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Topic: Essential Country Songs that every non PSG player must know |
Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 5 Aug 2015 10:36 am |
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I am now active in a small country band, playing a lot of covers from the classic honky tonk era and starting to add some western swing numbers too.
Since starting this project it's given me something to focus on and my steel playing has progressed more in the last year than at any time before. Unsurprisingly I'm often copying (or at best trying to flatter) the great players of the past and I thought I'd create a post that all can contribute to in a similar vein.
So let me have your suggestions for the "Essential Country Songs that every non-PSG should know". I suggest that the criteria for a song is that it contains an important riff or melody that every country player should have in their vocabulary. It might come from a PSG player but must be playable on a non-pedal instrument. Please avoid comments like "everything Jerry played on" or "just listen to Bob Wills", I'm looking for a focused list!
I'd like to kick off with Hank William's 'Honky Tonk Blues' as that is what I've spent the last 30 minutes listening to.
\ paul
_________________
\paul
Bayern Hawaiians: https://www.youtube.com/@diebayernhawaiians3062
Other stuff: https://www.youtube.com/@paulseager3796/videos |
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Joe Burke
From:
Toronto, Canada
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Posted 5 Aug 2015 11:25 am
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| Hey Good Looking is a good one. Always gets people clapping. Often even dancing! |
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Adam Nero
From:
Wisconsin
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Posted 5 Aug 2015 11:59 am
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Time Changes Everything for sure. Catchy, simple melody and a very doable twin guitar part built right in for you. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJqPk8VU11E
_________________
2 cheap dobros, several weird old lap steels, and one lifelong ticket to ride on the pedal steel struggle bus. |
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 5 Aug 2015 12:12 pm
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| Most anything by Bob Wells and the Texas Playboys or Hank Williams. |
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 5 Aug 2015 3:52 pm
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| Jambalaya. I guess by Hank Williams? Great tune for just singing or jamming with pedal steels, electric guitars and lap steels. |
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Nate Hofer
From:
Overland Park, Kansas
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Posted 6 Aug 2015 4:25 am
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Of coarse you need the instrumentals:
Steel Guitar Rag (whether you play it live or not)
Pan Handle Rag
Remington Ride
Vocal tunes:
San Antonio Rose
You're Cheating Heart |
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Norman Evans
From:
Tennessee
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Andy Henriksen
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 6 Aug 2015 7:16 am
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I play in a similar band. While many songs, I'm sorta making stuff up to support the singer and lead guitarist, there are a few that I have specific lead duties on:
Walking After Midnight is really fun and recognizable by darn near everyone.
You should definitely have a few ET songs in the repertoire - we play Thanks a Lot and Driving Nails in my Coffin, but there are several others with equally iconic steel intros and solos.
Some Lefty Frizzel stuff, too, is good - If You've got the Money lays out nicely in C6.
Family Tradition works out well in E13, but could be reworked for a different tuning.
We also play Bloody Mary Morning (on my C6 neck) and its a real hoot.
Swinging Doors is fun on non-pedal (again, C6 for me, but could work in any tuning, I'm sure) |
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Peter Lindelauf
From:
Penticton, BC
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Posted 6 Aug 2015 8:41 am
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I'd put a few Gram Parsons songs in the classic honky tonk category. Return of the Grievous Angel, Hickory Wind, and Sin City.
For an older tune, You're the Reason. Here's John Fogerty's version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc3uq90mT6U
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...but you are the music / while the music lasts (TS Eliot) |
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Jana Lockaby
From:
Kaufman, TX
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Posted 6 Aug 2015 9:02 am
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I can't believe no one has said "Roly Poly". I get asked to sing that one more than any other song I know. It's fun to play as wel.
Maybe it's a Texas thing? lol |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 6 Aug 2015 9:50 am
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Steel Guitar Rag
Sleepwalk
Your Cheatin' Heart
I Can't Help It
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Walkin' After Midnight
Wild Side Of Life / Honky Tonk Angels
Walkin' The Floor Over You
Waltz Across Texas
San Antonio Rose
Faded Love
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-๐๐๐- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video
Last edited by b0b on 7 Aug 2015 7:39 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 7 Aug 2015 12:04 am
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This is what I am after, thanks so much. I'm pleased to see that our program already covers at least a third of the suggested songs and most of the artists.
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| I can't believe no one has said "Roly Poly". I get asked to sing that one more than any other song I know. It's fun to play as wel. Maybe it's a Texas thing? lol |
I love that song, it's definitely on the "To do" list ... and our front man is from Texas!
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| Walking After Midnight is really fun and recognizable by darn near everyone. |
Yep, even here in south Germany. I play and sing that one!
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| Steel Guitar Rag (whether you play it live or not) |
LOL, yeah no matter how much you practice and how fast you get, it always goes off the rails in the gig - Now I know why Cindy used this as a right-hand exercise in her video!
and as for "Drivin nails in my coffin", here is my inspiration from the late great Buddy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnEMOQTh27s
_________________
\paul
Bayern Hawaiians: https://www.youtube.com/@diebayernhawaiians3062
Other stuff: https://www.youtube.com/@paulseager3796/videos |
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Greg Moynihan
From:
Bremerton, Washington, USA
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Posted 7 Aug 2015 3:51 am
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I learned to play Willie's vocal part for Crazy and Stardust, those tunes usually get a nice reception so long as I don't crash and burn.
Also Patti Page had great country and pop hits, I'm working on Tennesee Waltz and Old Cape Cod. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 7 Aug 2015 7:36 am
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| Peter Lindelauf wrote: |
I'd put a few Gram Parsons ... Grievous Angel, Hickory Wind, and Sin City.
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Who? Sorry, but these new songs are too modern, and therefore ineligible for consideration here. |
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Peter Lindelauf
From:
Penticton, BC
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Posted 7 Aug 2015 8:33 am
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If you don't know who, maybe check YouTube. Definitely the feel of classic honky tonk without being stuck in the 50s. A number of artists like Parsons, Steve Earle, and Dwight Yoakam have kept the genre alive -- in spirit and in their music. To my ears in any case but then I'm not a purist when it comes to what's ineligibile.
This version even has a honky tonk in it. Always wondered if that's a beer bottle hitting the floor at 2:34 or so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqf9p9MpZBU
_________________
...but you are the music / while the music lasts (TS Eliot) |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Jana Lockaby
From:
Kaufman, TX
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Posted 7 Aug 2015 9:43 am
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Gram Parsons is too modern? Well, I'm feeling really young now. Thank you. I suppose it would depend on your audience?
I agree. A lot of his stuff sounds very "country" to me. His songs might not be as familiar to a crowd in Texas, as they might be else where, but as long as people can dance, most of the time, they don't care. I've had people not from Texas, and one or two that were, ask, "Who is Bob Wills?", and they were not what you could call "young". (Shock!) lol
Not really what you would call "essential", but just a suggestion for the OP, Johnny Bush's song "Green Snakes" a fun one, and a crowd fav where I live. |
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Peter Lindelauf
From:
Penticton, BC
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Posted 7 Aug 2015 11:00 am
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Certainly the case, Bob. Point taken. But Hickory Wind (and the others) render nicely in A6 or C6 on lapsteel. Not quite what the OP asked for though. I digressed by including songs that sound good on lapsteel and are good honky tonk tunes. Pardon me.
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...but you are the music / while the music lasts (TS Eliot) |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Dustin Rhodes
From:
Owasso OK
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Posted 7 Aug 2015 12:43 pm
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| Thunderstorms and Neon Signs by Wayne Hancock. |
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Robert Allen
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 7 Aug 2015 5:58 pm
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| If you're playing in the honky tonks, you play whatever you want after 11 PM. |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 8 Aug 2015 9:42 am
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Just going to throw my own ten (รขโยฌ) cents in on the Gram Parsons discussion. Yes, he is outside of what I asked but then, it was listening to Gram's version of "Cash on the Barrelhead" that introduced me to the Louvin Brothers and that whole period of music so I'm not at all put off by any suggestion of his work!
\ paul
_________________
\paul
Bayern Hawaiians: https://www.youtube.com/@diebayernhawaiians3062
Other stuff: https://www.youtube.com/@paulseager3796/videos |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 8 Aug 2015 10:42 am
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I have a soft spot for Night Life.
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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