What Made You Decide To Take It Up?
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
- Archie Nicol
- Posts: 6830
- Joined: 25 Aug 2004 12:01 am
- Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
What Made You Decide To Take It Up?
Yeah, I know.. ..it's a frequently asked question, but there are so many new members now, it would be interesting to hear why they/we started.
It may seem unusual, but a song by this band got me hooked.
click here
Arch.
p.s. The steel player was Eric Weisberg, better known for the `Deliverance` soundtrack.
It may seem unusual, but a song by this band got me hooked.
click here
Arch.
p.s. The steel player was Eric Weisberg, better known for the `Deliverance` soundtrack.
I'm well behaved, so there!
- Cal Sharp
- Posts: 2873
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
- Contact:
It all started with a woman (yeah, old story). In this case, Loretta Lynn on the Wilburn Brothers Show. I fell in love with her, but my attention gradually began to focus on Hal Rugg. Later, in college, I was at a party where we were all gettin' high, and while everybody else was doin' what they were doin' I was sitting cross-legged on the floor listening to "Don't Bogart That Joint" (w/Red Rhodes) from the "Easy Rider" soundtrack over and over, really gettin' into it, if ya get my drift. (And if you've ever Bogarted a joint you will get it.) Then I saw my first live steel player, Joe Tippie, at Nashville North in Indianapolis. Driving down 16th St, in Indy one day I heard Dickie Overbey on Johnny Bush's "I'll Be There", and after I'd got my Camaro back onto the street from the sidewalk whence I'd drifted, my fate was sealed, my future assured. I got my degree, ignored it and went to Nashville and bought a Sho~Bud.
C#
Me: Steel Guitar Madness
Latest ebook: Steel Guitar Insanity
Custom Made Covers for Steel Guitars & Amps at Sharp Covers Nashville
Me: Steel Guitar Madness
Latest ebook: Steel Guitar Insanity
Custom Made Covers for Steel Guitars & Amps at Sharp Covers Nashville
- Richard Sinkler
- Posts: 17067
- Joined: 15 Aug 1998 12:01 am
- Location: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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- Posts: 7549
- Joined: 9 Jul 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Phenix City Alabama, USA
About twenty years ago worked with a band in Columbus Ga.playing guitar,The band leader was a friend of Lynn O,Lynn worked with us a couple of week ends,I was next to Lynn looking over his shoulder has he did his watching and listening to him,that's all it took,went and bought a steel,after about six months was playing on the bandstand,have'nt played guitar on stage since.DYKBC.
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !
- Michael Johnstone
- Posts: 3841
- Joined: 29 Oct 1998 1:01 am
- Location: Sylmar,Ca. USA
When I got to California I was a pretty fair guitar player but there were too many guitar players so I got a steel,figured out what the pedals did and started playing gigs. So in my case it was simply an interesting tool to re-invent myself out of survival instinct. I came to love and appreciate the instrument over the years though.
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- Posts: 2179
- Joined: 13 Jan 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
Listening to WSM clear channel on Saturday nights. in the early sixties.
My buddy and I would drive a few miles to get on top of a hill in Dallas. Reception was great we thought. '56 Chevy.
Don Helms had a huge influence on me. I promised myself then, that when I had the time and money I would learn how to make that sound.
Forty years later, as fate would have it, I listened to Don Helms live at one of the steel guitar shows. Later I saw him at his booth with that double neck steel!
Got his autograph, he let me sit behind that steel.
I have been playing non-stop since then.
R2
My buddy and I would drive a few miles to get on top of a hill in Dallas. Reception was great we thought. '56 Chevy.
Don Helms had a huge influence on me. I promised myself then, that when I had the time and money I would learn how to make that sound.
Forty years later, as fate would have it, I listened to Don Helms live at one of the steel guitar shows. Later I saw him at his booth with that double neck steel!
Got his autograph, he let me sit behind that steel.
I have been playing non-stop since then.
R2
- Archie Nicol
- Posts: 6830
- Joined: 25 Aug 2004 12:01 am
- Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Richard; The link was intentional. You don't get much further from steel than that. The song that inspired me was from a 1971 album where one side was a live recording and the other a set of self-penned songs. One of those was `Top Forty`, a cheesy catchy number with plenty of pedal steel on it. I didn't even know what one looked like back then!
Arch.
Arch.
I'm well behaved, so there!
- Richard Sinkler
- Posts: 17067
- Joined: 15 Aug 1998 12:01 am
- Location: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
- Barry Blackwood
- Posts: 7352
- Joined: 20 Apr 2005 12:01 am
- David Barker
- Posts: 76
- Joined: 30 May 2008 2:32 pm
- Location: Washington, USA
- Contact:
While scanning some video's on YouTube a several months ago, I stumbled upon a steel guitar performance by David Hartley. Even though I have been a musician for almost 40 years as a keyboardist and guitarist. The beautiful haunting sound that David was producing, and the precision that he used to deliver the sound, was something I wanted to do myself. So I started my new love and obsession for the pedal steel guitar....
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- Marke Burgstahler
- Posts: 136
- Joined: 7 Nov 2008 4:56 pm
- Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Well, let's see...I remember when I first started listening to a lot of Lyle Lovett..PF was playing the steel...and then of course I have always liked Mark Knopfler's music (PF again)...being a slide guitarist by trade, I saw it as a natural progression for me.
Now I'm hooked.
Now I'm hooked.
"It Don't Mean A Thing If It Aint' Got That Swing"
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- Posts: 379
- Joined: 18 May 2006 12:01 am
- Location: Chicago, USA
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- Posts: 273
- Joined: 30 May 2006 12:01 am
- Location: Maine, USA
my story
I was raised in a family that always listened to country music. My dad and mom would listen to WWVA when the reception was good enough. My father played guitar and then lap steel and then went to a sho bud pro 1 (3 pedals and one knee). Well, he passed away in 2001 and I got his steel,amp and all his stuff. It sat in the closet until 2004. Then one day I met this guy who said that his brother in law played steel and I told him that I had my fathers steel at home and could they come over and check it out.
Well He couldn't play it at my house because it needed strings and stuff fixed so he took it home and shined it up and put new strings on it and he called me on the phone.
His wife held the phone as he was playing dads guitar and I will never forget the most beautiful sound that I have ever heard. Of course I never told anyone this but it brought tears to my eyes to hear dads ole guitar being played again.
It was then that I decided to play that guitar come hell or high water. And I have really enjoyed it.
Thanks for listening to me ramble on.
Bob
Well He couldn't play it at my house because it needed strings and stuff fixed so he took it home and shined it up and put new strings on it and he called me on the phone.
His wife held the phone as he was playing dads guitar and I will never forget the most beautiful sound that I have ever heard. Of course I never told anyone this but it brought tears to my eyes to hear dads ole guitar being played again.
It was then that I decided to play that guitar come hell or high water. And I have really enjoyed it.
Thanks for listening to me ramble on.
Bob
- Steve Feldman
- Posts: 3345
- Joined: 5 Dec 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Central MA USA
Byrds/Sweetheart > Gram Parsons/Burritos > Teach > The Commander/BB > Buck/Tom > anything with JayDee > Old George J. > Ernest T/Buddy C > Ray P/anything with BE.....
Guess I started out at one place and went backwards in time....
Guess I started out at one place and went backwards in time....
Last edited by Steve Feldman on 26 Nov 2008 6:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
"...An admission of interest in protracted commentary is certainly no reason to capitalize on surmised aberations that do not exist." - BH
- Glen Derksen
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- Location: Alberta, Canada
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- John Ummel
- Posts: 405
- Joined: 24 Jun 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Arlington, WA.
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- Joined: 26 Dec 2002 1:01 am
- Location: Elkhorn, Wisconsin, USA
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I was a Country-Rock Guitar and Bass player in the early 70's....When I heard "Teach Your Children" by CSN&Y on the Radio....Figured out Jerry Garcia's steel licks on My Guitar..but it just wasn't good enough. I went to the music store and bought a "Little Buddy" PSG for $150....and taught myself to play all the licks in that song in a few days....then I was Hooked!!!
Jory Simmons
- W. C. Edgar
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- Archie Nicol
- Posts: 6830
- Joined: 25 Aug 2004 12:01 am
- Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Well I don't know Arch, BUT, you say ""The Fender telecaster was a much better invention than the AK-47": Alex Harvey."
I find my Beretta CX-4 Storm Tactical is at least more legal than an AK..
I find my Beretta CX-4 Storm Tactical is at least more legal than an AK..
Last edited by basilh on 26 Nov 2008 6:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Roger Edgington
- Posts: 2104
- Joined: 29 Mar 2000 1:01 am
- Location: San Antonio, Texas USA
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My mom and dad both played non pedal when I was born so I guess it goes back that far for me although my brother and sister didn't pick up steel. When I figured out that songs like "We Could" and the orginal "Sweet Dreams" by Faron and "Crazy Arms" were done on a pedal steel I knew that was the direction I wanted to go.
Mom taught steel in 43 and gave lessons to a student that she later married and he became my dad. When I was about 10 mom gave me my first lesson using some of her old Oahu books,her box guitar with a square neck and small plastic picks. Dad later taught me some Jerry Bird and Don Helms on his D6 Fender. I've stayed with it for 52 years now. I never got serious on guitar but I love to play bass.
Mom taught steel in 43 and gave lessons to a student that she later married and he became my dad. When I was about 10 mom gave me my first lesson using some of her old Oahu books,her box guitar with a square neck and small plastic picks. Dad later taught me some Jerry Bird and Don Helms on his D6 Fender. I've stayed with it for 52 years now. I never got serious on guitar but I love to play bass.
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- Posts: 81
- Joined: 20 Apr 2005 12:01 am
- Location: Collierville,TN
My earliest exposure was from a record my mom gave me that had Carl Smith, Lefty Frizzell, and Ray Price on it. Tons of steel, but I didn't know what it was. The next time I heard the instrument was when I snuck into a Poco rehearsal in L.A. somewhere around 1968. I sat there catatonic watching Rusty Young play some of the quickest and tastiest licks you will ever hear. I got the pleasure of telling him about this experience years later. I'm sure he turned a lot of players onto the steel in those days. Thanks Rusty!
Left-handed Pedalmaster-10, Nashville 1000, Fender Twin, Goodrich