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 1-25 of 125 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 9881 7/12/1957 If you'll be my love Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 9882 7/12/1957 Someday you'll want me to want you Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 9883 7/12/1957 I saw your face in the moon Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 9888 7/14/1957 Try me one more time Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 9889 7/14/1957 I'd trade all of my tomorrows Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 9890 7/14/1957 Silver dew on the bluegrass Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 9897 7/16/1957 My Mary Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 9898 7/16/1957 Into each life some rain must fall Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 9899 7/16/1957 I gotta have my baby back Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 9900 7/16/1957 Hang your head in shame Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10131 2/18/1958 Sugar lips Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10132 2/18/1958 Rock it on down to my house Justin Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10272 5/16/1958 Deep purple blues The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10273 5/16/1958 Please keep me on mind The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10274 5/16/1958 I wonder why I worry over you The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10275 5/19/1958 I'm a long gone Daddy The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10276 5/19/1958 You cheatin' heart The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10277 5/19/1958 Don't trade your old fashioned sweetheart (for a honky tonk queen) The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10278 5/19/1958 It makes no difference now The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10281 5/20/1958 San Antonio rose The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10282 5/20/1958 I always went through The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10287 5/22/1958 I want you to know I love you I've been there The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10288 5/22/1958 That, my darlin' is me The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10289 5/22/1958 I'll get along somehow The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
Decca NA 10290 6/9/1958 Educated Mama The Texas Troubadours ; Ernest Tubb instrumentalist, steel guitar  
(Results 1-25 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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