The acknowledged maestro of the pedal steel guitar, Buddy Emmons lent his unparalleled virtuosity to over five decades of hit recordings and set standards that remain the benchmark for musicians today. Steve Fishell's merger of biography and memoir draws extensively on in-depth interviews with Emmons and the artist's autobiographical writings. Emmons went from playing strip clubs to a Grand Ole Opry debut with Little Jimmy Dickens at age 18. His restless experimentation led to work with Ernest Tubb and Ray Price--and established him in a career that saw him play alongside a who's who of American music. Fishell weaves in stories and anecdotes from Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Linda Ronstadt, Pat Martino, and many others to provide a fascinating musical and personal portrait of an innovator whose peerless playing and countless recordings recognized no boundaries. A one-of-a-kind life story, Buddy Emmons expands our view of a groundbreaking artist and his impact on country music, jazz, and beyond.
Steve Fishell is a Nashville-based pedal steel guitarist, Grammy-winning record producer, and educator. He has performed on chart-topping records for Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Eric Church, and Emmylou Harris, with whom he has toured and recorded for forty years. Fishell has also produced number one singles for Pam Tillis, Radney Foster, and Charlie Major. Fishell teaches at the University of New Haven.
Preface Buddy Emmons Timeline Lower Broad, 1965 Back Home in Indiana Chops Sin City Motown Raisin' the Dickens Discovery Days The Importance of Being Ernest California Interlude Color of the Blues A Troubadour Again The Cherokee Cowboys Emmons Original Night Life Steel Guitar Jazz The Bottom Rainbows All Over Your Blues Suite Steel Back to Nashville The Great Stream Gentle on My Mind Hold On The Sound Factory and Swing Shift Awards and Battles Where the Sidewalk Ends When I Call Your Name Steel Guitar Heaven Epilogue Acknowledgments Appendix A: Tributes and Testimonials Appendix B: Buddy Emmons's Tunings and Pedal Changes Notes Index
"A tip of the derby to Steve Fishell. This book showcases the essence of Buddy Emmons! The back stories are insightful, revealing Buddy's explorative mindset along with his restless quest towards perfection. Is it any wonder Buddy's musical contributions became legendary? A must read!"--Paul Franklin "The conversation between jazz and country in the twentieth century is one of the least appreciated crossovers in American music. Steve Fishell takes us to the heart of that history and the vision of one of its greatest artists. Buddy Emmons was a complicated genius, and you'll know him after reading Fishell's atmospheric and appreciative biography."--Craig Havighurst, author of Air Castle of the South: WSM and the Making of Music City
