Month: October 2013

Buddy Gene Emmons stands as one of a handful of pedal steel players who truly advanced the instrument. His innovations as the “Bud” half of Sho-Bud guitars with partner Shot Jackson are just part of it. Emmons was the first pedal steeler to explore bebop and hard bop on his groundbreaking 1963 Steel Guitar Jazz album. That and subsequent solo records inspired generations of steel players, as did his exuberant appearances at steel-guitar conventions worldwide.

As a side man, he worked in the bands of Little Jimmy Dickens, Ernest Tubb, and Ray Price, making some of their hits even more memorable. In the L.A. and Nashville studios, he recorded with many, including Ray Charles, Judy Collins, Danny Gatton, Gram Parsons, and John Sebastian.

Emmons retired in 2007 following the death of his wife Peggy. Feeling Buddy merited real recognition, Steve Fishell, ex-Emmylou Harris Hot Band steel guitarist and MPR Records owner, created a star-studded, Kickstarter-funded tribute merging singers, steel players, and guitarists. It has Buddy’s blessing. Profits will benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame in Peggy’s name.

Vince Gill’s gleeful reprise of the 1949 Jimmy Dickens hit “Country Boy” is explosive, with potent lead guitar and powerful steel solos from Paul Franklin and Opry stalwart Tommy White. In a partial reunion of the Hot Band, Fishell, Harris, and Rodney Crowell revisit the Parsons favorite “That’s All It Took.” John Anderson reprises Tubb’s hit “Half A Mind” with steel by Buck Reid.

Backed by Brad Paisley pedal player Randle Currie, Raul Malo offers a powerful rendering of “Night Life,” the 1963 Price hit (written by Willie Nelson) that showcased Emmons as much as Price. Willie, with his own guitar and Mickey Raphael’s harmonica, performs “Are You Sure,” a ballad he and Emmons co-wrote. Singer Chris Stapleton and the steels of Roosevelt Collier and Fishell take on the 1971 Ray Charles version of “Feel So Bad,” which featured Emmons.

Greg Leisz offers his take on Emmons’ ’70s recording of “Wild Mountain Thyme.” Duane Eddy and Dan Dugmore tackle “Blue Jade” and Hank Williams’s “Manson On The Hill,” staples of Emmons’ later live shows. “Buddy’s Boogie,” a song he wrote and recorded while working with Dickens, gets a roaring workout from Doug Jernigan.

Norm Hamlet, Merle Haggard’s steel player, glides through Price’s “Invitation To The Blues.”

Emmons was so integral to John Sebastian’s goodnatured 1970 “Rainbows All Over Your Blues,” he was even acknowledged in the original lyric, revived here by Albert Lee and JayDee Maness. The most poignant moment, “When Your House Is Not A Home,” features 91-year-old Dickens, a master of ballads, singing his ’50s hit with Dugmore and Eddy.

The booklet alone is breathtaking. Fishell provides a detailed Emmons bio, extensive notes on each selection, personnel, rare photos, and a 2010 chat between Emmons and Dickens. This music not only celebrates Emmons by capturing his exuberance and daring, it makes you want to seek out and hear his original recordings.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s October ’13 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

The husband-wife team of singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi and slide savant Derek Trucks continue their gospel-inflected roots-meets-blues journey with Made Up My Mind. It’s their second studio album since 2011’s Revelator, and comes hot on the heels of last year’s very live Everybody’s Talkin’. The 11-piece band perfectly gels with earthy textures, deep-fried Southern soul, and blissful slide tones.

Tedeschi and Trucks have a supporting ensemble that’s from the top of the food chain: Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson on drums and percussion, Saunders Sermons on trombone and vocals, Kebbi Williams on saxophone, Maurice Brown on trumpet, Mike Mattison and Mark Rivers on harmony vocals, and Kofi Burbridge on keys and flute. Since the departure of bassist Oteil Burbridge, the band has played musical chairs with a great selection of top-tier bass players that includes Pino Palladino, Bakithi Kumalo, George Reiff, and Dave Monsey.

The title track pumps through the speakers with a jaunty slide riff while Tedeschi’s voice has simply gotten better and more resonant with each recording. Reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt, her voice is tough, sultry, and super soulful. The band plays with an organic ear-friendly mix of subtle horns and keyboards, with Trucks’ supernatural soaring slide in beautiful form. Particularly on “Do I Look Worried,” Trucks gets to really go for it as the band cooks, borrowing compositional cues from Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You.” It’s a standout track.

They switch gears with “Idle Wind” with its acoustic guitar and the band’s cross-pollination of Led Zeppelin, Traffic, and the Allman Brothers. The group sound – and especially Kofi Burbridge’s flute – really make the track pop, reminiscent of a time when music had space and breadth.

The album’s single, “Part Of Me,” is a fine vocal duet between Tedeschi and Saunders Sermons. It’s one of the highlights of the record with roots stemming from classic soul and R&B, including a tip of the hat to Muscle Shoals music of the ’60s and ’70s.

Co-produced by Jim Scott (Wilco, Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Trucks, Made Up My Mind is a warm, rich, and satisfying record with some of the most vocal guitar tones of Trucks’ career, particularly on the ballad “It’s So Heavy.” Tedeschi gets deep on “Sweet And Low,” while Trucks pulls a tonal switch with the gnarly intro riff to “The Storm.” It’s very much a beautiful ensemble record with perfectly blended brush strokes of B3, wah, and well-placed horn blasts. Trucks’ guitar is inspiring throughout.

The record closes with the acoustic/resonator slide ballad, “Calling Out To You.” It’s poignant, deeply Southern, and cinematic, as Tedeschi draws from a rich blues tradition of the best female vocalists that came before, while adding her own splendid touch. This album signals a step up from Revelator, displaying a band on a roll with enviable artistic integrity and deep southern confidence.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s October ’13 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

The latest album by sacred steel giant Randolph and his band is a non-stop, foot-stomping mix of R&B, soul, rock and roll, and gospel that is as invigorating as it is smart. Randolph’s playing is all over the record, darting in and out of vocals and other instruments with an ease and a sense of glee and adventure.

Randolph kicks off the opening cut, “Amped Up,” with some loud and aggressive steel guitar. As with many cuts on Lickety Split, there’s a strong gospel vibe to go along with the R&B. The church is never far away, whether it’s joining the fun on “Take The Party” or preaching some call and response on “Brand New Wayo,” where guest Carlos Santana trades licks with members of the band.

The title cut is the perfect example of this band’s versatility, as funky boogie gives way to melodic chord changes and a great lyric. Pedal steel used to be relegated to country music, but Randolph is on a mission to put it in the same column as lead guitar in rock and roll.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s September ’13 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

After years of performing in myriad musical arrangements, Dustin Hofsess debuts his first solo album, offering a window into the mind of a very talented guitarist. With an assist from keyboardist Lovell Bradford, drummer Adam Snow, and bassist George Porter Jr. (The Meters), Hofsess gets some stellar support. Percussionist and producer Jim Brock (Joe Walsh) also lends his talents.

“Lament For Camille” sets the stage for a mellow instrumental record full of subtle nuances and lush guitar tones. Hofsess has a fine touch on the frets and his “less is more” approach to effects along with some cool backwards guitar loops work nicely. “It’s The Poets, Not The Newspapers” has some fine acoustic playing. “Shell Game” displays great rock-bop chops, but by the time we get to his smooth jazz rendition of Led Zeppelin’s heavy rock classic “Kashmir,” you’re ready to buy Hofsess a Red Bull, a shot of tequila, and a stripper.

While it’s rife with seasoned, articulate playing and thoughtful compositions, Short Stories could use some fire and sweat in the heat of battle to offset its excessively tranquil ambiance.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s October ’13 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.