Wesley “Speedy” West
January 25, 1924 – November 15, 2003
Speedy West was one of country music’s greatest pedal steel guitarists. He is best remembered for his work with Jimmy Bryant and Tennessee Ernie Ford. Born and raised in and around Springfield, Missouri, West learned to play the peddle steel at an early age, and after WWII, he and his young family moved to Los Angeles to follow his dream after learning of tremendous opportunities for musicians in the area. His big break came in 1948 when Spade Cooley hired him to perform in his big swing band. West soon met Cliffie Stone who was doing A&R for Capitol Records, and by 1949, he was a full time session player. It was soon after that West began recording with Bryant. Over the first five years of the 1950s, West played on upwards of 6000 recordings by over 175 artists. That list includes Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford, and Johnnie Ray. During the late ’50s, West worked with Bobby Bare, helping he establish his career, and then playing on his records. Work for country musicians began to dry up in Los Angeles by the early ’60s, so West moved to Tulsa to manage Fender Instruments’ distribution center. He continued to play, but not nearly as much as he had in California. West suffered a massive stroke in 1981 that left him unable to play. He was 79 when he passed away on November 15, 2003.
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