Hillbilly-Music.com—The People. The Music. The History.
Herb Remington
Born:  June 9, 1926
Died:  October 27, 2018
Steel Guitar Hall of Fame (1979)

About The Artist

"AaHaa, here's Herby!" This "war cry" can be heard on Bob Wills records between 1946 and 1949. Herbert Leroy Remington was born on June 9, 1926 in Mishawaka, Indiana. At age twelve he got interested in the Steel Guitar (or "Hawaiian Guitar", as it was called back then) and started to get into the instrument.

In 1946 Bob Wills was auditioning for a Steel Guitar player to join a new group being formed by his brother, Luke Wills. Herby tried his luck and really impressed Bob Wills who's comment was: "Let's let Roy (his Steel player at the time) go with Luke and hire this kid." The rest is history. Herby became a Texas Playboy and together with other swing experts like Eldon Shamblin, Tiny Moore and Johnny Gimble he really made the Playboys swing - just listen to the classic Bob Wills recordings from 1947/1948 like "Fat Boy Rag", "Hometown Stomp" and "Playboy Chimes"!

He remained musically active until today, besides Western Swing he always focussed on his other musical love, Hawaiian Music. Today Herb Remington resides in Houston, Texas and is well respected among fellow Steel Guitar players for making his own brand "Remington Steel Guitars". In recent years he also recorded a series of albums with fellow musicians from Texas, most of them also being ex-members of the famous Texas Playboys.

He also still appears at Steel Guitar Shows around the country and even travels around the world - he was the honored and featured star of a Steel Guitar Festival in Vienna, Austria (Europe) in 1998.

Credits & Sources

  • Hillbilly-Music.com wishes to express its appreciation and thanks to Walter F. Stettner of Vienna, Austria for contributing this article on Herb to get us started on documenting Herb Remington's career as well as the photo enclosed with the article. Walter is also a steel guitarist and a serious country music collector. He can be contacted at walter.stettner@chello.at.

Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)

 
Columbia
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  21347 A Julida Polka
  21347 B Westphalia Waltz
 
D
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  1129 A Coo Coo Creek Hop
  1129 B Chime Out For Love
  1186 A Fiddlesteel
  1186 B Soft Shoe Slide
 
Decca
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  28058 A Old Timey Waltz
  28058 B Moose Jaw Rag
 
Starday
Rec. No. Side Song Title
  332 A Slush Pump
  332 B Station Break