Unreleased Buddy Emmons - Live in Cleveland, OH 1982

[scott murray]

thanks Mike! what a treat.

that first song you posted is Gonna Build a Mountain

[Roger Rettig]

Just in case you needed any more encouragement, Mike - YES, PLEASE!

That short clip was terrific. He just never painted himself into a corner, did he? Wherever he ended up, he'd recover without missing a beat.

Thanks a lot!

[Gary Spaeth]

Gonna build a Mountain on the clip. BOY DO I LOVE THAT!!!

[Dale Rottacker]

I heartily Concur!!!

[J R Rose]

Hello Mike, The link will not play for me. I see where earlier this morning you did an edit. Maybe something happened. Anyone else have some input? Thanks, J.R. Rose

[Dennis Detweiler]

I just tried it and it worked.

[J R Rose]

Thanks Dennis, still not for me. I do not know what the deal is. J.R.

[Mike DiAlesandro]

Hey JR, I edited the first post to include a link that has all the recordings available. I hope this works for you and the other Buddy fans.

Mike D

[Steve Hinson]

So great!I saw Buddy Emmons play many times during this era and he never disappointed!The KING!!!!

Thanks!
SH

[Mike DiAlesandro]

So great!I saw Buddy Emmons play many times during this era and he never disappointed!The KING!!!!

Thanks!
SH

You are welcome Steve, I am happy that you are enjoying the live recordings!

[MIchael Bean]

I get the link to the page, but there don't seem to be any recordings there, only the titles. Did they disappear?

[Mike DiAlesandro]

I get the link to the page, but there don't seem to be any recordings there, only the titles. Did they disappear?

Michael,
You should be seeing something of this nature.

[Peter Freiberger]

Great stuff! Terrific band! All of the recordings are a bit sharp to the original keys, so if you have the means you may want to slow the speed down 2-3%. I use Audacity freeware.

[MIchael Bean]

Strange, but for whatever reason, the soundclip widgets are not showing up on my phone, computer, or laptop. It's just a black space to the right of each title. Anybody have any suggestions?

[Mike DiAlesandro]

Strange, but for whatever reason, the soundclip widgets are not showing up on my phone, computer, or laptop. It's just a black space to the right of each title. Anybody have any suggestions?

Would a pop up blocker cause this? Or some security setting?
Possibly check your Google Chrome settings?

[Peter Dollard]

Every time I hear him he reminds me of how awfully inadequate most steelers are.I mean no insult but he was far ahead in all ways...

[Bud Angelotti]

Thanks Mike !

[Bruce Roger]

Sounds great. Everyone is relaxed... and inspired. Thanks!

[Kerry Johnson]

Always an Inspiration

[Mike DiAlesandro]

2024 Bump!

[dlayne]

Absolutely a BIG Thank You!!!

[Dan Behringer]

OMG! These are absolutely fabulous. It sounds like Buddy had everything working perfectly that night. His technique and tone on Blue Jade brought tears to my eyes. Maybe because I try so feebly hard to sound like that, LoL!
Thank you for sharing these, Mike!

[robert kramer]

Excellent, Thank you Mr. DiAlesandro. We only had one source for this: a newspaper article about Buddy Emmons with Deadly Ernest—this is so helpful for filling in the details and connecting the dots for Emmons's career. Thanks again Mr. D. and have a good gig in Ohio, home to the Adams Brothers, Darrell, Chris & Diane McCall, Johnny Paycheck, Brent Mason, Wayne Hobbs, yourself, and many other great musicians, and yes, Alvino Rey.

(updated with Mike DiAlesandro info)


(for better images look on the back of your LP copy of "One For The Road")





The Plain Dealer
ca. March 1984
"Buddy Emmons dedicates
album to Deadly Earnest"
by Nancy Bigler Kersey

Nashville pedal steel guitarist Buddy Emmons has brought added fame of sorts to the leader of a country band here with the off-the-wall dedication of his latest album.
Titled "One For the Road," the LP is dedicated to "Deadly Earnest for the largest lulu." Lulu is Emmons' name for one of his favorite libations, grapefruit juice and vodka.
It goes back to the time Emmons was playing for singer Ray Price in Louisiana, and Emmons asked for a drink from the fellow manning the bar, who happened to be named Lulu.
"Lulu came back with a bucket filled with a fifth of vodka and a couple of quarts of grapefruit juice," said Emmons when we talked after a concert. "I need something that fills me up if it's going to tear me down.
Deadly Earnest and his band, the Honky Tonk Heroes, presented Emmons with a lulu of tremendous size on stage here two years ago at Peabody's Cafe in Cleveland Heights.
Emmons reciprocated with the album dedication and a photo of Earnest and his former fiddle player, Denny Jones, on the LP. On April 1, Earnest and his band, fiddler Jones and Emmons will have a reunion at Peabody's at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8.50 and $9.50 at Peabody's.
From 1 to 5 p.m., there will be a pedal steel clinic for serious players. It will be conducted by Scott (Scotty) DeWitt. Cost is $20 at the door and includes cassette tapes and tablatures.
The sober-faced and soft-spoken Emmons is an anomaly in country music, in which most performers look like the ranch foreman or one of the wranglers. He's a cross between an English butler, because of his derby, and Abe Lincoln because of his full beard and noble stature.
Emmons' penchant for English bowler hats dates to the late 1960s. "I wanted a hat I would really feel good wearing." said Emmons. He decided on a derby in London. He recently donated one of his half-dozen signature derbys to Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame along with the first Sho-Budd steel guitar he built for himself.
Emmons got his start in 1955 in Detroit when Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens' steel player got drunk. "I was in better shape than he was. He was thinking about getting off the road anyhow." said Emmons, who took over at the second show.
A couple of weeks later, Emmons was in Nashville working for Dickens. There he hooked up with Shot Jackson. Together, they started the Sho-Budd Guitar Co. in Jackson's garage, with Emmons making hundreds of cabinets and Jackson doing the metal work.
When Jackson rejected too many of Emmons' ideas, Emmons split off to make his first Emmons Guitar in 1963. "all the guitar is, is a Sho-Budd reject," said Emmons, who covers a wide area musically, from bluegrass to jazz.
Six years in California broadened his country base. "I only did about two country sessions in that time," he said. To keep limber and to satisfy singers like Ray Price, Emmons had to learn to be flexible. He did that playing jazz.
Emmons' penchant for English bowler hats dates to the late 1960s. "I wanted a hat I would really feel good wearing," said Emmons. He decided on a derby in London. He recently donated one of his half-dozen signature derby's to Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame along with the first Sho-Budd steel guitar he built for himself guitar is, is a Sho-Bud reject," said Emmons, who covers a wide area musically, from bluegrass to jazz.
Six years in California broadened his country base. "I only did about two country sessions in that time," he said. To keep limber and to satisfy singers like Ray Price, Emmons had to learn to be flexible. He did that playing jazz.
"At this point, though, playing jazz wouldn't make me dollars or sense," said Emmons. "If I had to play all night, I would rather play country or western swing, where you can always get in a few jazz licks to get it out of your system."
Surprisingly, Emmons, who favors a double-necked steel and has a reputation as one of the top steel guitar session men, does not relish session work, which means sitting in with a band to make records.
"It's really work to be creative nine hours a day for three to four weeks," he said. "It's fatiguing and gets on my nerves. I take the sessions as they come, but if I don't get a call, I don't worry about it.
"My TV work (as a member of the staff band on "That Nashville Music") is pretty good. If you count the residuals, that kind of takes the pressure off. I'm doing a lot of teaching to your regular slugs' who want to play for a living."
"I'm leaving Emmons Guitar Co. I can't endorse the latest product. Who knows? I may try another brand.

[Dan Kelly]

Man, I can't believe I missed this. I was attending John Carroll University at the time and lived about 2 miles from Peabody's in 1982. I was a regular a Peabody's and saw The Generators, and ITAL there all the time. How I missed this... Man, I will never know!

[Mike DiAlesandro]

Excellent, Thank you Mr. DiAlesandro. This is all we only had one source in a newspaper article for Buddy Emmons with Deadly Ernest - this is so helpful for filling in the details and connecting the dots for Emmons's career. Thanks again Mr. D. and have a good gig in Ohio, home to the Adams Brothers, Darrell, Chris & Diane McCall, Johnny Paycheck, Brent Mason, Wayne Hobbs, yourself, and many other great musicians, and yes, Alvino Rey.

Glad to be able to contribute Robert. I wasn’t aware of Deadly’s mention and photo on Buddy’s lp, how cool is that..

Yeah Dan, how did you miss this! Don’t feel bad, I missed it as well, and I lived 25 minutes from Peabody’s Cafe in Maple Hts. when these shows happend. Back then, I was too busy trying to sound like Duane Allman.