OpenTube

Bakersfield Trailblazer & Cult Legend - Ralph Mooney

iHonkyTonk

51,372 views

Ralph Eugene Mooney was an American steel guitar player and songwriter who was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1983. He was the original steel guitarist of Buck Owens, as well as Merle Haggard's band, The Strangers and the most prominent steel guitarist in Waylon Jennings' band, The Waylors. The legend of Ralph Mooney has grown since the Season 1 Cocaine & Rhinestones podcast featured an entire episode to him.
As a pedal steel guitarist Ralph played GFI, Sho-Bud, and Fender guitars. He is often associated closely with the Bakersfield Sound which rose to popularity in the 1960's as a response to The "Nashville Sound".

00:00- Video-Sample
00:26- Intro
02:26- Life Biography
05:40- Audio Sample- Release Me (1961)
06:15- Summary of Events
08:18- VIdeo Sample- Me and Bobby McGee (1970)
08:40- The legend grows
12:03- Video Sample- Last performance (2009)
12:43- Ralph Mooney's Style & Sound
13:26- Paul Franklin/ VInce Gill Interview segment
14:16- Audio Samples of Ralph Mooney's Style
17:35- Ralph Mooney's Discography
22:16- Closing Thoughts
23:13- Video Outro

#pedalsteelguitar
#steelguitar
#vinylcommunity
#honkytonk
#biography
#bakersfield

I do not take any ownership of music displayed in this video. Ownership belongs to the respected owner(s). Used under fair use policy. Unless I am performing my own music which is copywritten and registered with SOCAN/BMI in which case I do claim full owenership. Other Music used here is for entertainment purposes only.

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non- profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNER(S)

20 Comments

@iHonkyTonk Creator 1 year ago Pinned

***Correction: I've been informed Weldon Myrick NOT Ralph Mooney recorded the steel guitar parts for "I'm not Lisa" by Jessi Colter. My apology.

@JimGossard 10 months ago

Sat with Mooney in 1974 at the Music Palace bar in St. Louis . We watched Waylon fight off women during the break.

@zThisPlay 2 weeks ago

man i could watch these over and over

@mickkollins 1 year ago (edited)

I'm the only steel player here in St Thomas, Virgin Islands and my go to backing tracks for my daily practice is Ralph...sometimes I just lean back and go, "How TF did he do that!! Seriously as Waylon said, "there is only one steel guitarist and his name is Ralph Mooney"...Thanks for posting this!

@larryholcomb3149 6 months ago (edited)

Moon was hands down the greatest Steel Guitar player ever. They’ll never be another. The first time I heard Waylon’s”Rainy Day Woman” , I was hooked . 8yrs old and the hair on my neck stood straight up, and it still gets me to this day..

@Dadmusclr 1 year ago

Ralph taking the turnaround break on Waylon’s “Rainy Day Woman”…none better…EVER…..classic with a CAPITAL C! Great job on the video buddy….Thanks!

@charlesglass2228 2 days ago (edited)

For all of his wild past history, Ralph Mooney played steel for a group from our church, The Brusharbor Boys, and they played all over Arlington and Fort Worth, TX where they played gospel music. He was a fantastic steel player, even at his advanced age at that point.

@aallen681 1 year ago

Years ago, year he was inducted in Hall of Fame…St Louis, saw Ralph sitting with wife in audience, asked him to sign program, he said why, I ain’t no big deal, just a side man, told him he was an inspiration to many including myself, wife nudged him told him to sign the program which he did, very humble man, still own that program with his signature!

@thomaslemon3971 1 year ago

I can’t find the source, but there’s a quote somewhere of Waylon saying “I’m just Ralph Mooney’s singer.” Moon really was the best!

@monmixer 11 months ago

Got to watch Mooney play more times than I can remember.

@T4TexasTom587 1 year ago (edited)

I absolutely love Waylon Jennings, in fact, he's my all-time favorite country
singer/guitarist.
But Waylon wouldn't have been Waylon without Ralph Mooney.
I know Waylon had a career before Ralph, and a career after Ralph, but for the 20 year period they were together the sound they produced was just awesome, and of course will never be duplicated.
R. I. P.
W A Y L O N
🎸🇨🇱
J E N N I N G S
RALPH MOONEY

@LisaMcGraw-ib7rj 1 year ago

❤ Ralph Mooney

@iHonkyTonk Creator 1 year ago

Today I had to edit out the clip of Ralph playing with Wynn Stewart because YouTube suddenly blocked the whole video due to a copyright claim. FYI. The song was "The Happy Part of Town", and you can listen to it here: https://youtu.be/Apsy5P22Cow?si=jt-fzNY2Uly83d2y

@stein-fredricsvendsen8530 1 year ago (edited)

I talked to steel guitar player Ralph Morrehead many years ago. He sold his dobbel neck steel guitar to Ralph Money that was his first guitar to convert to pedals with wires!

@mcatxg 3 months ago

No one could match or easily imitate Mooney's playing.

@toploadtele 1 year ago (edited)

My dear friend Billy Ray Reynolds was in Waylons band playing rhythm guitar and back up vocals on the 1970 Bobby McGee clip - RIP BRR

@arkie_bear 9 months ago

In my younger days, before I knew who Ralph Moon was, but had heard much of his playing, I sat down and listened to several Waylon albums in a row to do a deep dive on him. I came away thinking, "Many of Waylon's songs sound a whole lot like Bakersfield to me." Later I learned why. Moon was the greatest.