Ray Price 6yrs gone today

Mike Cass · Post by **Mike Cass** » 16 Dec 2018 10:49 am

Still hard to believe some days, never imagined a World Without The Chief. 6 years today @ 5:50pm.
Was driving to meet Sasser, listening to Eddie on WSM when my phone rang....Ray Price on the caller ID...that was weird, and Janie telling me of Rays gentle passing.. 2 mins later Eddie announced it.
Just me, but I do hope that sometime today all of us string yankin pedal trompers pause to give well deserved thanks to A Man who loved this instrument easily as much of any of us, as evidence of his music, which in my humble opinion put steel guitar on the map, gave us Jimmy Day, Buddy Emmons Jack Evans and a whole list of players whove had the privilege of having the most fun you can have in life with yer clothes on.
You couldn't have fun on that stage either you need to cut back on the meds, or get you sone.
Nuff from me. My thanks Chief. Miss all them Asian buffets we ruined.

RIP Mr.Price.

MC

Ron Funk · Post by **Ron Funk** » 16 Dec 2018 11:48 am

MC -

Very kind of you to remind us of the day of the passing of a true legend, Ray Price.

As evidenced by the many solos he allowed on his records - played by the greatest steelers of all time - Ray surely did love the steel guitar.
And the arrangements of Ray's live performances were 2nd to none.

Speaking of Ray's live performances, here's another pedal steel player who had the (well-deserved) good luck of working with Ray Price

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK5Y6Mbjdoo

Best regards MC
Ron

Mike Cass · Post by **Mike Cass** » 16 Dec 2018 11:59 am

Chief sounded the same to me 1st time I ever heard him as he did his last show, maybe better even. We used to poke at him that he might be an alien to be able to sing like that

Len Ryder · Post by **Len Ryder** » 16 Dec 2018 12:13 pm

The last time I seen the "Great Ray Price" was in Yuma a number of years back. And with a 10 piece band backing that "voice". WOW ! ! !

Jim R. Harrison · Post by **Jim R. Harrison** » 16 Dec 2018 5:11 pm

Hi Len! I saw Ray Price before you, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, prior to 1967 - I can't recall dates before then! He had a pretty good band:- Johnny Bush on drums, Pete Wade on lead guitar, Tommy Jackson on fiddle, Ray Price played rhythm guitar, Willie Nelson on bass, & Jimmy Day on steel!

Buddie Hrabal · Post by **Buddie Hrabal** » 17 Dec 2018 7:10 am

I know that I enjoyed my times with "The Chief" on the bus and on the stage. I'll cherish them forever. As long as God lets me play I'll do at least one Ray Price song on every gig. Miss you Chief

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 17 Dec 2018 9:14 am

Hail to the Chief and all those who played for him over the years.

Len Ryder · Post by **Len Ryder** » 17 Dec 2018 10:54 am

Jim, don't know if, you recall but Price played at a Tavern in the early 60's just outside of Blaine just before I went to work in Hawaii.(Emmons was with him) Then after I returned in the late 60's he played (with his core group) at a hotel in Newton. He augmented the band with "good" local musician out of Vancouver. Jimmy Howe booked him. Had the pleasure of Jimmy, his wife and Price's wife at our table for the show.

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 16 Jan 2019 6:31 pm

Jim Lindsey who recently passed way to me he had the opportunity to work with Ray. And on the one show he was doing with the Chief, Jim was not playing loud enough and the piano player you asked if he could turn up some, he heard anytime Ray would use Buddy, He, Ray would tell Buddy he was too loud.