Big E...

Kerry Johnson · Post by **Kerry Johnson** » 29 Jul 2015 6:40 pm

With a heavy heart. all I can think to say is ...

We all Celebrate your Amazing life Buddy !

A job well done!

Thank-you for all the Inspiration and Great Performances that will live on for us, captured on tape & video.

We will miss You.

Buddy Emmons C6 Class of 1984

Mike Howard · Post by **Mike Howard** » 29 Jul 2015 6:41 pm

Proverbs 25:11 say's:
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
This reminds me so much of Buddy Emmons. One of the things I
most admired about Buddy was his "Impeccable" musical taste", everything he played "FIT" and enhanced the music. So many recordings just would NOT be up to the same "par excellence" without the "Emmons" touch.

Rest in Peace Buddy. A sad day for Music and us all.

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 29 Jul 2015 6:46 pm

I have hesitated to post this picture because of privacy, but I am moved to do so under the circumstances. We have lost our hero and some years before, his wife. Now they are together and his pain of loss is gone.
My heart goes out to you, best pal, Ron E., Scotty and to all who are in mourning.

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 29 Jul 2015 6:47 pm

"Mister Steel Guitar" has gone home...........we are all losing.

Keenan Friday · Post by **Keenan Friday** » 29 Jul 2015 6:49 pm

Buddy and the way he spoke to us his audience when he played the steel guitar whether be heartfelt danny boy on e9 or nightlife on c6. Inspired us inspired me to take an instrument like steel and understand it's capabilities and versatility. Thus The way he used that ehow on mansion on a hill ect

Michael Strauss · Post by **Michael Strauss** » 29 Jul 2015 6:54 pm

Just try to imagine where our beloved PSG would be without him. He gave so much to so many.

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 29 Jul 2015 6:58 pm

When a friend called me this morning and told me that Buddy Emmons had passed away, the first words that came to my mind were "Well....it's over." I know that many great steel players still live and that a lot of great music will continue to be played on the steel guitar, but I still have this "It's over" feeling. It sorta makes ya' want to just lay down the bar and pull off the picks for a while don't it.

Mitch

Michael Strauss · Post by **Michael Strauss** » 29 Jul 2015 7:01 pm

Just think where our beloved PSG would be without Buddy. We are all so much better for having him on our world. RIP Buddy and thank you.

Dan Galysh · Post by **Dan Galysh** » 29 Jul 2015 7:03 pm

Such a sad day and a gigantic loss to the music world. I really can't see a more charismatic player or one with as much passion than Buddy ever coming down the pike. When he performed he absolutely owned the room. Rest In Peace, Big E.

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 29 Jul 2015 7:04 pm

Goodbye to the Greatest of them all. I was hoping we would never see this day.

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 29 Jul 2015 7:05 pm

I really like the picture and the inscription, Richard.

This is a sad day. I'm not a pedal player, but always loved Buddy's playing.

RIP Buddy Emmons

Jerry Erickson · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 29 Jul 2015 7:05 pm

That's a wonderful picture there, Chris! Buddy playing, what looks like a Nintendo game. I'd wager some grandkids got him "hooked" on that.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 29 Jul 2015 7:06 pm

Thank God and Buddy that we have his music recordings to listen to. His instrumentals, style, tone and right hand in general inspired us all, but no one ever duplicated him to perfection and never will. Such an inspiration. Add his wit and humor and he was the total package. Peggy came and took him to a better place during the night. A joyful reunion above. It's a sad day here.

Bob Taillefer · Post by **Bob Taillefer** » 29 Jul 2015 7:06 pm

Such sad news! The world has lost an incredible musician.

RIP Buddy

Joe Rogers · Post by **Joe Rogers** » 29 Jul 2015 7:13 pm

Buddy was the epitome of the 4 T's of steel guitar playing.....Touch, Tone, Technique, and Taste.

I was very much a late-comer to his playing. For years, I had seen the Country Song Roundup ads featuring his photos, but had never run across any recordings featuring his playing. Our record collection consisted of Hank Sr., Merle Haggard, & Johnny Cash.

In the early 80's I attended Jeffran College the week after St. Louis. Someone was playing a cassette recording of Buddy's set. I whipped around and said, "Who is THAT?" The reply was, "Buddy Emmons". I responded, "So THAT is Buddy Emmons." It was a watershed moment for me.....

Buddy, thank you for the gifts you have given to this wonderful instrument as well as the players and fans alike. It is impossible to imagine the steel guitar world without you.......

Joe Rogers

Tom Gorr · Post by **Tom Gorr** » 29 Jul 2015 7:18 pm

There are some threads in the archives where Mr. Emmons spoke up to clarify some things that were clearly important to him. .. and he had a very gentle easy demeanor in the way he wrote. One thread in particular...he talked about prank phone calls he used to get. ... there was grace.. charm. .. wit... humor.... it was all there. Not just a model musician.

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 29 Jul 2015 7:19 pm

So sad to hear this news. RIP Buddy Emmons

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 29 Jul 2015 7:25 pm

Thank you sir! R.I.P.

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 29 Jul 2015 7:27 pm

Buddy Emmons has been a musical inspiration to most anybody who has touched this instrument.
I remember the years when he posted here... and those who didn't know him beyond his recordings had the pleasure to discover a Mr. Emmons who could write and tell stories like no one else and with such grace.

He was an artist thru and thru and must have been a great gentleman and friend to those who got touched by him.
Like so many who looked up to him musically, I would have loved to know him more personally.

But I am thankful for all I got from him, even if it just was off his recordings and having had the pleasure of assisting to one of his life appearances at the ISGC in the late 90's.
Still today, being more of a Swing Rhythm player in the "Gypsy" Jazz genre than a steel guitarist, I feel some of his Swing and Jazz recordings keep influencing me... I insisted on learning "Witchcraft" because it was thru his recording on the Steel Guitar Jazz album that I was first introduced to that tune, not thru Mr. Francis Albert Sinatra! When I play it on the guitar today, I still hear Buddy's interpretation as a base.
I am sure, many of us have a song which we recall BE by because we first heard HIM play it.

Needless this is a great loss for us all, his fans and so many personal friends he still has on here. I am saddened by his loss and feel sorry for his friend's loss.
And Carl Dixon - my friend, today I feel for you because I know this affects you deeply. Jerry Byrd and Buddy Emmons never had a bigger fan than you!

Thank you Mr. Emmons, for all you gave us!

... J-D. Sauser

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 29 Jul 2015 7:28 pm

Buddy & show host, Steve Fishell, honoring the Big E.

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 29 Jul 2015 7:39 pm

such sad news....

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 29 Jul 2015 7:43 pm

We knew it would happen someday, but it's still a shock. I was very fortunate to have taken two days of lessons with Buddy back in 1983, and I heard him play live many times from the 1970s to the 1990s. He was always a soft spoken gentleman, and a mentor and hero to us all.

David Hubenak · Post by **David Hubenak** » 29 Jul 2015 7:43 pm

It is hard to imagine the world of steel guitar without Buddy Emmons. Since the mid to late 1960's after hearing him play the instrument, I was compelled to try and learn the steel guitar. Now after all these years I am still trying to figure out the beautiful phrases he played with such passion. What an impact the Big E had on steel guitar, and all of music. RIP Buddy!

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 29 Jul 2015 7:45 pm

Well, it's all been said, but we are so fortunate that he lived in the era of recording.

We all knew this day must come, but it's hard to accept.

Could a life be any better lived?

RIP, Buddy, and thanks for all you gave us.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 29 Jul 2015 7:49 pm

thank you...

The Steel Guitar Forum

Big E...

Buddy Emmons C6 Class of 84'

Buddy's Passing

RIP Buddy

Thank you Buddy Emmons