Al Perkins


Al Perkins is an American guitarist known primarily for his steel guitar work. The 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.

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. 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 and recorded the live album The Last of the Red Hot Burritos in 1972. Perkins, along with Chris Hillman, formerly of The Byrds, went on to join Stephen Stills' Manassas, 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.
With Stills working with Crosby Stills and Nash, Perkins and Hillman joined Richie Furay and JD Souther in the Souther–Hillman–Furay Band. 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' On the Border.
He joined the British band Ark in 1977 and recorded the album The Angels Come.

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.. 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: Holiness and One Heart at a Time. He is listed as the producer of the "One Heart at a Time" album.

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.

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
  • 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

With Tori Amos
  • From the Choirgirl Hotel
With Bob Bennett
  • First Things First
With Solomon Burke
  • Nashville
With Garth Brooks
  • Sevens
With Kate Campbell
  • Songs from the Levee
  • Moonpie Dreams
With Steve Camp
  • Justice
With Cher
  • Cher
With Gene Clark
  • Two Sides to Every Story
With Leonard Cohen
With Rita Coolidge
  • The Lady's Not for Sale
  • Fall into Spring
  • It's Only Love
  • Anytime...Anywhere
With John Denver
  • The Flower That Shattered the Stone
With George Ducas
  • Where I Stand
With Bob Dylan
  • Knocked Out Loaded
With Eagles
  • On the Border
With Tim Easton
  • Special 20
With Dan Fogelberg
With Steve Forbert
  • Rocking Horse Heads
With Richie Furay
With John Wesley Harding
  • The Confessions of St. Ace
With Emmylou Harris
  • Cowgirl's Prayer
With Mark Heard
  • Appalachian Melody
  • Eye of the Storm
With Chris Hillman
  • Slippin' Away
  • Morning Sky
  • Desert Rose
With Nancy Honeytree
  • Melodies In Me
  • Maranatha Marathon
With Wynonna Judd
  • The Other Side
With Bill LaBounty
  • Bill LaBounty
With Miranda Lambert
  • Palomino
With Jim Lauderdale
  • Planet of Love
  • Persimmons
  • Patchwork River
  • I'm a Song
With Roger McGuinn
  • Peace on You
With Michael Martin Murphey
  • High Stakes
With Michael Nesmith
  • Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma
With Randy Newman
  • Good Old Boys
With Juice Newton
  • Ain't Gonna Cry
With Joe Nichols
  • III
With Gram Parsons
  • GP
  • Grievous Angel
With Dolly Parton
  • Here You Come Again
  • Dolly, Dolly, Dolly
  • Rainbow
  • Hungry Again
  • Precious Memories
With Billy Preston
  • The Kids & Me
With John Prine
  • In Spite of Ourselves
  • For Better, or Worse
With Terry Reid
  • Seed of Memory
With The Rolling Stones
  • Exile on Main St.
With Tom Rush
  • Voices
With Michelle Shocked
  • Short Sharp Shocked
With Jill Sobule
  • Jill Sobule
  • Happy Town
  • Underdog Victorious
With Donna Summer
  • Bad Girls
With Russ Taff
  • Winds of Change
With James Taylor
  • Gorilla
With The Tractors
  • Fast Girl
With Joe Walsh
  • Barnstorm
With Dwight Yoakam
With Michael Brewer
  • ''Beauty Lies''