vinyl condition: G (some surface noise)
| Jimmy Day was a steel guitarist active in the 1950s and 1960s whose career in country music blossomed about the time the pedal steel guitar was invented after pedals were added to the lap steel guitar.
He was a pioneer on pedal steel in the genres of Western swing and honky-tonk and his modifications of the instrument's design have become a standard on the modern pedal steel.
Day's first job after high school was performing on the Louisiana Hayride as a sideman accompanying developing country artists including Hank Williams, Webb Pierce, Willie Nelson, Jim Reeves, Ray Price and Elvis Presley. He recorded and toured with all of them and was featured on hit records by many, including Ray Price's CRAZY ARMS and HEARTACHES BY THE HUMBER.
For a year, he was a member of Elvis Presley's band. But, along with fellow bandmate (and former junior high classmate) Floyd Cramer, resigned after Presley requested them to re-locate to Hollywood. Instead, Day moved to Nashville to work as a session player and Grand Ole Opry musician.
In the late 1950s, Day formed a business partnership with Buddy Emmons and Shot Jackson in the Sho-Bud Company.[5] The company designed and manufactured the first pedal steel guitars with push-rod pedals.[8] Up to then, individuals were trying to retro-fit pedals to add to existing lap steel guitars; Sho-Bud was one of the first companies to manufacture pedal steels. Jimmy’s nickname for his pedal steel guitar was Blue Darlin.
He is a member of the Western Swing Hall of Fame and the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.