Best LIVE albums with Pedal Steel

Mike Bacciarini · Post by **Mike Bacciarini** » 8 Apr 2021 5:23 am

Another vote for Poco’s “Deliverin” with Rusty Young. As far as country rock..... Poco’s sound was unique, and Rusty and the band’s live show were on fire.

Another second for Buddy Cage’s work.... truly awesome.

rick andrews · Post by **rick andrews** » 8 Apr 2021 5:33 am

There are some great choices here but come on. Buddy Emmons Live at the ISGA 1977 is the definitive live steel guitar album.

Dennis Montgomery · Post by **Dennis Montgomery** » 8 Apr 2021 7:35 am

Mike Bacciarini wrote: Another second for Buddy Cageâ€™s work.... truly awesome.

Was Buddy on the Flying Burrito's '72 live album, "Last of the Red Hot Burritos" or was that Sneaky?

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 8 Apr 2021 7:45 am

Dennis Montgomery wrote: Was Buddy on the Flying Burrito's '72 live album, "Last of the Red Hot Burritos" or was that Sneaky?

Al Perkins

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 9 Apr 2021 10:24 am

Following...

Jim Fogarty · Post by **Jim Fogarty** » 9 Apr 2021 7:28 pm

Michael Nesmith with Red Rhodes - "Cosmic Partners - The McCabes Tapes"

Nice to hear Red playing these great songs, live, very clear in the mix. There's even a couple steel instrumentals on it. Very unique, creative player.

Rich Upright · Post by **Rich Upright** » 10 Apr 2021 11:37 am

Well, y'all posted the ones I was gonna post, so I ain't got nothing!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 10 Apr 2021 1:13 pm

Gib Wharton with The Holmes Brothers
Curly Chalker with Dick Curless

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 10 Apr 2021 3:41 pm

Jim Fogarty wrote:Michael Nesmith with Red Rhodes - "Cosmic Partners - The McCabes Tapes"

Nice to hear Red playing these great songs, live, very clear in the mix. There's even a couple steel instrumentals on it. Very unique, creative player.

The fact that the tape - from 1973 - was only recently uncovered is nothing short of a miracle. This is a seminar on how a pedal steel should support a signer-songwriter in a band setting. This is right up there with the Charley Pride Panther Hall album w/Lloyd.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 12 Apr 2021 5:11 am

I got one!
Flying Burrito Brothers - Live In Tokyo
This performance not only features mucho glorious Sneaky Pete Steel playing on every song, it also features some of the best Country-Rock drumming I have ever heard.
It also has my favorite version of White Line Fever

https://youtu.be/NPm_1voGkXA

MIchael Bean · Post by **MIchael Bean** » 16 Apr 2021 2:48 pm

Gram Parsons - Live 1973, with Neil Flanz playing some beautiful stuff throughout.

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 17 Apr 2021 6:22 am

Anything Desert Rose with Jaydee. Also, don't overlook David Hartley's YouTube videos.

Neil Degraw · Post by **Neil Degraw** » 17 Apr 2021 6:27 am

"The Very Best Of The Happy Goodmans Live", with Lloyd Green on Steel.

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 17 Apr 2021 6:51 am

This is great Eric... Somebody needs to compile a list of "LIVE Steel Albums". There are things on here that I forgotten about and other's I flat out didn't know.

But the one that really did know, was the Charlie Pride/Panther Hall album. I wore that thing out back when.

And remember NRPS with Buddy tearing it up, listening to it for the first time on 8-Track outside a buddy's house.

Great thread Eric

Eric Reeves · Post by **Eric Reeves** » 20 Apr 2021 5:35 am

Found another:

JD Call- Pure Prarie League - Songs of Pure Harmony, Alive in America 1974 - once he puts the Banjer down

Jacob Marcus · Post by **Jacob Marcus** » 22 Apr 2021 5:53 pm

Buck Owens live In San Francisco 1989 terry kristofferson pulling double duty on steel and lead guitar!!

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 23 Apr 2021 12:07 am

Ricky Skaggs "Live in London" (1985) with Bruce Boughton. Fine playing from the entire band.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 23 Apr 2021 7:11 pm

As far as I know, the only live steel guitar instrumental album is Buddy Emmons Live At the Convention (1977). I was there that year. No dubbing. Bucky Barret had to sit out after a couple of tries at The Great Stream while Bobby Caldwell nailed it. Larry London read drum charts while he played that particular song. Buddy was flawless on this double LP album. He played through a Session 400 and a Furman PQ-3. He used the PQ-3 to detail the lower mids.

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 23 Apr 2021 7:22 pm

Dennis- you're saying it's actually Caldwell playing Great Stream on the album?

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 24 Apr 2021 4:59 am

Yes, Caldwell. He only played on one song on the album.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 24 Apr 2021 6:38 am

One of my favourites is Ronnie Milsaps's first live album (from the mid-'70s, I believe).

Milsap is a great singer and here he runs through his regular stage-act. Highly featured throughout is the incomparable Dickie Overby, Yes, he plays the intros as he should and there's the expected level of musical discipline that's the hallmark of the band with a top-level artist, but there's also a lot of mischievous free-reined improv from Dickie that just makes me smile. He was on form that night!

Eric Reeves · Post by **Eric Reeves** » 24 Apr 2021 9:44 am

Hank Devito on steel, Albert Lee, Rodney Crowell and the rest of the Hot Band backing Emmylou on almost all of the best cuts. Just missing Luxury Liner. Great selection of tunes with some very tasty steel work throughout! Good Saturday morning discovery!

Barry Anderson · Post by **Barry Anderson** » 27 Apr 2021 10:15 am

I'm no expert, but that Nesmith record is the business! DAMN!

I wholeheartedly second what Joe Alterio said on the topic.

Lynn Fargo · Post by **Lynn Fargo** » 27 Apr 2021 7:14 pm

Eric Reeves wrote:Found another:

JD Call- Pure Prarie League - Songs of Pure Harmony, Alive in America 1974 - once he puts the Banjer down

Totally agree! JD was like the Energizer Bunny on this one. He said some of the boys had gotten into some Turkey before the show and it sounds like JD is keeping them in tow! He's right on the money!

Ken Mizell · Post by **Ken Mizell** » 17 May 2021 9:39 am

Charley Pride - Live at Panther Hall - Lloyd Green