Veteran Steel Player Ralph Mooney Passes!

Ralph Mooney, a pioneering steel guitarist who played on numerous country classics in the 1960s and 1970s, died Sunday (March 20) at his home in Kennedale TX,  of complication from cancer. He was 82.

Countless bluegrass performers can say that a part of their influence came from steel player Ralph  Mooney who passed away yesterday, March 20, 2011.   In Mooney's heyday little separation, if any, existed between country music and bluegrass music.

“nobody played steel like Ralph. ... When Ralph took a solo, you knew it was all California.”  -Chris Hillman, a founding member of the Byrds; The Flying Burrito Brothers; Desert Rose Band and Rice, Rice, Hilman, Pederson.

(One of Ralph Mooney's more recent videos - 

here he accompanies his granddaughter on fiddle)

Ralph Mooney was rated one of the important steel guitarists who restored the popularity of the instrument to country music recordings after it had almost been lost during the country pop years. He wrote several successful country songs, the most popular being "Crazy Arms", that became Ray Price's first number 1 record in 1956 and was later a Top 20 hit for both Marion Worth and Willie Nelson.  Mooney once said, "It has been recorded by so many different people. I would starve to death if it wasn't for those royalty cheques." He also wrote "Foolin'", a Top 4 chart hit for Johnny Rodriguez in 1983.

Throughout the years, Mooney left his mark on recordings by Wynn Stewart (that's his steel on "It's Such a Pretty World Today"), Warren Smith, Rose Maddox, Skeets McDonald, Bobby Austin, Bonnie Owens, Wanda Jackson, Donna Fargo, and Jessi Colter.

"Show 'em the left foot that made
Merle Haggard a star, Moon.
Show 'em the one you used on Buck.
Show 'em the one ya used on Bonnie.
The most imitated steel guitar
player
 and the best one, by far
...that's the great Ralph Mooney
everybody."
-Waylon Jennings, 1974

His longest running stint was with Waylon Jennings, whom Mooney joined in 1970 and stayed with until he retired in the early '90s.

Ralph Mooney is credited with creating the "Bakersfield Sound", also known as "California Style" or "West Coast Style" Steel Guitar.  It's a bright, bouncy style that is hard to describe, but easy to identify when you hear it. Ralph's recordings with Buck Owens, Wynn Stewart, Waylon Jennings, and many others, brought this style to public attention. Countless bands and players have embraced his stylings.

Mooney was named Guitarist of the Year by the Academy of Country Music in 1966 and over the span of 15 years,  received six more nominations in that category.  He was also inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame  in 1983, and his plaque still hangs there today - reading, “So uniquely original that he remains unduplicated.”

Ralph  Mooney with Marty Stuart
Recording the CD Ghost Train
in RCA's Legendary Studio B

Even in poor health, Mooney continued to record music. In 2010, he was featured on four of the tracks on Marty Stuart‘s Grammy-winning album ‘Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions.’ 

 “He was my all-time country music hero as far as musicians go. When I was making the ‘Ghost Train’ record, I took it to California with me. I was listening to it as I was driving down Victory Boulevard, and when I heard him play I started crying, because it was always my dream of going to California and hearing my music sound like that.” - Marty  Stuart, 3/21/2011

Mooney is survived by his wife; his son, Richard; his daughter, Linda Yates; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Ralph Mooney was a "sideman extraordinaire" he will be missed.

More About Ralph Mooney