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Author
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Topic: Buck Owens/Ralph Mooney
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Leon Eneboe
Member From: Sisseton, South Dakota, USA
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posted 02 November 2003 01:02 PM
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Some of you may remember that quite a while ago, Jeff Newman did a very interesting series in the Pedal Steel Newsletter (Floral Park, N.Y.). The title of this series was "Moon Eared". Do you remember it, does Jeff remember it? Anyway...Jeff tabbed out Mooney licks from an old, out of print record entitled "Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard. The good news is, that this record has been re-issued as a CD (SunDazed SC6l0l). I purchased the CD as soon as I saw it. It is full of old but goody Buck Owens songs with the only two lead instruments being Ralph Mooney and a Fiddle. There is no body, but I mean nobody today, in any recording studio that would allow this much great, aggresive, wild, Ralph Mooney licks. If you are a Ralph Mooney fan, and who isn't, you will be smart to grab this one if you see it in a CD shop. You cannot listen to it without realizing that Ralph is a true innovator on pedal steel. There are l3 songs on the CD, all Buck and Ralph, the last song (probably to fill it out), is an instrumental "Foolin around" done by Tom Brumley. They don't allow this kind of "back up" today unfortunetly.
Leon Eneboe |
Chris Schlotzhauer
Member From: Colleyville, Tx. USA
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posted 02 November 2003 07:42 PM
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Boy, I would love to see that. Is this tab on his Fender tunings? |
Leon Eneboe
Member From: Sisseton, South Dakota, USA
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posted 02 November 2003 08:33 PM
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Hello Chris; I still have some of that tab around my house somewhere. It is tabbed out for regular l0 string E9th, with A and B pedals, etc. Jeff Newman supplied a tape at the time (I think I sent him a blank, and he returned it with intos, turnarounds, etc on it). Maybe...just maybe, Jeff would still have this stuff on file. Check with him. It is a style that will never go out of style.However, I think that the Ralph Mooney stuff done on that record was most likely done on a Fender l000. I may be able to find my old issues on that as I have not thrown much away when it comes to PSG stuff. Leon |
C Dixon
Member From: Duluth, GA USA
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posted 03 November 2003 06:56 AM
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Ralph Mooney is the most unique PSG player I have ever heard. He plays like no body, He looks like no body, he sounds like nobody esle and lastly but not least, he talks like most nobody (except only one other person I can think of_.Ralph is truly the "Yogi Berra" of the steel guitar world. While just about every player was copying every one else back and forth, ole "Moon" was forging a path that is so classic that it became a classic trade mark in the history of the steel guitar. If any of you have never heard that album, DO get it. I bought it brand new. I love that album; it is truly one of my most favorite albums. And it is true, Buck (and the producer) allowed the steel player to "shine" like NO album I have ever heard save those that steel players made. You will hear classic moon in a setting that is unprecedented as he "tickles" and walks up those strings; as he comes off that volume pedal with his right foot: to raise that 4th string a whole tone and other pick other "strings" that no player had forged. Sounds that the audience can equate with. Sounds that even lead guitar players would die for. Yes, get this CD. I will join you since I flat wore my LP out! May Our precious Savior richly bless this dear man for his unsung contributions to all of us. carl |
Joey Ace
Sysop From: Southern Ontario, Canada
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posted 03 November 2003 07:14 AM
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I have this "Moon Eared" series of tabs.I sent Jeff an email back in June asking if the tape is still available. No response yet. I guess he's still looking. Thanks for the "heads up" on the new CD! |
Jason Odd
Member From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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posted 03 November 2003 03:55 PM
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Sundazed have re-issued the bulk of Buck's 1962-1968 back albums, remastered, a couple of extra tracks, big sleeve notes, reproduction of the original linear notes, pics from live gigs around the same time, singles scans, live poster ads, the whole deal. They've been doing it since 1997, last year they did a compilation of Don Rich recordings as well.
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Bob Carlson
Member From: Surprise AZ.
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posted 06 November 2003 11:34 AM
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Carl, I think the reason nobody even tryed to copy Moon was people would have said...did you hear so and so try to copy Moon...but didn't do a very good job.And also back in those days it wasn't cool to copy someone else. You had to have your own licks and style. Bob |
Joe Henry
Member From: Ebersberg, Germany
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posted 06 November 2003 02:35 PM
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Did you ever listen to any Buck Owens records with Jay McDonald... he emulated Moon quite a bit, he still had his own sound, somewhat "darker", but definitely got inspired by Mooney´s style. I think one of the reasons why people who try to copy Moon often don´t sound very good at it, is his rather unique pedal setup. Those licks just don´t sound exactly the same on a standard (Emmons) setup. I know because I had it for a while on one of my guitars and found it very hard to get used to, even though it looks so simple. It makes those licks "fall into place" once you´re familiar with it, but for one who tends to think "Emmons setup" it´s a bit like a different world. But for Ralph, it´s effortless because he has been playing it all his life! Nobody ever sounds like him and that album (Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard) is one of my favorites too. Also check out "Buck Owens" (the first album that had Above And Beyond, Second Fiddle, Tired Of Living etc.) and "You´re For Me"- the title track where Moon plays the hammer-on thing is sensational. It totally blew my mind the first time I heard it.Regards, Joe H. |
Roger Edgington
Member From: San Antonio, Texas USA
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posted 07 November 2003 06:29 PM
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I have the orginal LP record and love the Mooney licks on it. I spent many hours sitting by the record player with my trusty Fender 1000. I would slow the speed down and play a lick over and over until I could figure it out. We didn't have tab yet, or knee levers or many other things. I learned all I could from this album and Jimmy Day "Steel and Strings". A lot of what I play today is derived from those two albums. | |
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