buddy emmons

Biography

Buddy Emmons (1937-2015) revolutionized the pedal steel guitar both musically and technically, earning the nickname "the Big E" and becoming widely recognized as the world's foremost steel guitarist. Born in 1937, Emmons began playing steel guitar at age 11 and started his professional career at 15 with the Choctaw Cowboys. By age 16, he had quit school to pursue music full-time, playing around the Midwest and jamming in Toledo clubs with bebop guitarist Arvin Garrison. His prodigious talent led to a Grand Ole Opry debut with Little Jimmy Dickens at just 18 years old in July 1955, marking the beginning of an extraordinary career that would span six decades.

Emmons' career trajectory took him through the upper echelon of country music, performing successively with three seminal country singers from 1955 to 1962: Little Jimmy Dickens and his Country Boys (1955-1957), Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadours (1957-1962), and Ray Price's Cherokee Cowboys (1962-1968). His work with Ernest Tubb proved particularly transformative, as his imaginative split-pedal intro and solo on Tubb's hit "Half a Mind" marked a sea change for the pedal steel guitar, ending the electric guitar's reign as the dominant lead instrument in Tubb's music. After struggles with drug abuse in the mid-1960s that temporarily derailed his career, Roger Miller offered him a lifeline by hiring him to play bass in his band in Southern California in 1968. This West Coast period saw Emmons work on sessions with an impressive array of artists including Ray Charles, Buck Owens, Judy Collins, John Sebastian, Linda Ronstadt, and Henry Mancini. He returned to Nashville in 1974 revitalized, continuing studio work and spending 15 years as a member of the Everly Brothers' road band.

Beyond his performing prowess, Emmons was a tireless innovator who fundamentally changed the pedal steel guitar as an instrument. He co-designed the first Sho-Bud pedal steel with Shot Jackson in 1957, and after departing that company in 1962, he collaborated with inventor Ron Lashley to design the Emmons pedal steel, incorporating features Jackson had rejected. His breakthrough album "Steel Guitar Jazz" released in 1963 showcased his jazz virtuosity and daring approach that recognized no boundaries between country, jazz, and other genres. Emmons' restless experimentation and joyous, exuberant stage personality—complete with his trademark derby hats purchased in England—captivated audiences worldwide. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1981 and won the Academy of Country Music's best steel guitarist award nine times beginning in 1969. Following the death of his wife Peggy in 2007, Emmons retired from performing. He died on July 21, 2015, in Nashville after suffering a heart attack at age 78, leaving behind a legacy as a groundbreaking artist whose impact on country music, jazz, and beyond continues to resonate.

Fun Facts

• Emmons inherited the band uniform of Willie Nelson when he joined Ray Price's Cherokee Cowboys—Nelson had recently departed his position as bass player in the band.
• He was so determined to play pedal steel that at age 15 he ordered a Bigsby pedal steel despite facing a two-year waiting list for the instrument.
• During his tours with Roger Miller overseas, Emmons bought his first derby hat in England, which became his trademark onstage look and added to his reputation as 'the super cool guy' despite being shy and soft-spoken offstage.
• After struggles with drug abuse led to him playing electric bass in Nashville clubs, his career was revived when Roger Miller offered him a job playing bass (not steel guitar) in his band, which eventually led Emmons back to his signature instrument and a triumphant return to Nashville in 1974.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Arvin Garrison - Bebop guitarist who jammed with young Emmons in Toledo clubs, exposing him to jazz styles (Club performances) [Early 1950s]

Key Collaborators

• Little Jimmy Dickens - First major country star Emmons toured with; Dickens added him to his Country Boys band (Instrumentals 'Raisin' The Dickens' and 'Country Boy Bounce') [1955-1957]
• Ernest Tubb - Toured with Tubb's Texas Troubadours; transformed Tubb's sound with innovative pedal steel work (Hit single 'Half a Mind') [1957-1962]
• Ray Price - Played in Price's Cherokee Cowboys band alongside future stars Johnny Paycheck, Roger Miller, and Johnny Bush (Various recordings and tours) [1962-1968]
• Roger Miller - Miller hired Emmons to play bass in his band during a difficult period, leading to LA session work (Album 'A Trip In The Country' (1970)) [1968-1974]
• The Everly Brothers - Spent 15 years as a member of their road band (Touring performances) [Late 1970s-1990s]
• John Sebastian - Recorded pedal steel on Sebastian's solo album, received shout-out in song (Album tracks including 'Rainbows All Over Your Blues' (1970)) [1970]
• Shot Jackson - Co-designed the first Sho-Bud pedal steel guitar together (Sho-Bud pedal steel guitar design) [1957]
• Billy Byrd - Guitarist who worked alongside Emmons in Ernest Tubb's Texas Troubadours (Texas Troubadours performances and recordings) [1957-1962]
• Buddy Spicher - Collaborated on jazz projects after Emmons returned to Nashville (Jazz recordings) [1970s-1980s]
• Lenny Breau - Collaborated on jazz projects (Jazz recordings) [1970s-1980s]

Artists Influenced

• Steve Fishell - Nashville steel guitarist who organized tribute album and wrote Emmons' biography (Produced 'The Big E: A Salute to Steel Guitarist Buddy Emmons' (2013), authored biography 'Buddy Emmons: Steel Guitar Icon') [2010s]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Honky Tonk Angels (The Steel Guitar And Dobro Sounds Of Shot Jackson And Buddy Emmons)
2. Witchcraft (Steel Guitar Jazz)
3. Wild Mountain Thyme (Steel Guitar)
4. Where Or When (Steel Guitar Jazz)
5. Gospel Medley (The Steel Guitar And Dobro Sounds Of Shot Jackson And Buddy Emmons)
6. Cherokee (Steel Guitar Jazz)
7. Smokey Mountain Rag (The Steel Guitar And Dobro Sounds Of Shot Jackson And Buddy Emmons)
8. Bluemmons (Steel Guitar Jazz)
9. Any Time (Steel Guitar Jazz)
10. Waltz Medley (The Steel Guitar And Dobro Sounds Of Shot Jackson And Buddy Emmons)

External Links

• Spotify
• [Wikipedia](Not found in search results)
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #country