Gene "Buddy" Emmons

Buddy Gene Emmons (January 27, 1937 – July 21, 2015) was an American musician who is widely regarded as the world's foremost pedal steel guitarist of his day. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1981. Affectionately known by the nickname "Big E", Emmons' primary genre was American country music, but he also performed jazz and Western swing. He recorded with Linda Ronstadt, Gram Parsons, The Everly Brothers, The Carpenters, Jackie DeShannon, Roger Miller, Ernest Tubb, John Hartford, Little Jimmy Dickens, Ray Price, Judy Collins, George Strait, John Sebastian, and Ray Charles and was a widely sought session musician in Nashville and Los Angeles.

Emmons made significant innovations to the steel guitar, adding two additional strings and an additional pedal, changes which have been adopted as standard in the modern-day instrument. His name is on a US patent for a mechanism to raise and lower the pitch of a string on a steel guitar and return to the original pitch without going out of tune. He won the Academy of Country Music's "Best Steel Guitarist" nine times, beginning in 1969.

In 2013, two years before his death, he was honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame in a tribute called "The Big E: Salute to Buddy Emmons" featuring testimonials and performances by eminent musicians and hall of fame members.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 27, 1937 (Mishawaka), Died July 21, 2015 (Nashville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1957 - 1962

Roles Represented in DAHR: steel guitar, electric guitar

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 51-75 of 125 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 10445 10/29/1958 Giveaway girl Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10446 10/29/1958 Heart's command Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10625 2/23/1959 What I know about her The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10626 2/23/1959 I cried a tear The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10627 2/24/1959 Let's say goodbye like we said hello The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10628 2/24/1959 Driftwood on the river The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10629 2/24/1959 I wonder why you said goodbye The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10630 2/26/1959 Tomorrow never comes The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10631 2/26/1959 Filipino baby The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10632 2/26/1959 I'd rather be The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10633 3/2/1959 Letters have no arms The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10634 3/2/1959 Rainbow at midnight The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10635 3/2/1959 Have you ever been lonely The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10636 3/2/1959 I will miss you when you go The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10637 3/2/1959 I'd rather be The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10693 4/16/1959 Buster's gang Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10694 4/16/1959 I wish I could love that much Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10695 4/16/1959 I know you do Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10872 10/5/1959 Four wheel drive Gene "Buddy" Emmons instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10873 10/5/1959 Blue wind Gene "Buddy" Emmons instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10874 10/5/1959 Highland swing Gene "Buddy" Emmons instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10875 10/5/1959 Greensleeves Gene "Buddy" Emmons instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 11021 3/20/1960 Live it up The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca NA 11022 3/20/1960 (I've lost you) So why should I care The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, electric guitar  
Decca NA 11023 3/20/1960 Accidently on purpose The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, electric guitar  
(Results 51-75 of 125 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Emmons, Gene "Buddy"," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/202947.

Emmons, Gene "Buddy". (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/202947.

"Emmons, Gene "Buddy"." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/202947

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