Lloyd Green/ John McFee. False credits.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 18 Oct 2011 1:13 am

A solo record from '72, by former Youngbloods singer/guitarist guitarist Jerry Corbitt features the twin steels of John McFee, pedal steel west and Lloyd Green, pedal steel east. At that time I was wondering what they meant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df1Chn5X77A

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 18 Oct 2011 7:10 am

Hi Joachim. Here is a message i received via email from Lloyd concerning this recording:

I am not playing steel on the Jerry Corbit song being played; not my sound, style nor approach. I checked my 1971-’72-’73 session books and I didn’t find a recording session with Jerry Corbit listed for any of those years although it is possible I recorded with him at some time in the past.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 18 Oct 2011 8:06 am

Phew... this is confusing me now. There are two steel players: One is on the right, the other is on the left channel. I'm sure that John McFee plays, because he did sessions for Jerry Corbitt (at least he's on the first David Wiffen album).
The producer of the album was Charlie Daniels, and on the song " Till You Come Back Home again" he is credited for playing high string guitar and bass.
The album was partly recorded in Nashville in `71, and the name of the engineer in Nashville is listed as Ernie Winfrey and the producer was also Charlie Daniels.
I can't imagine what went wrong with the credits.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 18 Oct 2011 1:38 pm

Joachim, here is some more info from Lloyd:

Joachim is certainly correct that there are two separate steel players on that song… just not me, though.
Since Joachim mentioned the recording engineer and producer I can give a little more information. With Ernie Winfrey as the engineer that means the music was recorded at Soundshop Studios owned by the late Buddy Killen. He was the chief engineer there and also recorded the Nashville Paul McCartney sessions we cut in 1973.
The producer, Charlie Daniels, I only recorded with one time. That was an overdub session I played on at Columbia Studio “A” in 1968 produced by Bob Johnston for a Bob Dylan album. Daniels played rhythm guitar on the o.d. and I remember he had on dress slacks and a short-sleeved white dress shirt. He had no facial hair, a short, conservative haircut and wore glasses. I remember thinking he looked just like a stereotypical bookkeeper.
And more recently, about 3 months ago I played steel on Taz Digregorio’s as yet unreleased new album. He was Charlie Daniels’ keyboard guy and, sadly, was killed in a car crash within the past couple of weeks.
In finality, I have no idea who was playing the “other” steel on that track but it wasn’t one of the 4 top Nashville session players of the era. I do apologize for omitting a “T” in Jerry Corbitt’s name.
Lloyd Green

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 19 Oct 2011 5:27 am

Thanks Chris for forwarding Lloyd's message to the forum. And of course thanks to Mr. Green for clarifying this. I think I put wrong credits! at the end of the topic title (If I changed it alltogether the comments wouldn't make much sense).
So sad to hear of the accident of the keybord man.
All these years I thought that the album credits were right, and I was thinking that it was great that these two steel players were sittin together in the same studio... nice illusion for me.
Again, thanks a lot!
Oh, I can't quit before asking Lloyd another question:
Are there any more songs of McCartney's Wings he played on? (I know he played on Sally G).

PS
Can't change the topic name, sorry.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 19 Oct 2011 6:32 am

Joachim Kettner wrote:Oh, I can't quit before asking Lloyd another question:
Are there any more songs of McCartney's Wings he played on? (I know he played on Sally G).

I am in the midst of writing a piece about Lloyd, and I will post it shortly in Steel Players. Part of it addresses his work with McCartney. In the meantime, if Lloyd reads this he may send along a note. If so, I will post it.

Alexander Rehfeld · Post by **Alexander Rehfeld** » 19 Oct 2011 7:26 am

Chris,
I'm looking forward to the release of your piece

!
regards,
Alexander

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 19 Oct 2011 8:50 am

Thanks, Alexander....hope you enjoy it. I should have it posted today.

Joachim, Lloyd has generously outlined his Nashville recording sessions with McCartney here for you:

Yes, I played on another song with McCartney on those Nashville sessions. It is “Hey Diddle” and sounds superb! I just listened to it. On the tune Paul and I play a harmony solo; he an ocharina and I simulating the sound on steel. A most interesting tonal combination. In a long career this was my only time to play on a session with an ocharina, much less do a harmony solo.
In order to make this combination work I played only one note and used an extremely narrow, fast, non-syrupy vibrato to get in the same tonal perspective as Paul and adjusted my Fender Twin amp till I got a very similar approximation of the ocharina sound. It’s really a cool solo and I think this tune was released in a later Wings album.
There were 7 tracks cut in Nashville, with Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer playing with Paul Mc. on an instrumental, “Walking Through the Park With Eloise”.
Lloyd

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 19 Oct 2011 9:40 am

My piece on Lloyd:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=213808

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 19 Oct 2011 11:25 am

Thanks Chris. I'll read the article about him tomorrow, I look forward to it!
If I only knew what an ocharina is.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 20 Oct 2011 3:03 pm

Joachim Kettner wrote: If I only knew what an ocharina is.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 21 Oct 2011 9:13 am

Thanks Rick!
BTW I've just sent Joe Goldmark a pm, since I found out that he must know John McFee. I asked Joe to ask him if he remembers the recording and who the other steel player might be.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 26 Nov 2013 3:21 am

I finally managed to scan the back of the album...

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 2 Dec 2013 6:42 pm

I used to have a Jerry Corbitt solo album, but I don't think it was this one. (Maybe I still do, I'll have to check my vinyl collection which is currently in storage). It seems odd that they'd credit the wrong guy. Maybe the Nashville AFM (union) would have records?

I saw Jerry many years ago at the Marshall Tavern up by Point Reyes Station in Marin County. I think it was a four piece band. I remember talking to them at the bar before the show. I played a show with Jesse Colin Young back in the '90's. At the time he said Jerry was living near Death Valley and Banana was still in Marin running a hang glider shop. Joe Bauer is sadly no longer with us. That's what I know, Youngblood fans.

Rex Blevins · Post by **Rex Blevins** » 6 Dec 2013 6:41 am

I am pretty sure I am right, but isn't this the John McFee with the Doobie Brothers. The video of them at the " Live at Wolftrap " has John playing several of the songs on steel. He was playing a old S-10 PP.You can get a good idea how he plays on the South City Midnight Lady cut.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 6 Dec 2013 7:12 am

Yes that's him Rex, and it's very plausible that he plays on the Jerry Corbitt record. He hired John McFee to play on records he produced. I know at least of two, one by David Wiffen and another by Janis Ian. But the reason Lloyd is credited is a mistery. Too bad they to took the video off, but there's definetly twin steels on the recording.