Willie Nelson w/PSG on Jay Leno!

Skip Cons - II · From: Lago Vista Texas

Casually listening to TV off to one side, I heard Willie being announced and heard the band start up and about fell off my chair when I heard the distinctive sound of an E9th steel!.
I whipped around to see, prominently presented to stage right, was an REAL PSG being played by someone in a black leather jacket with wavy brown hair. I couldn’t see his face up close, nor could I make out what brand PSG it was. But this guy was front and center and leading most of the way. A piano to stage left was also doing some lead, but the PSG was forefront for most of the time. Who was that Steeler?
A new page in the saga of Willie? Or is he now kinda filling in the gap left open by the sinking ship USS Nashville.

Greg Simmons · From: where the buffalo (used to) roam AND the Mojave

Pretty sure that woulda been Greg Leisz.

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Greg Simmons
Custodian of the Official Sho~Bud Pedal Steel Guitar Website
shobud.cjb.net

Dave Horch · From: Frederick, Maryland, USA

YEAH! I saw that too and couldn't believe the steel was featured so prominently in the song and on the broadcast images. I was wondering who was behind that older Emmons...
Nice job Mr. Leisz!

Best, -Dave

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Mullen (See! No "S") D-10
Photo page

[This message was edited by Dave Horch on 06 February 2002 at 12:08 PM.]

Rich Weiss · From: Woodland Hills, CA, USA

Yes, it was Greg. He played on Nelson's new album. He sounded great last night.

B Bailey Brown · From: San Antonio, TX (USA)

Interesting post…well, at least to me it is! I remember talking to my old high school buddy David Zettner who worked for Willie playing Bass, while looking over jimmy Day’s shoulder for years, and after Jimmy left the band he played steel for several years.

I remember asking David why Willie didn’t use a steel anymore. His answer was very simple. He said that after “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” sold as many records as it did, it changed the whole sound! Willie is a great songwriter and musician, but he is also a businessman. He is going to go “where” the money is. Good for him!

David told me that Willie actually loves a steel guitar, but there are only a few guys that can catch his ear when it comes to the instrument. Jimmy was certainly one of them, and David was another. Additionally, he mentioned Weldon Myrick who played on one of the last RCA albums Willie did. He said Willie loved that album.

B. Bailey Brown

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

I was playing a Sho-Bud at Shot's store on Broadway when someone behind me put their hand on my shoulder and said: You sound like Jimmy Day !! I turned and looked and it was Willie. Two of my heros in one minute was a lot to take. I think I blurted out a thank you or something and he was gone.

That was right after his home burned and he was in getting some things he needed replaced. You never forget something like that.

Regards, Paul

Bowie Martin · From: Wilson, NC USA 27896

Hate to admit it, but Willie is still one of my favorite singers, but it was sure let down/disappointment when he dropped the steel; just never had the same wonderful sound...Can someone tell me what his new alblum is with the steel? I still play his on alblum with Waylon, Jesse, and Tom Paul on it..boy was that good stuff.

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

I heard Willie had a steel now so I was waiting to watch the tonight show.

Sure enough there it was and played beautifully, with great taste.

That is the way to play steel behind a singer.Good show....al

Bruce Derr · From: Lee, New Hampshire, USA

I was playing with my band at the City Limits in NYC in 1980, and Willie walked in with Amy Irving on his arm. After talking with him during our break, he came up to sing a few songs, which turned into a full-length set! It was basically a Willie concert. I wouldn't say my steel playing did it justice, but it sure was a big thrill for us.

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

Al: You must have a different network than we do. I stayed up tired to see what was happening; got the guest line up and NO WILLIE ! I'm sure they would have listed him if he was going to be on... I figured I didn't read the Thread correctly so I offed the TV and went to sleep. Another red letter day to post on the calendar !!

Regards, Paul

Steve Pacholl · From: Minneapolis

Willie's new CD is The Great Divide. Includes a lot of duets with a wide range of artists. It's nice to see that is is being heavily promoted in the Target and Best Buy stores.

Willie is a wonderful human being. The first time I met him I asked him if I could ask him a few questions about his jazz influences. Willie's eyes lit up (and it wasn't from what he had been smokin'). He told me he rarely gets asked about that side of his musical influences. Willie proceeded to give me a 30 minute history lesson of his musical up bringings. I wish I had a recorder.It was a great 30 minutes. I thanked him for his time and he said, "No thank you, the pleasure was all mine."

B Bailey Brown · From: San Antonio, TX (USA)

Willie is a great guy, and very interesting to talk to as well. I don’t really know him very well, but the few times I had the privilege to be around him taught me that he is a fascinating person.

Speaking of his “jazz” influence, there is an old RCA album, the name of which I have forgotten, something like “Country Tunes Done My Way”, that he did using the Texas Troubadours (Ol’ Ernest Tubb’s bunch) as back up. I think they tried to pass it off as “western swing”, and I guess it had some of those elements, but basically it was JAZZ. And good jazz at that! It was all country tunes, but done with a jazz flavor. It is a great album and I would highly recommend it, if you can even find a copy of it anymore.

Buddy Charlton and Leon Rhodes were just incredible on that. In fact, to this day I still play “Fraulein” on the C6th neck because of what I heard Mr. Charlton do. Really good stuff!!

B. Bailey Brown

Steven Welborn · From: Ojai,CA USA

Hope Greg Leisz will be playing his old Emmons thru a Trainwreck behind him when Mr. Nelson tours thru town here in March.

[This message was edited by Steven Welborn on 11 February 2002 at 05:31 PM.]

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Paul-It was in my Grand Rapids press, Jay Leno show, guest Willie Nelson.
My paper always list the guest....al

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

Beats me !! I thought NBC was NBC everywhere,

Regards, Paul

clive swindell · From: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK

Hi Rich

Are you sure that The Great Divide is the correct CD as it lists the steel player as Dan Dugmore.

The radio in the UK have been playing a Willie Nelson track with lots of steel on it and someone says the song was Valentine or something like that. However, the only track that I can find on the station playlist is Maria from The Great Divide CD. Is this the same song?

nick allen · From: France

"Valentine" is on the "Across the Borderline" album... (if that helps) - which lists Paul Franklin and Robby Turner as steel players.
AMG shows Dan Dugmore playing steel and Greg Leisz playing dobro for "The Great Divide" - but who's doing the live/TV stuff I don't know.
Nick

Rich Weiss · From: Woodland Hills, CA, USA

Clive. Dan Dugmore played on only one song on the CD. It's the Nelson-Lee Ann Womack duet, Mendocino County Line, which is the single and the video. Greg played either pedal steel, lap steel or dobro on the other eleven songs. Hope this clears that up. As for the TV appearances, there's only been two so far, Leno and Letterman and Greg did both.

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