Episode 235: Counting Down Ben Keith

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6d ago 44:41

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Bennett Keith Schaeufele, known professionally as Ben Keith, was an musician and record producer. He was born on March 6, 1937, in Fort Riley, Kansas, moving to Bowling Green, Kentucky, and eventually to Nashville, where he gained work as a session pedal steel player. Ben's big break came when he played on Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces" in 1961.
He worked in Nashville country music community in the 1950s and 1960s, and eventually transitioned to working with rock, country and pop artists as a multi-instrumentalist sideman. Keith played guitar, pedal steel guitar, dobro, banjo, vocals, keyboards, piano, saxophone, and bass, and worked with Todd Rundgren, Lonnie Mack, The Band, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Paul Butterfield, J. J. Cale, Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, Ian and Sylvia, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Tompall Glaser, Anne Murray and Ringo Starr, and many others. He also became a successful producer in the industry producing records by Willie Nelson, Bobby Charles, Jewel, Slim Harpo, and his close friend Neil Young.
Ben and Neil had an over forty year musical relationship, playing on over a dozen of Young's albums. Young referred to Ben as "Long Grain" as a play on Uncle Ben's Rice. Ben died of a heart attack on July 26, 2010, while at Neil's Broken Arrow Ranch in California. Ben Keith was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2014.
The "Count Down" is:
12 "You Better Watch It Ben"/"Dixie Highway" - Hungry Chuck (released on Hungry Chuck, 1972, The band included Amos Garrett and Jim Colegrove, with Ben Keith on Pedal Steel Guitar, Dobro, Bass, Percussion, Vocals),
11"Bed of Coals" - Warren Zevon (released on Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School, 1980, Ben on Pedal Steel),
10 "Big Indian" - Fabulous Rhinestones (released on The Fabulous Rhinestones, 1972, Ben on Pedal Steel),
09 "Day to Day" - Paul Butterfield (Released on Put It In Your Ear, in 1976, Ben on Guitar)
08 "Sin City" - Emmylou Harris (Released on Elite Hotel, in 1975, Ben on Pedal Steel)
07 "I've Got My Finger On Your Trigger" - Slim Harpo (Released 1969 on Excello, Ben as co-writer with Billy Cox, Bob Wilson, and co-producer with Wilson)
06 "Loser's Lounge" - Ringo Starr (Released on Beaucoups Of Blues,1970, Ben on pedal steel)
05 "Chicken On The Ground" - Billy Joe Shaver (Released 0n Gypsy Boy,1977, Ben on Dobro)
04 "Are There Any More Real Cowboys" - Willie Nelson and Neil Young, (Released on Old Ways,1985, Ben produced this and played pedal steel guitar, dobro)
03 Wallflower (alternate version) - Bob Dylan (Released on Another Self Portrait, 2013 , Ben on pedal steel guitar)
02 "Old Man" - Neil Young (Released on Harvest, 1972, it was the first album Ben recorded with Neil Young as a "Stray Gator")
01 "I Fall To Pieces" - Patsy Cline (1st hit Ken played on in 1961)
That one more is "Payola Blues" - Neil Young (Released on Wonderin', 1983 Ken played sax and lead guitar on this album).

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