Buddy Emmons is considered one of the best steel guitarists of all time. Lloyd Green said of his colleague: "He's not an ordinary guy. In my opinion, Buddy Emmons is probably the
most intelligent and talented musician who's ever played the instrument.
He's like Picasso or Michelangelo.
That might be laying it on a little thick, but he's just flawless in
his playing. Nobody is the composite player he is. He was the first
modern great steel player and nobody's surpassed him yet. Emmons just,
by God, came along and sounded like a 1977 steel player when he came
here in 1955."
In 1967, after more than a decade of doing studio work in Nashville and touring with country music legends such as Ernest Tubb and Ray Price, Buddy moved to Los Angeles. Here he recorded with a musically diverse group of artists such as The Carpenters, Nancy Sinatra, Gram Parsons, John Sebastian, and Ray Charles.
Here is a sampling of Buddy's work from this period:
Mickey Adams is a talented player from Dallas, TX. He is a long-time professional musician but also contributes to the pedal steel community with a series of instructional videos that he posts on YouTube. Through his videos, Mr. Adams has hundreds of high-quality lessons available to benefit beginner, intermediate, and advanced players alike. The most popular videos on his YouTube channel feature tutorials in which he breaks down and teaches iconic pedal steel parts, including absolute classics such as the intro from Al Perkins' version of Crazy Arms. Mr. Adams encourages comments from the community and even teaches songs based on requests. A complete list of his lessons can be found here.
"Buddy Emmons may be the best steel player, but Ben's my favorite." - J. J. Cale
Ben Keith became famous because of his frequent collaborations with Neil Young, but his earlier career as a Nashville session musician had him playing on records including "I Fall to Pieces" by Patsy Cline. A master of understatement, Keith's style tends towards the sparse and mysterious. Some songs however, such as Young's "Albuquerque" and "Roll Another Number," prominently feature his melancholy pedal steel artistry. Keith was touring and recording right up to his death in 2010. His death marked the end of the career of a unique pedal steel player, not to mention that of an ambassador who brought the instrument to new audiences in the world of rock and roll. His pioneering work with Young and a range of other artists broadened our conceptions and suggested fresh musical contexts for pedal steel guitar.
I have followed this talented musician's YouTube channel for many years. Mr. Hartley is one of the UK's premier pedal steel players (and a world class player in his own right). He has performed and recorded as a professional and semi-professional musician for decades. He plays with drop-dead-gorgeous tone and the tastefulness of a seasoned veteran. I do not know Mr. Hartley personally, but he is very friendly and responsive to questions or comments made on YouTube. A complete list of his videos can be found here.
