Editing Al Perkins

{{About|the guitar player Al Perkins|the children's author|Al Perkins (children's author)}}
{{short description|American guitarist|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Al Perkins
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: |image           = al_perkins.jpg -->| image             = Manassas1972 (cropped).JPG
| caption           = Perkins with [[Manassas (band)|Manassas]] in 1972
| birth_name        = Albert Perkins
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1944|01|18}}
| birth_place       = [[De Kalb, Texas|De Kalb]], Texas, U.S.
| origin            = 
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| genre             = [[Folk music|Folk]], [[Bluegrass music|bluegrass]], rock, [[country rock]], [[Country music|country]], [[contemporary Christian music|contemporary Christian]]
| occupation        = Musician, singer-songwriter, producer
| instrument        = [[Pedal steel guitar]], guitar, [[Dobro]], [[banjo]], vocals
| years_active      = 1953–present
| associated_acts   = [[The Flying Burrito Brothers]], [[Manassas (band)|Manassas]], [[Stephen Stills]] [[Souther Hillman Furay Band]], [[Desert Rose Band]], [[Gram Parsons]], The Nash Ramblers, [[Emmylou Harris]], [[Dolly Parton]]
| website           = {{URL|alperkinsmusic.com/}}
}}
'''Al Perkins''' (born January 18, 1944) is an American guitarist known primarily for his [[steel guitar]] work.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Winston, Winnie |author2=Bill Keith|title=Pedal Steel Guitar|publisher=Oak Publications|year=1975|isbn=0-8256-0169-X}}</ref> The [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] guitar company called Perkins "the world's most influential [[Dobro]] player" and began producing an "Al Perkins Signature" Dobro in 2001—designed and autographed by Perkins.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.furious.com/perfect/alperkins.html|title=Perfect Sound Forever: Al Perkins interview|accessdate=January 21, 2022}}</ref>

==Early years==
Al Perkins was born and raised in Texas and learned to play Hawaiian steel guitar at the age of 9. In the 1950s Perkins was considered a child prodigy, playing with regional country and western bands, appearing on TV/radio, and winning several talent contests. In the early 1960s, Perkins began playing electric guitar with west Texas rock bands, and was discovered by Mickey Jones and [[Kenny Rogers]] of The First Edition. By 1966, he enlisted into the Army National Guard and was discharged from the US Army Reserves in 1970.

==1970s==
In 1970, Perkins joined the east Texas country rock band, Shiloh, and moved to California.<ref>{{cite book|author=Einarson, John|title=Desperados: The Roots of Country Rock|publisher=Cooper Square Press|year=2001|isbn=1-4616-0733-7}}</ref> The band included [[Don Henley]] and future producer/record executive [[Jim Ed Norman]]. Perkins was then hired to play in the new incarnation of [[the Flying Burrito Brothers]]<ref>{{cite book|author1=Einarson, John|author2=Hillman, Chris|title=Hot Burritos: The True Story Of The Flying Burrito Brothers|publisher=Jawbone|year=2008|isbn=978-1-9060-0216-9|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/hotburritostrues0000eina}}</ref><ref name="Erlewine">{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p4284/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=The Flying Burrito Brothers|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=August 27, 2010}}</ref> and recorded the live album ''The Last of the Red Hot Burritos'' in 1972. Perkins, along with [[Chris Hillman]], formerly of The Byrds,<ref>{{cite book|author=Frame, Pete|title=Pete Frame's Rock Family Trees (Byrds & Eagles sections)|publisher=Quick Fox |year=1980|isbn=0-8256-3950-6}}</ref> went on to join [[Stephen Stills]]' [[Manassas (band)|Manassas]],<ref name="Caldwell">{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p19128/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Manassas|last=Caldwell|first=Rob|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=August 27, 2010}}</ref> whose material fused Latin, rock, blues, country, folk, and bluegrass influences. He also played steel guitar on [[the Rolling Stones]]' song, "[[Torn and Frayed]]" on ''[[Exile on Main St.]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/exile-on-main-st-mw0000191639/credits|title=Exile on Main St. - The Rolling Stones - Credits|website=AllMusic}}</ref>

With Stills working with [[Crosby Stills and Nash]], Perkins and Hillman joined [[Richie Furay]]<ref>{{cite book|author1=Furay, Richie|author2=Roberts, Michael|title=Pickin' Up the Pieces: The Heart and Soul of Country Rock Pioneer Richie Furay|publisher=Doubleday Religious Publishing Group|year=2012 |isbn=978-0-3075-5079-8}}</ref> ([[Buffalo Springfield]] and [[Poco (band)|Poco]] founding member) and [[JD Souther]] in the [[Souther–Hillman–Furay Band]].<ref name="Hartenbach">{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p20652/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Souther-Hillman-Furay Band|last=Hartenbach|first=Brett|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=October 2, 2012}}</ref> Perkins moved into record production in the mid-1970s, but did tour again with [[Michael Nesmith]] and McGuinn & Hillman. As a session player, Perkins contributed to many notable albums, including the [[Eagles (band)|Eagles]]' ''[[On the Border]]''.<ref>{{cite book|author=Vaughan, Andrew|title=The Eagles: An American Band|publisher=Sterling|year=2010|isbn=978-1-40-277712-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/eaglesamericanba00vaug }}</ref>

He joined the British band Ark in 1977 and recorded the album ''The Angels Come''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cummings|first1=Tony|title=Dave Kelly, Jesus Music Veteran|url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Dave_Kelly_The_Jesus_music_veteran_with_the_Bob_Dylan_connection/47253/p1/|website=Cross Rhythmns|access-date=25 June 2019}}</ref>

==1980s==
Continuing his production work into the 1980s, Perkins also toured with [[Chris Hillman]] as a duo before joining [[Dolly Parton]] in 1986, touring and recording with her for several years before moving to Nashville.

In Nashville Perkins formed a new project called The Nash Ramblers with [[Emmylou Harris]], with whom he had worked previously on the two solo albums recorded by [[Gram Parsons]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Griffin, Sid|title=Gram Parsons: A Music Biography|publisher=Sierra Books|year=1985|isbn=0-9160-0300-0}}</ref> (It was his association with Parsons that led to Perkins being called in to play on the sessions for the Rolling Stones' ''Exile on Main Street''). The ''Live at the Ryman album'' was to win Perkins his first Grammy award in 1992.

Perkins is listed playing pedal steel guitar on two albums by Christian singer [[Don Francisco (musician)|Don Francisco]]: ''Holiness'' and ''One Heart at a Time''.

==1990s–present==
Al Perkins continues to tour and record. To date, other artists Al Perkins has played for are: [[James Taylor]], [[Bob Dylan]], [[Tori Amos]], [[Garth Brooks]], [[Dwight Yoakam]], [[Dan Fogelberg]], [[Joe Walsh]], [[Mike Love]], [[Solomon Burke]], [[Patty Loveless]], [[Cher]], [[Rita Coolidge]], [[Iris DeMent]], [[Michael Martin Murphey]], [[Buddy Miller]], [[Tommy Womack]], [[Yo La Tengo]], and [[Jim Lauderdale]].

In 2002 Perkins released a collection of studio outtakes and rare recordings. ''Snapshots'' features recordings by the Nash Ramblers and the Flying Burrito Brothers among others. This was followed in 2003 by ''Triple Play'', Perkins' first solo album, revealing blues, country, bluegrass, gospel and Cajun influences.

Perkins appeared on stage alongside [[James Burton]] and [[Keith Richards]] at the Gram Parsons tribute show in California in summer 2004.

Throughout the 2000s Perkins toured periodically with the Road Trippers, a band led by Kevin Montgomery and occasionally included Mike McAdam and Mavericks Paul Deakin and Robert Reynolds.

In 2009, Perkins formed ''Big Dog 3'', a trio with bassist Chris Donohue and drummer [[Brady Blade]]. Big Dog 3's self-titled debut album features guests such as [[Jim Lauderdale]] and [[Emmylou Harris]]. Today Al Perkins performs with The HiPower Band, which includes vocalist Kristine Arnold ([[Sweethearts of the Rodeo]]).

==Awards==
===Grammy Awards===
* 1997 – Producer on Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album
* 1992 – Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal
* 1991 – Best Bluegrass Album

===Other awards===
* 2015 – Induction to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame (Manassas)
* 2007 – 'Musician of the Year' Texas Music Awards
* 1997 – Induction to The Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame
* 1993 – Induction to Opryland's Starwalk
* 1985 – Indie Award for album production on ''Desert Rose''

==Collaborations==
{{div col}}
'''With [[Tori Amos]]'''
* ''[[From the Choirgirl Hotel]]'' (Atlantic Records, 1998)

'''With [[Bob Bennett (singer-songwriter)|Bob Bennett]]'''
* ''[[First Things First (album)|First Things First]]'' (Maranatha! Records, 1979)

'''With [[Solomon Burke]]'''
* ''Nashville'' (Shout! Factory, 2006)

'''With [[Garth Brooks]]'''
* ''[[Sevens (album)|Sevens]]'' (Capitol Records, 1997)

'''With [[Kate Campbell]]'''
* ''Songs from the Levee'' (Compass Records, 1994)
* ''Moonpie Dreams'' (Demon Records, 1997)

'''With [[Steve Camp]]'''
* ''[[Justice (Steve Camp album)|Justice]]'' (Sparrow Records, 1988)

'''With [[Cher]]'''
* ''[[Take Me Home (Cher album)|Cher]]'' (Casablanca Records, 1979)

'''With [[Gene Clark]]'''
* ''[[Two Sides to Every Story]]'' (RSO, 1977)

'''With [[Leonard Cohen]]'''
* ''[[Death of a Ladies' Man (album)|Death of a Ladies' Man]]'' (Columbia Records, 1977)

'''With [[Rita Coolidge]]'''
* ''[[The Lady's Not for Sale]]'' (A&M Records, 1972)
* ''[[Fall into Spring]]'' (A&M Records, 1974)
* ''[[It's Only Love (Rita Coolidge album)|It's Only Love]]'' (A&M Records, 1975)
* ''[[Anytime...Anywhere]]'' (A&M Records, 1977)

'''With [[John Denver]]'''
* ''[[The Flower That Shattered the Stone]]'' (Windstar Records, 1990)

'''With [[George Ducas (singer)|George Ducas]]'''
* ''[[Where I Stand (George Ducas album)|Where I Stand]]'' (Capitol Records, 1997)

'''With [[Bob Dylan]]'''
* ''[[Knocked Out Loaded]]'' (Columbia Records, 1986)

'''With [[Eagles (band)|Eagles]]'''
* ''[[On the Border]]'' (Asylum Records, 1974)

'''With [[Tim Easton]]'''
* ''Special 20'' (Heathen Records, 1998)

'''With [[Dan Fogelberg]]'''
* ''[[Souvenirs (Dan Fogelberg album)|Souvenirs]]'' (Epic Records, 1974)
* ''[[Captured Angel]]'' (Epic Records, 1975)
* ''[[Nether Lands]]'' (Epic Records, 1977)
* ''[[The Innocent Age]]'' (Epic Records, 1981)
* ''[[High Country Snows]]'' (Epic Records, 1985)

'''With [[Steve Forbert]]'''
* ''Rocking Horse Heads'' (Revolution Records, 1996)

'''With [[Richie Furay]]'''
* ''[[I've Got a Reason]]'' (Asylum Records, 1976)
* ''Dance a Little Light'' (Asylum Records, 1978)
* ''Seasons of Change'' (Myrrh Records, 1982)
* ''The Heartbeat of Love'' (Always An Adventure, 2006)

'''With [[John Wesley Harding (singer)|John Wesley Harding]]'''
* ''The Confessions of St. Ace'' (Mammoth Records, 2000)

'''With [[Emmylou Harris]]'''
* ''[[Cowgirl's Prayer]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1993)

'''With [[Mark Heard]]'''
* ''[[Appalachian Melody]]'' (Solid Rock, 1979)
* ''[[Eye of the Storm (Mark Heard album)|Eye of the Storm]]'' (Home Sweet Home, 1983)

'''With [[Chris Hillman]]'''
* ''Slippin' Away'' (Asylum Records, 1976)
* ''Morning Sky'' (Sugar Hill Records, 1982)
* ''Desert Rose'' (Sugar Hill Records, 1984)

'''With [[Nancy Honeytree]]'''
* ''Melodies In Me'' (Myrrh Records, 1978)
* ''Maranatha Marathon'' (Myrrh Records, 1979)

'''With [[Wynonna Judd]]'''
* ''[[The Other Side (Wynonna Judd album)|The Other Side]]'' (Curb Records, 1997)

'''With [[Bill LaBounty]]'''
* ''Bill LaBounty'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1982)

'''With [[Miranda Lambert]]'''
* ''[[Palomino (Miranda Lambert album)|Palomino]]'' (RCA Records, 2022)

'''With [[Jim Lauderdale]]'''
* ''Planet of Love'' (Reprise Records, 1991)
* ''Persimmons'' (Rounder Records, 1996)
* ''Patchwork River'' (Thirty Tigers, 2010)
* ''I'm a Song'' (Sky Crunch Records, 2014)

'''With [[Roger McGuinn]]'''
* ''[[Peace on You]]'' (Columbia Records, 1974)

'''With [[Michael Martin Murphey]]'''
* ''[[High Stakes (album)|High Stakes]]'' (Murphey Kinship Recordings, 2016)

'''With [[Michael Nesmith]]'''
* ''[[Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma]]'' (Pacific Arts, 1979)

'''With [[Randy Newman]]'''
* ''[[Good Old Boys (Randy Newman album)|Good Old Boys]]'' (Reprise Records, 1974)

'''With [[Juice Newton]]'''
* ''[[Ain't Gonna Cry]]'' (RCA Records, 1989)

'''With [[Joe Nichols]]'''
* ''[[III (Joe Nichols album)|III]]'' (Universal South Records, 2005)

'''With [[Gram Parsons]]'''
* ''[[GP (album)|GP]]'' (Reprise Records, 1973)
* ''[[Grievous Angel]]'' (Reprise Records, 1974)

'''With [[Dolly Parton]]'''
* ''[[Here You Come Again]]'' (RCA Victor, 1977)
* ''[[Dolly, Dolly, Dolly]]'' (RCA Victor, 1981)
* ''[[Rainbow (Dolly Parton album)|Rainbow]]'' (Columbia Records, 1987)
* ''[[Hungry Again]]'' (Decca Records, 1998)
* ''[[Precious Memories (Dolly Parton album)|Precious Memories]]'' (Blue Eye, 1999)

'''With [[Billy Preston]]'''
* ''[[The Kids & Me]]'' (A&M Records, 1974)

'''With [[John Prine]]'''
* ''[[In Spite of Ourselves]]'' ([[Oh Boy Records]], 1999)
* ''[[For Better, or Worse]]'' (Oh Boy Records, 2016)

'''With [[Terry Reid]]'''
* ''[[Seed of Memory]]'' (ABC Records, 1976)

'''With [[The Rolling Stones]]'''
* ''[[Exile on Main St.]]'' (Rolling Stones Records, 1972)

'''With [[Tom Rush]]'''
* ''Voices'' (Appleseed Records, 2018)

'''With [[Michelle Shocked]]'''
* ''[[Short Sharp Shocked]]'' (Mercury Records, 1988)

'''With [[Jill Sobule]]'''
* ''[[Jill Sobule (album)|Jill Sobule]]'' (Atlantic Records, 1995)
* ''[[Happy Town (album)|Happy Town]]'' (Atlantic Records, 1997)
* ''[[Underdog Victorious]]'' (Artemis Records, 2004)

'''With [[Donna Summer]]'''
* ''[[Bad Girls (Donna Summer album)|Bad Girls]]'' (Casablanca Records, 1979)

'''With [[Russ Taff]]'''
* ''[[Winds of Change (Russ Taff album)|Winds of Change]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1995)

'''With [[James Taylor]]'''
* ''[[Gorilla (James Taylor album)|Gorilla]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1975)

'''With [[The Tractors]]'''
* ''Fast Girl'' (Audium Records, 2001)

'''With [[Joe Walsh]]'''
* ''[[Barnstorm (album)|Barnstorm]]'' (ABC Records, 1972)

'''With [[Dwight Yoakam]]'''
* ''[[Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room]]'' (Reprise Records, 1988)
* ''[[If There Was a Way]]'' (Reprise Records, 1990)
* ''[[This Time (Dwight Yoakam album)|This Time]]'' (Reprise Records, 1993)
* ''[[A Long Way Home (album)|A Long Way Home]]'' (Reprise Records, 1998)

'''With [[Michael Brewer]]'''
*''[[Beauty Lies]]'' (Warner Bros. Records, 1983)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|author1=Logan, Nick|author2=Woffinden, Bob|title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock|publisher=Ure Smith|year=1978|isbn=0-7254-0345-4}}
* {{cite book|author=Doggett, Peter|title=Are You Ready for the Country|publisher=Viking|year=2000|isbn=0-6708-8938-5}}
* {{cite book|author=Hinton, Brian|title=Country Roads: How Country Came to Nashville|publisher=Sanctuary|year=2000|isbn=1-8607-4293-9|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/countryroadshowc0000hint}}
* {{cite book|author=Hunter, Dave|title=Amped: The Illustrated History of the World's Greatest Amplifiers|publisher=Voyageur Press|year=2012|isbn=978-0-7603-3972-5}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|1=http://www.alperkinsmusic.com}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120719214956/http://www.hipowerband.com/ HiPower Band Website]


{{The Flying Burrito Brothers}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perkins, Al}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Odessa, Texas]]
[[Category:American country guitarists]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:Pedal steel guitarists]]
[[Category:The Flying Burrito Brothers members]]
[[Category:Souther–Hillman–Furay Band members]]
[[Category:The Desert Rose Band members]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Texas]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:People from DeKalb, Texas]]
[[Category:Country musicians from Texas]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:Manassas (band) members]]