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Post new topic Jimmy Day's Genius
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Author Topic:  Jimmy Day's Genius
Jody Cameron

 

From:
Angleton, TX,, USA
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2007 6:41 pm    
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I've been revisiting the "Shotgun Willie" album lately. Jimmy's steel break on "Sad Songs and Waltzes" was a stroke of genius, IMO. Nearly brings a tear to my eye, even after all this time. Smile

JC
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Emmett Roch

 

From:
Texas Hill Country
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2007 7:18 pm    
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If Jimmy's playing can't move you, you're a freakin' robot.
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Stan Paxton


From:
1/2 & 1/2 Florida and Tenn, USA (old Missouri boy gone South)
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2007 7:25 pm    
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A number of years ago I had the privilege to sit & watch Jimmy play in a small music store locally where he would come when he was in the area, and just sit and play acapella or if someone wanted to play rythym guitar or bass, for an hour maybe two or 3; like a get-away for him, just doing what he wanted to do. He was known by some as a "purist" steel player, all the times I saw him, he never used any effects units, just went straight into that wonderful amp of his from the volume pedal. Unbelievable the way it effected us who went there to see him in that setting. What he did in the studio, I don't know, but as a "purist" steeler, he was amazing. ...
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Jody Sanders

 

From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 19 Mar 2007 7:46 pm    
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Just thinkin' thet Jimmy is gone brings tears to my eyes. He did all this great playing using juat a steel guitar , volume pedal , two cables, and one amp. No accessories. His break on Johnny Bush's "Farewell Party" will bring tears to a glass eye. He was a phenominal player, great person, and a dear friend. I still miss him a bunch. Jody.
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Brandon Ordoyne


From:
Needville,Texas USA
Post  Posted 20 Mar 2007 4:12 am    
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I wish I could have seen Jimmy play in person. Johnny Bush speaks of him quite a bit in his new autobiography.
Brandon
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Terry Wood


From:
Lebanon, MO
Post  Posted 20 Mar 2007 5:43 am    
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Jimmy Day was Mr. Country Soul on the pedal steel guitar. He played it with feeling from the heart. It wasn't from tabs and instructions. Speedy West said of Jimmy Day that he had a life line that went from his foot to his heart, and that his playing moved Speedy to tears too.

I have shared this before on the Steel Forum, but here goes again. The Great Jerry Byrd and I were talking at the side of the giant ballroom at the big St. Louis Steel Convention Show around 1978. I was a youngster and captivated by Jerry's every word about the steel guitar. I will never forget Jerry stopped right in the middle of our conversation and said to me, "Just listen to how quite they get when Day plays!" I think Jimmy was playing "Danny Boy." whatever it was you could have heard a pin drop in that huge room with about 2000 people in it. I never forgot that.

Jimmy Day said himself "Play the Melody!" And boy howdy, did he ever do that! I miss him too and I will always listen to his steel playing.

May GOD bless each of you!

Terry Wood
Psalms 100:1-5
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Bobby Caldwell

 

From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 20 Mar 2007 6:43 am    
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I sat next to Jimmy many times on stage and watched him bring tears to many in the audience as well as the players on stage including myself. Then he would play an up tune and put a smile on everyone's face. He played from the heart and soul. He was a matster player and I miss him so much. I do have the memories of our musical times together and think of them often. Now I am going to put a Jimmy Day CD on the stereo and I can't wait. Love to all, Bobby
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Craig A Davidson


From:
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA
Post  Posted 20 Mar 2007 8:15 am    
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Good idea Bobby. I'll join you and bring the Kleenex.
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John Hawkins

 

From:
Onalaska, Tx. on Lake Livingston * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 20 Mar 2007 10:55 am     Jimmy Day !
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As with all the posts I read on this fine forum about Jimmy , I will be sending this link on over to my good friend Joe Day ( Jimmy's older Brother) who will be so happy to read all the nice things that all of you that posted , had to say about his Little Brother .Joe only lives 12 miles from me in Livingston, TX. We visit a lot !

Joe was very close to Jimmy and raised Jimmy from early in Jimmy's life ! For those of you who have not read Joe's writeup about Jimmy, go to the following address : http://b0b.com/jimmyday.htm
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John
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Darvin Willhoite


From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
Post  Posted 20 Mar 2007 3:01 pm    
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"I Love You Because" was my favorite JD tune. He played it softly and milked those dynamics. As has already been said, you could hear a pin drop at the conventions when he played those cryin' songs. I get goose bumps just thinking about it.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro.
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Pat Goodbla


From:
Longview, Washington
Post  Posted 20 Mar 2007 6:18 pm    
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My good friend Buzz Evans and I have had many conversations about Jimmy and his soulfullness. One of my favorite songs that Buzz does is one Jimmy wrote...."No One To Blame But Myself". The man could do it all!! Cool
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Patrick Goodbla

Pre-RP Mullen D-10 10/10
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Earnest Bovine


From:
Los Angeles CA USA
Post  Posted 20 Mar 2007 9:58 pm    
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Jimmy was more soulful than a Rastafarian with glaucoma. (thanks to the Colbert Report on Willie Nelson for that one...)
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Dennis Lobdell

 

From:
Freeport,Tx,USA
Post  Posted 21 Mar 2007 6:20 am    
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Good Post! Did Jimmy use the same rig for recording as for gigs? T.I.A.; Dennis
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Ray Minich

 

From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
Post  Posted 21 Mar 2007 7:19 am    
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I've acquired several Willie Nelson CD's, from the '70's, on which Jimmy Day played steel.
I've processed several of the tracks thru a "devocalizer", to turn them into back-up tracks. It is amazing at what Jimmy Day's pickin' sounds like with Willie's voice on-hold Smile
You can hear a lot of little doo-dads being thrown in that are otherwise too crowded out in the full mix.
Awesome stuff...

Jimmy's steel break in "I Don't Feel Anything"...tops in my book.
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