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Topic: Herb Remington - The Turning Point? |
Jeff Harbour
From:
Western Ohio, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2018 4:15 am |
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Others may have a different view, and that's fine. But, in my opinion, the biggest turning point in the history of Steel Guitar was September 1946... The first time Herb Remington appeared on a Bob Wills recording. For me, That was the point where Steel Guitar began to get really exciting.
I've heard many steel recordings from that era and earlier, and his playing grabs my attention like no one before him! This is nothing against Leon McAuliffe, or Noel Boggs, or Les Anderson... All fine players, but to me their better work came later in their careers (Leon & Noel that is, I haven't heard Les beyond Bob Wills).
So, I've bought an album of Herb's here and there. But, until recently I had never counted them. As it stands, I have at least 14 of his albums! I guess I'm a fan! Lately I've been listening to all of his stuff, and I can't get enough!
I'd be interested to hear other opinions on "turning point" players... and I'd like to know if anyone else feels the way I do about Herb. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 16 Aug 2018 5:44 am
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You're overlooking the great Hawaiian players who inspired, in particular Sol Hoopii, the first steel guitar superstar.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Jeff Harbour
From:
Western Ohio, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2018 5:59 am
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Ah... I have some early Hawaiian stuff, but not much. I'll have to dig into that. Thanks! I know I have some of Dick McEntyre, but I don't think I have any Sol Hoopii recordings.
Juaquin Murphey also came to my mind, who I think may have come onto the scene a few years before Herb. But, his playing is much harder to find.
I just feel that Herb seemed to have changed the overall 'energy' level of steel guitar playing. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 16 Aug 2018 6:05 am
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I love Herb’s playing dearly. He was also greatly influenced by Hawaiian players, as was Joaquin. Speaking of Joaquin, he was a force nature and very influential. Check out the live Spade Cooley recordings from 1945. He was like the Django of steel guitar.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Mitch Drumm
From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
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Posted 16 Aug 2018 8:03 am
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Herby was absolutely rip-roaring on the Wills "Presto" transcriptions from the late 40s.
I think these were also called "Crosley" transcriptions, after the car maker of the same name.
Several dozen titles, with the band including the wonderful Mancel Tierney on piano, Alex Brashear, Tiny Moore, etc.
The sound quality is a little dodgy and they aren't as easy to find as the much better known Tiffany transcriptions. Not in wide circulation, but there were some LPs of this material released in the 1980s if not earlier.
Joaquin was a world unto himself, with over 400 recording appearances out there.
Re Hawaiian:
Over 1000 vintage Hawaiian 78 rpm recordings at this link.
Listen or download.
Pay particular attention to those on the Bell label---the cream of the crop from the early postwar era.
A lot of those steel rides could have been dropped right into mainland western swing or country recordings of the same era. And probably should have been. Do you want to hear Jules Ah See take off or some hack who just fell off a John Deere?
https://tinyurl.com/yatoypg2 |
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Todd Clinesmith
From:
Lone Rock Free State Oregon
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Posted 16 Aug 2018 9:14 am
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I love Herb's playing. I agree he had quite a unique energy . Those presto recordings as Mitch states are excellent. I hear a lot of Vance Terry's phrasing he got from Herb on there. Herb was probably a turning point in Wills' band.
As for Joaquin, my absolute favorite recordings are with the Plainsmen in the mid 40's. Especially the live material from the Hollywood Barn Dance, if you can find it. In the small combo he really shines. His back up and use of the volume knob for "violining" effect, is some of the best steel playing I'd ever heard. I'm unsure of his age in this era, but I assume around 17.
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face book page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clinesmith-Instruments/1457245817911268?ref=bookmarks |
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Walter Stettner
From:
Vienna, Austria
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Posted 18 Aug 2018 10:33 am
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The Tiffany Transcription series always has been among my favorites. These recordings show a band at their high point, with Bob in best shape and, man, those boys "Tiny, Eldon and Little Herbie" as the boss referred to them did some of the most unbelievable three-part harmonies one can think of, executed with total mastery and precision.
I still have fond memories of Herb when he came to Austria in 1996 for a series of concerts with a local Western Swing band. At the time we had some extended conversations and he told me a million stories of these days. Among them that they recorded Transcriptions on several occasions with only short notice and no confirmed set list. They often tried new tunes or older ones in different arrangements, with only a few hours of preparation time to work it out. And they sound as fresh, lively and exciting today as they did in the 1940s!
Kind Regards, Walter
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www.lloydgreentribute.com |
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