On this day (February 20) in 1954, Webb Pierce topped the Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart with “Slowly.” The song was one of his biggest hits, retaining the top spot for 17 weeks. More importantly, it was the first country song featuring pedal steel to reach the top of the chart and sparked a boom in popularity for the instrument.
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In 1954, the lap steel guitar was already a popular instrument in country music. Pedal steel guitars, which allow the player to bend the strings with a series of pedals and levers, had been in production for more than a decade. However, they didn’t become popular until Bud Isaacs played one on “Slowly.”
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In a Fretboard Journal interview, Isaacs revealed that he was the only player in town who had a pedal steel. That changed not long after “Slowly” became the most-played country song of 1954.
Webb Pierce Wanted Bud Isaacs in His Road Band
During the interview, Bud Isaacs recalled recording several sessions with Webb Pierce. However, he had no interest in touring with him. His session work kept him busy when he wasn’t on the stage with Red Foley.
“I worked for him a lot. I had the only pedaled steel in town at the time,” Isaacs recalled. After “Slowly” became a smash hit, he was incredibly busy. “I got sessions with everybody! I had sessions lined up that I couldn’t possibly make,” he explained. “Webb went to the union and said, ‘I want you to force him to play with me, cause he’s the only one that has a pedal steel and I want to plug “Slowly.”’ It was the fastest song that went ot no. 1 in history,” Isaacs added.
Without Isaacs, he couldn’t properly play his massive hit on the road. The musicians’ union couldn’t–and wouldn’t–force Isaacs to play with Pierce. Finally, Jerry Byrd suggested that Pierce offer him more money to bring his pedal steel skills on the road. However, Pierce refused to pay over union scale.
“I didn’t want to work with him for scale or anything above that, because I had a good job with Red Foley. I liked his singing and everything about him. He was the ‘Old Master,’ as they called him,” Isaacs revealed.
Even if they didn’t hit the road together, Webb Pierce and Budd Isaacs changed the face of country music with “Slowly.”
Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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