The Five Greatest Solos?

[Frank Freniere]

The author probably should have titled this article “My Favorite Five Steel Guitar Solos.”

https://medium.com/shore2shore-country/ ... a40372f1eb

[Earnest Bovine]

De gustibus non disputandum est.

[Skip Edwards]

Veritas...

[Duane Becker]

Geeess. Really? Definitely the author's favorites, not mine, I'll go with Tom Brumley's Together Again but the number 4 and 5 shouldn't even be on any list.
If we are talking about the greatest solos in history how about
Curly Chalker's I Love You Because https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FxEpdys85g

Paul Franklin's Nervous Breakdown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDPSXONhJm8

Buddy Emmons Remember Me (tenth song on the track)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb9tpckdNZY
Emmons really takes off at 29:00

Weldon Myrick Bells of St Marys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TrEXkh ... mJTkzxLfMY

[Duane Becker]

I noticed my previous post was listing steel solos on the country side, so how about some rock:

Sneeky Pete Hot Burrito #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rrqBsG1yXs

David Lindley Running on Empty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFQKvtbD6Kw

John McFee South Side Midnight Lady
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt7kEqWlSyc

[robert kramer]

Years ago, this great question was asked on the SGF and several players replied. Emmons and many other listed Ferlin Husky's "Just Like Jimmy" w/ Jerry Byrd on steel as their favorite:

"Next To Jimmy" - Ferlin Husky Capitol 4406 (1960)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCg5UJUZZXE

My favorite is Curtis Potter / Darrell McCall / Ray Sanders on"Soft Rain" from "Texas Dancehall Music" w/ Emmons on what sounds to me like a Bolt-On.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_1tuRYS1r4

[John Larson]

"Together Again" is the gold standard imo.

Here are some personal favorites.
Son Volt - "Creosote" (Eric Heywood)
Bon Iver - "Beth/Rest" (Greg Leisz)
New Riders of the Purple Sage - "Death and Destruction"(Buddy Cage)
Dire Straits - "Brothers in Arms" (Paul Franklin)
The Byrds - "One Hundred Years from Now" (Lloyd Green)
Desert Rose Band - "Story of Love" (Jay Dee Maness)
Pink Floyd - "High Hopes" (Dave Gilmour)
Grateful Dead - "Dire Wolf" (Jerry Garcia)
Jimmy Buffett - "He Went to Paris" (Doyle Grisham)
Vince Gill - "Look at Us" (John Hughey)
Marshall Tucker Band - "Fire on the Mountain" (Toy Caldwell)
Bottle Rockets - "Kerosene" (John Keane)
Blue Rodeo - "Hasn't Hit Me Yet" (Kim Deschamps)
Drive-By Truckers - "Two Daughters and Beautiful Wife" (John Neff)
Not really a solo per se but that whole outro tail end of the song where the steel just weeps above it all combined with the subject matter is just...

Bonus: Had to include my favorite steelers twice.
Jeffrey Foucault - "Starlight and Static" (Eric Heywood)
Jackson Browne - "Looking into You" (Live from Home) (Greg Leisz)

[Ray Minich]

John you missed the steeler who played for Linda Ronstadt on Blue Bayou. name escapes me at moment.

[Ken Pippus]

Dan Dugmore.

[Darrell Criswell]

Ralph Mooney "Rainy Day Woman"
Toy Caldwell "Fire on the Mountain"
Buddy Cage "Panama Red"

Anything by Joe Wright!

[Larry Baker]

Lloyd Greens—Midnight Silence.

[Jim Arnold]

"Cowboy Peyton Place" Dan Dugmore. Doug Sahm song. Dan's intro and solo are beyond compare.

[Pete Finney]

"Cowboy Peyton Place" Dan Dugmore. Doug Sahm song. Dan's intro and solo are beyond compare.

That would be my old pal Tommy Detamore in Floresville, Texas playing the amazing steel on that track.

The original version that Doug Sahm cut back in the 7O's was with the late Harry Hess.

[Jim Arnold]

Thanks Pete for the correction.
Tommy's playing is just outstanding. I've listen to Cowboy Peyton place more times than I can count and it's always inspiring everytime I hear it.

[Craig Stock]

Hey Pete, I watched the movie Roadie a few nights ago, and saw your name in the credits. Such a great time capsule film. Wonder if you have any stories about it.

[Daniel Flanigan]

I could go on all day listing my favorite steel solos, so I won't attempt it. However, just a few of my favorites come to mind;


Tom Brumley on Rick Nelson's "Garden Party".

Skunk Baxter on the track "Brooklyn" from Steely Dan's debut record.

Toy Caldwell, Ending solo from "In My Own Way" and "Keeps Me From All Wrong".

Ralph Mooney on Waylon's "Freedom To Stay".

Sneaky Pete Kleinow on Jackson Browne's "Take It Easy & Our Lady Of The Well". The transition solo from Take It Easy to Our Lady, in particular is truly one of the most beautiful steel parts ever recorded. This is my favorite solo overall.

David Lindley on Jackson Browne's "Walking Slow" and Eddie Money's "Gimme Some Water".

John Denver's "Rhymes and Reasons"(1973 Greatest Hits re-recorded version). Steel player unknown, likely Eric Weissberg who's credited with guitar and banjo on the album sleeve.

Jimmy Day on Willie's "She's Not For You". (Not a solo strictly speaking, but I've always loved the steel playing in this song.)

Scott Boyer on Gregg Allman's "These Days"

Dan Dugmore on James Taylor's "Carolina In My Mind" (1976 Greatest Hits re-recorded version). Again, not technically a solo, but one of my favorites all the same.


And finally, if instrumental tracks count, I'll include the following;

Buddy Emmons' "Blue Jade",


Tom Brumley and The Buckaroos' "Waltz of the Roses"


Jimmy Day's "Lonely Street" from "All Those Years"

[John Larson]

Sneaky Pete Kleinow on Jackson Browne's "Take It Easy & Our Lady Of The Well". The outro solo on Take It Easy in particular is truly one of the most beautiful steel parts ever recorded.

That segue is absolutely beautiful. Whatever phaser effect Sneaky was using was absolutely perfect.

[Dave Grafe]

Many worthy rides posted here, but I humbly suggest that anyone who has spent a lifetime playing music knows that most of the greatest "solos" ever played were not recorded. Thankful for so many informative signposts but the road itself lies straight ahead in front of us, and it always will.

[Marc Muller]

John McFee South Side Midnight Lady
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt7kEqWlSyc

Skunk Baxter on this, no? At least on thestudio version. My 1st ears on a steel guitar in 72.
Also a vote for Sneaky Pete Take it Easy/Lady of the Well. So lyrical and unique on the Fender.

[Darrell Criswell]

Bobby Springfield's steel solo on Frenchie Burke's Big Mamour. I think they lost the masters and later recordings Jim Loessberg copied and played it.

[Joachim Kettner]

Sneaky Pete on Never Going Back on the Lovin Spoonfuls last album. I was endlessly listening to it with my earphones on.

[Daniel Flanigan]

Sneaky Pete Kleinow on Jackson Browne's "Take It Easy & Our Lady Of The Well". The outro solo on Take It Easy in particular is truly one of the most beautiful steel parts ever recorded.

That segue is absolutely beautiful. Whatever phaser effect Sneaky was using was absolutely perfect.

I couldn't agree more. To me, it's the best thing Pete ever played. I can remember the first time I listened to For Everyman, and that steel part that fades into Our Lady Of The Well has always stuck with me. I believe he used an MXR Phase-45, the original "Script" version of course, on that track. At least that's what it sounds like to me, and it pretty much nails the sound for me.

If you have a good HiFi, and you listen to that part very closely, you'll hear that Pete did several overdubs in the first 15 seconds or so after Jackson's vocal part ends. There are several different steel parts playing simultaneously. It's pretty subtle, but it adds to the beautiful, ethereal nature of it.

[Mike Harris]

I've listened to a bunch of what people have listed here and have no hesitation mentioning Buddy Emmons on "I Pity the Poor Immigrant" (Judy Collins) and Jerry Byrd's solo on "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (Hank Williams). Not a pedal or lever to be found on that second one. Absolutely sublime conception and execution.

[Johnny Cox]

There are so many. Half A Mind Buddy Emmons (Ernest Tubb).
I'll Come Runnin' Weldon Myrick (Connie Smith)
And tons more but one that always gets me is Lloyd Green on Remember When (Alan Jackson).

[Bob Shilling]

Lot's of great solos here, but no one's mentioned Moon's solo on "A Couple More Years," on this 1983 video shot live in Stockholm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-urOq56Ofc