Hank Snow Steelers

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

I just got an Essential Hank Snow CD with the Best of Lefty Frizzell CD this AM.
Both recomended by Red Rivers a few weeks back.

I'm trying to pull some good roots stuff out of the archives. In this case stuff I had long forgotten as I wandered around the musical universe.

Couple this with Hank W. and you pretty much encapsilate the whole post Jimmy Rogers era, and a major transition period for steel.

There is some great steel work on both,
but no credtis for the HS. cd. I would say the steel is more forward on the HS. too.

You can hear a transition to pedals, and between the two cd's a clear development of the Nashville Sound. All of a sudden an E9 jumps up and says hello.

From that point of view it was a very good pairing.
And yes the cats could sing!

Recordings go from 1950(49) to 1973.
Several of the later ones are produced by Chet Atkins.
Any ideas who was playing, and their tools and tunings.
Thanks guys n. gals.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 06 August 2003 at 01:59 AM.]

Roger Shackelton · From: MINNESOTA (deceased)

Big Joe Talbot was one of Hank Snows early steel players, ca. 1950.

Roger

Robert Rogers · From: Manchester,TN

And also Kayton Roberts and My friend Jimmie Crawford.

Mac Bellingrath · From: Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA

On most of Hank's older recordings, it was Joe Talbot. I worked for Joe briefly about 25 years ago, and he and I talked once or twice a year until he died two or three years ago. As I remember the statistic, Joe played on about 95 of the 125 recordings that Hank Snow made.

All of the work that Joe did was on lap steel; six-string, I think. The lap steel that Joe last had was a Gibson tuned to C6, which I think is what he used with Hank. From 1 to 6, I think it was E,C,A,G,E,C. Joe had great memories of what a great band Hank had. Joe never played pedals to my knowledge.

Joe must have been 6'6", which is why people called him Big Joe Talbot. I will never forget his appreciation of a beautiful melody. He taught me a lot about how to listen to music.

After he played for Hank Snow, a circuitous path led him to the record pressing business, and it seems to me that his companies did a lot of contract pressing for RCA. He also was in the music publishing business, and I think he had the publishing (or half the publishing) to "Crystal Chandeliers."

Joe had degree, I think a graduate degree, from Vanderbilt. He was renaissance man who had heard it all and chose country music. He was one of the greatest people I have ever known.
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Lefty Pedalmaster D-10 8x5, Nashville 400

[This message was edited by Mac Bellingrath on 05 August 2003 at 07:39 PM.]

[This message was edited by Mac Bellingrath on 05 August 2003 at 08:02 PM.]

Danny Spinks · From: Hendersonville, TN, USA

I think Buford Gentry was there in the late 50's to maybe early 60's.

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

Buford,I believe,followed "Big Joe". Of course,Hank's last one was Kayton Roberts. If I'm not mistaken,Jerry Merhar was somewhere in between there.

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  ~ ~


  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


       www.ntsga.com

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Hi guys thanks, Big Joe was a fine player based on what I have heard here. Hawaiian and jazzy, but still country.
Good compliment to HS.'s eclectisizm. The renaisance, Leonardo Da Vinchi of the steel, mebe.
HS. could graft other styles on to country and make it work.

I prefered the earlier steel work on the CD. Warm, smooth and adventuous.
They clearly gave him his head to play as he played, and not in a stylistic box.

I don't think Chet was the best producer for Hank, as much as I love Chet's work in general. It got a bit generic on later cuts.
And judging from the earlier cuts it wasn't Hank getting too mellow
Curley Chalker would have been a perfect for for him too. I just imagine what they would have done together.

In general you hear Ray Price as the logical conclusion of the musical voyage I heard here.
And " Time " being a reprise of the stylistic period. Homage paid where due.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 06 August 2003 at 02:06 AM.]

Ricky Littleton · From: Steely-Eyed Missile Man from Cocoa Beach, Florida USA

Don't forget Howard White was in there also. Played pedals with Hank for a while. Read Howard's book "Every Highway Out of Nashville" sometimes for some good info.

Ricky

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Emmons LeGrande - 8x4
Session 400 Ltd
Dan-Echo, E-Bow, Ibanez Distortion, Boss Comp./Sustain, Ibanez Auto-Wah

[This message was edited by Ricky Littleton on 06 August 2003 at 06:38 AM.]

Vernon Hester · From: Cayce,SC USA, R.I.P.

Howard White was in the studio with us when we did the demo for "Fool Such As I" about 1951. He was working with Hank at that time. Howard had a beautiful tone and touch on the non-pedal steel.
Vern

[This message was edited by Vernon Hester on 07 August 2003 at 02:17 AM.]

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Hi Vern, who was playing on the session?
And what intrument and tuninging did he play on the steel?
Actually what did everybody play?
What was Hanks guitar? It has a fine sound.

My Welsh mandolinist suddenly started singing A Fool Such As I,
out of the blue when I had the CD in the car the other day.
I was surprised because normally he does old Irish and English dirges
where everyone dies, often in groups of 100 or more.

Seems he used to do it on the French / English buskers circuit.
I think Hank would have found that amusing.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 07 August 2003 at 03:37 AM.]

Roy Ayres · From: Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

One day in the 40's Pee Wee King asked me if I knew a steel player who wanted a job. He said that Joe was leaving Hank to go to college full time. I referred my brother, Vearl, to Hank and Hank hired him. It wasn't but a few weeks, however, until Joe changed his mind and returned to his old job. Vearl respected Joe and felt honored to have replaced him for a few weeks. As far as I know, they did not do any recording during his short tenure.

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

Well,I just learned something yesterday.(8/6)
I was visiting with Lloyd Green,& found out that HE played on Hank's recording of "Hello Love". Ya just never know where LLG is gonna show up,now do ya?

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  ~ ~


  ©¿©  It don't mean a thang,   


  mm   if it ain't got that twang.


       www.ntsga.com

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Hello Love is the last song on the CD.
I will give it a listen when I get out to the car next. Thanks.

No, info for the Lefty Frizzel and Curley Chalker thread I started?

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 07 August 2003 at 05:55 AM.]

Vernon Hester · From: Cayce,SC USA, R.I.P.

David,
This was a Demo session for Robbins Music, before Hank or anyone recorded the song. We were in a studio in Charlotte,NC. Roy Lear (Arthur Smith's vocalist and Bass player), Dewy Price of WBT radio Brairhoppers,guitar, Clyde Costner ,lead guitar and myself ,steel guitar. Howard was from the Charlotte area and was visiting with us at the session.We recorded straight to disc and he must have taken a copy back to Nashville for Hank Snow, I went off to Phila to work with Jim Gardner's group and the next time I heard the song it was on umteen labels with our same arrangment.
Vern
Vern

Vernon Hester · From: Cayce,SC USA, R.I.P.

David,
This was a Demo session for Robbins Music, before Hank or anyone recorded the song. We were in a studio in Charlotte,NC. Roy Lear (Arthur Smith's vocalist and Bass player), Dewy Price of WBT radio Brairhoppers,guitar, Clyde Costner ,lead guitar and myself ,steel guitar. Howard was from the Charlotte area and was visiting with us at the session.We recorded straight to disc and he must have taken a copy back to Nashville for Hank Snow, I went off to Phila to work with Jim Gardner's group and the next time I heard the song it was on umteen labels with our same arrangment.
Vern

Jack Byrd · From: Kalamazoo, Michigan

Well it may come as a surprise to some but Jerry Byrd played on Hank's LP album "Snow in Hawaii". It was RCA Victor 3737.

Butch Foster · From: Pisgah, Alabama, USA

What an interesting and enjoyable thread! I really like the steel backing of Hank's guitar breaks. The steel backing on Hank's vocal, recitation numbers ( "Rainbow's End", for example) was really great! Thanks everyone! Keep those facts and memorable events coming!

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Yes Butch I have been enjoying this very much also. As well as Hanks work.
He really seemed to have given his steelers their head to do something interesting not just a rehash of earlier steel licks. A more jazzy / hawaiian harmonization than I would have imagined.

Keith Currie · From: Shellbrook, Saskatchewan, Canada

In the life story of Hank in Nova Scoia I believe that Hank's fav Guitar was a D28 Martin, which he had redun to look like a D 45, I seen him a few times and it always sounded better then Great.
I have one but it never sounds as good as his did.

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Dave A. Burley · From: Franklin, In. USA

Some interesting trivia on a sad note.
Jimmy Widener played bass for Hank Snow many years during the sixties and seventies. I believe that Kayton Roberts was on the steel guitar and Johnny Johnson was on rhythm.
Those that are aware of Johnny remember that he played with about everyone out of Nashville at one time or the other.
Jimmy Widener was murdered in the Alley in Nashville about the same time that Stringbean and his wife were murdered.
This post might not belong in this thread, but, Hank Snow has been mentioned many times so I hope no one minds.
I have great memories of working for Hank Snow, not as a musician but as an advance man for many of his bookings.
Thanks,
Dave A. Burley

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Dave B. No problem, it's sad but interesting.
Did they ever catch the culprets?

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

Apparently, Hank really dug Big Joe's playing, because Kayton Roberts told me that Hank asked him to play like Joe when he hired him.

While Joe has his claim to fame playing for Hank, Kayton I believe, was with Hank the longest, and I have always loved his playing. It has JB throughout and yet it is still Kayton.

This is why I simply had to have him at the first Atlanta show. Kayton had refused to play at any convention prior to that. He said, "the people don't care for my type playing any more. They want them pedals."

Well, the people gave him 2 standing ovations, and when I asked him on stage, "Kayton, if I do another show next year, will you come?" he said, "You would have to drive me away".

The above moment I shall take to my grave. It was truly awesome. There were tears all over the Hall when he played. The moment I treasure the most was when an encore kicked off (unknowlingly to Kayton), by David Russell on "Moving On". That tore me up. As it did many who jumped to their feet and applauded when Kayton did the "classic Joe Talbot lick" on that original recording of Hank's legendery hit recording.

May Jesus rest Big Joe's soul; and continue to bless Kayton's unprecedented playing; and richly bless all of you,

carl

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Carl, I can see why he dug him, and I wish I had seen that show. For me he really did a lot to make Hank's music interesting.
It's great music, a bit dated now, but still good, it still stands up.

But the steel work really must have been pretty hip in it's day, because it still grabs me now.
Somewhere between Don Helms and Jerry Byrd.
And that's a very interesting place.

I also think for his day, Hank was doing a Robert Randolph thing, taking his music and adding other genres to it, and making something new but recognizable to his fans.
Like Rhumba Boogie or I Went To Your Wedding.

And the jazz / hawaiain harmonies on the steel on a of lot of cuts. It must a been wild for some of the more "backwoods folk" listening on their little radios hearin' that come out the first time.

Charlie Fullerton · From: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

For those of you who have some of Hank's very old records, done in Montreal; I'm told the steel player on them was Jean (Johnny) Beaudwin. He only played on the records; when Hank toured, he picked up local guys like Bernie O'Connell.
BTW: Bernie says that when he was with Hank, in the early fifties, Hank insisted that he use E7th or E6th -- Bernie played a six, maybe two.

ed packard · From: Show Low AZ

C.F.; Hank (Clarence Eugene) Snow's early things were on Bluebird records, I believe that this was a Canadian Columbia branch. I love it because I grew up (teens) on it in Halifax. First tunes that I learned on Hawaiian guitar were Blue ranger (with the triplet first string lick), and Blue Velvet Band.

Hank had a taste for Hawaiian music, and wrote several tunes with Hawaii in the lyrics.

Could never remember the name of the steel player on the early recordings, thanks for filling in the blank, ..as I recall, Hank sometimes referred to him as "Frenchy", but then, everyone that was French was referred to as Frenchy by the Anglophones in those days.

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