Zero to 180 – Three Minute Magic

Discoveries of a Pop Music Archaeologist

Tag: Buddy Emmons

Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys
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Gary Burton’s Tennessee Firebird

Jimmy Colvard was a teen in 1963 when he played those distinctive snapping and popping guitar sounds that helped make “Six Days on the Road” a runaway hit for Dave Dudley.  I have since learned that Colvard played guitar on a number of albums in the 1960s and 70s by

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"Devil's Dream"
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The Cherokee Cowboys: Proven Band

Thanks to the late, great Charlie Coleman for singling out Ray Price’s redoubtable backing band, The Cherokee Cowboys and their 1965 Columbia debut (and sole) release — check out Buddy Emmons’ hot jazz steel guitar solo on “Devil’s Dream,” the kick-off tune from Western Strings: “Devil’s Dream” The Cherokee Cowboys

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"Four Wheel Drive"
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Zero to Infinity: Buddy Emmons

This week we said goodbye to Buddy Emmons, one of the world’s great musicians and subject of three prior Zero to 180 pieces.  Here is but a *45-second live demonstration (beginning to end) of Buddy Emmons’ singular genius with the pedal steel guitar: “Four Wheel Drive” (live) Buddy Emmons (1965)

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"Killer Joe"
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“Killer Joe”: Nashville Super Pickers in Austin

In this 1979 performance from TV’s Austin City Limits, Buddy Emmons (steel guitar) and Phil Baugh (electric guitar) take The Nashville Super Pickers for a test drive using the Benny Golson jazz standard, “Killer Joe,” as their vehicle: Buddy Emmons:  Steel Guitar & Vocals Phil Baugh:  Lead Guitar Russ Hicks: 

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"BluEmmons"
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“BluEmmons”: Landmark Steel Guitar Jazz

Just as Louis Jordan’s pairing of jump blues with country-style steel guitar might have been seen as a radical move in 1947, Buddy Emmons‘ decision to feature his masterful steel guitar stylings within a modern jazz context was considered equally bold in 1963 when Mercury released groundbreaking album, Steel Guitar

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"Raisin' the Dickens"
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Danny Gatton & Buddy Emmons: Kings of Steel

DC Week (actually, fortnight) concludes its special run with a joyous instrumental romp from the Federal City’s formidable guitarslinger, Danny Gatton, joined by pioneering pedal steel virtuoso, Buddy Emmons, from their short-lived incendiary partnership, The Redneck Jazz Explosion: “Raisin’ the Dickens“ Redneck Jazz Explosion (1978) This performance of Buddy Emmons‘ composition

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"Mississippi"
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“Mississippi”: Pickwick Would Never Try to Mislead the Public

I remember as a kid learning the hard way about albums disguised as hits collections that were, in fact, faithful renderings by some shadow studio group.  Soundalike LPs, if you will.  Case in point:  18 Golden Hits of 1970.  The singers and musicians who did their best to mimic the

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"Broccoli"
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“Broccoli”: Virtually Unknown in the US until the 1920s

1968 saw The Association release a strong album, Birthday, that included what may be “one of the greatest songs ever recorded,” to quote the person who posted this audio clip of “Everything That Touches You” (I can certainly understand the sentiment – have you heard the beautifully arpeggiated bass line

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"Rhodes-Bud Boogie"
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Texas Troubadours: Backup Band Extraordinaire

Perhaps it’s not fair to single out a backing band in country music, since there are so many outstanding ones — The Texas Playboys, The Cherokee Cowboys, The Drifting Cowboys, The Golden West Cowboys, The Brazos Valley Boys, The Western Caravan, The Buckaroos, The Strangers, The String Dusters/Pleasant Valley Boys

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