b. Jayton, Texas, April 10, 1939; d. June 2, 2014
Nashville Cat
One of country music’s most admired and influential steel guitarists, Weldon Myrick taught himself to play lap steel and, at age thirteen, landed a job on a radio station near his hometown of Jayton, Texas. Later, while performing at a radio station in Lubbock, Texas, Myrick met local musicians Sonny Curtis, Buddy Holly, and Waylon Jennings.
Holding down jobs on radio and in bands in Texas, Myrick twice traveled to Nashville to contribute to recordings. In 1963, he moved his family to Tennessee and, shortly afterward, Bill Anderson invited him to join his band. Through Anderson, Myrick played on Connie Smith’s debut #1 hit, “Once a Day,” and his steel guitar would be an integral aspect of Anderson’s and Smith’s sounds for years.
A member of the Grand Ole Opry band for thirty-two years, Myrick can be heard on hits by George Jones, Moe Bandy, Reba McEntire, George Strait, and Trisha Yearwood. A member of the country-rock band Area Code 615, Myrick also graced recordings by Joan Baez, Jerry Jeff Walker, Delbert McClinton, Elvis Presley, and the Pointer Sisters.
Ian and Sylvia LP featuring pedal steel guitarist Weldon Myrick.
Ian and Sylvia LP featuring pedal steel guitarist Weldon Myrick.
Listen to Weldon Myrick
Selected Songs
Linda Ronstadt, “Leaving It All Up to You” (D. Terry, D. Harris)
Among the musicians featured on this recording are Weldon Myrick, pedal steel guitar; David Briggs, piano; Norbert Putnam, bass; Kenny Buttrey, drums.
From the album Silk Purse, 1970. Produced by Elliot Mazer at Cinderella Sound Studios, Madison, Tennessee.
Paul Siebel, “Louise” (Paul Siebel)
Among the musicians featured on this recording are Weldon Myrick, pedal steel guitar; David Bromberg, guitar; Paul Siebel, guitar; Richard Greene, violin.
From the album Woodsmoke and Oranges, 1970. Produced by Peter K. Siegel, New York.
Area Code 615, “Lady Madonna” (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
Among the musicians featured on this recording are Weldon Myrick, pedal steel guitar; Wayne Moss, guitar; Mac Gayden, guitar; Charlie McCoy, harmonica; Buddy Spicher, fiddle; Bobby Thompson, banjo; David Briggs, keyboards; Norbert Putnam, bass; Kenny Buttrey, drums.
From the album Area Code 615, 1969. Produced by Kenny Buttrey, Elliot Mazer, and Area Code 615 at Cinderella Sound Studios, Madison, Tennessee.
Steve Young, “Seven Bridges Road” (Steve Young)
Among the musicians featured on this recording are Weldon Myrick, pedal steel guitar; Fred Carter Jr., guitar.
From the album Seven Bridges Road, 1972. Produced by Paul Tannen at Fred Carter Jr. Studio, Nashville.
Ian & Sylvia, “Summer Wages” (Ian Tyson)
Among the musicians featured on this recording are Weldon Myrick, pedal steel guitar; David Wilcox, guitars; Norbert Putnam, bass; Kenny Buttrey, drums.
From the album Ian & Sylvia, 1971. Produced by John Hill at Columbia Studios, Nashville.
Connie Smith, “Once a Day” (Bill Anderson)
Among the musicians featured on this recording are Weldon Myrick, pedal steel guitar; Jerry Kennedy, guitar; Ray Edenton, guitar; Pig Robbins, piano.
From the album Connie Smith, 1965. Produced by Bob Ferguson at RCA Studio B, Nashville.
Meet the Cats
Best known for his harmonica technique—distinguished by speed, clarity, and exceptional phrasing, Charlie McCoy is a multi-instrumentalist who has been recorded on bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion, saxophone, trumpet, and tuba.
Charlie Daniels proved pivotal to many of the Nashville recording sessions of Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. Because Daniels had a strong blues influence, Johnston felt he would fit with the adventurous singer-songwriters.
Ben Keith was a prominent Nashville pedal steel guitarist and dobro specialist before becoming a producer and instrumentalist for Neil Young.
One of country music’s most admired and influential steel guitarists, Weldon Myrick taught himself to play lap steel and, at age thirteen, landed a job on a radio station near his hometown of Jayton, Texas.
Mac Gayden grew up fascinated by the R&B acts he heard in his hometown of Nashville. That interest helped him develop a style as a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter distinctly different from other Nashville studio pros.
Lloyd Green developed an emotional, resonant style of pedal steel guitar playing that gave him a distinct sound apart from other top steel specialists.
At age eighteen, Pete Drake heard steel guitarist Jerry Byrd on the Grand Ole Opry during a trip to Nashville. Duly inspired, Drake purchased a steel guitar in an Atlanta pawnshop. The decision not only changed his life, but impacted the sound of country and rock music.
Pig Robbins earned his stripes by creating the rocking piano on George Jones’s “White Lightnin’.” Over the ensuing decades, his integral role on Music Row recording sessions earned him membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012.
In his distinctive fiddle style, Buddy Spicher combined a rich tonal quality with bluegrass precision and an adventurous sense of swing. After arriving in Nashville, he quickly gained attention as a dazzling instrumentalist capable of handling country, jazz, pop, and rock.
Inspired by Country Music Hall of Fame members Chet Atkins and Earl Scruggs, Wayne Moss’s iconic guitar riffs helped forge the identifiable sounds of country and rock hits.
Norbert Putnam is a widely admired bassist, record producer, and studio owner. He started his career in his teens recording with soul singer Arthur Alexander at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, as part of a renowned rhythm section that included keyboardist David Briggs and drummer Jerry Carrigan.
Grady Martin was a member of a loose collection of legendary studio musicians known as the Nashville A-team. His versatility and creativity as a guitarist also appealed to younger rockers and singer-songwriters who came to Nashville.
David Briggs began playing piano on R&B, pop, and country hits in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in his teens. After a brief stint as a pop singer, Briggs moved to Nashville in 1964 to focus on a career as a studio musician.
Three-time Grammy winner Jerry Reed is most famous for his colorful, catchy story songs steeped in Southern attitude and lore. He was recognized as a groundbreaking guitarist with a guitar technique that gave an extra layer of funky, back-country grease.
The preferred drummer for artists across America—he built a lasting legacy with his work in R&B and rock.
Fred Carter Jr. began his career in northeastern Louisiana playing rock & roll. He backed Dale Hawkins, known for his rock hit “Susie-Q,” and later played with Ronnie Hawkins, Dale’s cousin, in his backing group, the Hawks. Carter left and was replaced by Robbie Robertson before the group evolved into the Band.