posted 26 September 2000 08:30 AM         

Chicago's Bloodshot Records 'Bloodshot Revival and Soundies' reissue label had a promo for the never-before released recordings of Hank Penny as "Crazy Rhythm " Release Date: July 18, 2000.
The 30 previously unissued tracks laid down by Hank in 1951 for Standard Transcription Recording Services.
The notes mention "Featuring crack pedal steel player Noel Boggs"

Now this could be a simple mistake to have listed Boggs as a pedal steel player, or was it?
Add to this an article on Hank Penny's steel players from the May 1981 double issue of Steel Guitarist. The text originally accompanied a picture of Boggs.

quote:

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RIGHT: Noel Boggs at about the time he was with Penny {1948}. Note the one pedal Bigsby, with it's nicely sanded metal necks. The peg-head, rollerless nut and bridge were
formed from the same piece of metal. Observe, also the raised fretlines and markers. It is difficult to descern whether
the fetboard is an insert into the neck, or the lines and the markers were milled out. Either way, such features would be too costly today. Bigsby guitars at the time, however,were not inexpensive, either!

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Now as Smiley Roberts pointed out to me, on Boggs late 1950s "Magic Steel Guitar",Shasta Records album # SH-LP-503. Noel Boggs has a 4 neck Fender on the cover.

The question is....does anyone know whether Noel Boggs switched to a Bigsby pedal steel {or any kind of pedal steel} in the late 1940s and early 1950s. If he did it's my guess he wasn't entirely happy and reverted to Fender non pedal steels.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

posted 26 September 2000 09:47 AM         

I saw Noel about a year before he died, playing at a private party in Hollywood with Hal Southern's band. He was playing a Fender 1000 standing up with no pedals. This was about 1972. He was still with Jimmy Wakely, and also played in Doye O'Dell's band at the Mustang Club on Alvarado St. downtown. I would occasionally fill in for him with Doye.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Homesite

posted 26 September 2000 10:01 AM         

Did you ever see Noel play pedals?

Take care good friend,

posted 26 September 2000 06:51 PM         

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Herb's Steel Guitar Homesite

posted 26 September 2000 08:31 PM         

I just am online a lot, have a good memory of who I played for, and am quick with the keyboard. But there are many guys who stayed in CA after I left, like Jim Bob Sedgwick and Jerry Hayes, who have equally great stories about playing with guys that were the greats of yesteryear.

It's no big whup, really.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Homesite

posted 26 September 2000 09:23 PM         

I respect all the guys you mentioned, geez Carl West played on some great sides, Red did some great stuff and it's really amazing to hear from guys like Jerry, Carl Walden, Ethan Reilly, John Noreen, Jay Dee and all the rest, admiitedly I have a soft spot for Californian pickers, but there are guys from all over the world who I admire that swing by the forum, some are famous {well by steel standards}, but to guys like me..it's kind of awe inspiring as well.
You were there and saw, lived it..that's something I don't have. Although I do enjoy catching the tours and Melbourne pickers locally.
All the best
Jason

posted 26 September 2000 09:48 PM         

I am pretty sure he was playing pedals, but my memory is not so good on that point. Tom Bradshaw would know.(How about it Tom?)

posted 27 September 2000 02:14 AM         

Now, one night she paired me up at the nightclub with an older guy who played a multi-necked Fender. He stood up while playing. This was my first experience with any kind of steel. Well, the two of us played "Perdido" and he was awesome! My memory (?) says his name was "Al" ... but I could be wrong (This WAS the 60s!) Any ideas as to the identity of this steel man? He was great, and really gracious to this young would-be jazz guitarist.

BTW, you mentioned Thad Maxwell. What is he up to these days?

Thanks, Chris

posted 27 September 2000 07:53 AM         

quote:

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Noel's playing is full of enough fat chords to clog an artery

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Chris Brooks, someone told me not so long ago about Thad, but I'm not usre what the story was, it was a little vague.
To be honest I can't think of what he has done since Ricky Nelson 20 years ago, but I'm sure he is around. Stan Pratt who worked with him in Swampwater has apparently disspeared off the planet though.

Thad also played in Tarantula and One Man's Family in the 1960s, the latter was kind of a pre Swampwater country rock thing with John Beland and some of the 'Spanky And Our Gang' crowd.