Does Anyone Remember these Steel Players?

[nick allen]

OK... this is one of the things I love about this Forum - being able to get this kind of info.
The tape I have is called "The Best of Merle Travis" on Rhino.
The notes indicate the following steel players for the following songs...
Pete Martinez:
- Cincinatti Lou
- No Vacancy
- Divorce Me COD
- Sweet Temptation
- So Round, So Firm...

Noel Boggs:
- Three Times Seven
- Steel Guitar Rag
- Lawdy What A Gal

Joaquin Murphy:
- Fat Gal
- I Like My Chicken...

The rest of the tracks are Travis solo.

The "Boggs" and "Murphy" tracks are all indicated as being done in 1947.

So can anyone clarify all this, as to who actually did what? (I'd like to know what I've been listening to all this time!)
Thanks
Nick

[Dave Mayes]

Nick,
Of the songs you have on your tape, I only have No Vacancy/Cincinatti Lou (78 rpm - Capitol). I can't imagine those cuts are anyone other than Joaquin. Pete Martinez didn't sound like that. Noel Boggs didn't sound like that.

[Jussi Huhtakangas]

Dave, I think you're right. If my memory serves me right, the Bear Family discography lists Joaquin on those cuts ( plus on few other less known tracks too ). Most likely Joaquin was also on some of Merle's soundies with Carolina Cotton. The all-girl band on those soundies is only "lip" synching the songs.

[Jerry Hayes R.I.P.]

The CD I have is called "Sweet Temptation" which on the Capitol Records special markets project so they did the original recordings so their credits should be correct over Bear Family or any other company. Here's the dates of the sessions which featured steel and the players on them. This is in order on the CD, I won't list the cuts without steel.

Cincinnati Lou..3/18/46...Joaquin Murphy
No Vacancy......3/18/46...Joaquin Murphy
Divorce Me COD..7/9/46....Pete Martinez
So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed..10/19/46
Pete Martinez.
Steel Guitar Rag (vocal)1/12/47..Noel Boggs
T for Texas..12/23/47..Joaquin Murphy
Any Old Time..11/21/47.. Phil Marx
Three Times Seven..10/19/46..Pete Martinez
Kentucky Means Paradise.11/21/47..Phil Marx
Sweet Temptation..10/15/46..Phil Marx
Fat Gal...7/1/47...Noel Boggs
Dry Bread...11/14/50...Speedy West
Lawdy, What a Gal..1/23/47..Noel Boggs
Guitar Rag..4/21/50...Noel Boggs
Kinfolks in Carolina..2/13/52..Speedy West

All tracks recorded in Hollywood and produced by Lee Gillette except Dry Bread and Kinfolks in Carolina which were produced by Ken Nelson.

There were 5 cuts which didn't feature a steel player including:
I'll See You in my Dreams
Re-enlistment Blues
Cannonball Rag
Deep South
Sixteen Tons

As stated before, this should be the final word as it's from the company who originally made the recordings..........

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Have a good 'un! JH U-12

[Dave Mayes]

Jussi,
Yes, Yes ! Those Travis/Cotton Soundies with the all girl backup are without a doubt Murph on steel. The tunes are "Why Did I Fall for Abner" and "Texas Home".
I'm pretty sure the steel player on other Travis Soundies (No Vacancy,etc.) is Eddie Martin - both in the Soundie and on the recordings for the Soundies. I have a Red Murrell (sp?)Lp that credits Eddie Martin on a few of it's cuts - same sound.

[Jussi Huhtakangas]

Yep Dave, it's Eddie Martin allright! And how about that triple neck steel he's playing on those soundies!!! Man, it's huge, like a Hammond organ. I heard it was custom made for him and took two or three guys to move it around.

[nick allen]

Thanks to everyone, particularly Jerry, for the information. Looking at all the replies, it seems that everyone (those reading liner notes, those going by memory, and those judging by listening) is in agreement!! Is this a record?
Nick

[John Floyd]

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John

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by John Floyd on 03 February 2002 at 02:59 PM.]</p></FONT>