Session Men: Nashville's A Team (Director Gil Baker)

[@terryallard1918]

The original “A team”. Fantastic. Sooo much talent there. 👍 Grady Martin was The man.

[@rockers2rockers616]

Pay these men Royalties!

[@hairlab_dc4417]

All of them are due production and even co-writing credits for lots of songs, but they did have the benfit of being union members unlike studio musicians today. Union scale back then was about 600 bucks a session in today's money money and the A-Teamers probably did 2-3 sessions a day. At least they were able to raise families and send kids to college doing what they loved to do--something that's all been impossible for even the most-called Nashville musicians to do for about 30 years.

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

We know thier game, making em wait so long for credits/Royalties hoping the musicians will forget or pass away...brutal b.stads, treat you real nice and polite then throw you crumbs when it's time to pay the bills. We have a Union here in UK..they try very hard indeed to get your dues for a small annual fee which is just 1 benefit among many.

[@redbear4027]

I'm a songwriter. The Muse comes to songwriters. Most of us pay the dues, and souls are tattered and torn from being lovers in the world without any. I spent $20,000 of my own money making my indie album. Way the business works is this is my creative product or my intellectual property. I hired a whole bunch of session people and they were real glad to get the work and to have an outlet for their creativity because many of these people are Masters at certain instruments or sometimes a few instruments. So back to the math. I spent 20 grand to make the album. I paid studio musicians about $3,000. None of them had any interest to tour or support the album so it had a band and I had an album but then 3 months later my weak pussy bandmates left me cuz I got in a fight with an asshole club promoter who was pushing me around and I pushed back. I have a box full of 950 CDs here if anybody wants one... it's a complicated business it seems like at least two of us in the thread are trying to explain it from actual real world experience. I'm very proud of my album my name is Fred Kresge the album is Varuna. All of my music has been stolen and is on KZbin, Spotify as well as iTunes I believe... true story if I want a lawyer up it'll be about 3 Grand. So I'm going to make a new album do proper copyright protect myself and if they steal my next album I will probably Sue or take whatever recourse I have to but usually they respond to cease and desist orders first cuz they don't want to get sued and if you do see you have to prove monetary losses and if you're shitty getting played you don't have any monetary losses even though I put 20 grand in the album...

[@Martin-iv6lq]

They didn't sign up for royalties so they don't deserve them. Next topic.

[@tom_olofsson]

You don't understand how capitalism works. In America we get paid for a days work or we take a chance and maybe get royalties someday. Take made a choice to get paid hourly instead of possibly never getting paid.

[@rogeralleyne9257]

Vince Gill said it best! I aspire to be more like those session players than anyone else!!!🙏🙏🙏

[@javi__...]

Grady Martin speaking on camera? This is rarer than rare. Hell any interview of Martin is rare.

[@stevehughes1510]

The boys(and girl) that we knew very little of back in the day, God bless 'em all for the great music they made........magical.

[@clarkewi]

Creators of masterpieces that still stand tall and always will.

[@clarkewi]

Should have monuments erected to them.

[@dantheman3716]

R.I.P The Legendary Iconic Bass Player - Bob Moore

[@SciFiArtman]

I was speaking with other long-time session and hired-gun players the other day, and we all agreed that beyond our own personal abilities to impress and such, the one thing that we did best was to make whoever we were playing with sound their best - in the studio or live, and maybe especially live because we had the ability to read the room or the crowd and play in such a way to fill in the gaps (or not) and let the artist shine. Sometimes this meant to turn on the charm and stand out a bit, or fall back and find that gentle pocket, depending on the other players' ways, the artist's strengths and weaknesses, the overall feel of the production, or of course a producer's directions. My point being - it was all about LISTENING, and then playing to suit the situation. Might seem obvious, but we all thought this was a bit of a special talent beyond the obvious chops required for the gig. You can see some players just banging out their parts, making little effort to adapt to the gel of cohesion. Just a thought...

[@mattkaustickomments]

You are spot on! I’m a drummer, and I’ve gotten a lot of nice compliments over the years. It’s not because I’m technically that good. (I’m not - I know just enough “to be dangerous” across a variety of genres). It’s because I play to the music I’m hearing and not over it. I’ve sat in with different players over the years and the first thing most other musicians say is “Thank you! We can’t normally hear what we’re doing when our usual drummer plays!” A big part of that is I long ago stopped playing with the telephone pole sticks of my youth, and now play with nylon-tipped 7A’s so I can play with more finesse and dynamics.

[@scootergreen3]

That makes all the sense in the world SciFiArtMan!

[@imannonymous7707]

Im in awe to think of just how many lives these good ol boys touched. So much talent So much history

[@MarkYeary]

1st time I was in the studio in Nashville, Pig was there, a great man, mentor, boy was I glad he was there. I wouldn't have made it thru the session without his help!

[@ginnywhite333]

Mark Yeary did you get to play and meet eh late Floyd Cramer loved that man loved Charlie Rich and Johnny Horton too + Johnny Gimble

[@chartchick]

Missing from the Nashville A Team video-Harold Bradley..love all of these guys!! They are all awesome!

[@sxsweet1]

If you love this music like I do, then you've got to appreciate these behind the scenes looks at how our favorites were made, right?!

[@JackTheSkunk]

Love that funky little instrumental at the end of this video.

[@Ozmulki]

The sound behind the singers. This is what gave it the rise along with The Jordanaires and Anita Kerr Singers it was a whole sound. Brilliant!

[@drawwing]

Just went to the CM hall of fame and saw a little exhibit on these guys.. so glad you uploaded this video. I will defiantly be sharing this.

[@ArkRed1]

The groove from 6:56 out is just tooooooo much. That's music, and they knew how to make the place rock or cry.

[@micksypickxen2386]

That's the Memphis Boys, Gene Chrisman (drums), Mike Leech (bass), Reggie Young (guitar), Bobby Emmons (keys) and Bobby Wood (keys). Look them up... tons of hits and yes, laid down some of the tightest and sweetest grooves in the studio OR live. They were the default band in Chips Moman's American Sound Studios.

[@millerezra8]

Immediately just cookin!

[@sirwinston2368]

@@micksypickxen2386 And the LA crew with Glen Campbell, Joe Osborn, Hal Blaine, Don Randi. And the boys in Muscle Shoals - Jimmy Johnson, Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, Pete Carr. And Earl Palmer, Carol Kaye, and others I have missed. And Nashville, of course. The cream of the crop all the way around.

[@christiangasior4244]

Mind they’re strictly rhythm, don’t wanna make it cry or sing.

[@christiangasior4244]

Oh also muscle shoals rhythm section. Roger Hawkins especially. You’ve got Booker T and MG’s on Stax Records. I would say Al Jackson, Jr and Donald “Duck” Dunn may be the best rhythm section ever if it weren’t for Motown Records Funk bros who had Benny Benjamin and James Jamerson, two geniuses who both happened to have basically the same first and last names. But yeah Buddy Harman is amazing. Also back before you had session musicians as we now know it, there was SP Leary , Sam Lay, and other blues players whose names currently escape me. I think the best way to learn music is to learn from the session musicians. Even in Jazz, don’t get me started on that, lol.

[@johnhughes3963]

Charlie McCoy was responsible for me loving and learning how to play the harmonica.. Man can he BEND a note!!

[@tommyshown741]

It 's those session men that makes the artists sound good. I don't care if the song is Mary Had A Little Lamb. It's that session man that makes the artists sound good. I have done session work myself.

[@PaulAshley]

Loved it! And these guys don't get royalties? That''s a crime!

[@silkee59]

If you did not write it or have any publishing you only got paid for the session

[@TM-jo4wz]

When the drummer did the pickup lick I new immediately that he’s the man!

[@ronnorman1367]

I can totally appreciate what these men have contributed I only hope the future generations will keep it going music is a lot like I don't know I just know how I feel

[@A.S.EnglishLessons]

True musicians. Lots of respect.

[@sandratremiti356]

Rest in peace Bobby Moore.

[@MrMusicguyma]

The out credits video includes Memphis, Muscle Shoals and LA stalwarts as well.

[@calvinbass1839]

Loved the jam at the end.

[@jmack619]

Great teamwork and talent with respect

[@pauldasilva3530]

Some of my musical heroes!

[@nielskjr5432]

Thank you very much! Legendary musicians. Even Bob Dylan came here to record. Although he's from a very different place. He did many songs with Johnny Cash. But only one reached the final album. Girl from the north country.

[@jennifursun3303]

loved Buddy Harmon their old time drummer., and the late Floyd Crammer

[@VidarLund-k5q]

Kramer.

[@Moe_Preme]

Hey guys! I know this is kinda late but my great grandmother was Johnny MacRae’s wife Marge Barton and she wrote a many songs with Both. She was great friends with George Jones and I met him as a child. I was born in ‘91 and learned about all these greats growing up until she passed in 2002. PLEASE do a small cover on her. Thanks

[@mapp4751]

HI, i am not a musician but i love watching this stuff! nice to get behind the scenes!

[@clarkewi]

Brenda Lee is an absolute DIVA.

[@theproductioncompanyusa4547]

...and a dream to work with.

[@dennis7511]

A time past and gone forever.

[@dannybaseball2444]

Had no idea session musicians were cut out of the royalty stream entirely. Even a .005 per record would have been a fortune, given how many hit records these guys delivered. Hope that got fixed.

[@KittraKittra]

LOVE.

[@tidepoolbay]

These are the Men! WooF!!

[@pacard33]

Man, listening to Patsy sing "Crazy", you didn't need a loud noise or a lot of busy in the background--the musicians just let her go and her incredible voice just saturates the entire studio. You know there's music backing her up, but they were wise to let it slowly, quietly marinate so as not to upstage her in any way. That's being a pro. Her voice just MELTS you.

[@ThePansye]

Such good team work too!

[@theproductioncompanyusa4547]

Nothing beats a good team!

[@rokkebill]

RIP Bob Moore ! Is there a full length interview of this Nashville A-team somewhere ?

[@ercsplawn403]

Hank Garland was definitely part of the A team in Nashville.

[@hugh-johnfleming289]

My Mom worked for Dinah Shore for a long while off and on and I remember when those 'Nashville Cats' showed up. People set up in their chairs.

[@ronnorman1367]

Nowadays music is done on computers it's a synthetic form it saddens me music has a soul I only hope it isn't dying

[@timtompkins6752]

Great video of THE legends of recording. One thing I’ve never understood is why unionization got intermingled with creating art. The industry worked those guys like plow mules…whilst they just wanted to play.

[@josmotherman591]

I saw Brenda Lee in one of those really cheesy Rock & Roll movies around 57' or 58'. Which put her at 13, and me around.6 or 7 years old. I fell in love with the "older woman". Lol! I.mean, we were the same height....... 😅😅😀 ..... Peace. ..

[@neilhaverstick1446]

I agree about royalties, not always fair. Tommy Tedesco spoke of getting royalties, and that's because he was associated with the Musician's Union in LA, who had a strong presence in the area. I believe that was more for his TV/film work than his Wrecking Crew sessions. Betting that was Union scale, like in Nashville.

[@christyrpak4378]

Great video, but I’m not sure why there was footage of LA’s Wrecking Crew in a video about Nashville’s A-team.

[@clellbach9515]

RESPECT.

[@Ashadowman]

The hero's in the background

[@woxnerw]

Magic happens when these guys are in front of their microphones..

[@richardbuchanan5497]

When watching Carson I would pay close attention to The NBC Orchestra. Quite often, "Here's the music" and they would play that one set. Buddy Rich, Don Lanphere, Reggie Young.... So many I'm leaving out.

[@KittraKittra]

Gil Baker is the coolest. He recognized the shameful injustice dealt these brilliant musicians before the musicians themselves realized what had happened.

[@theproductioncompanyusa4547]

+Kittra Moore Thanks, Kittra. Your husband, Bob Moore was among the most brilliant. Bob knew precisely what note, and exactly how to play it. 40,000 sessions. Hundreds of hits. Genius.

[@JerryFla2000]

"Walkin' After Midnight" the film stopped before it got to the great Hank Garland. No mention of Hank Garland because he was so good he pissed off all the others.

[@harveymccluskey3270]

Epic

[@shaunmcinnis566]

What would these artists sound like without great session musicianship?...shit, that what they would sound like.

[@jdexposure]

Los Angeles: The Wrecking Crew. Motown: The Funk Brothers. Nashville: The A Team. Muscle Shoals: The Swampers. Am I missing anyone?

[@1LOCKNLOAD]

Yes, Memphis American Sound Studio.

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

Stax Studio Band - Booker T. and the M.G.'s plus Isaac Hayes, David Porter, as well as the Memphis Horns (see below) Also, the studio band at Hi Records - The Hodges Brothers (Charles, organ; Leroy, bass; Mabon "Teenie", guitar), Howard Grimes or Al Jackson, drums, plus the Memphis Horns - Andrew Love (saxophone) and Wayne Jackson (trumpet). Also, you have the boys down at American Studios and the Dixie Flyers as well.

[@jboyshyne]

There was a London scene too with cats like Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Bobby Graham, John McLaughlin, Big Jim Sullivan, Nicky Hopkins, to name a few.

[@richardpehtown2412]

Atlanta Rhythm Section

[@BenPrevo]

The Meters !

[@phillymathguy8142]

More captions on the video would have been beneficial so we could recognize the guys. Especially as they got older. I would never have recognized Grady Martin if it hadn't been captioned.

[@johnnyhawkins43]

Back in the day they would ALL be in the recording studio at the same time,nowadays like the late great Waylon Jennings said IS that they don't make music or albums anymore,they build them!!!!!!!!

[@TomMarvan]

Great stuff! What was the play out tune (just a little chord progression jam?). Did Billy Sanford come into the studio to record Pretty Woman? I really enjoyed his work with Don Williams in the later years.

[@redbear4027]

SERVE THE SONG!

[@dinodeluca6210]

Just listen to Little Sister, Witchcraft & I Feel So Bad by Elvis and Poetry in Motion by Johnny Tillotson to hear how these guys made records with unmatched power and swing....nobody played like these greats!

[@del1rn]

Ray Edenton was the "superb rhythm guitarist," who was with the A-Team from the get go, he told me he played on over 15,000 sessions with the team. Sadly missed, RIP, September 2002.

[@bavlen]

Another great video. If I could vote I would vote that musicians (the very foundation that the singer stands on) should get royalties.

[@Dougdenslowe714]

What's the name of this documentary and is it available on KZbin?Thanks for any information.

[@erichargreaves1960]

If this is all about the Nashville "A-Team", why towards the end are there interspersed clips of the Westcoast's "Wrecking Crew" Glenn Campbell and Carol Kaye are the dead giveaway playing together...

[@pkranz937]

Nashville had more than 1 A-Team Starday had Floyd Cramer, Billy Linneman, DJ Fontana, Tommy Williams, Jimmy Day, Bobby Caldwell, and others who played for Webb Pierce, Red Sovine, George Jones, Goldy Hill, and Dotty West.

[@VidarLund-k5q]

Pete Drake.

[@mikewood8561]

Can't believe these musicians were payed hourly. They were the reason the songs existed and became hits! Hell they should've been paid royalties. Hell just a penny wouldve made them rich. I mean its insane to think about everyone gets royalties except the guys that actually make the song listenable. Just absolutely crazy! I hope this gets straightened out and their paid substantially better now. I mean what would happen if they all went on strike and no musician would play unless they got royalties and hourly wage? There would be no music. Obviously the bands that play their own music would make money because they all get royalties. But these session guys are huge and some of them become actual artists. But man I'm so mad that they don't get their due.

[@nixonreaganbush1]

In Canada, we have neighboring rights...and musicians do get royalties.

[@william121852]

Any and all studio musicians should get royalties as well as the artist , without them , you have no artist !!

[@ronj9448]

That is not true. The flesh out the artist but many true artists can play stripped down w/o them. Dylan, Paul Simon etc. And how many records do they play on that go nowhere? If they were just given royalties they'd go hungry hunting for that hit. If they didn't like the setup they'd be solo artists too.

[@tomservo5347]

I've always loved music. If I could hit reset on my life I would have taken music and band more seriously. But alas, I'm no virtuoso like these guys. I did notice when I bought my first electric guitar (and got introduced to a good friend that coupled pot with jamming on guitars) an entire world unfolded for me. Getting good and stoned seems to open the floodgates musically.

[@alanair7019]

Greed, Pay'n 15 bucks/hour. These guys shoulda got together on their own why people don't think like this.????

[@petergriffin613]

Grady actually had his own band and recorded for Decca, so i think he might have had a little more material freedom

[@drumtravelfun]

RIP-Glen Campbell.

[@peterhansen5685]

What about Lloyd Green he is left out as well. Most recorded steel player on session's.

[@richardbuchanan5497]

I was going to say that too. From Paul Mcartney, to a few of his own albums. Reggie Young too.

[@patbarnes5874]

How about Henry Strzelecki on bass? He was left out... played with all these side men.

[@michaelterry4394]

Henry played on 64 tour of norway sweden with Jim Reeves .

[@VidarLund-k5q]

​@@michaelterry4394With Kenny Buttrey on drums.

[@michaelterry4394]

Right on the money ! A historian well versed .

[@millerezra8]

Owen Bradley invented the Nashville sound. Listen to Cocaine and Rhinestones!

[@kevingavigan7883]

Owen Bradley was also a respectable musician, and a very underrated keyboardist. According to the AFM session logs, Owen Bradley played the piano on Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight", and played the organ on "Crazy" (Floyd Cramer played piano part on that song) also by Patsy Cline.

[@VidarLund-k5q]

Plus Chet Atkins, RCA.

[@LANACHAPEL]

This is how it's SUPPOSED to be ya'll! Been there---done that---with the best!! Nashville sucks today.

[@ronniebishop2496]

Now in Nashville we’ve got 20 people that can knock it out, so if you can’t make it on guitar, I’ll call Brent Mason lol or ask Gary Prim to line them up or Kelly Back.?

[@billlowe6883]

She got the gold mine, they get the shaft.

[@melodymakermark]

Sneaking in some closing video of Chips Moman’s Memphis Boys under a Nashville banner! Shame. 🤣 Although Reggie did find a home in Nashville.

[@rythymsection7335]

Was the A-Team and the Wrecking Crew the same or 2 different units using the same musicians?

[@newwavepop]

what exactly are these clips from? is this available, id there a title?

[@coreyzimmerman9782]

6.50. The into to a ccr song! They should have been paid

[@WildPhotoShooter]

Pete Drake was part of the A team.

[@theproductioncompanyusa4547]

Pete's a great pedal steel player. The A Team was a rhythm section. Don't know whether Pete would have considered himself a rhythm section player, or s specialist who did a ton of overdubs and solos on huge records.

[@WildPhotoShooter]

Just wondered why he wasn't mentioned.

[@theproductioncompanyusa4547]

Because the musicians in the film mostly talked about their own work with major artists and producers, and not the work of other studio musicians.

[@WildPhotoShooter]

Fair enough, but they did mention players who weren't present. I just thought I'd mention Pete Drake who probably did more sessions than all the other pedal steel players put together in the 60s.

[@WildPhotoShooter]

These are great videos, good to hear the great musicians talking like this.

[@J.B24]

Was Carol Kaye in this group?

[@kevingavigan7883]

She was in "The Wrecking Crew". Bob Moore was the principal bassist for "The Nashville A-Team". Fellow Wrecking Crew bassist Joe Osborn later joined the A-Team, and while *not* technically members of the A-Team, Norbert Putnam and Michael Rhodes were very popular session bassists in the Nashville recording scene.

[@J.B24]

@@kevingavigan7883 These stories fascinate me, the production stories that led to these great songs.

[@miropribanic5581]

is that the rightest band in the universe? Which only could be matched by Motown's Funk Brothers?

[@ginnywhite333]

sadly studeo bands don't get the money or the recognition they deserve ps did Buddy play on the Johnny Horton sessions?

[@connorm955]

Yes

[@oldermusiclover]

@@connorm955 ok thanks

[@tdrtx]

How could Harold Bradley be left out? He played rhythm or 6-string bass on countless sessions -- and in fact in Chicago, before Nashville was a recording center. He's likely the most recorded guitarist in the world, even surpassing Tommy Tedesco.

[@JordanRobertKirk]

Didn’t he die pretty young

[@tdrtx]

Harold? He was 93!

[@kevingavigan7883]

I couldn't agree more. One of the most prolific guitarists, and was also one of the first musicians to use the "tic-tac bass" that's long since been popular in the Nashville recording industry. Nothing beats the sound of a muted 6-string bass doubling the main bassline.

[@andymassingham]

Bob and Buddy with James Burton and Kenny Lovelace backing Jerry Lee Lewis in 1984 live. The best concert I've ever seen. They were so tight and Jerry had NO set list!

[@shanemichaels8289]

So basically my favorite songs were all the same musicians either the A team or the swampers

[@Sniffthedrippings]

It's a shame they left out Hank Garland.

[@mosrite60]

+jebesi - yes and Nashville sound without Chet Atkins? something is being left out here. mosrite60

[@theproductioncompanyusa4547]

Hank was to sick to be interviewed when Session Men was shot in 1997.

[@theproductioncompanyusa4547]

Chet was "too busy" to be interviewed for Session Men.

[@adamhill3107]

And Billy Grammer.

[@TheRUTHIE999]

was hank strzelecki too sick? whoops dead? i mean too busy being dead to be mentioned. sorry my bad.

[@lamper2]

who played that lead on pretty woman?

[@kevingavigan7883]

Billy Sanford.

[@floydgonzales3864]

One has performance rights if your performance is documented or recorded and you should copyright them. But, an employee of the label has few rights.

[@theeaskey]

The Nashville mob, they had it all sewed up..

[@pierheadjump]

They don’t because they got screwed. They all loved playing so much 😎 would have almost paid to play. ⚓️

[@adamhill3107]

Wasn't Billy Grammer in there?

[@dannycorser]

what about Hank Garland ?????

[@bennyrocks7668]

Can someone tell me the song at 1:27 ?

[@irisheyes5890]

That was Patsy Cline - Break it to me gently

[@phillymathguy8142]

@@irisheyes5890 No, that's Brenda Lee.

[@garybryson9534]

Some really great musicians (artists). I think if you play on a record, you should get a royalty if it makes money, just like the singer and the songwriter. Seems only fair.

[@ronj9448]

Some get paid very very well. Better than the artist if the song doesn't sell. Its work for hire.

[@rstvmo]

Ha!

[@MrSquidd88]

no mention of Jimmy Capps hmmm

[@WaveRyeDer99]

Criminal they never got royalties.

[@justsaying9913]

Musicians don’t get royalties?! WTF 🤬 was that statement....Anyone know if that’s still true?

[@Gratefulman1965]

Yes it’s still true. A great example is Jonny Hiland as well as Brent mason. Even though they are endorsed now, but when they are in the studio recording for another artist it is still union scale. Absolutely ridiculous if you ask me.