Pete Drake Appreciation

Gary Hoetker · Post by **Gary Hoetker** » 23 Jun 2024 4:18 pm

What I appreciate more and more about Pete Drake is how he adapted his playing style to the artist’s singing style, in particular the 1960 recordings by Webb Pierce, Billy Walker, Little Jimmy Dickens and Luke the Drifter Jr.(Bocephus). He truly was a master.

Joe Krumel · Post by **Joe Krumel** » 24 Jun 2024 4:53 pm

Pete sure had the knack of coming up with the great lick or fill.he earned his place for sure.

John Larson · Post by **John Larson** » 24 Jun 2024 5:27 pm

His playing for George Harrison on All Things Must Pass, Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline and David Allan Coe's 70s albums are amongst my favorite steel playing.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 25 Jun 2024 3:29 pm

I'm another big fan of Pete Drake. Maybe my favorite steel lick ever is right at 1:26 in this song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXaAsbggsN0

He plays the most simple perfect thing getting from the 3 chord to the 4 chord.

Played clear, simple and perfect.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 25 Jun 2024 4:40 pm

Jimmy Capps played the guitar on the songs intro. Simple but genius the exact way he slides into the notes. Pete had the biggest bag of licks and sounds.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 25 Jun 2024 5:51 pm

My dad was a carpenter and I helped him a lot when I was a kid. 8-10 hours a day, in the summer. He listened to a country station that played 50's to 80's every single second we were together. It was burned into my DNA, and I hated it. Haha.

Decades passed. I somehow became interested in pedal steel. It really grabbed me. I really don't try to play other people's parts. Maybe a part here or there, but mostly I just play what I hear in my head. Apparently, I hear Pete Drake in my head. His playing must be etched into me. Haha.

I discovered this when somebody gave me a couple of his records. When I hear his playing, it's the stuff that I carry around in my head, and didn't realize it was Pete Drake. who knew he was my biggest influence? I'm not as skilled as him, but I seem to find parts landing like his do in a song. Thanks, Dad! Thanks, Pete!