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There is a certain piano element I hear in certain classic country songs, where the piano seems to play backup to the vocals for the extent of one verse. It has a feel that the person is sitting there "tickling" the keys.

Three songs that have this element would be

1) Randy Travis On the Other Hand between 1:30 and 2:10

2) Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn After the Fire is Gone between 1:35 and 2:10

3) George Jones These Days (I Barely Get By) between 0:00 and 0:50

If anyone can identify this piano style, I would be thankful.

nonremovable
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2 Answers2

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I would say he is commenting or paraphrasing the soloist.

Look up paraphrase in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

A paraphrase /ˈpærəfreɪz/ is a restatement of the meaning of a text or passage using other words. The term itself is derived via Latin paraphrasis from Greek παράφρασις, meaning "additional manner of expression". The act of paraphrasing is also called "paraphrasis".

paraphrase in music https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraphrase

(google tranlation)

A paraphrase is understood here as the free play around or embellishment of a melody. The paraphrase is approximately between the two poles of the transcription or the arrangement, and to settle the variation and improvisation on a theme or entire work.

Albrecht Hügli
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The common ornament your hear in these country-western backgrounds is the use of acciaccatura, or crushed notes, in the piano.

Richard Barber
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    The 'Floyd Cramer lick'. https://piano-ology.com/2018/04/03/country-school-floyd-cramer-licks/ Though I wouldn't say that particular country cliche was particularly featured in at least the first example. He's just playing fill-ins. Not a particular technical term, for a standard musical technique! – Laurence Jan 21 '19 at 21:52
  • @LaurencePayne Thank you. This is indeed what I was looking for. – nonremovable Jan 22 '19 at 16:15