#19: 50 Greatest Steel Guitarists (in alphabetical order)
1. Maurice Anderson - He pioneered the "Universal" single neck tuning and was known for his beautiful jazz
playing. He was also the "A" in the MSA steel guitar company.
youtube video
2. Bobby Black - Northern California living legend. Made his reputation with Commander Cody.
youtube video
3. Noel Boggs - Southern California player known for his big chordal style. He played with Spade Cooley and
Tex Williams. youtube video
4. Tom Brumley - Wonderful clean player who made his reputation with Buck Owens, and later played with Rick
Nelson. youtube video
5. Jerry Byrd - The greatest non pedal player. Played on some Hank Williams' recordings. Spent his last
thirty years playing in Hawaii. youtube video
6. Gary Carter - Wonderful current player who can be seen on Marty Stuart's TV show.
youtube video
7. Curley Chalker - Probably the best musician to ever play the steel. He attacked the steel and played his
own style of jazz . C6 - youtube video E9 -
youtube video
8. Buddy Charleton - He travelled the country with the Texas Troubadours wowing the crowds with his beautiful
playing on both necks. youtube video
9. Jimmy Crawford - Great "chicken picker" who backed up many Nashville stars.
youtube video Also see Russ Hicks' video.
10. Terry Crisp - Unsung player who played with Ricky Skaggs & Reba McEntire among others.
youtube video
11. Randall Currie - Plays with Brad Paisley. Probably the best young player around.
Randall at 5:15 in: youtube video
12. Sonny Curtis - Played with George Jones for many years.
youtube video
13. Jimmy Day - Jimmy & Buddy Emmons developed many of the changes for the
E9 tuning while playing with Ray
Price and others. youtube video
14. Pete Drake - Was the most commercial Nashville session man during the 1960s.
Here's a video of him
demonstrating the "talking guitar:"
youtube video
15. Bob Dunn - The first hot electric steel player. Said to be influenced by clarinet players of the day.
youtube video
17. Paul Franklin - The number one Nashville session man for the last thirty years. Also toured with Dire
Straits. youtube video
18. Bobby Garrett - Wonderful Texas player who played with Charlie Walker, Dewey Groom and Hank Thompson among
others. Famous for the instrumental "Rose City Chimes." youtube video
19. Sonny Garrish - Made his mark with Bill Anderson's "Po' Boys" before becoming a Nashville session man.
youtube video
20. Lloyd Green - A leading Nashville session man in the
'60s & '70s who would come up with different styles
to suit his artists. Also known for his wonderful instrumental albums.
youtube video
21. Don Helms - Hank Williams' steel man.
youtube video
22. Billy Hew Len - Wonderful Hawaiian player in spite of not having a
left hand.
Watch the video!
23. Russ Hicks - Played with Barefoot Jerry & teamed
up with Jimmy Crawford on a couple of chicken pickin'
albums. youtube video
24. Sol Hoopii - The first virtuoso Hawaiian steeler.
youtube video
25. John Hughey - Beautifully expressive player.
Made his reputation with Conway Twitty & Vince Gill.
youtube video
26. Bud Isaacs - In 1955 Bud invented the pedal changes that lead
to the E9 tuning that is still used today.
youtube video
27. Doug Jernigan - Hot Nashville picker for over 40 years.
youtube video
28. Mike Johnson - One of the best
modern players in Nashville. youtube video
29. David Keli'i - Master player who was the original steeler with "Hawaii Calls" from 1935-1952.
30. Sneaky Pete Kleinow - Had his own style and sound, and made
his reputation with the Flying Burrito
Brothers. Sneaky was also a TV animator. youtube
video
31. David Lindley - His non pedal style with Jackson Browne
was later embraced by Nashville as the way to play
modern country rock. youtube video
32. Jay Dee Maness - The first call in L.A. Jay Dee is one of
the most soulful and interesting players
around. youtube video
33. Leon McAuliffe - Bob Wills' original steeler for many years and then lead his own bands.
youtube video
34. Dick McIntire - Dick and his brother Lani were Hawaiian music royalty.
youtube video
35. Ralph Mooney - Ralph helped define the sound of Buck Owens, Merle
Haggard and later Waylon Jennings. His
playing defined the "West Coast sound." youtube
video
36. Jim Murphy - Wonderful player on both necks and then he'd pick up his sax and blow bebop.
youtube video
37. Joaquin Murphy - The hottest jazzy player of the 1940s into the '50s.
He played with Spade Cooley and Tex
Williams. youtube video
38. Weldon Myrick - Nashville session man for 25 years who had beautiful tone and execution.
youtube video
39. Jeff Newman - Excellent player who chose to become the
consummate steel guitar teacher. He put on clinics
and recorded many teaching LPs. youtube video
40. Gene O'Neal - Played with Charlie Pride until his untimely death.
youtube video
41. Dickie Overbey - Wonderful Texas player whose career has had a
renaissance in the last fifteen years.
youtube video
42. Steve Palousek - Prodigious player, who's finally getting recognition.
youtube video
43. Robert Randolph - Great rock player who came out of the church to become
the "Jimi Hendrix of the steel
guitar." youtube video
44. Herb Remington - Herb played with many great western swing bands,
including Bob Wills', and wrote
"Remington Ride." youtube video
45. Kayton Roberts - Beautiful non pedal player known for his harmonics, who
played with Hank Snow.
youtube video
46. Hal Rugg - Great Nashville session man primarily known for his beautiful
playing with Loretta Lynn.
youtube video
47. Mike Smith - Great player in the Phoenix area who chose not to stay in Nashville.
Also known for his early collaborations with Paul Franklin.
youtube video
48. Vance Terry - Vance was a prodigy who played with Billy Jack Wills in the early '50s.
youtube video
49. Speedy West - Very original West Coast session man who made his reputation
playing hot duets with Jimmy
Bryant. youtube video
50. Tommy White - Grand Ole Opry steeler who's one of the best of the new breed.
youtube video
Could Easily Be Listed Above:
Sez Adamson
Stu Basore
Randy Beavers
Terry Bethel
Bruce Bouton
Rocky Caple
Richard Comeaux
Johnny Cox
Tommy Detamore
Milo Deering
Ron Elliott
Buzz Evans
Santo Farina
Wayne Gailey
Marion Hall
Tyler Hall
Norm Hamlet
Lew Huston
Barney Isaacs
Bobby Koeffer
Jim Loessberg
Tom Morrell
Gary Morse
Ray Noren
Russ Pahl
Al Perkins
Rick Price
Buck Reid
Randy Reinhardt
Alvino Rey
Bert Rivera
Eddie Rivers
Billy Robinson
Larry Sasser
Johnny Siebert
Danny Stewart
Freddie Tavares
Travis Toy
Robbie Turner
Jim Vest
Jeremy Wakefield
Bob White
Pee Wee Whitewing
Little Roy Wiggins
Rusty Young
These lists are very subjective and I know I've omitted many fine and deserving steelers.
I don't mean to offend anyone. Sorry if your guy/gal wasn't included.
