Tom Brumley

Thomas Rexton Brumley (December 11, 1935 – February 3, 2009) was an American pedal steel guitarist and steel guitar manufacturer. In the 1960s, Brumley was a part of the sub-genre of country music known as the "Bakersfield sound". He performed with Buck Owens and the Buckaroos on hits such as "Cryin' Time" and "Together Again". His solo on "Together Again" received particular acclaim by critics. Brumley later spent a decade with Ricky Nelson and performed on "Garden Party" and the In Concert at the Troubadour, 1969 album.

In the 1960s Brumley purchased the manufacturing rights to Zane Beck's first pedal steel model and formed the ZB Guitar Company. Brumley later relocated the company to Texas, near his home in Kingsland where he managed the organization in his later years. He received an Academy of Country Music award for "Top Steel Guitarist" in 1966. Brumley was featured on the cover of Steel Guitarist Magazine in 1980, and is a member of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame. His father was Albert E. Brumley, a noted gospel music songwriter and the composer of the classic "I'll Fly Away".

Early life Brumley was born on December 11, 1935, in Stella, Missouri, the third of six children. including "I'll Fly Away" and "Turn Your Radio On". The father was a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1970) and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (1972). All six of his children played musical instruments

Tom started playing the bass as a teenager with his brothers Al, Bill, Bob and Jackson who formed "The Brumley Brothers Band" that performed at pie suppers and local music festivals. Tom received his first steel guitar by mail-order in 1954. He played jobs using it without knowing how to tune it, using a straight E major.

With Buck Owens

Tom Brumley's brother, Al Brumley Jr., had been signed by Capitol Records and Tom was asked to play steel guitar at a 1963 recording session. Brumley worked for Buck Owens during the height of Owens' popularity from 1963 until 1969 and performed on some of Owens' biggest recordings including "Cryin' Time", "Under Your Spell Again", "Foolin' Around" and "Together Again". Music writer Mark Deming echoed that statement, saying the solo was "widely celebrated as among the greatest pedal steel solos". In the 1960s Brumley purchased the manufacturing rights to Zane Beck's first pedal steel model, the "ZK", and formed the ZB Guitar Company with investor Bill Sims. After several months of getting the company organized, Brumley received an offer to tour with Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band.

With Rick Nelson

In 1969, Rick Nelson hired Brumley to play in his "Stone Canyon Band", so named for a street address in Sherman Oaks where they rehearsed. Meisner was with them for some time and performed with them on the Troubadour album. In 2009, the album entitled The R&B Americana Album: Soul Cats Meet Hillbilly Cats, was released just months after Brumley's death. It was a collaboration of Brumley, Larry "T-Byrd" Gordon, and Art Greenhaw.

Brumley died at age 73 on February 3, 2009, at Northeast Baptist Hospital in San Antonio, a little more than a week after experiencing a heart attack. He was survived by his wife of 48 years, Rolene, two sons, a daughter, six grandchildren and a great-grandson.