Buddy Emmons and Brian Wilson

[scott murray]

this has been up since Dec but I'm just seeing it today...

in April '70, Buddy played on a country album called 'Cows In The Pasture' produced by the great Brian Wilson of Beach Boys fame... but it was never finished or released. Brian was producing his friend/promoter Fred Vail, who wasn't really a performer but loved country music.

here's one of the songs from the album, Johnny Horton's 'All For The Love Of a Girl'. it looks like it may be included on an upcoming box set, celebrating the Beach Boys 'Sunflower' album from the same time period.

the song starts at 3:35, but you can hear more about the sessions beforehand from Fred himself. he mentions Jay Dee Maness as the other steel man on the sessions, but this one is classic Buddy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng3b4NbKvv8


Buddy had mentioned doing a session with the Beach Boys but couldn't remember the song(s) or the album. as far as I know he's not on any of their officially released material, so this may be what he was thinking of.

[Craig Stock]

Thanks Scott I'm a big Buddy and Brian fan, never heard of this before, only Al Vescovo and Red Rhodes playing with the Boys and Brian.

[scott murray]

right Craig. we get Al's wonderful C6 instrumental Diamond Head on the Friends album from '68, and he's on several other songs before and after that. Red was called in when they re-recorded their version of Cottonfields and released it as a single in '70. he's also on the So Tough album and some other sessions.

their own Ricky Fataar played some steel on Holland I believe, and Chris Midaugh is on the MIU album.

[Jack Hanson]

Cool! Thanks for posting.

[Steve Hinson]

Ah,the days when you could just go in there and do what you did...

Somehow I don't think Brian Wilson told Buddy Emmons"could you play something that isn't so...pretty?"

If I had a nickel...

SH

[Ron Hogan]

Really great steel and an old forgotten Johnny Horton tune.

When I worked for Tater at the Opry years ago, there was a guy that hung out back stage and Tater would tell us that supposedly he was Horton's illegitimate son. He looked a lot like Horton, but who's to say.

One of many stories all us Nashville players have. So MANY stories.

Ron Hogan

[Gary Spaeth]

trip to the country tone

[scott murray]

the clip I posted above has been taken down, but the good news is that these Brian Wilson-produced sessions from 1970 featuring Buddy and JayDee Maness will finally be released in 2025... only took 55 years!

https://www.stereogum.com/2251653/brian ... ased/news/

[Craig Stock]

Great news thanks for the update.

BTW, Brian's wife passed recently

[robert kramer]

Scott Murry, thank you very much for posting this article about the release of "Cows In The Pasture." Very helpful.

https://www.stereogum.com/2251653/brian ... ased/news/

Here is the Jan 23, 1971, Billboard mentioning the 4/70 Wally Heider session along with the 4/4-17/70 entry from the chronology.

It might be interesting to note this around the time of "Suite Steel" and two months before "Trip In The Country."

[robert kramer]

As an add-on to the Freddy Veil 4/70 session is the presence of Red Wooten on bass. Red had a long and productive career with Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman, Charlie Barne, Red Norvo, and Benny Goodman before staying in town with The Wrecking Crew. You can see him playing bass during the nightclub scene in the 1958 Sinatra movie: "Kings Go Forth." However, Emmons was not the first steel player Red worked with:

[scott murray]

thanks for helping fill in the holes Robert! great stuff.

I had forgotten that Red Rhodes was involved in the Fred Vail project. I knew Buddy Emmons and JayDee Maness were definitely on board. but Red was the one who actually played on a few Beach Boy records so it makes sense he'd be called too

Linda Ronstadt too! can't wait to finally hear it

[scott murray]

2 finished songs from this project are finally available for listening:
Cows In The Pasture

the steel players on these sessions were Big E, JayDee Maness, and Red Rhodes
I'm guessing Buddy on If You Ain't Lovin and definitely JayDee on Bethany Ann

[Roger Rettig]

Thanks for your detailed sleuthing, Scott!

Sadly, I was too late to catch the link before it was taken down, but I'd be obliged if you'd update us as and when things develop.

Buddy E, Jay Dee, Glen Hardin AND James Burton??? That, I need to hear!

[scott murray]

hey RR!
the original link was taken down but the project appears to be nearing completion.
you can hear two of the songs by clicking the link in my last post.

here it is again: https://soundcloud.com/fred-vail-880708846