this is a follow-up to my post at the "hank Sound" thread.
I like to have more info on this fantastic guitar picker. Maybe I'm way too young to know, is he still with us? If so, what is he doing today?
I think he was a major part of Hanks' sound; he was told be play those simple bass-lines instead of showing how good he would be at jazz. Later on he was with Carl Smith, then I saw him at the " Marty Robbins Show" ( ca. 1968 ??).
Andy
The picture below shows him with Johnny Seibert
------------------ 1962 Sho~Bud D-10 : 1969 Emmons D-10 : Bigsby T-8: 1959 Gibson Super 400CES :1957 Standel 25L15 about me My steels
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Tele on 23 November 2001 at 01:58 PM.]</p></FONT>
Can't tell you much about Sammy but I think Jack Pruitt is his brother.Jack was married to Jeanie Pruitt for many years and he played guitar for Marty Robbins in the early 70's.He is retired now and living in Hermitage,Tenn.
Seeing as the Drifting Cowboys numbered well into the dozens of members, I believe that more than a few are still alive.
Clent Holmes, Bud Issacs, Big Bill Lister, "Pee Wee" Elmo Moultrie, Jimmy Porter, Uncle Herbert "Lum" York, Tommy Hill and Ray Edenton are still with us, (as far as I know)...
Sure it's not the main recording band of the 1950-1951 period that everyone recalls, but a few went on to other bands, and even solo careers and various successes.
There was a Pruett bio on a site a while back, for some reason I saw fit to copy it.
Samuel K. "Sammy" Pruett (Guitar): Born: 11/27/26 Died: 3/17/88. Bio: Sammy joined the Cowboys for the first time in 1944, but left a short time later. In May 1950 he rejoined the band replacing Bob McNett. After leaving the Cowboys, Sammy joined Carl Smith's band (The Tunesmiths ?) in 1952. He was also a member of Mac Sanders Troubadores with "Sonny" Norred. He also appeared on some Lefty Frizzell Sessions.
I mentioned Darrell McCall as a Bass Player in the Thread; Identifying the Cherokee Cowboys; I also mentioned a picture I sent to Bobbe. Playing lead for the RP band in that picture was Jack Pruitt with Jimmy Day on steel: Toul-Rossierres NCO Club, France and the year was 65 or 66.
Janice,I know Jack worked for Marty Robbins many years but it was my understanding that Grady Martin did the lead stuff on the Gunfighter album. Jack lives real close to me and he is a friend, I'll call him and get this verified.
I got to see Sammy Pruit play live around 1961. I was stationed in the Army at Fort Bragg, NC and a lot which sold mobile homes had a big outdoor country music show which starred Carl Smith and band. The steel player in my army band at the time knew Johnny Siebert so he got us up front and we got to hang with the band between shows. I wish I'd payed more attention to J. Siebert now but then I wasn't playing steel in those days so all my attention was focused on Sammy. Carl Smith mentioned on the show that he'd been the guitarist for Hank Williams. I remember he was playing a very large blond Gibson F hole arch top, maybe a Super 400 or something but it's been 40 years so it's a little foggy now.
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Have a good 'un! JH U-12
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 26 November 2001 at 04:02 PM.]</p></FONT>
Hey guys, thanks for all the input and your knowledge. And yes I was wrong about Sammy being the picker for marty Robbins - I watched the old shows again.
The old blonde archtop could have been an Epiphone with Bigsby pickups. I have a very cool picture sgowing it and the entire band including Seibert and his bigsby steel.
Andy
PS. I found an old album by Ronnie Self (the rockabilly guy) and the cover photo clearly shows Sammy Pruett in the backing band. Must have been ca. 1957. Any input?
I met Sammy Pruit in late 59 at the famous Flame Cafe in Minneapolis, He was going to be the East half of U.S. & I was to be the West half of U.S. Sales Mgr. for the Heilman Amps that were being built by Benny Heilman, "Who now builds them in Donelson,Tn." Sammy & Carl Smith were kind enough to haul my Sho-Bud #3 back to Nashville,in Carls new 60 Olds & deliver it to Shot Jackson, so he could convert it to a D-9 & shorten the scale from 25" to 24", as I was heading to the West Coast! Hows that for a memory? I think Terry Bethel still has a Heilman Amp! By the way, Hal Rugg was the steel player, then at the Flame & Terry Bethel played there a yr, or two later!
Tele, that picture was taken during a package tour, which included Carl Smith and his band (with Pruett and Siebert and Dale potter on fiddle ), Ronnie Self and Goldie Hill, plus some others, that I can't remember here. Live recordings exist from that tour and they have been released on a recent Ronnie Self bootleg cd. Wild stuff and Johnny Siebert is doing alot of rock'n'roll steel solos while Ronnie is screaming his throat out.
Jussi
Not that I'd buy one either (???), that cd belonged to my cheapskate brother-in-law! But it is titled "Mr Frantic Is Boppin" , Hydra CD27113, and "Ain't I'm A Dog" if it's not a German release
Jussi
Jason; They were touring the military bases in Europe with Ray Price. I've started having second thoughts about the lead man being Jack on this tour. And I'm beginning to think that maybe it was Chalie Harris but I've sent the picture to Bobbe and I can't verify this any other way. Maybe Bobbe will pop in here and set me right. I am beginning to hate the senior lapses I bump into now and then.
Regards, Paul <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 30 November 2001 at 11:26 AM.]</p></FONT>
I met Sammy Pruitt in Hawaii in 1962. At that time he was traveling with Ferlin Husky and working the military bases. He was a very nice fellow and a great guitarist. He's another unsung hero of our music.
but which label and where to order Jussi ????
