, I was going to say a Carter Starter, 'til I saw the diamonds. Seems like I had a Fender with decorative chrome diamonds.
Sincerely,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792
cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com
C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024 _________________ "Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name. |
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Doug Beaumier
From: Northampton, MA
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Herb Steiner
From: Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 4:55 pm
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Doug Beaumier wrote: |
IMO the best sound he ever got was on his Quad Stringmaster. Here's my favorite Buddy M. clip, “Steelin’ Homeâ€. ... Buddy Merrill on the Steel Kut-tar! --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHGpPr2xXG4 |
With the Fender logo discreetly obscured... _________________ 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? |
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Doug Beaumier
From: Northampton, MA
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Rich Gardner
From: Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 5:49 pm
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(pretty smart promotion guy, that Leo Fender)
Not as smart as F.C. Hall for giving the Beatles their Rickenbacker guitars. |
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Rick Schmidt
From: Prescott AZ, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 6:13 pm
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Buddy Merrill is truly a great musician and great guy! I've been lucky enough to get to know him as a friend over the last 25 years or so, and I've shared the stage with him quite a few times here in Southern CA (usually with me on bass, but a couple times with dual steels) Unfortunately he no longer plays, citing "just losing the fire" as the main reason...a damn shame IMO, but I can totally respect that it's his decision to make. Even though he was always a GREAT guitar player, it was the steel guitar that really turned him on. I really don't think that there are any accurate recordings of how great he really became on the (black) PP Emmons that was his main axe. The tone I've heard on some of those recordings never captured how fat and warm his sound really was live.
I sincerely believe that Buddy is the most logical choice to be inducted into the steel hall of fame!!! Nothing would give him (and myself) more joy!!! I'm sure there are many of us, like myself, who first saw and heard what a steel guitar was from watching Buddy on the Welk show playing for millions of viewers every week back in the day!
Can somebody here help make that happen???
Here's a pic of Buddy and me taken about 6 months ago, when he came to grace us at a gig I was doing.
Talk about true steel guitar royalty!!!
Last edited by Rick Schmidt on 8 Mar 2014 10:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Herb Steiner
From: Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 6:23 pm
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Rick
A bio and resume' should be written stating Buddy's history, accomplishments and contributions to the world of steel guitar. Submit the nomination to Chuck Lettes, who's the secretary of the Hall of Fame Committee. Then his nomination goes into the group of pickers already nominated and submitted to the committee for a vote.
That's how the process starts. _________________ 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? |
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Rick Schmidt
From: Prescott AZ, USA
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Posted 8 Mar 2014 9:45 pm
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Thanks Herb... will do! |
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Doug Beaumier
From: Northampton, MA
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Jack Aldrich
From: Washington, USA
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Posted 9 Mar 2014 11:26 am
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What a nice guy! _________________ Jack Aldrich
Carter & ShoBud D10's
D8 & T8 Stringmaster
Rickenbacher B6
3 Resonator guitars
Asher Alan Akaka Special SN 6
Canopus D8 |
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Daniel McKee
From: Corinth Mississippi
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Posted 9 Mar 2014 5:20 pm
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I have seen all those great clips of him on the lawrence Welk show and he sounds good in all of them.I also have an album that came out around 1970 of him that is really good.On the album cover he has an Emmons guitar so he must have stopped playing Fenders later on |
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Damir Besic
From: Nashville,TN.
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Posted 9 Mar 2014 8:23 pm
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what a awesome post..thank you so much..I remember in mid 80's when I got my first Fender 800 from Mr.Papic, I bought an Buddy Merrill LP record, and that one record was all I could find, I was always wondering, in those days, who was that man, how come he is such a wonderful musician, but I couldn't find any of his records.... well, if anyone is in touch with Mr.Merrill, please tell him thank you, for me, and yes, he was known all around the world, even in Croatia...
Db _________________ www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Richard Sinkler
From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 9 Mar 2014 8:53 pm
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The first steel guitar album I ever bought was a Buddy Merrill album. Bought it at Woolworth's in the 99 cent bin. _________________ Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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