Record Recommendations:

1000's and 1000's of albums have been recorded through the years featuring the biggest stars as well as singers who are almost forgotten today. The legends of the Steel Guitar played unforgettable solos and provided incredible back-up work, songs that are still worth to be heard, no matter if you want to learn or just enjoy the music. Here are some helpful hints for those who want to hear more of a certain singer or player. Most of the records in this section have been deleted for years, but occasionally they appear in auction lists or even in flea markets or garage sales! If there is a chance, grab them, you won't be disappointed! I tried to concentrate on records that are almost forgotten today and defintely are worth to be brought back to the attention of the listeners.

This section will be updated continously, so forgive me if your favorite record is not in here (yet). Of course your recommendations and comments are most welcome, there is still so much great music to discover!

Bud Brewer - Big Bertha, The Truck Driving Queen (RCA LSP 4746)

This record was released in 1972 and contains mostly truck drivin' songs, with lots of space for the great Hal Rugg to turn loose! 

Johnny Bush - Sound Of A Heartache (JBA9601B, CD reissue of the 1967 LP)

This is classic country by a great vocalist, mostly slow ballads and songs that have already become classics like "Eye For An Eye", "Farewell Party" and "Way To Survive". Buddy Emmons and Jimmy Day on Steel play their hearts out! Listen to Buddy on "Sound Of A Heartache" and Jimmy's extended solo on "Farewell Party"! Every Steel Player should have a copy of this album!

Skeeter Davis - The Hillbilly Singer (RCA LSP 4818)

Skeeter Davis was one of the singers in Nashhville to change her music from Country to the slick and polished so-called "Nashville Sound". In 1973 she recorded this album, going back to the music she did years ago, using massive fiddle and steel sounds. There are four Steel Players on this album: Curly Chalker, Weldon Myrick, Jimmy Day and Pete Drake! The songs include mostly traditional material like "Crazy Arms", "Half A Mind" and "Making Believe". Good record!

Johnny Dollar - Big Rig Rollin' Man (CHART CHS 1023)

Here is a record from the Chart Label from 1969, with several truck driving songs as well as some ballads and shuffles, sung by Johnny Dollar in smooth style. On Steel Guitar is Lloyd Green who really adds the frosting to the cake! His sense for what the song needs and his creativity for playing intros and turnarounds is unequaled! "If I Get Low Enough" is among my all time favorite songs, "Changing Her Thinking" is a great uptempo shuffle!

Johnny Dollar - feat. "The Wheels Fell Off The Wagon Again" (Date TES 4009)

This is an obscure record from the early 70's by Johnny Dollar, featuring the great Lloyd Green on Steel Guitar (although it is not mentioned anywhere on the cover). Good mixture of uptempo and slow tunes, typical 60's/70's country material. Good stuff!!!

Freddie Hart - Bless Your Heart (Capitol ST-11073)

Freddie Hart was one of Country Music's biggest hitmakers in the 1970's, his "Easy Loving" was the only song in Country Music history that was elected "Song Of The Year" for two consecutive years (1971 and 1972)! Here is a typical Freddie Hart album of that time, lots of good Country Music, from ballads to uptempo with that certain dose of "Schmaltz" that Freddie was famous for. Lloyd Green on Steel!

Bobby Helms - All New Just For You (Little Darlin' SLD 8008) 

Bobby Helms had his biggest times in the late 50's, this one is a great LD album from 1968, with the great Lloyd Green all over the album. My favorite song is "He Thought He'd Die Laughing" - Lloyd is playing some awesome licks on that song!

Frank Hurley - I Like Honky Tonks (Picc-A-Dilly PIC 3431)

The title says it all - pure Honky Tonk Music from Frank Hurley, with Doug Jernigan on Steel Guitar on this album from 1980. The track "Honky Tonkin' Pickin'" is worth alone buying the album!

Anthony Armstrong Jones - Proud Mary (Chart CHS 11019)

Not too many people remember AAJ these days, his biggest hit was "Take A Letter, Maria" which was basically a pop song with some country flavor. This is his first album for Chart. Lloyd Green is playing most of the album, one track is done by Pete Drake. Lloyd's playing on "Proud Mary" and "New Orleans" are the highlights of the album!

Warner Mack - I'll Still Be Missing You (Decca 75165)

Here's a good one by Warner Mack, great mix of ballads ("All I Have To Offer You Is Me") and uptempo songs ("I'll Come Running"). Once more it's the great Lloyd Green playing unbelievable stuff!

Johnny Paycheck - At Carnegie Hall (Little Darlin' LD 8001)

First: This is not a live album, it is a regular studio album. Song selection is made from Johnny's first live performance at Carnegie Hall, so much for the (misleading) album title. Johnny and producer Aubrey Mayhew recorded a series of albums in the 1960's for the Little Darlin' Label, also focussing on the Steel Guitar of Lloyd Green! If you ever run across Johnny Paycheck's Little Darlin' Albums, get them, they are well worth listening to!

Johnny Paycheck - Jukebox Charlie (LD 8006)

See above, one more great album! This one includes the original versions of "Jukebox Charlie", "Touch My Heart", "Motel Time Again", "Apartment #9" and "Just Between You And Me" (which was recorded later by Charley Pride!)

Johnny Russell - Mr. And Mrs. Untrue (RCA LSP 4588)

Johnny Russell wasn't only a great songwriter, he was also a great vocalist, always sticking close to real Country Music. This is one of his RCA albums, released in 1971. It contains 10 songs, 9 of them have Hal Rugg on Steel, the title track has Lloyd Green. Great Country Music!

Jeannie Seely - I'll Love You More (Monument SLP 18091)

I can't help it, Jeannie is one of my favorite female vocalists. Here is one of her great albums from 1967, with Buddy Emmons on Steel. This one has a killer version of the old Willie Nelson classic "Mr. Reord Man"!

Patsy Sledd - Yours Sincerely (MEGA M31-1020)

I don't know anything else about Patsy Sledd, but this record from 1973 is good! On Steel Guitar and Dobro is nobody else but the great Lloyd Green! My favorite songs are the two ballads "Pass Me By" and "A Picture Of Me (Without You)".

Gordon Terry - The Gordon Terry Way (CHART CHS 1016)

The Chart Label was a subsidiary label of RCA in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Gordon Terry sings a mixture of Ballads and Shuffles, all accompanied by the great Lloyd Green. To my knowledge, Lloyd played on all Chart Records, he even produced several of their albums. My favorite songs are "That's What Tears Me Up" (one of the nicest intros and turnarounds I've ever heard!) and "The Easy Way Out".

Conway Twitty - Linda On My Mind (MCA 469)

Here is one example of Conway Twitty and John Hughey on Steel Guitar. All of the Conway Twitty recordings on Decca/MCA from the late 60's and early 70's contain great music, lots of ballads that are graced by John Hughey's beautiful playing, but also some great uptempo songs!

Porter Wagoner - Experience (RCA LSP 4810)

Porter recorded this album in 1973, he used members of his band (Mack Magaha, Buck Trent) as well as studio musicians like Pig Robbins and Johnny Gimble. On Steel Guitar is Pete Drake whose playing really highlights the record, just listen to his intro on "I'd Leave It All To Be With You"! Porter wrote all the songs on the album, with the exception of two which were written by Dolly Parton. This is one of Porter's best albums!

Tammy Wynette - I Still Believe In Fairy Tales (Epic 33582)

I can't help myself, but I really love those 1970's albums by Tammy, all produced by mastermind Billy Sherrill. A lot of people call those albums boring, they are right in some way, there are almost no uptempo songs, many of the ballads sound alike at first hearing, but they are so beautifully sung by Tammy and so tastefully played by the musicians, with Pete Drake's playing standing out! Pete's Steel Guitar and Tammy's voice - what a combination!