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Topic: Tennessee Ernie Ford |
Melanie ReMine
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 7:57 am |
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I am having a hard time finding the version of Tennessee Ernie's "16 Tons" (by him) that has steel on it. Can anyone tell me what album it's on and who played on it? (My guess is Jerry Byrd)
Thanks! |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 8:11 am
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It's available on several CDs, but I couldn't tell what was the original album. The steel guitarist was Speedy West.
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Melanie ReMine
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 8:16 am
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| Thanks! |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 2:41 pm
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A little trivia:
Cliffie Stone had a noon time radio show called Home Town Jamboree on Pasadena, Ca. Station KXLA (back in the 50's). Speedy West was the Steel Guitarist. Tennessee Ernia Ford was the News Announcer at the Station and who also could sing. Cliffie would have him periodically sing on the Radio Show. Cliffie then got Ernie tied up with Capitol Records and the rest was History. Speedy had the inside track on any Capitol records Cliffie produced including all of Ernies. Cliffie was Ernie's Manager for years. |
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David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 3:15 pm Ernie Ford
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| Speedy West was also the featured steel guitarist on The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show and usually performed an instrumental number on each show (some featuring him along with Jimmy Bryant). I have some of the transcriptions on CD. and they really demonstrate Speedy's unique style. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 3:29 pm
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The accompaniment for 'Sixteen Tons' and the b-side ('You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry') is by the Jack Fascinato Orchestra. It's just a small group, but that's who it was. The b-side is especially worth listening to! The arrangement is a marvel and it features the wonderful playing of guitarist Bobby Gibbons.
I believe Fascinato did at least five sides with Tennessee Ernie, all at Capitol. There's an excellent 2-CD package with a lot of Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant, as well as the aforementioned sides. It's on 'Razor & Tie' Records and called 'The Ultimate T.E.F. Collection'. Lots of great and varied sides on this splendid release!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Jussi Huhtakangas
From:
Helsinki, Finland
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Posted 28 Jan 2010 11:06 pm
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Ernie did way more sides than just five with Fascinato. After 16 Tons Fascinato and Ernie started a collaboration that lasted 15 years and around 20 albums, inlcuding Ol Rockin' Ern that had remakes of Ernie's old Capitol country boogie recordings. Jack was practically Ernie's band leader and co-producer who often even chose some of the material for Ernie. Fruitfull collaboration but I prefer the earlier sides with Speedy and Jimmy  |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 29 Jan 2010 4:35 am
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Sorry, Jussi - I bow to your greater knowledge of this - but, while I also like the Bryant/West tracks, there's such great musicality in the jazz-flavoured easy swing of 'You Don't Have to...'
Maybe there's a Bear Family set of all TEF's stuff? If so, it sounds like something I'd like to have!
Do you know what Jack F. actually played himself - was a he a pianist/MD?
I do love the 2-CD set I have, although it's a bit heavy on the Gospel side for my taste; still, that's all a part of the story, so...
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Jussi Huhtakangas
From:
Helsinki, Finland
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Posted 29 Jan 2010 4:45 am
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| Jerry, I meant the recut versions of the boogie stuff, I do like a lot of many of the Fascinato sides too. And yes, Jack was a pianist himself. |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 29 Jan 2010 4:49 am
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Who's 'Jerry'? 
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Jussi Huhtakangas
From:
Helsinki, Finland
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Posted 29 Jan 2010 4:52 am
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Why, that's you Roger!  Sorry, got you mixed with someone else!!! |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 29 Jan 2010 3:18 pm
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IMHO:
Jimmy Bryant was the Jazz side of the Jimmy Bryant/Speedy West recordings. Aside from Speedy's doo-was, bar chatter, and string raking. he was basically playing Western Swing Style passages in 6th tunings. However, Speedy's playing is what made the recordings commercially viable and appeal to the general public. They were great unique productions ! |
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Melanie ReMine
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Posted 1 Feb 2010 8:16 am
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| I adore Speedy and Jimmy! I've ordered the 4 CD set of their stuff, which includes the recordings they made with Ern. Speaking of Speedy West... can anybody give me some pointers on how to recreate some of his signature "licks"???? |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 1 Feb 2010 5:56 pm
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Listen and experiment. Most of his playing was in
E13 type tunings. Speedy picked up most of his licks from Alvino Rey, Noel Boggs, Curly Cochran, and Leon McCaulliff during the 40's. |
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Melanie ReMine
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Posted 2 Feb 2010 6:19 am
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| You're absolutely right... lots of listening and practice! I guess I should have been more clear, it's not really the licks I can't find, it's some of the "boings" and "tweets" and weird sound effects! I believe he used his tone control while slamming the bar onto the strings for the "wah" sound. Some people can do it so perfectly, but I just can't quite get it. Frankly, I'm afraid I'll damage my tone control... my guitar is old! |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 2 Feb 2010 1:35 pm
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| The hand manipulated Tone control is the secret to Speedy's effects and sounds. You need one of Fender's old tall knobs with a rough finish so your hand will not slip off as you flip it back and forth. Also need a "Pot" with a fast taper from bass to treble. Speedy had relatively small hands and he could really hold on to the Bar when creating the chatters. He also had good coordination between timing the Tone Control to his chatters and doo*wah's on the necks. This style got Speedy a lot of recording sessions but it finally fell out when the E9th Nashville style arrived. As far as I know Speedy never got into the new stlye of playing. |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 2 Feb 2010 2:37 pm
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The rough finish on the tone control knob is called a "KNURL".
Speedy explained the way to do the bar quiver is to grip the bar as firmly as you can, until your hand quivers. 
ROGER |
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Melanie ReMine
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Posted 4 Feb 2010 10:39 am
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| Thanks, guys! |
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