Waylong Jennings' steel player and bebop?

Alan Pagliere · From: Ann Arbor, MI, USA

I have a jazz teacher who says he once saw Waylon Jennings in concert (somewhere about 15 years ago?) and that he had a steel player who, on at least one tune, was playing some very cool bop solos.

Could that be? Anyone know who all were Waylon's steel players along the way who and which of them might fit that bill?

Curious.
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Alan Pagliere
MSA Millennium S-12 Universal
OnePSG

Pete Finney · From: Nashville Tn.

Sounds like it was probably Robbie Turner; he played with Waylon for a long time and is a great C6th player
(a great player, period!). Ralph Mooney would have been gone from the band by then, and as great as he is I don't think he ever played any "bebop" type solos with Waylon!

Alan Pagliere · From: Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Thanks for the info. I thought it might be him, but I can't seem to find any Robbie Turner playing C6 on the web. Got any links? youtube? any 30 second samples from any CDs?

Thanks!
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Alan Pagliere
MSA Millennium S-12 Universal
OnePSG

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Alan, go here and you'll hear Robbie playing C6 in the background: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=173071153

Alan Pagliere · From: Ann Arbor, MI, USA

I had found that link, and it is nice playing. Very Western-Swing-y but not, sadly, not bop-ish.

In any case, I will report to my teacher that the steelist he heard is almost certainly Robbie Turner.

Thanks again.

Alan
_________________
Alan Pagliere
MSA Millennium S-12 Universal
OnePSG

Mike Cass · Posted 12 Jul 2008 7:02 pm

I played steel guitar for Waylon in '94 & '95. I got the job from Fred Newell when he took time off to do staff steel on Ralph Emery's daily TNN afternoon show, which was broadcast live from the Opryland Gardens. Fred and Hoss were old friends and he had been with him on steel for a couple of years when they hired me, and again for 1 year right after I left. Fred was then followed by Robbie, who he had gotten the steel gig from in the first place in the early 90's when Robbie found himself simultaneously doing Waylon's show, the Highwaymen, and his studio work had started to pick up. That was one busy boy!
I do remember being surprised at being asked to play C6 on a few things on the show but I cant remember what they were...I think something on Jessie's opening segment and another later in the set, but I wouldnt call ME a bopper if it might have been me that your friend heard Smile

Also I remember breaking a 5th string once on E9 just before my solo on "Ive Always Been Crazy" which was sort of a jam tune with multiple solos. If Travis Tritt was on the show or visiting he would always play acoustic guitar with us on that tune(whatta hot flattop picker!)and a few others, and thats how it got be a regular jam, TT's presence notwithstanding. Anyway, I had to jump necks and wing it, so maybe your teacher caught me that night in one of my more innoprotune moments.
Waylon loved the blues though, and if the time was right he didnt mind hearing the back neck as long as it fit.

Alan Pagliere · From: Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Thanks, Mike, very much for the info.

I'll let my teacher know it may very well have been you he heard.

When you play C6, do you play it mostly for blues or swing, or do you also play straight up jazz?
_________________
Alan Pagliere
MSA Millennium S-12 Universal
OnePSG

Mike Cass · Posted 14 Jul 2008 12:13 am

Alan,
Youre welcome. Nashville is so inbred Laughing

Most of my live musical opprotunities to improvise have always revolved around trying to jazz up western swing a little bit, as long as Im not in a purist-type situation. I like blues, but outside of Nightlife or such Im not really into blues on steel. Some excel at it but its not my thing. Id rather grab an old National and go that route.
I always wanted to be a legit jazzer and in my teens I took jazz improvisation lessons from a great sax player named Eddie Berger. After several months of getting together he told me I that needed to choose between the front neck or the back one. I was 16, had quit school and left home and I was playing 6 nites a week in a country band to support myself so the decision was seemingly an obvious one.
Ive worked on trying to play bebop for most of my time at the steel guitar(not without alot of help and encouragement from Buddy Emmons)but even back at age 16 I knew Id miss E9 too much to completely give it up to bop, $$ notwithstanding.
Some players can divide their attentions between musical genres but I dont seem to be built like that.
I do know a number of heads and changes to jazz tunes, but the best I can manage on improvisation is to find a nickel in a pig track....on a good day Wink

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