Thomas Gordon Huntley (20 December 1925 – 7 March 1988) was a British steel guitar player, best known for being a member of Matthews Southern Comfort. His early playing career was with the Hawaiian Serenaders in 1959, for whom he played a triple neck Fender lap steel guitar.[1] He converted this to a pedal steel by adding an accelerator pedal from a tractor connected with bicycle brake cable. He formed the Black Stetson Boys in 1959 with John Derek, the two later playing together in Johnny and the Hounders (later to become the Flintlocks).[1]
Around 1963, Huntley teamed up with Nigel Dennis (a Newbury solicitor) to manufacture Denley steel guitars (DENnis-huntLEY). The 1960s saw Huntley playing the "country" circuit, especially the USAF bases, with bands such as George Brown's Alabama Hayriders, the Saddletramps, Dougie Dee and the Dee Men.
In 1969, Huntley played as session musician on Keith Christmas's Stimulus album, and on Iain Matthews' debut album Matthews' Southern Comfort, subsequently becoming a member of the Matthews Southern Comfort band.[2][3][4] In 1970, he played on the band's single "Woodstock", which reached No. 1 on the UK record charts on 31 October and remained there for 3 weeks.[3][5] Also in 1970, Huntley played steel guitar on the track "Country Comfort" on Elton John's second album, Tumbleweed Connection.
gordon, huntley, thomas, december, 1925, march, 1988, british, steel, guitar, player, best, known, being, member, matthews, southern, comfort, early, playing, career, with, hawaiian, serenaders, 1959, whom, played, triple, neck, fender, steel, guitar, converte. Thomas Gordon Huntley 20 December 1925 7 March 1988 was a British steel guitar player best known for being a member of Matthews Southern Comfort His early playing career was with the Hawaiian Serenaders in 1959 for whom he played a triple neck Fender lap steel guitar 1 He converted this to a pedal steel by adding an accelerator pedal from a tractor connected with bicycle brake cable He formed the Black Stetson Boys in 1959 with John Derek the two later playing together in Johnny and the Hounders later to become the Flintlocks 1 Gordon HuntleyBirth nameThomas Gordon HuntleyBorn 1925 12 20 20 December 1925Newbury Berkshire EnglandDied7 March 1988 1988 03 07 aged 62 GenresCountry folk popInstrument s Pedal steel guitarYears activeLate 1950s 1980s Around 1963 Huntley teamed up with Nigel Dennis a Newbury solicitor to manufacture Denley steel guitars DENnis huntLEY The 1960s saw Huntley playing the country circuit especially the USAF bases with bands such as George Brown s Alabama Hayriders the Saddletramps Dougie Dee and the Dee Men In 1969 Huntley played as session musician on Keith Christmas s Stimulus album and on Iain Matthews debut album Matthews Southern Comfort subsequently becoming a member of the Matthews Southern Comfort band 2 3 4 In 1970 he played on the band s single Woodstock which reached No 1 on the UK record charts on 31 October and remained there for 3 weeks 3 5 Also in 1970 Huntley played steel guitar on the track Country Comfort on Elton John s second album Tumbleweed Connection Huntley was highly respected as a session musician and his steel sound was subsequently heard on recordings by artists including Elton John Rod Stewart Clodagh Rodgers Barbara Dickson the Pretty Things Fairport Convention and on the soundtrack of Cliff Richard s Take Me High 3 6 In 1974 Huntley released his own album Sleepwalk The Romantic Sound of Gordon Huntley 7 with arrangements by Harry Robinson Huntley died on 7 March 1988 from cancer 3 References edit a b Watts Derek 2008 Country Boy A Biography of Albert Lee McFarland amp Co ISBN 978 0786436583 p 84 Jones Mark 2009 Bristol Folk A Discographical History of Bristol Folk Music in the 1960s and 1970s Bristol Folk Publications ISBN 978 0956353108 a b c d Cossar Neil 2010 This Day in Music Omnibus Press ISBN 978 1849382458 p 75 Erlich Nancy 1971 Southern Comfort Billboard 28 August 1971 p 30 Retrieved 21 October 2017 Hinton Brian 2000 Country Roads How Country Came to Nashville Senctuary Publishing Ltd ISBN 978 1860742934 Dickson Barbara 2009 A Shirt Box Full of Songs The Autobiography Hachette Scotland ISBN 978 0755318650 Gordon Huntley Sleepwalk the Romantic Sound of Gordon Huntley 1974 Vinyl Discogs External links editGordon Huntley amp the UK pedalsteel co uk Gordon Huntley discography at Discogs nbsp This article about a British musician is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gordon Huntley amp oldid 1218150466, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
