Buddy Merrill plays "South" on the Fender Steel Guitar 

Buddy Merril has always been criminally underrated.

There is a reason you don't see steel players smiling when they play. Try it some time. There simply is not enough processing power in the human brain to put a smile on top of all that effort. Buddy was/is damn good.

Unbelievable talent. He knew his instrument so well.

Smile for the people when you play like Speedy West, Buddy!

I met him today what a great guy loved hanging out with you today buddy!!!

that kid was so good that he could play like that and remember to put on a smile and look at the camera whenever possible, which is a goofy direction, just let him play. great clip thank you for the post

*GENIUS*

Deke, thanks for putting this up. After 50 years of trying, I still can't play guitars half as well as Buddy did in his teens. Bravo!!!

Re: Welk telling Buddy to "smile", there's an old story that Welk told his musicians "Look like you're having fun....but don't"...

0:20 "Remember to smile buddy!" And he did.

seriously the best steel playing i’ve ever seen on video

Rest in peace Buddy Merrill.

@soundsfromnothing The technique using the tonepoti is called BooWah! Rick Alexander(he died 2009!) demonstrates it here on you tube. I' m sure, many musicians miss him. He was really a great guy. R.I.P. Alex! Yeah, Buddy plays here excellent! Another true musician!

Thank You Lawrence Welk for introducing Buddy Merrill. Just saw that same "4 slide guitar" brought in for sale on "Pawn Stars" 10/14/17

Pure genius. An awesomely talented guy.

Thank you for posting this ... This was a fantastic piece or musical workmanship, using all four necks and darn near ever note on each one! This is some tough stuff, especially for someone his age. Buddy was very talented on this show, just incredible. And FENDER all the way! THAT ... from a guitarist of 59 years ...

Damm I just love this recording... I watched it at least a dozen times in the last year alone...

That's a cool tune

Dang this guy is the Eddie Van Halen of the steel guitar; really good!!!

Smile, Look at the camera and smile.......

Thanks for posting. What a talent! Heard about Buddy with respect & kudos from Brooklyn duo Ratatat. He is indeed respected and remembered by many.

I can't get enough of the harmonic at 1:08!!

Wow, probably his best video performance! 4 necks!! Take that Jimmy Page!

Thankyou for postiing these videos, I hadn't realized what an amazing talent Buddy was. truly mindblowing ability.

What a monster! Thanks for posting all of these clips!

Seriously great playing, and he just NAILS it. Love this.

I hope he had a great life. He was a wonderful musician and entertainer. Cheers and RIP.

this is my grandpa :D

Wooooow.... amazing sound..... Leo Fender was a genious

What a great player!

This guy broke the mold for steel guitars,........wow. Welk stepped in asked him to smile after he played his opening notes.

Wow that was really great. Mr. Buddy❤

Man I’ve never heard anything like it. Great!

Absolutely amazing!

As the great Tommy Emmanuel's dad used to say, "Smile, look at the audience, and DON'T PICK YOUR NOSE!!

A difficult instrument to play, and even harder to carry. But OH, so sweet.

The invention of the scratch sound, amazing 1:24

Man this was absolutely perfect! Bravo sir

That was awesome! Buddy is great here. I want one of those four-neck Stringmasters!

still alive in Cal. one great player

INCREDIBLE-----------------

I hope Buddy Emmons got to meet this fine young man.

Awesome!

Excellent !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mais , comment est ce possible d'avoir autant de talent ? !!!!!!!!

simply awesome

This is awesome!

Very talented, beautiful!

This is good, real fine guitar player.

This is what true MUSICIANSHIP is all about. Take note, aspiring musicians: don't expect technology to do all the work for you.

Fantastic... thank you for share.

Mr. Welk directs, “Smile at the camera, Buddy”!

Great technique. He’s having fun.

The more I watch old lap steel players the less I'm impressed with the guitarists that came after them.

Amazing!

Curly Chalker on acid! Great stuff, very inventive.

What did LW whisper in Buddy's ear? "Be sure to smile and look at the camera" Maybe? Cause that's just what he did.

This is Wow !!!

Extraordinário esse Buddy, seus arranjos são muitos bons. Gostaria de ter um LP, CD ou vídeo dele.como eu consigo?

Freakin amazing!

This is just *fucking amazing*

gee.. does anyone play country & western swing anymore today?

superb!

Increíble, mas al contemplaŕ la época . Fue único.......

Not sure how one could not like this, unless you're a soulless drone...

@soundsfromnothing He is rolling the tone knob back and forth to get a wah-wah effect.

Terrific!! The man can really play those 'musical snack.trays.'

just awesome. cool stuff

Pretty good camera close ups for the refrigerators they used as cameras.

@grandstef Hi you! A few days after posting my comment here I' ve got my blonde Fender Quad. It was offered as a 1957 Q8 but it' s dated 8-55 ! If I put down all knobs together(!!!) with the palm, all necks are active but there is less volume. On e-bay you will find sometimes such guitars, mine is from Oklahoma. Expensive shipping to AUSTRIA. But' s it' s an amazing instrument. My other main steels are 2 Fender Triple necks; a 02/54er 26" long scale and a "white blonde" 09/55 T 8 (22,5scale).

"Don't forget to smile," huh Larry? Buddy's playing a hugely complex tune on a guitar with FOUR GUITARS ON IT, and your finger-poppin' schlock takes precedent, huh? LET THE MAN PLAY! Ah well, at least he had Buddy on at all - otherwise, I'd never have heard of him! Thanks for the vidya, Deke.

Beautiful

Lawrence: "smile Buddy"

Fantastic, sounds good to me...

craaazy ! lovin' it

Sounds totally awesome. Masterpiece. Are these instruments and style of playing gone by now?

ok, WOW! that was awesome!

Fantastico molte bene

The best ever

Fantastic!

wow.... I mean.... WOW!

Wow didn't know they tapped on steel guitar , and way back then :)

Class musician!

a master....

Pedals really took the technique out of steel playing, this is good stuff here, real skills.

Teenage star Buddy" swing out"

The great Larry Hooper behind him on piano. "Sam, you made the pants too long"

Ol' Lawrence was a TASK MASTER. He demanded the Best ALL THE TIME . Wife read an article on Him. He even made the men wear corset's Seriously. You had to look good along with sounding good. Imagine telling some of the SUPER STARS of today how dress, act,& speak. That's why I don't pay a lot of attention to modern entertainment. . Picture Porter Wagoner in torn jeans. Hahahahahahahah

Muh Buddy

reminds me of my father Cy Brown

No pedals…great picking 👏👍🇨🇦

WOW!! 😮😮😮

Absolutely one of the best early lap steel musicians. Love your stuff Buddy jr.

Who the fuck disliked this

Pure JAZZ. !!!

Man, that cat could steel !

An education, thanks.

It is the same guitar that it was for sale in the "Gold and Silver "?

Second only to Speedy West's style!

Wunnerful, wunnerful !!