Buddy Gene Emmons (January 27, 1937 – July 21, 2015) was an American musician. He played several instruments, most notably pedal steel guitar. Emmons was called the world's foremost steel guitarist and his talent was greatly admired by fellow steel guitarists. His musical versatility spanned genres such as country, swing, jazz, folk, and country-rock, and he has performed or recorded with a wide variety of vocalists and musicians including Linda Ronstadt, The Everly Brothers, Ernest Tubb, John Hartford, Ray Price, Judy Collins, and Lenny Breau. His innovative musical stylings ranged from tasteful ballad accompaniment and classical music to be-bop jazz, big band swing standards, and Western swing. He also made significant contributions to the design, development, and evolution of the pedal