Roy Drusky - Steel Player on 1966 album

[James Bings]

Hi all, I've been listening obsessively to Roy Drusky and Priscella Micthell's 1966 album "Together Again". I've been hard pressed to find any info on the players on the album, but particularly the steel player. If I had to guess it would be either Pete Drake or Lloyd Green, but would love some confirmation from other members. The steel playing on this album as well as his other one with Priscilla, Loves Eternal Triangle, is some of my favourite playing that I've been able to find. I'd love to hear others thoughts on this album, and also if anyone has recommendations to something similar to it?

[John LeMaster]

I always enjoyed hearing Roy Drusky on his Opry appearances over the years. He was also on a lot of the syndicated tv shows as a guest, such as "The Porter Wagoner Show", "That Good Old Nashville Music", etc.
James, thanks for posting. I looked up the album you mentioned on YouTube.
Two immediate observations: 1) It sure sounds like Lloyd Green on pedal steel, and 2) The pedal steel solo is REALLY up in the mix! That is the most "out front" steel I've heard in a while.

The link to the video:
https://youtu.be/ByYxTbRvYKA?si=BXz9zhtkLgvmYVVr

[Pete Finney]

Gotta be Lloyd, no doubt just from the playing. And Lloyd was also working for Roy Drusky at the SESAC music licensing office in the early days of his studio career so it makes sense that he would play Drusky's sessions.

Amazing playing and tone of course! Thanks for posting.

[James Bings]

I always enjoyed hearing Roy Drusky on his Opry appearances over the years. He was also on a lot of the syndicated tv shows as a guest, such as "The Porter Wagoner Show", "That Good Old Nashville Music", etc.
James, thanks for posting. I looked up the album you mentioned on YouTube.
Two immediate observations: 1) It sure sounds like Lloyd Green on pedal steel, and 2) The pedal steel solo is REALLY up in the mix! That is the most "out front" steel I've heard in a while.

The link to the video:
https://youtu.be/ByYxTbRvYKA?si=BXz9zhtkLgvmYVVr

That's interesting John thanks for sharing, I'll have to check out those tv shows!

The steel on the entire album is front and centre, and its no wonder if they've got a hot shot like Lloyd playing some wailin' licks all over it.

[Craig A Davidson]

Jerry Kennedy - guitar
Harold Bradley - guitar/banjo
Ray Edenton - rh.guitar
Pete Drake - steel
Bob Moore - bass
Buddy Harman - drums
Hargus Pig Robbins - piano
Recorded:
Feb/1966, Columbia Studio, Nashville

[Pete Finney]

With all due respect, whatever that discography entry may say that is NOT Pete Drake on Drusky's version of "Together Again." Pete might be playing on some or most of the rest of the album. But no way is that Pete's playing on that particular track; Lloyd Green's distinctive touch and tone are all over it. There are tons of albums from that era that both played on, on different tracks.

Here's two more tracks from the album from youtube, both sure sound like Lloyd to me: great stuff!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSAPbw1okqA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dK60sJd6bg

[Craig A Davidson]

Maybe Lloyd will respond.

[John LeMaster]

James, here is a link to a Porter Wagoner Show on which Roy was a guest, in 1967.
Roy comes on at about 8:40 into this clip.

https://youtu.be/6tuDpj_QZXw?si=ECwKctSnyh3mYv8j

[Gary Hoetker]

Thanks for posting this. "Then I'll Stop Loving You" in their Together Again LP is classic Pete Drake with the reverb, melody, and all. In a lot of ways, his playing resonates with me more than the other greats.

[Ricky Davis]

This is Lloyd Green on this recording>

DRUSKY, Roy & MITCHELL, Priscilla "Together Again"
Mercury SR 61078"

Ricky

[Craig A Davidson]

Thanks Ricky.

[Pete Finney]

See Lloyd Green's email below.

[Marco Schouten]

Jerry Kennedy - guitar
Harold Bradley - guitar/banjo
Ray Edenton - rh.guitar
Pete Drake - steel
Bob Moore - bass
Buddy Harman - drums
Hargus Pig Robbins - piano
Recorded:
Feb/1966, Columbia Studio, Nashville

This is on an older record from 1964, not the record with Priscilla Mitchell which was recorded in 1966

[Pete Finney]

I'm having second thoughts about having edited Lloyd's email; after all he sent it to me for me to post on the forum and he deserves to have it here the way he wrote it. We're lucky to have such a brilliant player with such an amazing history willing to share his thoughts and memories with us. So here it is:

"First, it's interesting and enjoyable that some of you have found this "Together Again" album of Roy Drusky and Priscilla Mitchell (yep, the wife of that Jerry Reed)."

This afternoon, I retrieved my 1966 session log book and carefully turned to February, 1966.
I really shouldn't be handling these damn books anymore. The once white pages have developed an antique patina, two pieces of the faux brown leather cover and back flaked off as I opened it.But my handwriting remains very clear, as does Dot's (my beautiful late wife).

Let's cut to the chase.

Monday Feb. 7, 1966: 10am Columbia (old studio)
10am- 1pm ---- Mercury Records Roy Drusky
10pm – 1am ---- Mercury Records Roy Drusky ------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday Feb.8, 1966: 10am Columbia (old studio)
10am -1pm --- Mercury Records Roy Drusky

"At 2pm -5pm the same day, Feb. 8th, I have Faron Young as the artist for Mercury. At 6pm I was working with Little Darlin' Records at RCA B.There are a lot of other artists sessions in my book that week, but this covers the album you guys are unsure about?

I don't know where Pete Drake was recording those 2 days, but he ain't on that album." Everybody else listed is correct. Look, Pete and I were friends, and competitors. He could do the job and I could do the job. And Hal Rugg and Weldon Myrick were almost as busy as me and Pete. I loved those guys."

Memories become notoriously flawed, but those ancient session books (more than a ½ Century old), while brittle and yellowed with age, are timeless.

Country albums in that era were 12 songs. The major labels budgeted an album for 3 sessions with one ½ hour overtime if needed to get that last...song.
Elvis was the one exception I was aware of that time whose budget didn't matter in Nashville.
We always got at least 4 songs in a 3 hour master session in those days.

That album was cut in those two days. Priscilla may have overdubbed her vocals later.

Merry Christmas,
Lloyd Green

[Jon Light (deceased)]

I cherish Lloyd's memories and documentation almost as much as I cherish his playing.

[Ricky Davis]

Thanks so much Pete for posting all that from Lloyd.

THANK YOU LLOYD GREEN for tossing your brain in on this historical stuff...You'DA MAN!!!!
Love ya; and Merry Christmas to you too.
Ricky

[Marco Schouten]

In Feb 1966 Lloyd was still playing his Sho-Bud Permanent.
James, thanks for making this topic, I didn't know this album yet. What a treat!

[James Bings]

Thanks to all who helped shed some light on this album! It's wonderful to hear from Lloyd himself about these sessions. What a wonderful community we have here. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone

[Walter Stettner]

Of course Lloyd Green on the duet recording w/Priscilla Mitchell from 1966. However, Roy recorded the song also as solo artist in 1964 and it was included in his 1964 album "Yesterday's Gone" (Mercury SR-60919).

Musicians on the album:

Jerry Kennedy - guitar/dobro
Harold Bradley - guitar
Ray Edenton - rh.guitar
Pete Drake - steel
Bob Moore - bass
Buddy Harman - drums
Floyd Cramer - piano
Vocals:
The Jordanaires, The Anita Kerr Singers
Recorded:
Jan. 1964, Columbia Studio, Nashville

The album is a typical product of the "Nashville Sound" of the 1960, the steel guitar does not play a prominent role (actually I can only hear significant steel parts on "Burning Memories" and "Together Again" (Steel comes with a strange effect!)

If you want to listen to that album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8q8sjwMDfk

Also as general reference, feel free to check out my effort to identify steel players on record:

http://www.lloydgreentribute.com/Austri ... foNews.htm

I tried to link as many of entries as possible to the YT files, but many of the links became dead in the meantime because the tracks were removed from YT. Have fun checking it out!

Kind Regards, Walter