1. Maurice Anderson - He pioneered the "Universal" single neck tuning and was known for his beautiful jazz
playing. He was also the "A" in the MSA steel guitar company.
youtube video  |
2. Bobby Black - Northern California living legend. Made his reputation with Commander Cody.
youtube video |
3. Noel Boggs - Southern California player known for his big chordal style. He played with Spade Cooley and
Tex Williams. youtube video |
4. Tom Brumley - Wonderful clean player who made his reputation with Buck Owens, and later played with Rick
Nelson. youtube video
|
5. Jerry Byrd - The greatest non pedal player. Played on some Hank Williams' recordings. Spent his last
thirty years playing in Hawaii. youtube video
|
6. Gary Carter - Wonderful current player who can be seen on Marty Stuart's TV show.
youtube video
|
7. Curley Chalker - Probably the best musician to ever play the steel. He attacked the steel and played his
own style of jazz . C6 - youtube video E9 -
youtube video
|
8. Buddy Charleton - He travelled the country with the Texas Troubadours wowing the crowds with his beautiful
playing on both necks. youtube video
|
9. Jimmy Crawford - Great "chicken picker" who backed up many Nashville stars.
youtube video Also see Russ Hicks' video.
|
10. Terry Crisp - Unsung player who played with Ricky Skaggs & Reba McEntire among others.
youtube video
|
11. Randall Currie - Plays with Brad Paisley. Probably the best young player around.
Randall at 5:15 in: youtube video
|
12. Sonny Curtis - Played with George Jones for many years.
youtube video |
13. Jimmy Day - Jimmy & Buddy Emmons developed many of the changes for the
E9 tuning while playing with Ray
Price and others. youtube video |
14. Pete Drake - Was the most commercial Nashville session man during the 1960s.
Here's a video of him
demonstrating the "talking guitar:"
youtube video |
15. Bob Dunn - The first hot electric steel player. Said to be influenced by clarinet players of the day.
youtube video |
|
17. Paul Franklin - The number one Nashville session man for the last thirty years. Also toured with Dire
Straits. youtube video
|
18. Bobby Garrett - Wonderful Texas player who played with Charlie Walker, Dewey Groom and Hank Thompson among
others. Famous for the instrumental "Rose City Chimes." youtube video
|
19. Sonny Garrish - Made his mark with Bill Anderson's "Po' Boys" before becoming a Nashville session man.
youtube video
|
20. Lloyd Green - A leading Nashville session man in the
'60s & '70s who would come up with different styles
to suit his artists. Also known for his wonderful instrumental albums.
youtube video |
|
22. Billy Hew Len - Wonderful Hawaiian player in spite of not having a
left hand.
Watch the video!
|
23. Russ Hicks - Played with Barefoot Jerry & teamed
up with Jimmy Crawford on a couple of chicken pickin'
albums. youtube video
|
24. Sol Hoopii - The first virtuoso Hawaiian steeler.
youtube video
|
25. John Hughey - Beautifully expressive player.
Made his reputation with Conway Twitty & Vince Gill.
youtube video
|
26. Bud Isaacs - In 1955 Bud invented the pedal changes that lead
to the E9 tuning that is still used today.
youtube video
|
27. Doug Jernigan - Hot Nashville picker for over 40 years.
youtube video
|
28. Mike Johnson - One of the best
modern players in Nashville. youtube video
|
29. David Keli'i
- Master player who was the original steeler with "Hawaii Calls" from 1935-1952. |
30. Sneaky Pete Kleinow - Had his own style and sound, and made
his reputation with the Flying Burrito
Brothers. Sneaky was also a TV animator. youtube
video |
31. David Lindley - His non pedal style with Jackson Browne
was later embraced by Nashville as the way to play
modern country rock. youtube video
|
32. Jay Dee Maness - The first call in L.A. Jay Dee is one of
the most soulful and interesting players
around. youtube video
|
33. Leon McAuliffe - Bob Wills' original steeler for many years and then lead his own bands.
youtube video |
34. Dick McIntire - Dick and his brother Lani were Hawaiian music royalty.
youtube video |
35. Ralph Mooney - Ralph helped define the sound of Buck Owens, Merle
Haggard and later Waylon Jennings. His
playing defined the "West Coast sound." youtube
video |
36. Jim Murphy - Wonderful player on both necks and then he'd pick up his sax and blow bebop.
youtube video |
37. Joaquin Murphy - The hottest jazzy player of the 1940s into the '50s.
He played with Spade Cooley and Tex
Williams. youtube video |
38. Weldon Myrick - Nashville session man for 25 years who had beautiful tone and execution.
youtube video |
39. Jeff Newman - Excellent player who chose to become the
consummate steel guitar teacher. He put on clinics
and recorded many teaching LPs. youtube video |
40. Gene O'Neal - Played with Charlie Pride until his untimely death.
youtube video |
41. Dickie Overbey - Wonderful Texas player whose career has had a
renaissance in the last fifteen years.
youtube video |
42. Steve Palousek - Prodigious player, who's finally getting recognition.
youtube video |
43. Robert Randolph - Great rock player who came out of the church to become
the "Jimi Hendrix of the steel
guitar." youtube video |
44. Herb Remington - Herb played with many great western swing bands,
including Bob Wills', and wrote
"Remington Ride." youtube video |
45. Kayton Roberts - Beautiful non pedal player known for his harmonics, who
played with Hank Snow.
youtube video |
46. Hal Rugg - Great Nashville session man primarily known for his beautiful
playing with Loretta Lynn.
youtube video |
47. Mike Smith - Great player in the Phoenix area who chose not to stay in Nashville.
Also known for his early collaborations with Paul Franklin.
youtube video |
48. Vance Terry - Vance was a prodigy who played with Billy Jack Wills in the early '50s.
youtube video |
49. Speedy West - Very original West Coast session man who made his reputation
playing hot duets with Jimmy
Bryant. youtube video |
50. Tommy White - Grand Ole Opry steeler who's one of the best of the new breed.
youtube video |
|
Could Easily Be Listed Above:
|
- Sez Adamson
- Stu Basore
- Randy Beavers
- Terry Bethel
- Bruce Bouton
- Rocky Caple
- Richard Comeaux
- Johnny Cox
- Tommy Detamore
- Milo Deering
- Eddie Dunlap
- Ron Elliott
- Buzz Evans
- Santo Farina
- Wayne Gailey
- Marion Hall
|
- Tyler Hall
- Norm Hamlet
- Steve Hinson
- Lew Huston
- Barney Isaacs
- Bobby Koeffer
- Jim Loessberg
- Tom Morrell
- Gary Morse
- Ray Noren
- Russ Pahl
- Al Perkins
- Rick Price
- Buck Reid
- Randy Reinhardt
- Alvino Rey
|
- Bert Rivera
- Eddie Rivers
- Billy Robinson
- Larry Sasser
- Johnny Siebert
- Danny Stewart
- Freddie Tavares
- Travis Toy
- Robbie Turner
- Jim Vest
- Jeremy Wakefield
- Bob White
- Pee Wee Whitewing
- Little Roy Wiggins
- Rusty Young
|
|
These lists are very subjective and I know I've omitted many fine and deserving steelers.
I don't mean to offend anyone. Sorry if your guy/gal wasn't included.
|
