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  Hal Rugg

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Author Topic:   Hal Rugg
William J Maynard
Member

From: DePere, Wisconsin, USA

posted 08 August 2005 02:33 PM     profile     
I happened to check out the Internet and was able to pull some interesting info on Hal Rugg. I thought all of Hal's supporters and fans might like to read what was reported on him sometime ago.

Bill Maynard

Hal Rugg



Age: 68

For the record: Rugg got his first taste of performing at clubs in Tucson and throughout Southern Arizona in the 1950s before he and his wife, Vicky, moved to the Midwest in 1957. Four years later, spurred on by encouragement from Grand Ole Opry regulars like Bobby Lord and Billy Grammer, Rugg moved to Nashville and quickly joined up with the legendary George Jones, who gave Rugg his first chance to record. The record company was so taken with Rugg's talents they put him to work as a session musician. At the same time, Rugg was hired on the staff at the Opry, where he was a regular from 1963 to 1979.

Rugg's resume also includes studio and television work with some of country music's biggest stars: Loretta Lynn, Roy Clark, Ronnie Milsap, Ray Price, Sammy Kershaw and the Statler Brothers among them.

In 1979 he was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.

Rugg returned home to Tucson in 2002 after his wife died. He still has a home in Nashville and plays occasional session gigs there.

How did you get interested in music? "My mother's family were a bunch of musicians. ... When I was going to Arizona Desert School out here, there was a bunch of kids I hung out with and we listened to folk music and country music. And I had this little lap steel. That's when I got interested in it. ... Pedal steel came around a few years later but I couldn't get one here. I didn't get one until I moved in 1957."

Who influences you most in your style? "There are a lot of great players around now. Someone who influenced me in the late 1950s was Buddy Emmons. He is still around in Nashville. Another is Paul Franklin. He is one of the major steel players in Nashville now."

What was your biggest on-stage nightmare? "I've never had anything that really I was traumatized by. I had little things that happened. I think the worst thing is to be in the middle of a solo and to break one of those little strings, one of those high strings. You're in your solo and instead of playing a 10-string guitar, you're playing a nine-string."

What was your biggest career success? "I've been really blessed. I think my recording career has been my biggest success. ... I also did a lot of television, probably more than any other steel player in Nashville."

What was your dream gig? "Oh, I think I've had a lot of dream gigs, really. I've been very fortunate to be able to make a living playing this instrument. A lot of guys had to work the road. I got a local thing in Nashville where I didn't have to go on the road."

If Hank Williams and Toby Keith were contestants on Nashville Star, which would win? "I'm sort of out of touch with being right down with what's going on with country music, but with Toby Keith being more contemporary, he'd win."

Now playing: Rugg plays a weekly gig at J Bar, 3770 E. Sunrise Drive on the grounds of the Westin La Paloma Resort, from 7-10 p.m. Wednesdays with Tucson blues diva Lisa Otey.

By Cathalena E. Burch. Let us know if there's someone you'd like to see in this column. E-mail cburch@azstarnet.com or call 573-4642.

Michael Breid
Member

From: Eureka Springs, Arkansas, USA

posted 08 August 2005 08:36 PM     profile     
Thanks William. A lot of people may not have known those things about Hal. I didn't know about him until he did the Loretta Lynn and Osborne Brothers sessions. Then I started seeing him on the Nashville TV programs. I'm sure the fans of Hal appreciate your efforts. I know I do.

Michael

Larry W. Jones
Member

From: Kingwood TX & Longmont CO

posted 08 August 2005 09:19 PM     profile     
I thought it would be nice to add a photo of Hal.
Gene Jones
Member

From: Oklahoma City, OK USA

posted 09 August 2005 03:57 AM     profile     
Hal at the 2004 ISGC (with some fellow members of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame).

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HOMEPAGE

Charlie McDonald
Member

From: Lubbock, Texas, USA

posted 09 August 2005 05:07 AM     profile     
Cool. Who's the cat in the hat next to Jody?
Gary Lee Gimble
Member

From: Gaithersburg, Maryland

posted 09 August 2005 05:30 AM     profile     
Buddy Charleton
Jody Carver
Member

From: The Knight Of Fender Tweed~ Dodger Blue Forever

posted 09 August 2005 05:43 AM     profile     
God Bless His Soul

[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 19 August 2005 at 04:34 PM.]

Lem Smith
Member

From: Fulton, MS. U.S.A.

posted 09 August 2005 09:04 AM     profile     
quote:
Pedal steel came around a few years later but I couldn't get one here. I didn't get one until I moved in 1957."

You know, that really speaks a lot about Hal's tremendous talent. If he didn't get pedals until 57, that would mean he was only playing pedal steel 10 years, or less, when he was coming up with some of that incredible stuff he played on Loretta's albums, as well as others. Also, when you add the fact that pedal steel was in a pretty constant state of transition during part of that time, it's nothing short of amazing what Hal, and others of that time, were able to accomplish on the pedal steel.

Lem

Roger Kelly
Member

From: Mount Carmel, TN. 37645

posted 10 August 2005 06:05 AM     profile     
Lem, If Hal started playing a Pedal Steel in 1957.....that would be 48 years I believe. Hal was one of my heros and will be greatly missed. Hal's rendition of "Life's Railway To Heaven" is one of my favorites. I can just imagine him riding that Train right now.
Lem Smith
Member

From: Fulton, MS. U.S.A.

posted 10 August 2005 08:42 AM     profile     
Roger,
Yes, it would be 48 years total until now, but I was talking about the late 60's when Hal was recording those incredible intros, etc... with Loretta.

Lem

Michael Douchette
Member

From: Gallatin, TN

posted 10 August 2005 10:58 AM     profile     
I remember, years ago, working a session with Hal, I was playing acoustic guitar and harmonica on it... one of the songs had a line about a river in it, and my harp fill had just a hint of "Red River Valley" in it... Hal looked at me with that big ol' grin, and said, "Mikey, you really have a flair for the obvious!" :-)

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Mikey D...

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