Herb Remington

[jim flynn]

Another hero gone! So sad, pray for the family.

[Steve Spitz]

So sad that we’ve lost Herb. I’m fortunate to have had the chance to hear him play , and speak to him on occasion.

At one of the last nonpedal sessions in Dallas he asked for requests. I asked for “Stardust”

He played it.. It’s on YouTube. He killed it.

I’ll never forget that moment, and many others. RIP Herbie.

[Kevin Swan]

"Everything he did was in a Herb Remington way," says Will Van Horn, a young Houston pedal steel guitarist. "You can hear something, just a couple of notes, and you know it's Herb. He took the Hawaiian music and the western swing and made something of his own. If you want to learn the instrument, you have to know the vocabulary he created."


https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entert ... 344932.php

[Jeff Harbour]

As I stated in a recent thread that I started, I've been listening to Herb heavily for a few years now... though I've long been collecting his albums. He has become probably my biggest influence on Non-Pedal Steel, which I am practicing almost exclusively now at home.

His playing just blows my mind. Even if you go back to 1946, to his earliest Bob Wills sessions, his whole approach seems to have always been 'what's the coolest way I can play this song'. Every solo, every fill, every melody of his is executed with a spontaneous "personality" that is unpredictable... but leaves me with the feeling of "Wow, that's the way I would've wanted that to sound had it been me!".

RIP Mr. Remington... Thanks for leaving us with so many decades of treasures!

[Jeff Harbour]

I hate to scrutinize the obituary, I know the author had the best of intentions. But, referring to Herb as Bob Wills' "Second" great steel guitarist is quite a slam against Les Anderson and Hall-Of-Famer Noel Boggs (who were actually Bob's second and third steel players, respectively).

Herb is definitely my favorite of Bob's long-term steel players. Although, I would've loved to have seen what Maurice and Bob White might have done had they been in the band for more of the recording sessions than they were.

[b0b]

Herb was a major influence on me. I first heard him from Tom Bradshaw's Steel Guitar Record Club. His style really turned my head around.

I always enjoyed having a short conversation with him at steel guitar shows. Seemed everyone wanted to talk to Herb! He was a wonderful, friendly gentleman.

Herb mentored my friend Porter Fawcett (now deceased) by phone and built him a steel guitar.

God bless Herb Remington.

[Ray Beck]

This is sad news. Herb was a true master on the steel guitar and a very nice gentleman. I called Herb 2 years ago when I was restoring a 1991 Remington Steelmaster D8 and he was very helpful. I love his guitars and recently purchased a nice S8 Steelmaster. RIP Herb!

[Marlin Gengenbach]

The Steel Guitar Community has so many nice people, but Herb had to be one of the nicest ever...always polite, taking time to converse and share steel guitar. I remember one year in the 90's, at STL, he allowed me to display a guitar to sell in his booth. Fond memories of that man!

[Richard Barron]

I am so sad to hear this. I have known Herb since I was 10 or 11. I had the pleasure of knowing him and Mel for a long time. He is a big reason I play. I enjoyed hearing him play live in the pizza parlors in the 70's and I still have some of the live recordings that we recorded then. Truly a great man and great player. Too many memories to recall, but very, very grateful for having his influence in my life. I will personally miss him in many ways.

[b0b]

It brings a tear to my eye every time I pull up this thread. I've been playing Remington Ride in tribute on all of my gigs lately. Herb has always been one of my biggest influences, ever since Tom Bradshaw's Steel Guitar Record Club release. I always felt honored to talk to him a bit at steel shows - he was such a fine gentleman, open and honest in his opinions. (There goes that tear in my eye again.)

[Andy DePaule]

I also started to play Remingtons Ride. I had to learn it because I'd never done that before. Hammer on's and pull off's are not my forte so it's been tough.

No need to talk here about how great he was and what a loss it is here because most forum members know that only too well.

I think my favorite tune of his is one called "Pickled Beets" from one of the Tom Morrell series. Think I'll give that one a try now.

I'm so glad I saw him and his wife play back in 1978 at Scotty's convention.
We sure have lost some real treasures these past few years. God bless them all.