Must know pedal steel tunes for traditional country band

Wade Wilbur · From: West Virginia, USA

I did a search and found several threads about this, but nothing specific to this topic (that I found) and many were old, although I guess "traditional" country probably doesn't change drastically.

I'm looking to get into play pedal steel and was wondering what a list of must-know tunes would be for a traditional country player.

Thanks for any suggestions!

john buffington · From: Owasso OK - USA

Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Darrell McCall, Buck Owens anything in the era "when Country was Country", IMO.

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

And anything by Hank Williams Snr !!!! Laughing

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Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

The list can get as long as you like. Add most anything you like by Merle Haggard, George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Conway Twitty, Mel Tillis, Webb Pierce, Don Williams, Faron Young, and Willie Nelson.

And if you have a female singer (we do) - Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Emmylou Harris, Patty Loveless, Connie Smith, and Dolly Parton.

Wanna go even more folk-traditional - add the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, and the Louvin Brothers. Or obviously Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and Jimmie Martin and more if you're inclined that way.

Wanna go more neo-traditional - add Vince Gill, Randy Travis, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Ricky Skaggs, Dwight Yoakum, Marty Stuart, and Gary Stewart.

Or if you wanna swing more, add Bob Wills, Hank Thompson, Spade Cooley, and Asleep at the Wheel.

And there are so many more ...

Wade Wilbur · From: West Virginia, USA

Thanks for the replies. I'm really looking for specific tunes. As a new steel player, I won't be able to work on 100 tunes at once, I'm really looking for help in prioritizing.

Maybe the list is too long to narrow down; what do I know??

Maybe a better way to phrase my question is, "If you were talking to a new steel player, what are the first 10-20 tunes you'd tell them learn if their goal was to play in a traditional country band."

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

You should check my posting of Country Classic tabs for sale.
All the old standards are there, approx. 450+. Very Happy

Erv

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

Farewell Party
Look At Us
Together Again
Highway 40 Blues
Last Date
For The Good Times
Silver Wings
Your Cheatinâ€™ Heart
Boot Scootinâ€™ Boogie
Hello Darlinâ€™
He Stopped Loving Her Today
Walk Through This World With Me
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
Mama Tried
Heartaches By The Number

As mentioned above, anything by Hank Sr, Haggard, Price, Jones.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Specific tunes?
Gene Watson/Lloyd Farewell Party
Ray Price/Jimmy Day Crazy Arms
Faded Love
Moon's intros to Bottle Let Me Down and Mama Tried
Buck Owens/Tom Brumley Together Again
all spring to mind
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Andy Vance · From: Graham, Washington, USA

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Waylon Jennings, greatest hits.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Yeah - just look at the top hits with any of the singers mentioned - just listen for plenty of steel guitar in the tunes. A few by Hank Williams, and maybe 1-2 each by Merle, Buck, Ray Price, George Jones, Waylon, Charley Pride, Loretta Lynn, and maybe something a bit more modern like Vince Gill, Randy Travis, George Strait. Or any of the other ones mentioned. I picked those because they had some of the best steel players in the biz on their records.

As long as there's plenty of steel in the tunes, I don't really think it matters exactly which ones you choose. The idea is to get a sampling of good steel players doing standard intros/outros, backup, and solos. Chances are, if you're in a band, they will want to play a bunch of different tunes regardless of what you learn, and you'll need to learn them. Figure out how to learn what they're doing in your sample, and that should make the latter job easier.

I think it also makes a big difference if you pick tunes you really like. Motivation to really dig into a tune is really important, and that is easier if you love the tune.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Add Satin Sheets to the list of songs already listed in previous posts.
And Country Roads, At many shows I have played, The audience will join in on the chorus.

Before Covid 19, Last gig March 13,2020.
I played Steel with a band called Touch of Country from the Morgantown/Fairmont, WV area.
Touch of Country was usually the closing act, 1 Saturday Night a month, At Sagebrush Roundup, Near Fairmont. Before Covid 19 hit and the Governors Rules. At one time Face Book, Sagebrush Roundup, Page had Touch of Country's full show live on site.
Touch of Country was house band at 2 local shows. Alternate Friday nights, Between Mountain Heights and Country Roads Jamboree. Both in the Morgantown area.
If there is a local Jam Session, Would be a good place to check out.

Where do you live in WV?

Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

you have tons of songs given to you. Don't get too fancy, and just play your intro, and turn arounds, when given the nod. If you have a lead guitar, or a fiddle, A lot of times you can split the turn arounds with one of the other lead instruments. That will help you out a great deal. Like play the first 8 measures, and the other one plays the last 8 measures, or switch back and forth. You will be amazed, how easy the song flows. And by all means, do not try to over play the singers, by playing melody with them. Just do fills. Have confidence, and you will do just fine.
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Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

Also, here is a few very good songs to learn.
Wild side of life, fits many lyrics
Don't Be Angry, Stonewall Jackson
Green Green Grass OF Home, Porter Wagoner
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George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

In addition to the ones already mentioned, here are some more that comes to mind that I have played in different country bands:

Swinging Doors
The Bottle Let Me Down
Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me
Another Bridge To Burn
All My Ex's Live In Texas
Tennessee Waltz
For The Good Times
Make The World Go Away
Here In The Real World
There Goes My Everything
The Green Grass Of Home
Folsom Prison
Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away
Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound
Boot Scootin' Boogie
Dumas Walker
Release Me
Crazy
My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You
Invitation To The Blues
Charlie's Shoes
Johnny B. Goode
Tulsa Time
Amanda
Bobby McGee
Jambayla
Just A Swingin'
The Running Kind

William Carter · From: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA

Roger Crawford gave you a pretty good and concise list since you said you can't work on 100 songs.

You also said you are new, so here's my opinion. Start with Farewell Party. You can find free tabs on the Lloyd Green tribute site. That song is really good practice for harmonized scales up and down the neck. You will learn a lot just by practicing the intro and turnaround.

Also, you can fake your way through most of those songs on Roger's list, but if you try to fake the intro to Farewell Party and don't do the real Lloyd Green intro, everybody is going to notice. Not so much important on those other songs.
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Wade Wilbur · From: West Virginia, USA

Thanks to everyone who replied. Lots of good advice and suggestions! I appreciate your time!

I've put together a playlist with these suggestions to have on while I'm working and just listening, try to get them into my head.

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

Do you have a gig with a band yet? Do you have an audition?
Just ask the band leader for a song list and research the songs on youtube.

A while ago I started a gig (Pre-covid19) with a younger group of musicians. The leader sent me the titles of the songs they did. (Most of them I had never heard before)
I went to youtube and recorded audio snippets of each tune, to get the progression and signature licks. Then I made cheat sheet notes right on the songlist in red pen... It worked out well and I learned some newer songs.
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Dennis Detweiler · From: Solon, Iowa, US

When I started I just worked on intro's and licks that I liked from the songs that I liked (late 60's and 70's). Some are easy and some not so much. Intro's are most important for getting into a band. There are a few basic Montgomery Ward intros that fit many songs. The top 20 Country hits from each year through the 60's and 70's will get you there. Google a specific year.
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Don R Brown · From: Rochester, New York, USA

Wade, as a relatively new player, it will be difficult if not impossible for you to nail a bunch of songs dead on what was done originally. That is above my pay grade and probably above yours.

If you are "into" country music, you probably KNOW most of the songs suggested. My 2 cents worth is concentrate more on playing something that fits in and goes along with the song, and gets you back to where you can hand it off, without trying to get too "perfect". Most audiences don't care (or even KNOW) how Mooney, Franklin, Emmons or anybody else played note for note. For every break in a given song, there is an almost infinite number of things you CAN play on the steel, ranging from simple to complex. If you get to where you can play SOMETHING comfortably, as your skill improves you can spice that up as time goes on.

If you are coming into this being unfamiliar with the country classics themselves, as well as learning a new instrument, my hat is off to you but I really don't know what advice to give for that situation.
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Wade Wilbur · From: West Virginia, USA

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

If you're not in the band already, steal a copy of the setlist from the guys you want to play with. Try to learn those.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

MEH, I don't buy much of this...
If you are a new inexperienced player, you are not going to get many calls to go and do cold, unrehearsed gigs with good solid established "traditional country" bands.

You will likely get with a band closer to your skill level, and will be able to learn songs as you go and build up your repetiore of songs over time...

If you plan on being a free lance player doing lots of fill in type gigs with multiple bands/singers etc, and expect to nail every intro, outro, turnaround, and solo of all the thousands of songs you might be asked to play, well good luck..
Just too many possibilites.. There are bands out there still doing Ray Price, and some doing nothing but ""modern country"" but still want a steel for some reason.
No way to cover all the bases in between.. Throw in bands that mix in late 60's to late 70's country rock pedal steel songs that use the steel in a different way than "country" music of the same era, and its an almost impossible task.. What I will suggest is yes, listen to, and learn as much good steel playing from all eras as you can stomach, and simply become the best player you can be.. Your ability level will typically correspond with the gigs you get, and bands you play with in short order.
There ARE guys out there that can go out and know every intro fill solo and ending tag to thousands and thousands of songs from the 1940's to 2021, but lets be realistic, they are pro level or close to it, with decades of seat time with every type of band/singer out there, in every type of venue.

I freelanced for many years, and in my day, the bands were just happy I could get to the gig and get a steel to fill out the sound for a night, not all that worried about if I knew all the intros to the songs I have never played before.

Water finds its level naturally.. Be a good player, and you'll play with good people, its really that simple.

IF we ever get to the point where bands are actually playing again.bob
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Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Bob,
Good advise! Very Happy

Erv

Willie Sims · From: PADUCAH, KY, USA

IF I MAKE IT TO JULY 2 ,I WILL BE 95 YEAR'OLD.BEEN TRYING TO ,LEARN HOW TO PLAY STEEL GUITAR FOR ABOUT 75 OF THOSE YEARS.
MOST OF WHAT I LEARNED WAS ON THE BAND STAND,OR STAGE.THAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO LEARN.WHILE YOUR UNDER THE GUN,
EVERY BODY LEARN'S FROM PLAYING IN A GOOD BAND.

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