Spider Wilson R.I.P.

[Nick Reed]

I just saw where Grand Ole Opry Staff Guitarist for many years "Spider Wilson" passed away this morning. I'll try to post more details when I know something.

[Richard Sinkler]

Damn! It was always comforting seeing him in the Opry band, after the shake-ups.

My thoughts go out to his family and friends. Truly a sad day.

[George Duncan Sypert]

One of the most commercial guitarist on the planet. Every thing I ever heard him play was perfect for the song and singer. Great tone and taste. RIP
George

[Jack Stoner]

RIP a great guitar picker. On his Facebook page it says he was battling Cancer but no specifics on the type of Cancer.

He was born in Nashville. Not a transplant like most musicians in Nashville.

[David Thornhill]

Hate to hear the news about my friend Spider Wilson's passing. I've known him for many years. Talked to him in October. There isn't many of us old school, tone, touch, echoplex, melody, and singer's backup guitar players left. Dave Thornhill

[robert kramer]

James "Spider" Wilson


I just want to add to everybody’s tributes to Spider Wilson.

Spider was born in Nashville and as a boy would stand outside the Opry and watch Hank Williams when they would open the windows during the summer. He would eventually work the Opry starting in 1953 with Dickens and then with the Opry Staff Band from the late 50’s to his retirement in 2006 – 53 years total.

In the late 50’s Spider came off the road after working with Little Jimmie Dickens and Ray Price. He started working his share of record dates (Dickens, Faron, Jan Howard, Bill Anderson) but mainly concentrated on TV work and the Opry. Spider would learn the intros, solos and backup parts on all the current records and be ready to back any artist. He had an archival memory and would be able to remember and reproduce these parts throughout his career when called upon. From the 50’ through the 80’s and continuing on after that with the live Opry Broadcasts - Spider became a fixture on local and national country music TV shows broadcast from Nashville. Of course - everybody remembers the Opry’s triple guitar lineup of Spider Wilson, Leon Rhodes and Jimmy Capps and especially their three part harmony behind Charlie Walker and Ray Pillow.

In the 50’s - the hottest band out of Nashville Little Jimmie Dickens “Country Boy Band” with Spider Wilson and Howard Rhoten on twin guitars – Buddy Emmons on steel – Johnny Johnson on rhythm guitar – Joel price on bass and Jimmy Gossett on drums.

Here are "The Country Boys" on a Purina Grand Ole Opry ca. late 1955:

“I’m Little But I’m Loud”

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc8ga8 ... -but_music

Here is “Black Eyed Joes” from the same show. Steel Guitarists will be interested in the verse backup @ 00:45. Yes – that’s a steel guitar (as played by an 18 year old Buddy Emmons)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc8g0q ... d-jo_music



Spider Wilson NAMM interview w/ Jimmy Capps July 23, 2011

https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/spider-wilson

Here are some more clips featuring the twin guitars of Spider Wilson and Howard Rhoten from “The Country Show” (aka “Stars of the Grand Ole Opry”) ABC-TV Gannaway Productions:


“Salty Boogie”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbAvoPC8l1Y

“Sleeping at the Foot of the Bed”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc8dOcjvn1s

“I’m Little But I’m Loud”

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

“Waitress, Waitress”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIF1g5bRXiQ

Tater - Spider & Buddy on the Bobby Lord Show 10/19/65:

“May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfYFx6MOTYU

My favorite all-time Spider Wilson story is about the time he was called to be leader on a casual. Now Spider was always called for a job as a sideman musician never as leader. This time - however - he gets a call to be leader on a low-paying casual. Not knowing any better - he puts together a band with a singer by calling up his friends. So everybody shows up to work this country club or whatever and the singer Spider hires turns out to be Lefty Frizzell.

[Barry Blackwood]

Thanks for sharing, robert. I will miss him and his playing a great deal. I grew up in the age of the Echoplex guitar and Spider was the master of it. RIP

[Rex Thomas]

Classic Spider, 1:17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z4kPGcmyPI

[Russ Wever]

Robert, that is a very nice
tribute post you put up above.
Thanks for putting that together.
Russ

[Jerry Hayes]

One of the all time greats for sure and he'll definitely be missed....... I noticed on one of the videos where there was a closeup of Spider playing that blond Epiphone Sheraton and there was a toggle switch on the bottom forward of the bottom knob, anyone know what that was for?. This would have been before the days of coil taps and phase switches......JH in Va.