Correction Ben Keith- WOW!

[Karlis Abolins]

**** One of the responses to this thread raised the question of which Keith performed on this album. I got out my ragged copy of Borderline and looked carefully at the credits. The cover is scuffed (I got the album used) and the credits are barely readable but it looks like it was Ben Keith on pedal steel. In my defense, I have a record by Jim Rooney with Bill Keith on banjo and pedal steel (One Day at a Time). Because of that connection and Jim Rooney's participation on the record, I read the Borderline credits as Bill rather than Ben. My apologies for the confusion. ****


Recently, I was looking for lyrics to "Way Up On Clinch Mountain". Google had some suggestions including a version recorded on an album called "Sweet Dreams and Quiet Desires" by Borderline. I have a beat-up vinyl copy of that record so I pulled it out and listened to it. The song on the record is called "Clinch Mountain". It features Jim Rooney on vocal and Ben Keith on pedal steel. I love the album but haven't listened to it in years.
The genre is Americana from before it was called Americana. Ben Keith's pedal steel arrangements on the album are simple but they knock my socks off.
Youtube has the album "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvtV6LEgb2E" for those who are interested.

Karlis Abolins

[scott murray]

thanks for sharing

Bill is one of my favorites and an early influence. I picked up the Blue Velvet Band's Sweet Moments album when I was just a wee banjo picker and Bill's steel playing blew me away. it's on youtube too

https://youtu.be/I7x6Buyezhg

Bill only played banjo on a couple songs, the rest is steel... including an excellent instrumental he penned, second to last song on the album.

Bill's steel is all over those early Jonathan Edwards albums too, and a song on the Muleskinner record. he eventually gave up playing steel. too many strings, he said. the forum's own Gordon Titcomb plays some excellent steel with Bill on this bluegrass classic:

https://youtu.be/4cm7SqzTxuk

[John Macy]

Love Bill! My first band in New England played a lot of package shows with Jonathan Edwards and the Lily Brothers which featured Jim Rooney. Bill would play banjo with Jim and the Lily’s and the steel with Jonathan. A lot of great hangs with Bill! I always loved the Blue Velvet Band and vaguely remember Borderline which I now need a copy of. Looks like it available in Japan. Thanks for the heads up!

Jim Rooney and the Irregulars still play occasion gigs in Nashvillewith Dan Dugmore on steel...

[Stu Schulman]

I was lucky enough to take a few lessons from Bill in about 1970,he never took any money from my broke butt,My first lesson lasted about 6hours and Bill armed me with enough stuff so I would be able to make a living for many years,I recently ran into Bill's son Martin who builds guitars and has Bill's Emmons with the ZigZag sticker.

[Bob Knetzger]

Always dug Bill's steel playing, specially on the Blue Velvet Band LP way back when. Very musical, not just plugging together stock licks, but real thought given to original voicings and placing the melody. The same could be said of his banjo playing: respected the cannon of the banjo playing styles before him, incorporated the musical "cliches" and the sonic physics of the instrument and the tunings, but then took it forward in his own very musical way. Actually very heady.

Only met him in later years at a banjo camp thing. Always very generous with his music and explaining what he does. We chatted about steel playing and he offered to make me a cassette dupe of the "Dadi In Nashville" project he played banjo on. (Great Emmons playing on it, as well perfect TWIN harmony melodic banjo parts by Keith and Bobby Thompson!) I never heard from him again ...until a year later when the tapes showed up in my mailbox. He said sorry for the delay, but he first had to service his broken belt-driven turntable! I'll never forget his kindness.

[David Ball]

I taught at some banjo camps where Bill was also teaching. I had several opportunities to just sit around and talk with him--really nice guy.

Beyond having just about the most chops of anyone I ever met, the thing that amazed me about him is that he could be playing some pretty intense jazz improv on the banjo and carrying on a conversation at the same time. Not even talking in rhythm!

Really glad I had the chance to meet him.

Dave

[Sam Werbalowsky]

I think there's twin steel on that 'Dadi in Nashville' album...Buddy Emmons and someone else, can't remember who off the top of my head. I know Fooch (forum member) has some stories about Bill, Bobby, and that session.

[scott murray]

Curly Chalker is on it too. I love the picture of Buddy inside the album

[Keith Murrow]

Nice! Thanks for posting the link, Karlis! Great stuff.

[Olaf van Roggen]

I love Bill Keith and his pedal steel playing.
The first time was on Jonathan Edwards :"my home ain't in the hall of fame".



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csgedRWwSJo

I still listen to this song very often.

The Blue Velvet band with Bill Keith is one of my favourite record albums.

[Stephen Kuester]

His solo on “blue and lonesome” from the Muleskinner studio album is what made me want to play pedal steel.

Bill “Brad” Kieth was one heck of a player. RIP

[John Brabant]

Stephen Kuester, you are so right:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnsIaNnHWQ0


And what a line up: Peter Rowan, David Grisman, Bill Keith, Clarence White, Richard Greene, John Guerin, John Kahn

[Glenn Suchan]

Here's my favorite cut from Muleskinner with excellent steel work by Bill, fiddle work by Richard Greene and guitar work by Clarence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMI37H-KJbs

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

[Joachim Kettner]

Of course he played on Steve Goodman albums. Here's a nice cut by the Quinaimes Band from NYC. Their singer later sang for Steely Dan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PE31fA1Ip4
Fabulous Rhinestones, another album he was on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4xIaOtMQg0

[Gary C. Dygert]

Where have I been all my life? I never know Bill Keith played pedal steel! His playing is exactly the type of pedal steel I love.

[John Goux]

For some un remembered reason I own the Bill Keith album Something Auld Something Newgrass. I suspect it was the presence of Tony Rice and David Grisman.
I never knew Bill was a steel player. I thought that was Ben.
Caravan...Sugarfoot Rag..it’s worth a listen.
John

[tom anderson]

I was always confused about Bill and Ben Keith. My copy of Borderlines record lists Ben not Bill. I haven’t gone back to
Check any other of the records above except the Blue Velvet Band which lists Bill.