Remember steel guitar "Megamonster" Mike Smith?!!!

wayne yakes md · Post by **wayne yakes md** » 8 Feb 2002 1:54 pm

It has been around 20 years since Mike Smith released his much acclaimed record album "Dreams of India" shattering many myths and opinions of how the steel guitar could be played. He also toured and recorded with the Gatlin Brothers Band, a top act of the day. Vibrato Records will be re-releasing that record on CD format with a few new tunes that Mike will again re-define what can be done on the steel guitar. If you have never heard his instumentals or if your record vinyl of it is "acoustically challenged", this CD will stay in your player a long time as you attempt to "digest" it's magnificence!!! Look for it at the Texas Steel Show in Dallas!!!

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 8 Feb 2002 2:26 pm

Write me a scrip, Doc
Gotta have one.

Be sure to post when it's available via mail. I've been a big Miguel e Smith fan for many years.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro

Danny Sneed · Post by **Danny Sneed** » 8 Feb 2002 4:15 pm

To quote Paul Franklin,'"Mike Smith is the fastest steel player in the world bar none."' I personally think Paul and Mike are Mega Monster Steel Players.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 8 Feb 2002 4:17 pm

That is great news indeed! Mike is a wonderful musician - I'll be avidly watching for news of this release......

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Roger Rettig
Emmons LGIII(S10/D10)& MCI D10

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 8 Feb 2002 5:17 pm

Add me to the list, Mike's work is out of this world. He is also a very very nice guy, check him out if ever you get the chance.

Larry Behm

Jeff Coffell · Post by **Jeff Coffell** » 8 Feb 2002 5:25 pm

I he gonna be in Dallas?

JC

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 8 Feb 2002 10:05 pm

This will be a good one. I am re-mastering the original release this weekend, along with two new tunes for the CD. First copies will be available in Dallas, with web/mail orders right after. The new tunes are awesome, by the way...

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 8 Feb 2002 10:29 pm

Mike's solo in "Rolling in My Sweet Baby's Arms" on the "Dreams of India" album is one of the best speedpicking solos I every heard. I taped it onto cassette back in the early 80s' and listened to it hundreds of times in my car while driving to gigs. Great stuff.

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My Site | Doug's Free Tab

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 8 Feb 2002 10:34 pm

Mike is truly a MONSTER player! "Brown Baggin'" is still one of my favorites! And a wonderfully nice guy! He knows recording inside and out, too! Gave me a lot of helpful advice. Maybe we can get him out of hiding to post this weekend. A true credit to this instrument! I believe he lives in Arizona, now.

B.Jenkins · Post by **B.Jenkins** » 9 Feb 2002 4:09 am

Mr. Macy:
Add me to that list also please, Is he also the steel player that played for The Happy Goodmans years ago?

Reggie Duncan · Post by **Reggie Duncan** » 9 Feb 2002 6:36 am

Mr. Jenkins, no. Mike played with the Gatlin Brothers for a number of years. The Smith you are talking about, happens to be another MONSTER player! His name is Jack Smith. He played with the Goodmans and was married to their daughter. He left them, and followed Sonny Garrish with Bill Anderson. He also did a stint with Ronnie Millsap and Connie Smith. You will occasionally hear him on the Opry. He owns a Tape and CD manufacturing company in the Nashville area and can be heard on the 1991 Live in Branson CD by Connie Smith. More recently, he appeared on the Goodmans "Final Stand" video, on which he played a wonderful version of their hit,
"The Lighthouse", penned by Ronnie Hinson around 1970. Incidentally, Jack played on the Hinson's version and the Goodman's hit version. The video is a wonderful tribute to this wonderful era in GOSPEL MUSIC. My friend, Steve "Rabbit" Easter, does most of the playing on the Goodman video, another wonderful player. I had the priviledge of jamming with him and my father, J.L. Duncan, last weekend!

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 12 Feb 2002 8:22 am

Let us know when that CD is available, because I sure want one. "Brown Baggin'" was one of those tunes I had to learn from Scotty's Anthology book.

If I remember correctly, a friend told me that Mike Smith had a big impact on players like Mike Johnson. Mike Johnson is very fast player--clean as whistle across those strings.

There is a lick at the end of the single-string adlib solo in "Brown Baggin'" that Mike Johnson used a lot on that TNN talent show. I now find myself using it a lot, especially after learning a cool minor pentatonic lick from Palousek.

It would be real interesting to know more about Mike Smith's background and musical influences.

Anyone care to elaborate? What about it Miguel?

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Frank Estes - Black Carter D-10 8+5

Miguel e Smith · Post by **Miguel e Smith** » 15 Feb 2002 9:32 pm

It's been awhile since I checked on the forum and a friend emailed me and said I should check out this post. Thanks everyone for the kind words and even the mistaken identity with Jack Smith. The "Mike" thing has also given me undeserved credit for Mike Jones, Mike Johnson and several others. They are all wonderful players.

John Macy and Dr. Wayne Yakes have worked hard to re-release that older project and have me add a few new things. Twenty years....my God! Where did the time go?

Although I did stop playing for the biggest part of 10 years, I stayed in the music business and worked on some other things that were also important to me. It's good to be adding the steel back into the mix. Hope you will not be disappointed with part of what I'm doing now.

You might have to wade through some other stuff, but I do have a website for our company that does have more info about what I do, steel playing included. It's www.gatlinbros.com

Thanks,

Mike

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 16 Feb 2002 9:00 am

You keep pretty busy, Miguel
Great website and content!

Is that the same Zum from the late 70's?

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 16 Feb 2002 2:59 pm

Mike,
Very nice site

Theresa

Miguel e Smith · Post by **Miguel e Smith** » 25 Feb 2002 8:52 am

Thanks Larry and Theresa. I really gotta check these posts out more often. I actually had hoped to put more picture content on the site but I kinda broke my digital camera at a gig and haven't got it back from the company as yet. The host for the site also says it will support mp3's so I'm hoping to put a few "sampler" thingys on there sometime soon.
Anyhow Larry, the guitar in the pic I picked up about 4 years ago and Bruce Z. has the other one (he says he's playing that one personally!).

wayne yakes md · Post by **wayne yakes md** » 28 Feb 2002 10:14 am

Just finishing the re-mix, artwork, and into production this week of Mike's "Dreams of India" CD on the Vibrato Records label plus 2 NEW dynamite tunes one of which is "Creek Walk" which is absolutely devastating and worth buying the CD by itself IMHO!! Bravo Miguel!!

Jimmie Misenheimer · Post by **Jimmie Misenheimer** » 9 Mar 2002 3:04 pm

I first met Mike 22 or 23 years ago - maybe a little longer than that. As I remember, he had the first "ZUM" that I ever saw. I fell in love with it then, and and finally got one (in 1996!!)
I don't know if he's more of a "monster" player, or a gentleman, BUT HE'S ALOT OF BOTH!!

Jimmie Misenheimer

0in

Miguel e Smith · Post by **Miguel e Smith** » 16 Mar 2002 3:06 pm

Thanks Jimmie. I hope I can someday live up to all these amazing comments that you and the others have made. It's funny, I don't consider myself a true player. I think of me as a writer who tries to play what he writes or has stolen from the real players, steel or otherwise. My hope is that I can perform up to the level of what I'm hearing, but usually that's a tough expectation.

Mike

wayne yakes md · Post by **wayne yakes md** » 26 Mar 2002 1:15 pm

ALL FORUMITES LEND ME YOUR EARS!!
The NEW Mike G. Smith CD is now available!! The first sales were in Dallas at the TSGA. I believe Forumite Rick McDonald bought officially the first one. They are $15 each. Don't forget that Vibrato Records, specializing in steel guitar music, also has the Best Work of Buzz Evans, Chuck Lettes, and Buddy Emmons!! wayne.yakes@swedmc.com or 303 788 4280 to order. Donations to "The Forum" will be done for all those that state they "heard it on the Forum" when they order!!

wayne yakes md · Post by **wayne yakes md** » 26 Mar 2002 2:37 pm

OOOOOOOPS! Brian Ercek was the FIRST to purchase Mike's CD, not Rick! My mistake and all apologies to all concerned!!

Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 26 Mar 2002 3:59 pm

Im editing this post in the interest of keeping b0b's house a peaceful place to be. Wayne the Mike Smith CD is exceptional listening and I've enjoyed it very much. Thanks so much for putting it together. God Bless and keep on recording great music for all of us.

Rick Garrett[This message was edited by Rick GM on 26 March 2002 at 05:54 PM.]

Terry Wendt · Post by **Terry Wendt** » 31 Mar 2002 3:41 pm

I remember - I wore out my old "vinyl" of "Dreams of India" and I have always thought the world of Mike

He has been a major inspiration from my early days! Count me in for a copy

...just in case I get overconfident, I can put it on and be bummed about the intricate complexity of his harmonious melody! Keep on keepin' on MS!!

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TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 5 Apr 2002 7:19 am

I love this instrument of ours and, like most of us, I've experienced my share of highs and lows; Buddy Emmons has put my emotions through the wringer, Paul Franklin has made my jaw drop, and Doug Jernigan has had me headed 'back to the drawing board' on many occasions! I've managed to survive the humbling effect of watching Tommy White, Johnny Cox, Lloyd and so many others, and still come away with my ambitions intact, but to hear Mike Smith describe himself as '..not really a player...' might just be the clincher......

Anyone wanna buy a steel? Here's a list(

)!

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Roger Rettig
Emmons LGIII(D10), MCI D10 and Fender Stringmaster (triple-8)

Miguel e Smith · Post by **Miguel e Smith** » 11 Apr 2002 7:20 pm

Hey Roger (I'm laughing very hard right now), I really wasn't trying to over-do the "aw shucks, I'm jez an ole country boy" routine. It's just that when I think about all the people who cut trails where none existed and all I had to do was follow some of those paths, the stuff I do just seems very small. It's very humbling for me. There is a lot of trail blazing going on out there these days too. A lot of folks seeking adventure and following their hearts and ears and that's great. I think that will ultimately promote the instrument to a wider place.
"If" I could play what I feel or hear in my heart and head...wow, what a cool place that would be. I get brief sensations of what that's like, but I'm not there all the time. Maybe that's what Bill Murray spoke of in Caddy Shack..."At death I will achieve total consciencenous...so I got that going for me". If I get there before then, I'll post it on the forum and invite everyone out to listen!

Just a humble "player"...

Mike