I suspect that the majority of country bands that feature a reso live have a utility player, that is someone who can play multiple instruments. One of the most common is a pedal steel player who doubles on Dobro or electric guitar. Speaking of which, the lack of steel guitar in much of the newer country music saddens me. Recording is another subject with many studio hotshots contributing reso to recordings when needed…..not often enough in my opinion.

A temporary band that put together an incredible album of songs leaning toward country and a little bit of pop/rock and not really bluegrass, The Nashville Acoustic Sessions. Stellar lineup - the late great Raul Malo on vocals who IMO was the closest singer we had to Roy Orbison, Dave Pomeroy on bass, former member of Newgrass Revival Pat Flynn on guitar, and Rob Ickes on dobro. 

My favorite tune is the Flying Burritos Brothers classic Hot Burrito #1. I think the lead break by Rob and especially the extended outro is some of the best playing of his career. If you know Rob then you also know he's kind of a low key guy. Not long after this album came out (2004) Rob put on a workshop in the Bay Area and I complimented him big time on his playing on this number. He shrugged it off like it was no big deal. 
 

MarkinSonoma great tune! I remember listening to the FBB version so long ago. I love how Rob teases with the middle solo (is that all?!), then the lengthy outro. Rob of course plays a Byrl Signature now. Do you know what he played back then?

….probably his Scheerhorn R-body. That’s pretty much all he played.

Scheerhorn L body, rosewood/spruce, of which he owns several.

Lounge aka Brooks is correct. This album was released in 2004.

Rob was an early player of a maple R-body Scheerhorn which was his guitar through most of the '90s, but when Tim began building the L-body around 1998, Rob got onboard with his first rosewood/spruce shortly thereafter.  I don't recall him having "several" though all these year later I'm not sure.  I thought there were two - one with Brazilian rosewood back & sides, the other with East Indian rosewood. I think the East Indian was the one he would most often bring out on the road because the wood isn't as "precious" as Brazilian.

Rob really does a phenomenal job on the song with his own take on what Sneaky Pete Kleinow of the Burritos did on his Fender pedal steel. 
 

Here is another great country song with Rob Ickes on dobro.  Jon Randall (Stewart) is an accomplished singer/songwriter and record producer. He first came to Nashville from Texas in the early 1990's as a member of Emmylou Harris and the Nash Ramblers. I have seen Emmy with her different bands many times going back to the 70's many times and I was able to see the Nash Ramblers twice in the 90's. 

Randall's biggest hit as a songwriter co-written with "Whispering Bill" Anderson is probably Whiskey Lullaby which was a big hit for Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss 20+ years ago.

Jon has put out some good albums of his own but I think he's had as  a big career as an artist as I think he deserves. Might be a little "too country" for the mainstream bro country scene. 

I learned this song years ago and have been able to play it occasionally with different folks - it's a great one - and Rob's playing is outstanding as usual. He even went on tour with Randall to promote the record and I recall them appearing on some of the late night TV shows. And great harmonies on the recording from Jon's wife Jessi Alexander, a fine singer in her own right.

IMO this song is pretty darn close to perfection

And speaking of Whiskey Lullaby, I'm sure most everyone here has heard the Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss version that was a big hit.  And now we're talking Jerry Douglas on dobro. 

When we saw AKUS last summer at The Mountain Winery in the Bay Area they included a portion of the song in a medley - but Jerry wasn't playing dobro on it. 

I think Jon Randall and Bill Anderson might have been trying to top the likes of He Stopped Loving Her Today by George Jones as one of the saddest most miserable country songs of all time and they might have pulled it off. Here's the video of the song featuring actor Rick Schroder. I'm not a fan, but it's a good video. 

The song is in the key of B minor.  Jerry's playing on the song as usual, is on the money. I like the combo of the dobro and Brad on a baritone electric guitar.
 

Now you goy me started on ELH! The note she hits @2:15 is insane! youtu.be/eW81S6Pfv2Y?si=_OKjjYyu86TZWLRB

While we’re on Rob Ickes and country dobro albums, SlideRules, you might check out Merle Haggard’s “Bluegrass Sessions” album. It’s acoustic country (not bluegrass in my opinion) with songs such as Big City, with Merle singing and playing guitar, Rob Ickes doing very tasty country dobro, Marty Stuart, Aunrey Haynie, and others.
I’m not  very adept at posting the youtubes…but here's a link..

https://youtu.be/1YOP03nH3xo?si=8adZnUCu-zH21G0H

typo past correction time: Aubrey Haynie

Meander through Jerry Douglas's 1,288 recording credits for a bunch of country stuff. There's a reason why he's based in the Nahville area.  

h

edit - depending how far back you go, Audridge, Graves, Shot Jackson, Oswald and others appeared or recorded for country (and rock) acts