The guitar, the banjo, the mandolin, the fiddle, and the upright bass are just a few of the instruments commonly associated with country music. Though there is one instrument missing from that list, and that is the uniquely sophisticated pedal steel guitar. While used in several different genres, the pedal steel guitar is a driving force in country music. Every whine and scream you’ve heard in country music likely comes from the pedal steel; it is just that crucial to the genre.
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Given the importance of the pedal steel guitar to country music, the instrument has made an appearance on some of the most iconic country songs of all time. However, it is often used in a supportive capacity. Though every so often, it is used to create spell-binding solos. With that in mind, here are three of the greatest pedal steel guitar solos in country music history.
“Together Again” by Buck Owens
Buck Owens‘ 1964 country track “Together Again” is easily identifiable, and that is because of its impeccable use of the pedal steel guitar. The pedal steel guitar, played by Tom Brumley, on Owens’ track, is the driving musical force behind this song. Frankly, it seems Owens is dueting with the steel, and not the other way around.
During the song, Brumley breaks away and delivers several solos, which infuse the love song with a sense of longing and cathartic comfort. In essence, Brumley’s solo is a prime example of the instrument’s vast capabilities regarding emotional and sonic articulation.
“Rainy Day Women” by Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings‘ 1974 single “Rainy Day Women” is a standout classic, and one of the many elements that make it so is the pedal steel guitar solo. Ralph Mooney controls the sticks on this Jennings staple and charges the tempo with an unmistakable fast-paced country music twang.
On most occasions, but certainly not all, the pedal steel musically evokes a strict sense of emotionality. While it does so on this tune, to an extent, the pedal steel solo mimics the use of an electric guitar on a rock song. It’s sprawling and aggressive in all the right ways.
“Lost In The Feeling” by Conway Twitty
Tears of joy, that is ultimately what the pedal steel guitar on Conway Twitty‘s “Lost In The Feeling” entails. John Hughey, the longtime pedal steel guitarist of Twitty’s band, works the pedal steel so well that he makes it sound like an adult weeping from an abundance of happiness.
Twitty’s single is about falling in love on the dance floor, and the sound Hughey plays bolsters that sentiment exquisitely. Furthermore, it picks up on the unspeakable emotions that words fail to explain. Needless to say, Twitty and Hughey perfectly work together on this incredible track.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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