The Smiley Smile Message Board

I'm no Al Vescovo, but here's a version of 'Don't Talk' i just recorded on pedal steel. Thought some of you might enjoy it  ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpuwUtmGhuM

Let's hear some 12 Golden Country Greats pedal steel covers!   8)

haha hail yeah! that is some sweet playing on that album. big influence on me. no way i could improve on it that's for sure.

Russ Hicks made the steel guitar hall of fame this year. love that guy.

RUSS HICKS made the STEEL GUITAR Hall of Fame THIS year? What were they waiting for?

he's a pretty young guy in the world of steel guitar. I was actually surprised he got in there so soon. and he's probably in his 50s  :lol

First, that is some awesome steelin' on Dont Talk! And Christmas Time Is Here is sublime, a terrific version.

Second, what kind of Sho Bud is that you're playing? Is that a Pro III, Pro II? Very, very nice tone.

I'm an E9 guy - I have an LDG. I've been wanting to get into C6, and attempt some Chalker licks... :) I don't play enough, and I wish I could play more.

Great playing, very enjoyable.

Eat your heart out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybz7kHdmi1k

That sounds sweet  ;D A Pedal Steel is the next instrument i need in my life besides a piano. Do you dig Sneaky Pete Kleinow? He's my favourite slide guitarist.

That's a very cool tune, but the instrument on that record is a lap steel, not a pedal steel. Just for the record. :)

That is a nice recording, though.

If this is going to turn into a pedal steel thread, well then:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwlabjisOxY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFGuzNAqVa0

If you don't own the two collections by Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant, your life is not complete.

hey thanks.

It's a Pro III Custom. I think it dates to around 1975.

Chalker licks huh? good luck!  ;)  Curly was an absolute monster. He also had his own unique tuning and pedal setup. Have you heard the 'Counterpoint' album? great arrangements of then-contemporary tunes like "For Once In My Life", "Up Up And Away", "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and the obligatory Beatles tune or 2. Killer stuff.

Pro III Custom - very cool, it sounds awesome! I think my LDG is one of the first years just after they switched to the more narrow pedals, I have all the paperwork but have not been able to date it exactly. The tone of your Pro III is great.

Chalker was a monster, one of my favorites. I have several of his albums and they never get old: YouTube had then removed a compilation of songs he'd play going into commercial breaks on the Wilburn Bros. TV show (if I remember), and this one solo he played, I swear I watched that thing a few hundred times. One of the most impossible sounding pedal steel solos I've ever heard. I have the Winnie Winston book and it's funny to read Chalker's setup, how he wouldn't reveal what two of his knee levers did. Top secret! :-D

Seconded! Speedy and Jimmy were out of this world. In the 50's, all those classics were recorded by Speedy on a non-pedal steel. Check out this live clip and a few close-ups show details of Speedy's techniques, specifically how he got the boo-wah (wah wah) effect before wah pedals hit the market...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D-KCCmefws (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D-KCCmefws)

thanks hh!

yeah Sneaky was a true renaissance man... just amazing. he had that double life of in-demand session player and Hollywood animator. he worked on everything from Gumby to The Empire Strikes Back!

he also had his own unique sound and tuning. definitely marched to the beat of his own drummer.

yeah Curly took over for Hal Rugg on the Wilburn Bros show sometime in the 70s. He was also steel man on Hee Haw for quite a while.
I still have a bunch of Wilburn shows on VHS... i recorded them off the old Outlaw Music Channel in the 9os when i had a satellite dish.

I've heard a few stories about Curly. Not the easiest guy to get close to, and downright mean on occasion... but I've got a couple DVDs of his personal appearances and he comes across as a total sweetheart. The secret tunings and copedants crack me up  :lol

Nice! Didn't know that.....I recorded with Russ Hicks (as well as Charlie McCoy, Jim Isbell & Wayne Moss) when I was in Nashville this summer. Classy guys! Funny too.....Russ made non-stop jokes about turning up the steel in the mix :)

wow... nice band you assembled there! How'd that come about? I'd love to hear your stuff.

Very cool. I would love a pedal steel Pet Sounds tribute record.

That would be very, very boss.  ;D

Was reading a book on Gram Parsons and it seems like he was the only thing that held The Flying Burrito Brothers together live. Love his fuzztone too. Do you ever  mess with effects?

I think the consensus here is that we demand more pedal steel BB's! Would love to hear some more if you have the time.  ;D

thanks guys. I've thought about doing a tribute album for quite awhile. Was thinking of calling it... what else? Pedal Sounds  :-\

y'all will be the first to know


hype-
yeah i've messed with fuzz and wah-wah. I also have a flat steel bar which creates a sitar-like effect.
but at the end of the day, I prefer just a steel plugged into a tube amp with some reverb.

Do it!, you sound fantastic, even when I can't tell what part it is, it still sounds amazing.

I've posted this before, but this is Ricky Fataar,
getting ready to play pedal steel on stage with The Beach Boys