'Suite Steel'.....

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 30 Jan 2002 3:46 pm

Today, while practising, I played a string of chords on E9 and said to myself, "Where did THAT come from?", then it came to me - it was something J.D. Maness played on the 'Suite Steel' album; it must have been lurking in my subconscience!

Then I got all nostalgic about the record, and I wished I could hear it again - does anyone know if it's been released as a CD? I don't recall any mention of it on the Forum, but I'd appreciate a 'heads up' if it's available anywhere.

Thanks.....

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Roger Rettig
Emmons LGIII(S10/D10)& MCI D10

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 30 Jan 2002 3:50 pm

I meant, of course, "...subconscious."

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Roger Rettig
Emmons LGIII(S10/D10)& MCI D10

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 30 Jan 2002 4:21 pm

I'm not sure if it's on CD or not, but the album shows up on eBay from time to time.

Dan Farrell · Post by **Dan Farrell** » 30 Jan 2002 4:23 pm

Roger--Suite Steel is indeed a great album. I think Rusty Young's vresion of "Everybody's Talkin" is right up there with any jazz peice Buddy has done. Anyway, I have tried for two years to find it on CD and all major purveyors say that it is not available in CD (Fortunately, I still have the record). if you still have a recod player, you could probably find a copy of the album on e-bay.

Good luck!

Dan Farrell
Anaheim CA
'97 Carter D-10

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 30 Jan 2002 4:33 pm

It was on Elektra, and that label's reissue program ain't exactly the greatest.
Sure all the Doors stuff and the Butterfield Blues Band albums are easy to find, but when it comes to the 1970s and especially any of the country related products it's woeful.

An indie label has picked up most of the Ian Mathews (yes, the old spelling) sets from the early 1970s, but the Suite Steel and most of the progressive country releases the label had between 1972-1975 are still unreleased in a CD format and remain deleted from their lists.
With labels like Capricorn doing qulaity reissues of the backlog of albums I feel that Elektra will catch up, hopefully soon.

I think Tom Bradhsaw still has some tape copies, but Im hoping to get an LP copy or that a CD release will happen.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 30 Jan 2002 4:37 pm

Actually, you know now that this album has been mentioned I'd be curious to know people's opinion of the set and memories of when they got it.
When the album came out it was 1970, Buddy Emmons had been in L.A. around two years while Sneaky Pete and Rusty Young had really obly come to the public's attention in 1969 due to the debut albums of their respective groups, while Red had just appeared on Michael Nesmith's 1970 solo debut.
Outside of the Californian scene I'm wondering how well these guys were known at the time?

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 30 Jan 2002 5:18 pm

I lived in DC (MD Suburbs) and I sure knew who each of them were!

I was the quintessential east coast Space Cowboy steel guitar wannabee, saving my pennies for my first steel, and I absolutely scarffed that album up!!!

Listening back today it does seem somewhat dated, but it's more in the production values than in anything the pickers played... imo

My Lovely Wife gave me a pristine "promotional copy not for sale" this past christmas

lucky me![This message was edited by Dave Van Allen on 30 January 2002 at 05:20 PM.]

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 31 Jan 2002 5:30 am

When I first picked up the album, I really loved "Witchita Lineman". Closed my eyes and imagined a scene driving down a prairie road with the mountains in the distance, on a beautiful sunny day. This was years ago in Toronto. Today, anyday, I can drive down the road to the nearest big town and see that same sight. Must have been prophetic.

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 2 Feb 2002 10:06 am

I think I purchaced my suite steel tape from T. Bradshaw long ago. Wichita lineman was my favorite. No credits on who played what with the cassette. Seem to remember reading somewhere that it was J.D. playing W.L., OR was it E?

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 2 Feb 2002 12:14 pm

That was Buddy playing 'Wichita Lineman' - I don't know if the "Suite Steel" album pre-dated the Ray Charles 'cover' of this song (on "Volcanic Action Of My Soul" - 1971), but Emmons played on that, too. That was, deservedly, a hot tune around that time...

Anyone who hasn't heard the Charles record should try to do so - Buddy's all over it! The solo in 'Lineman' is understated, but perfect, and the 'ride' on the blues song, 'I feel So Bad' is classic Emmons....

Doesn't "suite Steel" also have that interesting overdubbed version of 'Blackbird' played by Sneaky Pete?

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Roger Rettig
Emmons LGIII(S10/D10)& MCI D10

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 2 Feb 2002 6:02 pm

Dan, i just dug out that tape for a relisten and was really knocked-out by 'everybody's talkin'. I was never that familiar with Rusty's playing or Poco for that matter but had no idea that was Rusty or that he could play like that. What a player!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 2 Feb 2002 6:32 pm

Yes, the version of "Blackbird" by Pete was really unique. I also liked the "hip" version of "Down On The Corner", too. By the way, I have seen a foreign CD version of the album (Japanese, I think), but it had a different cover (without all those "passport photos").

B Bailey Brown · Post by **B Bailey Brown** » 3 Feb 2002 2:55 pm

Outside of the Californian scene I'm wondering how well these guys were known at the time?

Jason,

Good question. I was very familiar with all three. However, I had the luxury of not only being a steel guitar player, but also a rock & roll DJ at the time. Consequently, any “rock” record with a steel in it caught my attention right away, probably because I was one of the few people that even recognized the instrument when I heard it. Of course I am speaking here about people that listened to “rock” music all the time, not country listeners.

I picked up right away on Rusty’s work with Poco and Three Dog Night, and what Sneaky did with the Burritos, Linda Ronstadt and others. Red Rhodes not only played with people like Mike Nesmith, but he had played on many of the west coast “country” records for some years, so I actually was familiar with him before I ever heard of Rusty or Sneaky.

As far as the “Suite Steel” album goes, I hate to admit it but it is one of the few that I never had a copy of. To this day I have never heard the album!

I have heard a lot about it, and maybe someday they will release it on a CD…and I will actually get to hear what everybody is talking about.

B. Bailey Brown

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 3 Feb 2002 7:03 pm

I picked up Suite Steel one Saturday morning at my local record shop- a buddy came over and heard me raving about Emmons and Wichita Lineman... he told me about a Maverick for sale three doors down from my house. I went and bought the steel, hoofed it to a music store to buy new strings where I met a gal who wanted to hire a steel player for her new band- despite never having even touched a steel before she hired me on a "learn or get fired" basis. So impossible as it is, I heard the song that knocked me out, bought a steel and joined my first band all in the same day. We played a gig the next weekend. 25 years later I'm still learning... Thanks Buddy!

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Mark van Allen-"Blueground Undergrass" Pedal, Non-Pedal, Lap, and Dobro - c'mon by and visit: www.markvanallen.com

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 3 Feb 2002 10:00 pm

I thought I had that record but when I looked,the one I was thinking of was Pacific Steel Co.with Tom Brumley,Sneaky Pete,Jay Dee,Al Perkins & Junior{Red}Rhodes 'tho I've never heard him called Junior before.Al Perkin's Salty Psaltery was my fav. when I bought it and it was fantastic to hear it again.Sorry to get off the track.
Regards Brendan