Buck Owens was one of the biggest stars in country music throughout the '60s, and while his gifts as a singer and songwriter were considerable,
Owens was smart enough to surround himself with talent when he hit the road.
Owens' backing band
the Buckaroos were one of the very best in the business and were celebrated enough that they cut a handful of albums on their own that fared well on the country charts. While lead guitarist
Don Rich was the best-known instrumentalist in
the Buckaroos, fans of the pedal steel guitar have always held the group's steel player,
Tom Brumley, in high esteem for his deft picking and fluid melodic sensibility.
Steelin' the Show is a collection that pays tribute to
Brumley's work with
Buck Owens, featuring 16 tracks from albums by
the Buckaroos, both with and without
Owens, as well as "Together Again," the
Buck Owens hit that included some of
Brumley's most sublimely weepy steel soloing.
Brumley wasn't a player who went out of his way to be flashy, but his chops were considerable, and his work with
the Buckaroos was always satisfying, both musically and emotionally.
Brumley was also a solid ensemble player, and while these tracks put the spotlight on his steel, he also knew how to support the other
Buckaroos when their turn came around. The performances are sublime all around on these sides, cut between 1964 and 1969. After leaving
the Buckaroos in 1969,
Brumley went on to play in
Rick Nelson's
Stone Canyon Band and the
Desert Rose Band as well as doing session work with artists as diverse as
Merle Haggard,
Rod Stewart, and
Chris Isaak.
Steelin' the Show isn't the career retrospective one might hope for, but as a snapshot of
Brumley's glory days with
Buck Owens, it's great listening and a testament to the talent and intelligence of
the Buckaroos, both individually and collectively.