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 What famous artist did you back up? (Page 2)
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| Author | Topic: What famous artist did you back up? |
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Ted Solesky Member From: Mineral Wells, Texas, USA |
posted 15 April 2005 06:33 AM
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Smiley, Pete was at the right place at the right time. You know how this business goes. |
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Al Marcus Member From: Cedar Springs,MI USA |
posted 15 April 2005 09:28 AM
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I can't remember backing up many BIG stars, but I might have backed up a few BEFORE they became BIG stars. One BIG star that comes to my mind that I backed up was around 1972 in Phoenix,AZ. I was playing with the Country Counts, and we played at the Governors Ball. Tex Williams was the Guest Artist and he sang his hit "Smoke ,Smoke that cigarette" Then he did his famous Recitation, "Battle Hymn of the Republic" , while I played my Student Model Emmons D10 PP (it's on my website) quietly in the background. When he finished he turned around and shook my hand and complimented me. As Bob C said , there are a lot of stars that won't bother to do that.....al ------------------ |
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Gene Jones Member From: Oklahoma City, OK USA |
posted 15 April 2005 09:51 AM
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 [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 16 April 2005 at 03:54 AM.] |
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Scott Henderson Member From: Eldon, Missouri, USA |
posted 15 April 2005 01:05 PM
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Hank Thompson, Wanda Jackson, Bobby Lord, Buck Trent, Charlie Daniels, Billy "crash" Craddock, (shoulda took that job hehehehe) Leon Rausch, Joe Ferguson, Frenchy Burk, Mark Grey, Billy Walker, Bobby Randall, Suzie Luchsinger,(reba's sister) Tommy Overstreet, Jack Robertson (glad i didn't take that job!!) Doug Supernaw got drunk and set in one night when i was playing. (interesting!!!) and last but not least Sonny Hillcrest. The greatest country star ever lived. Just ask him he'll tell ya. hehehehehehe ------------------ |
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Scott Henderson Member From: Eldon, Missouri, USA |
posted 15 April 2005 01:07 PM
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most of these are on a one or two night basis never got into the diesel smoke and bright lights thang. I played sit down for 17 years. now i play for fun!!! ------------------ |
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Smiley Roberts Member From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075 |
posted 15 April 2005 01:16 PM
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Hey Scott, "Tommy Overstreet" Be glad you didn't take that one either! ------------------ [This message was edited by Smiley Roberts on 15 April 2005 at 01:19 PM.] |
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Billy Wilson Member From: El Cerrito, California, USA |
posted 15 April 2005 06:08 PM
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One night I was playing up in Edmonton Canada and we were playing Elvira (yuck) A guy jumps on stage to sing the Oom Pa Pa Mow Mow thing and does it about an octave lower than our bass singer. It was the dude from the Oak Ridge Boys. He smelled real nice. Their whole band was there. Seemed like a nice bunch of guys. |
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Bob Watson Member From: Champaign, Illinois, U.S. |
posted 16 April 2005 01:58 AM
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Two seasons with Jeannie C. Riley, 4 or 5 gigs with Dave and Sugar, some one time gigs with Buck Trent, Freddie Weller, Bobby G. Rice, Kent Westberry, Marsha Thornton, "to name a few" LOL! I played a birthday party in Madison Tennessee on a Monday night once for an old boy nicknamed "Boss Hog", one of his best friends (Bill Monroe) sat in and sang "Happy Birthday" to him and then did a few tunes with the band. Redd Volkaert was on that gig. Also, I had the honor of playing guitar in a little honky tonk in East Nashville for around a year and a half with Jimmie Crawford, an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. [This message was edited by Bob Watson on 16 April 2005 at 02:01 AM.] |
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Scott Henderson Member From: Eldon, Missouri, USA |
posted 16 April 2005 06:40 AM
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Smiley, He's a hoot ain't he!@#$%^%$#@!???^$# ------------------ |
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Bill Bassett Member From: Rimrock, Arizona, USA |
posted 16 April 2005 06:59 AM
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Now, I've been around this forum for a long time and I've seen this kind of thread get started before. It always brings out the worst NAME-DROPPERS in the bunch. I can't stand name droppers...my good friends Lloyd Green and Paul Franklin and I were talking about that just the other day. Just then Alan Jackson walked up and said he couldn't stand name droppers either. We were joined by Dwight Yokum and and Buck Owens, who, by the way, like to pal around together. They agreed that name droppers are about the lowest form of pond scum on the planet. Well the six of us sat down at Shoney's and who should walk in but Shania Twain and her 'posse'. We pulled a few tables together and held an informal poll. No one amoung us liked name droppers and we all swore an oath to avoid them at every opportunity. So that is why I may...make that MUST not participate in this thread. BDBassett |
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pix1 Member From: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A. |
posted 16 April 2005 07:39 AM
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1. Bill Kirchen 2. Commander COdy 3. Dale Watson Far more memorable experiences for me than these artists I'm sure! Robbie Bossert |
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c c johnson Member From: killeen,tx usa |
posted 16 April 2005 08:15 AM
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its not name dropping if the person is telling the truth. |
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Wayne Cox Member From: Chatham, Louisiana, USA |
posted 16 April 2005 08:50 AM
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Well, my list reads a lot like Smiley Roberts' list because I worked as a Nashville "sub-player" for a few years. When an artist's band member needed a few days off, I would fill in for them. It was one of the most fun and rewarding times of my career. However,some of my long term jobs include: Jack Greene & Jeannie Sealy,Ace Cannon,James Pastel,and some I'd rather forget. If I listed all of those "short term" jobs, you'd think I was bragging. Once upon a time I even got to fill in for Don Helms with the Driftin' Cowboys...I loved it! That was on Austin City Limits,incidentally. Oddly, I never got to see that one. ~~W.C.~~ |
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Howard Tate Member From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA |
posted 16 April 2005 09:42 AM
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Never on a steady gig with any stars, one night with several. The most fun was with Ferlin Husky. What a terrific guy, and his wife Marvis is a jewel. I once got hired to play six string by Claude Gray. He fired me during the first song at rehearsal, saying the notes I played did not mean anything. He called me several days later and wanted me to come back. Of course I did not go. ------------------ |
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Roger Rettig Member From: NAPLES, FL |
posted 16 April 2005 10:52 AM
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A very good friend of mine, John Halsey, was a busy and in-demand drummer back in the Old Country (England). He landed gigs with Chris Jagger, Mike McCartney (Mike McGear!), and several other 'celebrity' family members, and went on to become the Rutles drummer. He had a business card printed that read - 'Drummer To The Brothers Of The Stars' |
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Roger Edgington Member From: San Antonio, Texas USA |
posted 16 April 2005 12:55 PM
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The only well known artist I've been with anytime is Darrell McCall in the mid 80's. Some of the one nighter backup has been: Margo Smith, Connie Smith (early in her career) , Bob Wills, Floyd Tillman, Lefty Frizzel, The gang from Hee Haw, Ernest Ashworth, George Hamilton the 4th, Billy Walker, Charley Walker, George Staight before he was known, Kenny Dale, Stoney Edwards (recorded with him also),Red Sovine, Johnny Bush, Frenchie Burke, Curtis Potter, Warren Smith, Marty Martel (several years Bass & Steel), Kenny Price, and more that I can't think of. |
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Smiley Roberts Member From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075 |
posted 16 April 2005 01:05 PM
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quote: C.C. While we're on the subject of "droppin' names",several years ago,I was "subbing" for Gene O'Neal in Printer's Alley,& this "kid" used to hang around there,wanting to get up & sing all the time. Well,Jimmy (Snyder) let him. He wasn't bad either. As I recall,he always thanked us for backing him up. Back then he was just "Tug McGraw's kid". Of course,y'all know him today,as Tim McGraw. He seemed to be a nice "kid". Wonder whatever happened to him? ------------------ |
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Ricky Davis Moderator From: Spring, Texas USA |
posted 16 April 2005 02:15 PM
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At the risk of "name dropping"> my answer is NOBODY..ha..  ------------------ |
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John Rosett Member From: Graham, NC USA |
posted 16 April 2005 04:53 PM
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i got to play guitar with rose maddox once. what a great lady. the rest of the resumes on here read like "who's who". mine reads like "what's that". john |
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Chuck Cusimano Member From: Weatherford, Texas, USA |
posted 16 April 2005 11:00 PM
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In 1973, I worked in a band in Odessa Tx, and we backed up Jeanie Pruit. Not a good experience for me.Then, I moved to Lubbock, and one of the nicest "Big Names" I ever got to back up was a grerat country singer you never hear of any more. It was also in 1973 and his name is Stoney Edwards. He had a couple of small hits on the radio, and I had never seen him. Until rehersal. He came out on stage, and tried to tell me he was Charley Pride. ('Course, he was jokin') But, he is black. His recording of "She's My Rock," (and I ain't gonna throw her away) was one that I had just learned to do with the four piece band I was working with, in Lubbock Texas. He did a great job, and was a very nice guy, but a natural comedian. Soon after that we backed up Freddy Weller. He was playing a solid rosewood telecaster, and it may be the first one to have a "B" bender in it. I know it was the first one I ever saw. We also backed up Jerry Walace. Later I joined another band and we backed up some guy from the Southern Coast of Texas, but I can't remember his name, and a few months later, after I started my own band, we backed up a lot of Houston talent. Gene Watson, used to ask for us to back him, and by the second time he came around, he had hired a fine guitar player (Danny Rainwater) and we backed him up a couple of times more. We backed up Johnny Lee, Vern Gosdin, Kenny Dale, Fiddlin' Frenchy Burk, Bobby G. Rice, Jim Owens, Wynn Stewart,and a couple more I can't recall right now. Then in 1980, I was working with a six piece Western Swing Band in Reno, Las Vegas, and we backed up someone every once in a while. I remember, Tex Williams, Susan Ray, Ferlin Huskey, The Hagar Twins, Jimmy Rogers(Honey comb), Johnny Tilitson, Jerry Wallace (again,- No he didn't remember me) |
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Smiley Roberts Member From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075 |
posted 17 April 2005 12:01 PM
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quote: Back in the early 80's,she wouldn't hire me,'cause I was "over 30". I happen to know that she's,at least 1 1/2 years older than ME!! ------------------ |
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Joe Casey Member From: Weeki Wachee .Springs FL (population.9) |
posted 17 April 2005 01:15 PM
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Hey Smiley, How come you didn't include me in your backed up list.  I got you more airplay than Overstreet ever did.------------------ |
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Dan Tyack Member From: Seattle, WA USA |
posted 17 April 2005 03:16 PM
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I once backed Elton John at the Palomino at a private party thrown by his record company. Of course, he was sitting in with his band (which didn't include a steel player for some reason) and I kind of just stayed on stage. He did some song called "Tony Danza" which somebody told me had steel on it originally. Weird song, I guess that Elton must just be a "who's the boss" fan. ------------------ |
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Rick Alexander Member From: Florida, USA |
posted 17 April 2005 04:15 PM
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In 1966 - Freddie Cannon (Tallahassie Lassie) One night only. Bryan Hyland (S.W.A.K.) was on the same bill, and another local band backed him up. I was playing guitar. Our rehearsal lasted 5 minutes. It was "No fills, no rolls, no solos, no riffs. When I do this, bring it down - when I do this kick it up." He tore the place up that night - after an extensively rehearsed Bryan Hyland put everybody to sleep. There are others, but that one just sticks in my mind . . [This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 17 April 2005 at 04:18 PM.] |
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Tom Stolaski Member From: Huntsville, AL, USA |
posted 17 April 2005 05:47 PM
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Percy Sledge, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Mac Wiseman, Charley Walker, John Conlee, Tom Paul Glazier, Bobby Bare, Razzy Bailey, Freddy Weller, Clyde Foley Cummings, Larry Ballard, Linda Hargrove. |
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Bobby Lee Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA |
posted 17 April 2005 06:04 PM
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I'm more famous than anyone I've played music with. I mean, you all have heard of me, right? ------------------ |
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Wally Maples Member From: Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA |
posted 17 April 2005 07:59 PM
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Well I've never seen such stars that you people have backed. I once played with myself!! |
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retcop88 unregistered |
posted 18 April 2005 06:32 AM
Wally everybodys got to be good at something even if it is a "so-low" act. ------------------ |
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Hook Moore Member From: South Charleston,West Virginia |
posted 18 April 2005 10:53 AM
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I have b0b, I got a couple of your big hit cds I played with Paycheck, Kevin Welch, oh and once with Ronnie Stoneman Hook ------------------ |
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Scott Henderson Member From: Eldon, Missouri, USA |
posted 18 April 2005 08:09 PM
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STONEY EDWARDS!!!!!! Wowo what a great memory and a great singer..."there's a stranger in my arms tonight and I know..." one of the greatest country singers i ever heard. I discovered stoney when i first started in radio back in 1981. ------------------ |
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Scott Henderson Member From: Eldon, Missouri, USA |
posted 18 April 2005 08:10 PM
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John when you were with stonewall did you ever know a bass player named Dave Owens? ------------------ |
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John Cadeau Member From: Surrey,B.C. Canada |
posted 18 April 2005 10:21 PM
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Bobby G. Rice. And it was on the very same stage that Smiley Roberts played on, but not on the same day. I wonder if Smiley still remembers the name of the place. It was the time he and the boys in T.O.'s band drove down to our gig at the Turf Hotel in Tommy's bus,and when they got back to their gig I understand Mr. Overstreet was not in very good humor. Anyway it was nice to meet Smiley and the rest of the band. John |
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Rick Schmidt Member From: Carlsbad, CA. USA |
posted 18 April 2005 11:06 PM
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Probably due to location (So Cal), I've gotten to back up my share of fairly big names, but this weekend I'll always remember getting to back up (me on guitar)Jay Dee Manness, David Wright, and one of my true all time hero's...Maurice Anderson. It was a high point for me absolutely! |
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Jim Phelps Member From: just out of Mexico City |
posted 18 April 2005 11:12 PM
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I never met Tommy Overstreet but it sounds like he studied at the Buddy Rich school of bandleading |
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retcop88 unregistered |
posted 19 April 2005 03:56 AM
Jim,theres a story going around Tulsa and Nashville that he studied at the "check is in the mail institute".  ------------------ |
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Bill Myrick Member From: Pea Ridge, Ar. |
posted 19 April 2005 03:57 AM
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Ronnie Stoneman --? is that last name right ? from Hee Haw fame ? and her husband showed up at a family dance in a club in Iowa and of coarse they got her to get up and do a few numbers. She kept referring to me as Buddy Emmons on the turnarounds ---made me feel like crawling under the steel ---glad he wasn't there to hear it !!  |
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John Daugherty Member From: Rolla, Missouri, USA |
posted 19 April 2005 06:07 AM
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Lefty Frizzell,Freddie Hart,Johnny&Joni Mosby,Johnny Western,Gordon Terry,Bill Monroe,Rusty&Doug Kershaw,George Morgan,Jim Dickens,George Hamilton IV,Bobby Bare,Wynn Stewart,String Bean,Lone Ranger&Silver,June Carter,Joe&RoseLee Maphis,Ken Maynard,Stella Parton,Leona Williams,Ray Pillow,Merle Haggard,Norm Owens,Bobby Austin,etc. Also, some well known pickers: Ralph Mooney,Sneaky Pete,Roy Nichols,Don Helms,Bobby Caldwell,Frank Arnett,etc. |
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Reggie Duncan Member From: Mississippi |
posted 19 April 2005 06:53 AM
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Wow! What a list of stars! Since I have played gospel music exclusively, my experiences include all gospel individuals and groups, but I'll name some of them: The Hinsons, Ronnie Hinson, The Dixie Echoes, The Gospel Echoes, Squire Parsons, The Bailes Brothers, The Lesters etc.... I have played steel on recordings with Darrell Freeman of the Freemans (huge Mike Johnson fan) Brian Carter (formerly of Jeff and Sheri Easter Band) Karen Peck and New River (they were singing back up) I guess some of my favorite times are sitting in Dad's music room playing with him! Truly blessed, I say! |
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Mark van Allen Member From: loganville, Ga. USA |
posted 19 April 2005 09:26 AM
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There's a list on my website with some of the ones I remember: http://www.markvanallen.com/about.html Funny thing for me, many of my favorite and most memorable gigs have been with relative unknowns rather than "Stars"... ------------------ |
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Dale Tenney Member From: San Marcos, California, USA |
posted 19 April 2005 10:11 AM
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I played for several years in the Clint Miller band at North County Baptist Church, and we had many great entertainers come thru there. Tom Paul Glaser, Billy Walker, George Hamilton IV, John Carter Cash, Marty Hagard, Del McCury, Freddy Hart. Freddy Hart was realy nice he showed me that in his guitar case was hundreds of songs he has written and not recorded. I asked about his guitar because it looked to me to be a real classic. He said "they gave me that in 1958, then he asked me what kind is it ? " I was very lucky to be on stage when they performed. I can not say I backed them up, it was more like I stayed out of the way. |
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