BB King's a steel guitar fan!

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I recently received one of those free guitar mags in the mail that's essentially one big advertisement. I was surprised to find an interview with BB King inside which confirmed that he's a big steel guitar fan ....

"In the beginning I was always crazy about the steel guitar. The country guys, they just killed me when they played the slide. I got one at home and I can't do nothing because I can't use the slide. But the Hawaiian people would get the same sound. I heard these Nashville guys play that slide, Oh man! I used to be crazy about it and I still am. A guy named Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys had a big orchestra ... he featured violins and they played Western Swing music. He had that guy that he called Leon that played the slide and he would say "Go Leon!" So I started trying to play. Since I couldn't use the bottle neck, I would trill my hand on the string and my ears would seem to say that sounds something like a bottle neck."

[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 30 April 2002 at 05:57 PM.]

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Yeah, that guy that he called "Leon". Now, what was his name...?

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Very interesting.

One of Aubrey Ghent's ambitions is to open for BB King--and I think he would fit perfectly. I actually worked on it when BB was playing here in N. FL once, but it never happened.

Roy Thomson · From: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada

BB is playing my area to-nite - Halifax, Nova Scotia.
I will not be there but my son will.

[This message was edited by Roy Thomson on 01 May 2002 at 09:32 AM.]

Kim West · From: Des Moines, Iowa, USA

according to all my old bob wills albums, LEON McAULIFFE sang and played pedal steel for bob and his texas playboys, from 1935 through to the end of the line for bob in 1973. contrary to popular notion around some parts, leon did NOT appear with bob in the "lightcrust doughboys" in 1931, nor with bob and his original playboys in the fall of 1933. if you'll indulge me, i'm quoting from the liner notes from a wonderful two-record set released on united artists records entitled "bob wills and his texas playboys for the last time", recorded december 3 and 4, 1973: "leon mcauliffe was born in houston on january 3, 1917. he studied guitar in his early teens, but became fascinated with the new hawaiian or steel guitar. when o'daniel fired wills in 1933, kermit whalen, wills' steel guitarist, left the doughboys and went with him. leon became the new steel guitarist with the light crust doughboys. he joined the texas playboys on march 25, 1935. on the [kvoo radio] broadcast that first day, bob asked leon to play a tune that leon had written but had not yet given a name. they later recorded it, and it became one of their greatest hits, and is a steel guitar classic called "steel guitar rag." there are authorities who believe that recording and the subsequent use of the instrument in wills' organization played a leading role in making the steel guitar popular in american music." the liner notes were written by charles townsend, for a biography he was writing about bob wills. anyway, i thought someone out there might be as big a fan of bob wills as i am.

Kim West · From: Des Moines, Iowa, USA

hey--did i just unsuspectingly fall into a big leon trap? i'm new here; be kind to me if y'all know something i don't know (which i'm certain you do...)

Glenn Suchan · From: Austin, Texas

It's too bad that B.B. didn't master the steel guitar. Look what an impact he's had on aspiring guitarists. I, for one, would have loved to hear him wail on a steel guitar on his quintescential album "Live at the Regal". Just think, everytime you hear a woman scream and faint on that album, it could have been from B.B. blowin' on a Sho~Bud.

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Kim, Jim Cohen forgot his winky face when he asked the question.

He does know which Leon BB is talking about, but thanks for the info. I'm sure some of the newbies learned something from your post, as did I.

Steven Welborn · From: Ojai,CA USA

I loved they way B.B. would go over to another player when they were soloing on stage and outstretch his hand and ear toward them as if to suggest to the audience..."listen to what he's sayin folks". B.B.....what a man! Wouldnt it've been swell if he had a steeler in his band?

Joerg Hennig · From: Bavaria, Germany

I just wonder why B.B. can´t use the slide?

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Yes, we all know who Leon was! Here's an interview with Mr. Mcauliffe:
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/001325.html

BB first became hooked on slide playing by watching his cousin, Bukka White. He just found that physically, he just couldn't make it sound right so he developed his famous vibrato in imitation. I'd love to hear BB trade licks with Freddie Roulette - now that would be something!

Kim West · From: Des Moines, Iowa, USA

thanks, andy, and everyone else. this is why i read this forum.

Tim Rowley · From: Pinconning, MI, USA

Kim,

Just a note to clear things up: Leon McAuliffe was with Bob Wills from March 25, 1935 up thru 1943, but did not return to the Texas Playboys after the war although he and Bob remained friends. When Bob reorganized the band in 1944, he used Noel Boggs on steel. Playing twin with and alternating with Noel Boggs was Les "Carrot-Top" Anderson in 1944-1945. Herb Remington started about 1946, then in 1947 or so Bob used Roy Honeycutt on steel for awhile, then Herb Remington thru 1949. Then Hal Clampitt for a short time in early 1950, then Billy Bowman until 1951, then Bobby Koefer, then Shorty Messer, then Billy Bowman again (actually Shorty and Billy played twin for a short while), then a short stint with Vance Terry, then Billy Bowman up thru the late 1950's, then Gene Crownover until early 1964, then Maurice Anderson, Gene Crownover again, Albert Talley, Phil Sperbeck, then Gene Crownover until the end of Bob's performing career in May 1969.

After WWII, Leon McAuliffe formed his own western swing band, the Cimmarron Boys, with whom he performed until disbanding in the 1950's when western swing music's popularity was waning. Leon kept busy playing steel and had a TV show for a while. Leon also played on the last 2 Texas Playboy recording sessions in 1971 and 1973 (organized by Merle Haggard).

Those who knew Leon McAuliffe say that he was not only a terrific player, but also just a great guy, an intelligent and interesting speaker, an excellent front man, and definitely a major trend-setting pioneer in the world of commercial steel guitar playing. Not to take anything away from Bob Dunn nor Billy Briggs, but Leon put the steel guitar into the spotlight, if not the limelight. I would like to have known him.

Tim R.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Just an afterthought, Leon McCauliffe DID NOT write steel guitar rag. The song was written by a black man named Sylvester Weaver who recorded it under the name "Guitar Rag" in both 1923 and 1926. The 1926 recording was recently re-issued on an anthology of slide guitar recordings called "The Slide Guitar. Bottles Knives and Steel."

Here is a link to the CD http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A9j6xlfge5cqr

Robert · From: Chicago

Although I am sure that BB King understood the difference between steel and slide guitar, this is (as we all know), a commonly blurred distinction. However, as the topic of SLIDE guitar came up, I have to mention a favorite of mine - a favorite of BB King's, as well: the late Earl Hooker. Not only a GREAT slide player (student of the equally-great Robert Nighthawk), but one of the most eloquent standard guitar players of his era.
He had "big ears" - enjoyed all kinds of music, and it all spilled out of his fingertips when he played. Like another blues great, Otis Spann, Hooker died at the age of 40. Chris Strachwitz at Arhoolie Records had the good sense to record Hooker in the 1960's - in fact, Earl covers "Steel Guitar Rag", which brings me full circle . . .

Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

BB King....Buddy Emmons on a blues/jazz album together,I'd buy it!!

Bill Ford

Michael Devito · From: Montclair, NJ, USA

Following up on Robert's Earl Hooker note:

Earl was maybe the smoothest slide player ever. And very influential. Otis Rush has been quoted as saying he loved Hooker's style so much he tried to get that sound without the slide. IMHO, he got it! Earl observed no musical boundaries. He loved steel sound period. For years he travelled on and off with Freddy Roulette, a rather unique lapsteel stylist; Roulette appears on many Hooker albums, often uncredited.

Something else about Earl Hooker: He learned from the great Robert Nighthawk, picking up on a soulful solo riff that's now part of the blues vocabulary. Listen to the solo on Hooker's cover of "Anna Lee," then listen to Nighthawk's original version, and to "Little Black Angel," just to reinforce the point. That same solo became Muddy Water's trademark slide riff when he switched over to strictly slide playing in postwar years.

Glenn Suchan · From: Austin, Texas

Earl Hooker. I haven't thought about Earl Hooker in ages. Check out Earl's slide work on his album "Two Bugs and a Roach" on the Arhoolie label. Another good one is on the ABC "Bluesway" label called "If You Miss Him, I Got Him" featuring John Lee Hooker as well as Earl Hooker. Good stuff!

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Tiny Olson · From: Mohawk River Valley, Upstate NY

It doesn't surprise me one little bit that BB is a fan of the steel guitar. It's cool to hear him mention the fact too.

As for Otis Spann and Otis Rush, well they are great and I agree with the statement regarding the vibrato used by Rush.

Tiny Olson

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