On this day, December 30, 1930, steel guitar player Red Rhodes was born.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Red Rhodes

Born: December 30, 1930; Alton, Illinois
Died: August 20, 1995 (aged 64); Los Angeles, California
Associated acts: Michael Nesmith and The First National Band, The Strangers

Orville J. Rhodes, better known as Red Rhodes or O. J. Rhodes (December 30, 1930 – August 20, 1995), was an American pedal steel guitarist. His mother taught him to play the Dobro at the age of five, but at the age of fifteen he switched to the steel guitar. He was a boxer and an oil company engineer before he settled into music. He moved to Los Angeles in 1960 and became a session musician.

Rhodes played pedal steel on many country rock, pop and rock albums with The Monkees, Michael Nesmith, James Taylor, The Beach Boys, Seals and Crofts, The Byrds, The Carpenters, Spanky and Our Gang, and many other groups, as part of the Wrecking Crew studio musicians. He is most often remembered for his work with former Monkee Michael Nesmith on Nesmith's solo albums in the early 1970s. Rhodes is also credited for the "other-worldly" effects he created with pedal steel on The Ventures futuristic album The Ventures in Space in 1964.

In the late 1970s Rhodes shifted his focus from performing to guitar electronics at his Royal Amplifier Service shop in Hollywood, California. There Rhodes modified amplifiers and created his custom Velvet Hammer guitar pickups for James Burton, Clarence White, Gerald Ray. and other influential guitarists. His shop staff included future instrument makers David Schecter, Michael Tobias and Bill Chapin.

Rheumatoid arthritis restricted Rhodes' public performances and recordings in the 1980s and 1990s, with the notable exception of his appearance on Michael Nesmith's Tropical Campfires album and tour in 1992. Rhodes fell ill soon after this tour, and died on August 20, 1995.

{snip}

I have (or had; I'm not sure} the First National Band album, Magnetic South. From that album:

Michael Nesmith & the First National Band - Joanne
239,176 views • Oct 25, 2017

Michael Nesmith's Videoranch
8.67K subscribers

Joanne was Michael Nesmith's first single. It charted the highest of his singles as a solo recording artist. On October 3, 1970, it reached #21 on the Billboard Top 100 chart. Its success travelled around the globe -- reaching #1 in New Zealand, #4 in Canada, and #7 in Australia.

Probably due to its pretty melody and poetic lyrics, the melancholy song is often misunderstood as romantic. Countless men have told Nez over the years that they've dedicated the song to their wife or girlfriend -- who just so happens to be named Joanne! Sorry to hear that, pal; how long ya been split up?

Download Joanne here: http://www.videoranch3d.com/mm5/merch...

Buy the First National Band: Complete two-CD set: http://www.videoranch3d.com/100/100-0...

Magnetic South T-Shirts: http://www.videoranch3d.com/Merch/700...

Loose Salute T-Shirts: http://www.videoranch3d.com/mm5/merch...

Nevada Fighter T-Shirts: http://www.videoranch3d.com/Merch/700...

Sat Dec 30, 2023: On this day, December 30, 1930, steel guitar player Red Rhodes was born.

Fri Dec 30, 2022: On this day, December 30, 1930, steel guitar player Red Rhodes was born.

Wed Dec 30, 2020: On this day, December 30, 1930, steel guitar player Red Rhodes was born.

If you want to hear his work with the First National Band, check out this post:

Wed Dec 30, 2020: I didn't know he wrote that.

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Video Is Showing "Private"

When I clicked the YouTube link it took me to Steve Vai playing with Beat.
Weird!