Steel Guitar Rag

"Steel Guitar Rag" is a primarily instrumental song broadcast on Appalachia Radio in Fallout 76. It was performed by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.

Background[]

Bob Wills is known to have recorded the song several times in the 30s and 40s, many of which sound very similar to each other.

However, they can be distinguished by their spoken intros and endings.

September 29, 1936^[1]

Session Personnel: Bob Wills (fiddle), Herman Arnspiger (guitar), Jesse Ashlock (fiddle), William E. "Smokey" Dacus (drums), Ray DeGeer (saxophone & clarinet), Tommy Duncan (vocal), Joe Ferguson (bass), C.G. "Sleepy" Johnson (guitar & fiddle), Leon McAuliffe (steel guitar), Robert "Zeb" McNally (saxophone), Everett Stover (trumpet), Al Stricklin (piano), Johnnie Lee Wills (banjo) (Chicago, Illinois)

Take 1

Released on Okeh Records. Characterized by the opening words: "All 'board this train. Everybody get on. Ready? Let's go boys, take it off, Leon, take it off." Ending has four beats with an off-sync trumpet and no closing words. This is the version used in Fallout 76.

Take 2

Released on Vocalion and Columbia Records. Characterized by the opening words: "Look out friends, here's Leon! Take it away boys, take it away!" Ending has four beats and closes with the words "Domino! Yeah!" [1]

October 1943 - June 1944^[2]

Session Personnel: Bob Wills (fiddle), Les Anderson (steel guitar), Jesse Ashlock (fiddle), Alex Brashear (trumpet), Howard Davis (drums), Tommy Duncan (vocal), Dick Hamilton (electric guitar), Cameron Hill (electric guitar), Millard Kelso (piano), Tiny Mott (saxophone), Monte Mountjoy (drums), Laura Lee Owens (vocal), Rip Ramsey (bass), Buddy Ray (fiddle), Louis Tierney (fiddle & saxophone), Jimmy Wyble (electric guitar) (Los Angeles, California)

Recorded for the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) as part of the Melody Round-Up. Known sessions under #634 [2], #697, #759. Audio quality varies greatly.

Mid 1945-1947^[3]

Session Personnel: Bob Wills (fiddle), Lester Barnard Jr. (electric guitar), Noel Boggs (steel guitar), Alex Brashear (trumpet), Johnny Cuviello (drums), Tommy "Spike" Doss (vocal), Tommy Duncan (vocal), Joe Holley (fiddle), Roy Honeycutt (steel guitar), Millard Kelso (piano), Dean & Evelyn McKinney (vocals), Tiny Moore (electric mandolin), Herb Remington (steel guitar), Eldon Shamblin (electric guitar), Ocie Stockard (banjo), Louis Tierney (fiddle), Billy Jack Wills (bass), Luke Wills (vocal). Other possible participants include Johnny Edwards (drums), Monte Mountjoy (drums), Leonard Seago (fiddle), Jimmy Widener (banjo) (San Francisco, California)

Recorded as transcription discs for the Tiffany Music Company. Characterized by the opening words: "Alright friends, here's that boy with his steel guitar. Take it away, my man, take it away!" Ending has four beats with the word "Domino!"[3]

Lyrics[]

Video[]

External links[]

• Song page on Wikipedia

References[]