>> THis gives a nice pedal steel effect. Is this what you are thing about? <<

very possibly, ChrisM - i honestly can't tell from your description, since i don't play, but ...
i hope so! and i'm truly grateful for your kindly interest, because i genuinely crave to know
what that is that he throws in at ends of numbers. if you have the time to check out the clip i posted a link to
(Whole Lotta Shakin from the 1983 set with Jerry Lee Lewis) it's a real clear example
of what i'm trying so ineffectively to describe.

who is Keith "quoting" when he does that? i mean: where do i know it from, besides Keith?

I just saw that clip and here is what Keith does: The song is in C so at the end he slides to the 9th fret of the G string which is the 3rd of C (E) then picks the C at the 8th fret of the E string and then sllides down to the 6th fret of the E string which is Bb, the 7th of C. The is a classic blues riff used by countless blues guitarists.

>> The is a classic blues riff used by countless blues guitarists. <<

thank you kindly, ChrisM (and everyone else who's taken an interest)!
anyone feel like mentioning a well-known example or two of someone using it at the end of a number?
someone besides Keith, i mean. and i promise i'll shut up about it soon. :E

Sounds to me like the phrase he plays at the end of the first part of 'You Gotta Move' in Love You Live. (03:09) just before the piano part...

i think you are reffering to 9 chord. that`s the chord the song has to end in completed with the ninth note of the scale of that chord. Keith plays variations with the notes from this 9 chord. For example when a song ends with a c -chord , keith plays a solo with the notes of a c - chord (c e g), but he adds the 'a' to it. Scotty Moore uesd a lot of that.

>> Sounds to me like the phrase he plays at the end of the first part of
'You Gotta Move' in Love You Live. (03:09) just before the piano part... <<

yep, there it is again! or anyway a real close relative - thanks Z!

>> i think you are referring to 9 chord. ... Scotty Moore used a lot of that. <<

thank you thank you - you're describing something different from what the good ChrisM outlined above, right?
but Scotty Moore might be a good clue to why it sounds so familiar to me.

meanwhile i'm changing the title/first post in this thread - when i started it i thought people would know
the specific "ending comment" i had in mind, since it stands out so much for me as a "trademark Keith thing",
but people have been mentioning so many other cool things he does to close numbers down, wrap them up, tie them off
and/or otherwise finish 'em that it would be a waste of a good thread to focus too much on just this one.
thanks everybody for the insights; carry on and have some more popcorn.

Nice thread!!

He does this so Charlie will know when to stop drumming along to the click-track.