Leon McCuliffe DID NOT write Steel Guitar Rag

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 2 May 2002 6:34 am

Contrary to popular belief, the song was written by a blues singer/slide guitarist named Sylvester Weaver who recordid it under the name "Guitar Rag" in 1923 and '26.

The 1926 recording was recently reissued in an anthology called "The slide guitar: Bottles Knives and Steel."

Here is a link to the CD.
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=A9j6xlfge5cqr

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 2 May 2002 7:31 am

Yes Mike,

I have heard this before. I heard it about 4 years ago. Funny, it took all this time for this to emerge.

I have wondered ever since if it was true or not. If it is not true, it certainly is a shame and a blight against a wonderful man.

On a similar note, it is NOT uncommon for two different people who have never met, to have invented the exact same item and applied for patents at the same time.

Could it be that this is the case here?

carl

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 2 May 2002 7:44 am

So, may I ask in all due respect, what?

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
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nick allen · Post by **nick allen** » 2 May 2002 8:02 am

I've heard Sylvester Weaver's Guitar Rag, and it undoubtedly IS the same tune (all 3 sections).
Steve James has also done a recent version on bottleneck guitar.
As for "so what?", it is *such* a direct copy that it is a clear example of a guy who *should* have received a lot of royalties and didn't...
Having said all that, I guess it's quite possible that Leon McAuliffe had a recollection of what he may well have believed was a "traditional" tune, and figured he might as well get royalties rather than the record company.
All this is probably leading us from the "Steel Players" section to the "Music" section...

Nick

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 2 May 2002 8:13 am

Carl wrote:

I have heard this before. I heard it about 4 years ago. Funny, it took all this time for this to emerge.

Actually, it has been a well known fact for a long time, Carl. It's been a classic "roots" track among blues collectors for as long as I can remember.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 2 May 2002 8:18 am

It was pointed out to me by musical historian,leader of "The Tractors" and Okie to the bone - Steve Ripley,that it all came from "Buttermilk Rag" But again...So what?

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 2 May 2002 4:00 pm

It's an interesting point, like when someone takes a song and re-invents it again, it may take on another persona entirely, of course copyright is another issue altogether.

Most of the blues guys and indeed the old timey pickers borrowed heavily from old folk tunes and each others material.
Before the time of recorded music, songs were basically handed down through the generations and slightly altered by each players style and influence, whether it be personal or regional.

I look at Robert Johnson as a great example of this, he was an oddity in the mid 1930s as he recorded a series of solo blues during the Texas swing era. At the time he was recording in Dallas there was a heap of Texas jazz and Western Swing artists recording with bands, and the blues artists on the West and East coast were generally recording with small combos.

Johnson delved deep into his material for the recording, a lot of which was re-invented versions of songs recorded by other blues artists. Sure Robert changed them to his style, but basically they were other people's songs. Now considering the legendary status of Robert Johnson and the songs he recorded, the blueprint for a lot of blues purists is basically one 'borrowed' from others in the first place.
I don't really have a point, just observing that one of the earliest issues with the recording era is the one of original material and just how quickly we learnt to plunder each other's material.

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 2 May 2002 4:24 pm

Leon may not have written "SGR" but this isn't what sets him apart from "mortal man" anyway! I always remembered Leon as A war hero (WWII), decorated bomber pilot,(one of the reasons we don't all speak German today) Great general avation pilot and aircraft owner,(Cessna 310, twin engine), Leader of the smothest, best dressed western swing band ever, and above all, the nicest person I've ever known!! (of the stature). He didn't write Steel Guitar Rag? Good, That wouldn't have raised my opinion of him in the least.
He was a hero still, by any standard!
Not the greatest steel player in the world, but he was one of the worlds greatest people.

Bobbe Seymour [This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 02 May 2002 at 05:25 PM.]

Al Miller · Post by **Al Miller** » 2 May 2002 5:13 pm

BOBBIE!!
WELL SAID!! THAT STORIE REMINDS ME OF MY DAD!!

boo miller

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AL (BOO) Miller
mullen D10
65 EMMONS P/P D-10

Al Johnson · Post by **Al Johnson** » 2 May 2002 6:43 pm

So what, who cares. I agree with Bobbe Totally. All very true. I only saw Leon in person once. While his band backed up some
other singer Leon and I stood talking for 20 minutes or so. He was a nice guy, who happened to play steel guitar his way, had a fine band, and wrote many songs. Just enjoy some of his great recordings, Oh, by the way I also always liked Leon's singing. Al Johnson.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 2 May 2002 6:56 pm

Cliffie Stone wrote the lyrics.

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 2 May 2002 8:20 pm

Bobby,

Merle Travis stated to Hugh Cherry that he (Merle) wrote the lyrics at the request of Cliffie Stone because Bourne Music wanted to put out a vocal version of SGR, kind of in the same way that San Antonio Rose was re-recorded with lyrics and became a big hit as New San Antonio Rose. At any rate, he also stated that later on he met up with Leon McAuliffe and told him he felt rather sheepish collecting writer's royalties off the "silly" lyric he had written to SGR, but Leon told him not to feel that way, and that he rather liked the words Merle had written. I wish I had the sheet music on this because I'd like to see who is actually listed as writing the lyrics. Oh well.

"Been roamin' around, seen many a town..."

Tim R.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 2 May 2002 9:24 pm

I have the sheet music and it says:

<pre>
By MERLE TRAVIS
CLIFF STONE
and LEON McAULIFFE
</pre>

Re-hashing old melodies with new lyrics is nothing new. O Solo Mio became It's Now or Never, and Aura Lee became Love Me Tender (both songs recorded by Elvis). It's usually done with old folk songs and classical pieces. With the newer stuff copyrights come into play. Evidently that was not a problem in the case of Steel Guitar Rag. And yes... the lyrics are awful!

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My Site | Doug's Free Tab

[This message was edited by Doug Beaumier on 02 May 2002 at 10:25 PM.]

Bill Stafford · Post by **Bill Stafford** » 3 May 2002 1:34 pm

What Bobbe said and in CAPS.

BS

Kevin Macneil Brown · Post by **Kevin Macneil Brown** » 3 May 2002 1:53 pm

I remember reading-maybe even here on the forum- that Leon Mcaullife said he got the song idea from the open strings of his tuning.
Sometimes I wonder if he didn't do what George Harrison did: remember the lawsuit over "My Sweet Lord" and "He's So Fine".? I think George always said that the
"borrowing" was an unsconscious one.
Just a possible solution ....

Steve England · Post by **Steve England** » 3 May 2002 2:50 pm

"Cliffie Stone wrote the lyrics."

WHY ????

[This message was edited by Steve England on 03 May 2002 at 03:51 PM.]

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 3 May 2002 4:50 pm

for the money

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 3 May 2002 5:14 pm

Well said, Bobbe! As for Leon's prowess as a steel player, let's not forget that he had to figure out the role of the electric steel guitar in a big band. Who did he have to listen to besides Bob Dunn's trombone-influenced style & Sol Ho'opii and the other Hawaiian players? His playing is deceptively simple; ever hear "Take it Away Leon"? Fast single string work and complicated unison riffing over a sophisticated blues progression. He had swing feel to burn! Without McAuliffe, I don't think steel guitar would have evolved in the same way. [This message was edited by Andy Volk on 03 May 2002 at 06:16 PM.]

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 3 May 2002 11:35 pm

I have to wonder if you guys would feel the same way if maybe your grandfather had written it?And someone else got the money.Even though Leon was a great guy and did a lot for steel guitar.Should there be a double standard? Something to think about.

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 4 May 2002 11:06 am

I did B

I would like to think What Carl and Nick mentioned is what really happened.[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 04 May 2002 at 12:12 PM.]

Dan Dowd · Post by **Dan Dowd** » 4 May 2002 4:24 pm

Bobbe, I have an old LP that has Leon standing on the wing of a Forked Tail Doctor Killer. He might have graduated to a twin from that.

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 4 May 2002 5:09 pm

No Dan, he graduated to the Bonanza FROM the C-310 ! I graduated to the Bonanza from a 47 yugo pickup truck!

Fly by Nite Air lines!

If God would have wanted man to fly, he'd have been born with -----airline tickets!

Pilot- Verry Deep [This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 04 May 2002 at 06:26 PM.]

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 4 May 2002 5:21 pm

Just a thought, I remember telling Micky Newberry that he'd never get away with putting 3 old standard songs together and calling it "The American Triology".I did the demo, his master, and then the master with Elvis. He has sold over 60 million records of "HIS" song. Amazing since he didn't write any of them, but he has collected the royalitys for 29 years. Did Leon write "Steel Guitar Rag"? I hope not , but I wouldn't mind if he got a third of the royalitys. (hate that song , myself) Cliffie and Merle deserve their parts also! Did Micky deserve his? Naw, plagerizim, 100%. Nice guy though and I appreciated my part of the money. Elvis and RCA got most of it though. Did they deserve it? Naw, I DID!!

Sir Reighly Pixsalott (but not to well)