# Most famous record to prominently feature a Dobro? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220 "2011-08-26T21:03:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/1 "2011-08-26T21:03:20Z")
I’m not referring to an electric steel guitar, but an acoustic resonator, or resophonic guitar, played lap style. The Dobro is a staple of bluegrass, and is prominent in older country. You hear it in other styles too sometimes. The best answer I can think of is “Looking Out My Back Door” by CCR. I know there is some uncertainty as to what constitutes ‘prominently’ - the solo is on a regular (electric) guitar, but the Dobro is an important part of the sound. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/2 "2011-08-26T21:22:20Z")
Do Danelctro guitars count? Jimmy Page used one for “White Summer/Black Mountain Side” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/3 "2011-08-26T21:38:04Z")
[del]Dire Straits’ _Brothers in Arms_. Right there on the front cover. Doesn’t get more prominent than that.[/del] [Nevermind.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_in_Arms_%28Dire_Straits_album%29#Cover) ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/4 "2011-08-26T22:10:00Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > I’m not referring to an electric steel guitar, but an acoustic resonator, or resophonic guitar, played lap style. The Dobro is a staple of bluegrass, and is prominent in older country. You hear it in other styles too sometimes. > > The best answer I can think of is “Looking Out My Back Door” by CCR. I know there is some uncertainty as to what constitutes ‘prominently’ - the solo is on a regular (electric) guitar, but the Dobro is an important part of the sound. Man of Constant Sorrow from the “O Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/5 "2011-08-26T22:51:58Z")
The main riff on Beck’s I’m a Loser sounds Dobro-ish. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/6 "2011-08-26T22:54:48Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > The best answer I can think of is “Looking Out My Back Door” by CCR. I know there is some uncertainty as to what constitutes ‘prominently’ - the solo is on a regular (electric) guitar, but the Dobro is an important part of the sound. Hard to imagine any song more prominent than the CCR song. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/7 "2011-08-26T23:00:50Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > The main riff on Beck’s I’m a Loser sounds Dobro-ish. I’m not sure, but the guitar sounds like a wooden flat top (as opposed to a resonator), and the part played on it sounds like a bottleneck slide (i.e., upright, not lap style). ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/8 "2011-08-26T23:02:13Z")
Does Lynyrd Skynyrd’s \*The Ballad of Curtis Loew \*feature a Dobro? The titular character plays one, but I don’t know if the same can be said for any of the band members. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/9 "2011-08-26T23:04:37Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Hard to imagine any song more prominent than the CCR song. I would agree. Just to clarify, my use of ‘prominently’ refers to how prominent a part the Dobro plays in the song. There might be some very famous songs with a Dobro buried down in the mix, practically inaudible. But LOMBD wouldn’t be the same without it. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/10 "2011-08-27T00:16:46Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > [del]Dire Straits’ _Brothers in Arms_. Right there on the front cover. Doesn’t get more prominent than that.[/del] > > [Nevermind.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_in_Arms_%28Dire_Straits_album%29#Cover) If the OP is referring to resonator guitars in general, a National is as appropriate as a Dobro. Knopfler certainly plays a resonator in concert, and I imagine he played one on that album. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/11 "2011-08-27T00:27:04Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > The best answer I can think of is “Looking Out My Back Door” by CCR. That’s probably the winner. But Rory Gallagher was big in Europe in the 1970’s and he was another one who regularly pulled out a resonator guitar for [acoustic sets](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRtH7QLR924). ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/12 "2011-08-27T02:06:16Z")
Does anything by Alison Krauss + Union Station count? > **[Alison Krauss & Union Station](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Krauss_and_Union_Station)** > > Alison Krauss & Union Station is an American bluegrass and country band associated with singer Alison Krauss. It was initially composed of Krauss, Jeff White, Mike Harman and John Pennell. Later additions included Tim Stafford, Ron Block, Adam Steffey, Barry Bales and Larry Atamanuik. In 1992, Stafford was replaced by guitar and mandolin player Dan Tyminski and in 1998, Steffey left and was replaced by Dobro player Jerry Douglas. > Alison Krauss had signed to Rounder Records, and at age 16 relea... especially: > **[Jerry Douglas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Douglas)** > > Gerald Calvin "Jerry" Douglas (born May 28, 1956) is an American Dobro and lap steel guitar player and record producer. He is widely regarded as "perhaps the finest Dobro player in contemporary acoustic music, and certainly the most celebrated and prolific." A fourteen-time Grammy winner, he has been called “dobro’s matchless contemporary master,” by The New York Times, and is among the most innovative recording artists in music, both as a solo artist and member of numerous bands, such a In add... ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/13 "2011-08-27T03:30:32Z")
_When Papa Played The Dobro_ Covered by many artists. Johnny Cash did a good job with it. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqYeXfNjMik) you can see the Dobro played in this one [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6yFQWWNVQ4A/hqdefault.jpg "Papa Played the Dobro - Sugarloaf Mountain Boys") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yFQWWNVQ4A) ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/14 "2011-08-27T03:37:18Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Do Danelctro guitars count? Jimmy Page used one for “White Summer/Black Mountain Side” Page used a [Danelectro](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danelectro_Shorthorn), but it was a regular Dano, not a resonator. Also, not slide. Calling them “Dobro” is wrong, [Dobro](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dobro) is a brand name, and Dobros are only one subset of resonator designs. Call them [resonator guitars](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resonator_guitar), resonators, or resos, which is what most of us folks who play them call them. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/15 "2011-08-27T04:06:50Z")
What about the Kinks and Lola? It was a steel guitar style dobro and not a lap guitar. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![waits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df788c/32.png) [@waits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waits)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/16 "2011-08-27T04:13:01Z")
I always thought it was a dobro during the intro to Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” but I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Snake\_Plissken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@Snake\_Plissken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snake_Plissken)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/17 "2011-08-27T14:25:12Z")
I remember seeing Clapton playing a dobro in a good chunk of his unplugged album. ---
**Author:** ![BigShooter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f07891/32.png) [@BigShooter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigShooter)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/18 "2011-08-27T16:33:35Z")
I think Soundgarden’s [“Burden In My Hand”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmIqIVxUuKs) has a resonator strumming the main chords. Tons of other guitars on that recording, but if you listen closely, the resonator plays all the way through the tune. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-record-to-prominently-feature-a-dobro/594220/19 "2011-08-27T16:49:20Z")
> [@waits](#): > > I always thought it was a dobro during the intro to Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” but I could be wrong. It’s certainly possible that’s what they used, though of course what it is supposed to be is an acoustic guitar being heard through a crappy little mono radio speaker (you can hear the stations being tuned just before the tune starts).