Bud Isaacs

Bud Isaacs (b. Bedford, Indiana – March 26, 1928 - d. Arizona, September 4, 2016) – Steel guitarist. At age fourteen, Bud Isaacs hopped a train from his hometown of Bedford, Indiana, to Louisville and then on to Nashville, where he wanted to break into the Grand Ole Opry. Although initially booked to play on Nashville’s hallowed stage with Pee Wee King, Isaacs was sent back home after revealing his age. Throughout the remainder of his teen years, Isaacs played local dances and eventually achieved regional fame playing for WIBC of Indianapolis. From there, he played in Michigan and Cincinnati, where he switched from six-string guitar to steel guitar while doing session work for King Records. He soon became a high demand steel player in Nashville, landing recording opportunities with Hank Williams, Red Foley, and Patsy Cline. In 1951, he finally got a gig at the Opry with Eddie Hill’s band and signed a record deal with Chet Atkins at RCA Victor in 1954. Although none of his singles were huge hits, Isaacs created some standard steel guitar showpieces like “Hot Mocking Bird” and “Bud’s Bounce” (1955). In 1955, Isaaces played on the top eleven country songs of the year. A 1984 inductee of Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, Bud Isaacs revolutionized the playing of his instrument by introducing the “pedal glissando” in Webb Pierce’s #1 hit “Slowly” in 1954. For many years, Isaacs has performed with his wife Geri Maples, with whom he lived in Yuma, Arizona.