I work as a high school English teacher and I play guitar between passing periods. I always feel like the great GE Smith when jamming outside my classroom.
i was lucky enough to have seen GE and Tbone play in local bars back in the early 80's together- During the Hall and Oates years they had a little band that went out locally and played in these small bars- Not many knew who they were- they were called Domino- had great drummer and lady singer with them- these guys were hands down the best "Bar band" you ever saw. Imagine having three hours to sit as close as you wanted to hear GE play guitar and Tbone play guitar or bass all night long- man they were great times- GE was always friendly , and TBONE became a friend- nicest guys rip bone
I remember watching GE Smith on SNL when I was a kid and even then before I really knew much about music I thought he was a cool cat. Now that I've been a guitar player for more than 20 years, I have even more respect for the guy, his playing and the cool guitars he played back in the SNL days.
Thanks for sharing this. This was by far the best TV band ever. 🎷and GE Smith were always total class. This music 🎶 has such a vibe it says Manhattan and NYC at night like nothing else. 😎👍
My Dad LOVED when G.E. Smith popped up. As did I. The man clearly LOVED what he did, and he did it well. Everytime I see Mr. Smith, I think of my father glowing. Maybe one day I can go onstage and make him glow the same way.
You know, my dad emigrated here in the early 70's, and he always loved watching SNL, especially the early years. He would prolly admit it helped him learn English. He gave up on it for a bit, but I remember watching it with him in the late 80's early 90's, and he always lit up when the "guero" would come on absolutely jammin' on the guitar. The whole band was amazing during those years. These clips bring back that nostalgia, that bonding moment I had with my pops, where he showed me what good music and musicianship was.
3:43 - 3:57/ Dear God, I actually got to grow up during THIS era of SNL and watch those musical bumps when they were live! And to see the sheer joy the band got out of reminding audiences about their musical influences in those brief snippets. For those not up on pop culture of the 60's, the number being performed on this time stamp is the opening theme to THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW.
During the commercial breaks, the TV audience is severely short changed. The studio audience gets the treat of the whole tune. I was always a bit jealous during the G.E. Smith years. Since then... Not so much.
g.e. smith said that it was lorne micheals greatest gift to him. they called it "band shots" it was lorne's idea to transition from the end of the sketch into comercial. he said hey, why dont we get a close shot of the band while the fire up a jam for the studio audiance, and lead the home audiance into comercial, then when it comes back from comercial, show the band finishing up a number, and it will lead everyone back into the show. g.e. smith said "if i was known anywhere in the streets, by anyone at all it was because of those band shots that lorne micheals thought up."
Bullshit HiredGun. G.E. Smith is great, but Lenny Picket is the co-star of this video, and he's also great. Lenny is still there, never left. Sounds just as amazing today. So get jealous again.
Had a chance years ago to meet G.E. We played at blues festival on the same bill. Super nice guy!! We sat around on a beautiful day and smoked Henry Clay cigars and drank green iced tea. One of my fondest memories! Have always loved the way he keeps things pure and true. Respects the music and the history of it and the tools that made it. Understands it as true ART. God bless ya G.E.!
years ago he played an outro to commercial break around xmas - Jingle Bell Rock on his tele. I leapt off the couch, grabbed my tele and instantly figured it out ( he was key of G). every xmas I enjoy playing it over and over. GE was kinda like Santa for me for 15 seconds in December in early 90s thanks for posting this
always had the great vintage gear.....and really knew rock, r and b and blues very deeply...great player....those were the days...god its been almost 30 years...geez, can't believe it.
This was from a series of shows from the 1992-1993 season. The rest of the band - Earl Gardner (one clip has Joe Shepley filling in), Steve Turre, Lenny Pickett, George Young, Lew Del Gatto, Paul Ossola, Leon Pendarvis, Cheryl Hardwick, and Shawn Pelton. Only Pickett, Pendarvis, Pelton and Turre are still in the band in 2022.
Awesome! Thank you for your early Internet work! I have been lucky enough to be GE’s web/social media guy for over a decade. I have been a massive fan of his since I was a kid. Hence why he was the first thing I looked for on my first visit to the Internet. Glad to run into you in the comments! I knew it had to be you based on that extensive member knowledge.
A lot of great things went down along with the last century especially the 90's. Great simpsons episodes, and great music and especially G.E. Smith on SNL great shame we can't go back to simpler times
The digeridoo clip starting around 1:50 is great. Missed that one back in the day. Always loved Smith's tone(s) and vibrato. His sound had a glow and a snap to it.
GE Smith is a national treasure. I dont throw that phrase around much. But no one in the music world could have compiled such a resume of real world experience with so many different names. Through SNL, recording, and performing on the road, I bet he’s played alongside thousands of professional musicians and can probably tell you every little detail. Awesome dude! I feel blessed to have watched him so many Saturday nights. As the night turned to early morning and things were winding down, GE was always there playing some cool tune with a big smile. Rock on GE Smith!
It upsets me to know that I was oblivious to how good this was. I was around 10 during this SNL era, and I loved the show but wasn't musically inclined yet. Now 25 years later and having fallen in love with jazz and blues, I can truly appreciate the work this band was putting in.
I associate SNL with the saxophone sound but this guy is a killer guitarplayer. Sax has a place in rock and roll but I don't care for many sax driven songs personally
There's still a piece they did that I can't find. GE starts it with about a secs piece and then the horns kick in, it used to give me goosebumps, can't remember who the hell the guest was for it though.
@vintagekarmatattoos I remember that the first few weeks that Shawn Pelton first joined the SNL band, he was sporting a green jacket, but midway through that season, it was dropped in favor of a black jacket instead. He wasn't wearing a jacket in the final few episodes of the 20th season.
Jason Nadle the whole band was sporting technicolour duds for a while there, then yeah, after the holiday break everybody’s wearing dark suits and Lenny’s trimmed his beard. GE said in an interview that around 1992, with the success of Wayne’s World, NBC suits were starting to pay attention to the show again, hanging out in the halls, taking notes. I doubt it’s a coincidence that that was the same time the band suddenly cleaned up. Suits like to think they know about art
Its not about the cats it’s about the music. The 60,70,80 had some very special music and there were guys that played and guys that didn’t. GE played it.
saw him play with Dylan in 90,he has been my favourite guitarist ever since,in fact would go as far as to say he's part of the reason Bob never faded into inerelivancy
I used to cry like a flowery little girl pushed down in a mud puddle when SNL would give GE just 10 seconds of air time: forget the hosts, jokes...skits...musical guests: GE Smith jammin' for 1 hour would be suffice; perfectly. What a brilliant guitarist, composer, arranger....plus that impeccable guitar tone :)
If I was a good a driver as GE a guitarist, I'd be many times a World Champion. I just saw him playing with Bowie on Johny Carson in 1980. He was just a kid then...so was I.
GE Smith hid in plain sight all throughout his career.. He IS one of the greats but you will never hear that from him.. Hat's off Mr. Smith..
These cats wer SO heavy! They made beautiful music, well played, with subtle complexity that people loved. We need this back in the world.
I work as a high school English teacher and I play guitar between passing periods. I always feel like the great GE Smith when jamming outside my classroom.
Awesome! GE was going to school to be an English Teacher and got his first break before graduating in the early 70s.
Man, I didn't know that. That honestly made my day
I feel like GE Smith watching GE Smith thinking about you feeling like GE Smith
He was the reason I watched SNL when he left so did I GE Smith Bad Ass Guitar Man 👍🔥🎸🦅
Same.
i was lucky enough to have seen GE and Tbone play in local bars back in the early 80's together- During the Hall and Oates years they had a little band that went out locally and played in these small bars- Not many knew who they were- they were called Domino- had great drummer and lady singer with them- these guys were hands down the best "Bar band" you ever saw. Imagine having three hours to sit as close as you wanted to hear GE play guitar and Tbone play guitar or bass all night long- man they were great times- GE was always friendly , and TBONE became a friend- nicest guys rip bone
mrsullyrox the lady may have been Christine Ohlman. Did she have a beehive-ish hairdo?
The singer was Elly Brown 🙂
"Those were the real cats"
The cream of the NY studio cats.
Those cats could blow!
G.E. was terrific on "SNL." He was there during some of the show's great years! Thanks for sharing!
I remember watching GE Smith on SNL when I was a kid and even then before I really knew much about music I thought he was a cool cat. Now that I've been a guitar player for more than 20 years, I have even more respect for the guy, his playing and the cool guitars he played back in the SNL days.
What I remembered most about G.E. on SNL is that when he played, he ALWAYS had a smile on his face!
Because he is having a blast and loving what he does. A very lucky and talented man.
Because he was high as fuck...
@@MrBighairyass or he was just enjoying the music
BOTH! Saw in in person several times and he loves what he does and appreciates the audience. Truly a gentleman, a true professional.
Thanks for sharing this. This was by far the best TV band ever. 🎷and GE Smith were always total class. This music 🎶 has such a vibe it says Manhattan and NYC at night like nothing else. 😎👍
GE was the perfect fit for this role, he was indeed ‘a cool dude’😎
My Dad LOVED when G.E. Smith popped up. As did I. The man clearly LOVED what he did, and he did it well. Everytime I see Mr. Smith, I think of my father glowing. Maybe one day I can go onstage and make him glow the same way.
You know, my dad emigrated here in the early 70's, and he always loved watching SNL, especially the early years. He would prolly admit it helped him learn English. He gave up on it for a bit, but I remember watching it with him in the late 80's early 90's, and he always lit up when the "guero" would come on absolutely jammin' on the guitar. The whole band was amazing during those years. These clips bring back that nostalgia, that bonding moment I had with my pops, where he showed me what good music and musicianship was.
3:43 - 3:57/ Dear God, I actually got to grow up during THIS era of SNL and watch those musical bumps when they were live! And to see the sheer joy the band got out of reminding audiences about their musical influences in those brief snippets. For those not up on pop culture of the 60's, the number being performed on this time stamp is the opening theme to THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW.
During the commercial breaks, the TV audience is severely short changed.
The studio audience gets the treat of the whole tune.
I was always a bit jealous during the G.E. Smith years.
Since then... Not so much.
I ALWAYS looked forward to the little teaser they gave us of him playing, lol, so I feel the same way about the audience. Damn them lol
g.e. smith said that it was lorne micheals greatest gift to him. they called it "band shots" it was lorne's idea to transition from the end of the sketch into comercial. he said hey, why dont we get a close shot of the band while the fire up a jam for the studio audiance, and lead the home audiance into comercial, then when it comes back from comercial, show the band finishing up a number, and it will lead everyone back into the show. g.e. smith said "if i was known anywhere in the streets, by anyone at all it was because of those band shots that lorne micheals thought up."
Bullshit HiredGun. G.E. Smith is great, but Lenny Picket is the co-star of this video, and he's also great. Lenny is still there, never left. Sounds just as amazing today. So get jealous again.
It's jazz, it's blues, it's rock, it's folk, it's funk, it's country.. he can do it all. The feel and that tone! GE is one of the greats.
Had a chance years ago to meet G.E. We played at blues festival on the same bill. Super nice guy!! We sat around on a beautiful day and smoked Henry Clay cigars and drank green iced tea. One of my fondest memories! Have always loved the way he keeps things pure and true. Respects the music and the history of it and the tools that made it. Understands it as true ART. God bless ya G.E.!
GE...l watched the show. Guitar in hand just to see u. I say this proudly! I sound alot like u. Thanks and God bless U.. Kookie Jeanne
Met GE last night. A true gentleman and a supreme musician
He’s my cousin and I’ve never met him! I can’t wait until that day comes
years ago he played an outro to commercial break around xmas - Jingle Bell Rock on his tele. I leapt off the couch, grabbed my tele and instantly figured it out ( he was key of G). every xmas I enjoy playing it over and over. GE was kinda like Santa for me for 15 seconds in December in early 90s
thanks for posting this
Exactly how he played it on the Hall & Oates record, too, an exact copy of the original one from Bobby Helms in the 50s.
I remember watching it live as well. I was about 12 or so and just starting to play guitar. Always thought he was the coolest
I miss G. E. on SNL, please come back, if only for a cameo.
I stopped watching snl. It's sad to see that show completely devoid of humor and talent.
He was on a few episodes, 20 years ago.
SNL has been a shit show for too many years. It's sad... I tried to watch one a while back and didn't even laugh.
@@I_like_turtles_67 The pookies grunge alternerds and rolling stones magazines kill's SNL every weeks since long 3 decade now
He could play anything. That great smile!
I'm jealous of all the beautiful guitars GE got to play.
Love this confidence and MASTERY !!!
He is so under-rated. C'mon, GE, I live n the Philly area, I've played drums for over 50 years - gimme a yell and let's jam!
always had the great vintage gear.....and really knew rock, r and b and blues very deeply...great player....those were the days...god its been almost 30 years...geez, can't believe it.
Hear ya loud & clear, Ian. Where did the time go? But GE and the boys were the best SNL band, ever!
When i was a kid i thought g.e smitth was willem dafoe!.
You know I was trying to figure who g e smith looked like...thanks
I thought it was general electric, smith and the SNL band. I though GE was their sponsor.
I thought G.E. was the sax player who always did the solo at the end of the show.
When he was gone it was the end of the house band. I think many times they were better than the musical guests.
Agreed. That was the death of showing the band leading into commercials
I still love the band. I just preferred them with G. E.
@@vintagekarma I started watching some of the live episodes this year and they've actually starting bringing the band bump shots back!
This was from a series of shows from the 1992-1993 season. The rest of the band - Earl Gardner (one clip has Joe Shepley filling in), Steve Turre, Lenny Pickett, George Young, Lew Del Gatto, Paul Ossola, Leon Pendarvis, Cheryl Hardwick, and Shawn Pelton. Only Pickett, Pendarvis, Pelton and Turre are still in the band in 2022.
Omg is this Dave Mackey? Your SNL band website was literally the first website I went onto when I got the internet as a teen in the mid/late 90s.
@@vintagekarma it me!
Awesome! Thank you for your early Internet work! I have been lucky enough to be GE’s web/social media guy for over a decade. I have been a massive fan of his since I was a kid. Hence why he was the first thing I looked for on my first visit to the Internet. Glad to run into you in the comments! I knew it had to be you based on that extensive member knowledge.
how young Pelton looks in these clips!
A lot of great things went down along with the last century especially the 90's. Great simpsons episodes, and great music and especially G.E. Smith on SNL great shame we can't go back to simpler times
I love G.E. Smith. He's who all the big names want because he's massively talented.
GE Smith, the closest thing there ever was to a guitarist born with a telecaster in his hands.
man watching that brought back all those old memories of when SNL was good.
Great hair too!
The digeridoo clip starting around 1:50 is great. Missed that one back in the day. Always loved Smith's tone(s) and vibrato. His sound had a glow and a snap to it.
thought the same thing..caught me off guard..exceptional!
Steve Turre is playing the didgeridoo. He also plays the shells. Trombone is his main.
Lots of nice guitars in these clips, but my favorite is the ‘52 Telecaster that his Mom bought him when he was 11 years old.
Imagine growing up in a time where your first real electric is a 52 blackguard
Thumbs up if you only watch SNL for ge smith?
Met him an a hamptons restaurant . Perfect gentleman
I saw GE in Bob Dylan's band, summer of 1988. GE could play anything!
The outro with the didgeridoo that begins at 1:47 is sick!
Yessir...just straight nuts.
Leo Marchena that‘s the great Steve Turre playing that!
GE Smith is a national treasure. I dont throw that phrase around much. But no one in the music world could have compiled such a resume of real world experience with so many different names. Through SNL, recording, and performing on the road, I bet he’s played alongside thousands of professional musicians and can probably tell you every little detail. Awesome dude! I feel blessed to have watched him so many Saturday nights. As the night turned to early morning and things were winding down, GE was always there playing some cool tune with a big smile. Rock on GE Smith!
It upsets me to know that I was oblivious to how good this was. I was around 10 during this SNL era, and I loved the show but wasn't musically inclined yet. Now 25 years later and having fallen in love with jazz and blues, I can truly appreciate the work this band was putting in.
always loved him. his facial expressions are as fun to watch as his guitar licks. i bet he's played with everybody at one point or other.
Thanks for posting this. Love those guys
Loved seeing GE and Tbone together.
Amazing player, snappy dresser, great guitars and uber cool hair…..damn!
I miss GE Smith. I grew up watching SNL ever since the 80s. It's a part of my childhood.
I miss watching GE Smith on SNL
I associate SNL with the saxophone sound but this guy is a killer guitarplayer. Sax has a place in rock and roll but I don't care for many sax driven songs personally
GE and the band were always my favourite part of SNL.
What do you thing is Googled more. GE Smith, or "The Blonde Guy with the Guitar"?
Blonde guy is good. Very popular ending to sketch. I take it that you like the juice?
@@vintagekarma the juice is good!
The blonde guy with the guitar. Lol. I just discovered him. My youth was lacking.
Amazing player..the only reason I watched SNL during this period
"Things Ain't What They Used to Be" at :57. Where else are you going to hear that on network tv? Love it.
Woooweee, GE Smith always had a Great Time making Good Tunes seem like a Cake Walk in his sleep!
There's still a piece they did that I can't find. GE starts it with about a secs piece and then the horns kick in, it used to give me goosebumps, can't remember who the hell the guest was for it though.
It was Sloozy
Yeah! "Sloozy!" A beautiful, unstoppable, downright STANKY intro lick, and then those horns!! (Search, there are a couple clips online!)
@@Steve68686 Yeah man, found it a while back, what a tasty freaking lick from GE!
This video is a treasure trove of killer licks! Thanks for posting...Back to the woodshed!
Niiiice...a little Freddy King in there
GE saved SNL on this "" im pride to spit on this grungy-shit 90's pookiess decade !!!!!
Respect to living legend's GE Smith !!!!
The last true blues/rock-inspired bandleader SNL ever had.
He loves his TELECASTERS AND He can make them sing. I wish I could've seen him do a jam session with Roy Buchanan.
GE had the best guitars...I always liked looking at them...
Lucky audience. This was one of the best parts of the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jazz Feeling
@vintagekarmatattoos I remember that the first few weeks that Shawn Pelton first joined the SNL band, he was sporting a green jacket, but midway through that season, it was dropped in favor of a black jacket instead. He wasn't wearing a jacket in the final few episodes of the 20th season.
Jason Nadle the whole band was sporting technicolour duds for a while there, then yeah, after the holiday break everybody’s wearing dark suits and Lenny’s trimmed his beard.
GE said in an interview that around 1992, with the success of Wayne’s World, NBC suits were starting to pay attention to the show again, hanging out in the halls, taking notes. I doubt it’s a coincidence that that was the same time the band suddenly cleaned up. Suits like to think they know about art
4:16 What is hip. I love it, throwin' in a little Tower of Power.
00:33, you can hear Don Pardo cough. Nice
GE Cafe pretty intimate stuff!
G.E. Smith... A true "GREAT"!!!!
I would want more of the SNL bumpers in which the band plays musical pieces in between commercials.
What I like and iam a guitar player and collector is GE always is using a vintage guitar we get to see weekly.
Love the tele
I would have gone to see a show just to see the band. That entire orchestra was fantastic!
ooh I loved that bit with T Bone Love !
G.E Smith is the Best,Period...
Smith had a great collection of guitars.
Can anyone please tell me the name of the song he plays at 3:21? Been searching a long time.
Good to see T-Bone again.
Its not about the cats it’s about the music. The 60,70,80 had some very special music and there were guys that played and guys that didn’t. GE played it.
10 seconds to make a memory G.E Smith an american original and stand up player of chords so many many chords....man to have that kind of muscle memory
Who can tell me the name of that song at the. 1:17 mark , I need to go to sleep
Love the vintage guitars!
That Feb 1993 guest lineup was damn good. Sir Mick one week, Sir Paul the next?
GE living the dream
I miss those days
saw him play with Dylan in 90,he has been my favourite guitarist ever since,in fact would go as far as to say he's part of the reason Bob never faded into inerelivancy
How could dylan ever be irrelevant. Prick
True, that! I'd be smiling as well if I had that gig!
I used to cry like a flowery little girl pushed down in a mud puddle when SNL would give GE just 10 seconds of air time: forget the hosts, jokes...skits...musical guests: GE Smith jammin' for 1 hour would be suffice; perfectly. What a brilliant guitarist, composer, arranger....plus that impeccable guitar tone :)
I am so broke. I ran out and bought all the exact same guitars as GE Smith.
Great to see those shots with tbone
Those were some glory days for sure. That saxophone style is a signature of classic snl
Wowwwww it was T-BONE at 5:10 ?
So Terrrefic second's presence ?
Uhhh yeahhhhh !!!!!!!
G.E. was another reason why I watch SNL.
He toured with Hall and Oates back in the day, he had a goofy crew cut, but man can he play.
I liked how he used to let T-Bone play his guitars. Most pro musicians are usually very protective of their gear...
More!
Watching him play at 4.58 with Stevie ray vahn was awesome he looked like he was loving it
Not SRV, its T-Bone Walk
G E and T-Bone 👌
Love this era of SNL, best music ever. Does anyone recognize the song at 3:21? Can't recall the name of it.
Thanks, music lovers.
Bhaktiyogin i would love to know it, as well. It’s not an original tune, is it?
I am also looking for the name of that song…love it.
damn! I want to hear the rest of that 'What is Hip' song! Sucha tease!
Hex was the only reason I used to watch snl I always loved the great guitars and his sound
If I was a good a driver as GE a guitarist, I'd be many times a World Champion. I just saw him playing with Bowie on Johny Carson in 1980. He was just a kid then...so was I.
Thanks Vintage .. more like you on the tube
G.E. is one of the favorite guitarists. T-Bone Wolk & Charlie DeChant were also hidden in some of these clips; also Steve Turre 👍🏾