Steel Guitar Players - Western Swing & Country Steel Guitarists (original video)

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Paying tribute to some of the best steel players. Obviously these aren't all the greats but its a great place to start for anyone interested in western guitar. Hope this opens up a little history on an essential part of American country music that you may have not known about before! please like and share with someone that can dig!
1. Speedy West
2. Jerry Byrd
3. Noel Boggs
4. Alvino Rey
5. Kayton Roberts
6. Curly Chalker
7. Herb Remington
8. Buddy Merrill

[@debbiedaniels553]

There is nothing in this world sounds better than a steel guitar... Especially on western Swing...🤠

[@czzham]

LOVE the way Herb Remington plays both necks at once!!!

[@rickjj91]

so glad the poster included Buddy Merrill. What a thrill it is to see him and hear him on the electric steel guitar.

[@pneumatic00]

These early players were pretty innovative about including new sounds in their playing, in fact, I think you could say that of all the instrumentalists back they were among the most creative.

[@johnathincastillo225]

I like it when they look at the camera “Ooh that was a good one wasn’t it?”

[@scowell]

It's extremely difficult to look away from the guitar... only the best can do it, it takes a lot of practice!

[@MrPatdeeee]

@@scowell ​ @scowell Correct! The steel guitar; not to mention the pedal steel guitar; causes MOST of steelers, to have to focus totally on the left hand. For the slightest movement can put it immediately out of tune; unlike the regular guitar as well as most other musical instruments. Thus the "stone faced" steelers cause the audience to wonder "WHY don't they smile?". They can't, except for a scant few. Oh well.

[@Melvvynfirmager]

Back in those days, it was expected that singers and musicians were to look at the camera and smile. If you notice singers of the time singing a seriously sad song, would smile at the camera - so incongruous and shallow (to me that is). They even turned to the camera when when the camera changed, to the side, or profile, so a full face was still being shown. So weird. Most noticeable with George Jones. Thank goodness that is no long done, leaving the singer to perform with emotion and sincerity, focusing on the song and it's meaning. Times always changing!.

[@michaelgeaglemeare1585]

Noel Boggs, wow! Avant-garde Steel guitar! Wonderful.

[@mojostephen]

I just started playing lap steel a few months ago and these guys are a real inspiration!

[@nitroxylictv]

Hows the playing now?

[@ThePduncan742]

There's not a prettier instrument been made.. I've played guitar for years and would give my left "u no what" to play steel

[@chrisrobertson9264]

Over way toooooooooo soon I could watch this stuff forever Thanks

[@wideawakenotwoke6178]

Wonderful musicians great players thanks for posting these gems ❤️

[@scowell]

Thanks for posting... Remington's 'Stardust' was especially nice, we lost Herb last year. Some of those guitars had pedals on 'em, but I liked it anyway!

[@Birdlives247]

Best six minutes of my life. All my heroes.

[@arew234]

Thank you for this wonderful wonderful post!! And Herb on "Stardust" wow.

[@rordrom3234]

2:53 Wow! Amazing skill! He plays so it sounds so simmilair to the human voice.

[@miropribanic5581]

he developed this device as early as 1939

[@andyokus5735]

I had heard of Speedy West but never actually heard his playing. So many thanks. Great video 👍 . Post some more if you please!

[@karoostudio]

Check out Speedy's live sessions with Merle Travis, Eddie Kirk, Judy Hayden, including my favorite, Too Much Sugar for a Dime. Hot!

[@EMWoodworking]

Used to watch Alvin Ray and his talking guitar when I was kid. Always fascinated by pedal steel.

[@phataton8206]

My claim to fame is I spoke to Herb Remington on the phone once for several minutes. I had every intention of going to his shop here in Houston but never got around to it. He was very helpful and nice.

[@SURRYHOUSE2]

I have one of herbs custom made double neck from his shop.

[@harpbaby53]

I too, had a good Herb experience....talked to him once about my Fender D-8 Dual Pro....said they were great guitars, and he played them for a time with Bob Wills. Very down to earth and accessible.

[@harpbaby53]

@@SURRYHOUSE2 Thought seriously of buying one once upon a time. Or at least one of his non-pedal guitars.

[@SURRYHOUSE2]

@@harpbaby53 it was my father's. He tuned in g and second neck to e. He liked put a tri ad top and bottom with a 6 in the middle. Much love out to you and yours from Tidewater VA

[@KountryCuz1]

That was the Good old Days of Music !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@tommaloney3938]

so glad I listened to this. thanks for posting.

[@jungojerry1658]

Always loved Speedy West steel guitar. Had my first album on 33 RPM Vinyl. Now got it on DVD,

[@laurenbroido9]

This is such a great compilation. Thanks!!

[@HMJohnsonGuitar]

This is great, thanks for posting!

[@webbtrekker534]

...and all these guys own it all to a little known fellow named Sol Hoopii. A Hawaiian who taught everyone else to play steel.

[@scrunchymacscruff1244]

In introducing Herb, one of the greats said Herbie's the reason we all needed the pedals.

[@MrPatdeeee]

So much for Jerry Byrd, Kayton Roberts and others who chose NOT to use pedals. But they got sounds NO pedal steel has ever exuded. Both Jerry and Kayton could play ANY thing. Oh well.

[@TomGoldsmithguitar]

this is what the whole swing music scene is all about!! great work solo flight swing!!

[@larrydering1598]

I was lucky enough to witness all but 2 of these great players. Great stuff for sure. You need Buddy Emmons 4 wheel drive, non pedal in his early years and Tom Morrell's great swing playing.

[@swingrfd]

Absolutely!

[@g.williams4965]

good stuff, thanks for posting

[@lomestaruk21]

I love the steel guitar what fabulous players

[@mizzmaddieUTube]

I could watch this all day!

[@CiscoDuck]

There are so many others mised on this video. Right off the bat a couple who influenced every one of the steel men shown in the video: Leon McAuliffe & Juaquin Murphy and Les Anderson. Then there is Billy Bowman, Bobby Koefer & Vance Terry as well as Bill Tonneson. All greats who worked with Bob Wills (and his brothers ie Johnnie Lee, Luke, Billy Jack etc), Paul Howard, Spade Cooley & Ole Rasmussen, Pee Wee King and others.

[@juleswins3]

Those old “quad-necked” steels were amazing!

[@JMLRecording]

just beautiful.

[@whoisit01]

spongebob introduced this to me as a kid many years before i found out exactly what "steel guitar" is!! what a strange introduction :) this is really inspiring, i especially liked 2:35 Alvino Ray! sounds like a voice/trumpet!

[@karoostudio]

Alvino Rey may've invented the guitar talkbox effect, but I think he just uses volume and tone controls in this video to get the sounds. So cool.

[@earllafong657]

!940's to Roy Rogers. Happy Trails hooked me.

[@pabloemmanuelrojascardozo6298]

awesome video! !!

[@claudiobianchini3665]

Fantastic!

[@phataton8206]

AMAZING.

[@mikedennis6979]

Amazing talent

[@stewartfenton7660]

I love that crying steel.

[@jimcameron4672]

Fantastic

[@THEJMILLSBAND]

I played in a house band with Bobby Chatfield a session player for Jim Reeves

[@GaryOslide]

Very cool.

[@lamontprospect9974]

Amazing, absolutely fucking amazing!

[@ElCabo23]

2:30 is Eddie Van Halen’s intro to Atomic Punk minus the phase effect (or Flanger?) --but the palm doing the quick brushing back-and-forth over the strings. Eddie, did you watch this video back in 1976!

[@banjoplayingbison2275]

2:28 the original turntablist!

[@stevepethel6843]

Masters of steel...

[@dennisp3314]

I have never heard anyone get that "human-like" vocal sound Alvino Ray played in this vid ... Wow !

[@StevesSlideandJazz]

Sweet!

[@Flint3162]

So many more...Leon McAuliffe, Cindy Cashdollar, Lloyd Maines (got to jam with him!), Lucky Oceans, etc

[@steveendicott1855]

How about Sarah Jory and Don Helms?

[@alansouzacruz970]

🎵🎵🎵 muito top

[@Mel0763]

Since you were keeping it non pedal, can’t believe that Little Roy Wiggins and Don Helms weren’t included. Probably two of the most influential non pedal players ever.

A minha paixão da infância era ouvir Hal Aloma

[@buckyccovington3048]

From what I remember, Leon McCollif came up with "Steel Guitar Rag" by accident. He was tuning it, and someone, maybe Bob Wills, askd what were you playin a minute ago? It was nothin, but they really made somthin out of it.

[@cfcasey.guitars-ukuleles]

Actually, Leon didn’t come up with it at all. His version is a cover of a guitar rag recorded almost a decade earlier by a black musician named Sylvester Weaver. I have great respect for Leon’s playing, but his best-known piece was an out-and-out rip-off.

[@tidepoolbay]

Great Players! WooF!!

[@rockinredneck57]

Seems to be missing one Ralph Mooney. He was big before he had pedals.

[@williamnelson727]

EVEN~tho the quality of the recording is rough (it's all they had) THIS pedal steel player is hotter than the devil's ash tray. You can HEAR that he can do this with one eye closed.

[@williamnelson727]

The man playing `Stardust' has a gift for this. ( dayam ).

[@terrybrooks2]

OK, who put the thumbs down?

[@iberius9937]

Somebodeh who don't lahk real music, that's what......

[@jonj160]

Herb Remington xxx

[@tomlehr861]

Wow,cant have country without a steel

[@JuniorFarquar]

Doing swells. Cool.

[@LS-fc7nx]

New Vegas made me love steel

[@slicksnewonenow]

Speedy sure did have those "boo-wahs" and bar crashes DOWN, huh?

[@munchkin5674]

Hi… Have you ever heard of a big band steel guitar player by the name of John “Jack” Kovatch? I think his career spanned the 1940’s, 1950’ and possibly the early 1960’s. Your help is appreciated.

[@ThePorchpicker]

When I was 14 I played that guitar, it was Billy Bird, every time he came off stage at this one show he handed it to me. He gave me a pick with his name on it. It's at the country music museum in Nashville now.

[@t4texastomjohnnycat978]

William I love Billy Byrd.🎸

[@dweishome]

Herb Remington's section is super

[@phataton8206]

David W just died about 2 weeks ago. Lived here in Houston.

[@dweishome]

Hi Paul, yes I read about it on the steel guitar forum. I got to talk to him briefly a few years ago on the phone. A nice fellow.

[@robgrenville1432]

Great! Missing is Joaquin Murphy, Vance Terry and Paul Franklin - in my humble opinion.

[@soloflightwest]

They would have definitely been included, but I couldn’t source quality video.

[@robgrenville1432]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aV7clGuHnKmde7M

[@metzelfetz8473]

The poor wives! With the constant howling I would laughingly run into a circular saw.

[@Sluggo01]

Go BOGGS go!! ...yea buddy

[@user-mf6no7jj9w]

👍👍👍👏👏👏😁

[@janelnelson]

I would love to know the titles of each of these songs. If anyone knows, please post. Thanks!

[@RonaldVaughan]

Where did you get these amazing s.g. instrumentals?? I want to see more! P.S.: Correct spelling of 4th artist is "Alvino Rey".

[@soloflightwest]

Ronald Vaughan I wanted to see more too! which is why I put this together, I was tired of watching a full act just to get to the good stuff (steel guitar) so put in one video.

[@jerryallen3188]

@@soloflightwest Jim Reeves sings "A letter to my heart "

[@bran92006]

Winston Tucker. My dear fellow ,you mentioned that some Steelers were missing. I'd like to add a couple more, like. Tommy Sargent. And Leody Jackson. I have a bunch more , but i'll save it for other time

[@JNava]

Where can I find an instrument like this but for a low decent price for a beginner? One with pedals. I know these ain’t cheap but something below a grand would be lovely, just to learn. Then I can build my way up to a fancy expensive one with 3-4 necks.

[@soloflightwest]

I believe GMI made lower end pedal steels, and I recently seen a used Sho-Bud Maverick at a guitar center for around 800. They’re out there, just have to keep your eyes open.

[@dizza8742]

Okay but did albino rey just play tap harmonics or was that technique common or even known back then

[@koryvg7232]

Que bella música, de qué parte del mundo es? Usa????

[@soloflightwest]

This is western music USA

[@j.l.hennig4339]

Great compilation, but the title is a bit confusing. Only Speedy West, Alvino Rey and Curly Chalker play pedal steel here. All the others are non-pedal.

[@lord1557]

No Junior Brown and Tanya Rae?

[@merritarmitage7753]

No leon or Bobby koefer?

[@lord1557]

No Billy Mize?

[@j6449663]

Heavy metal .

[@tnfarmer37]

Where's Jim Farmer? On Marty Robbins records

[@charliesmith8079]

Before pedals

[@garybuffaloe5196]

Tom Morrell and Billy Robinson should be in this mix.

[@BillyGMcCoy]

What? No Reece Anderson?!

[@CarterG4Y]

no Leon McAuliffe or Buddy Emmons? unfortunate

[@anissiaoumkalthoum]

Spongebob 🤣🤣🤣😂😂

[@petermusto3704]

Where was the greatest Steel Guitar player of all time in this Video? Buddy Emmons, your welcome.

[@soloflightwest]

I’d agree he was one of the greatest, but I wanted to keep it in the era before the pedals were the main game. Buddy was known for inovating the pedal steel as we know it today. If you notice with the exception of Speedy on his early Bigsby pedal steel, none of these players are using pedals.

[@Birdlives247]

Too busy. I mean his playing. He's relaxing now.

[@jamesquackenbush708]

...back when effects were done by the artist, and not by stepping on a footswitch !!

[@bonitabromeliads]

Not really the same type of effects though...

[@haimo14228]

3:47 Would you look at that, Forrest Gump can even play the steel guitar.

[@donnorris625]

Looking for women steel players

[@soloflightwest]

There’s quite a few of them, maybe I should make a video on that-

[@DA-jw6nm]

ugh

[@soloflightwest]

Ultimate Guitar Heroes

[@dd61125]

whats with the gay outfits ??

[@Birdlives247]

It never crossed their mind back then. Don't we live in wonderful times?