One Horse Town Steel Guitarists

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 28 May 2011 1:40 pm

Bill, maybe you should get your pharmacist to translate my post to you.

Oh yeah, by the way ….
topic

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 28 May 2011 2:01 pm

Bill I NEVER ask my pharmacist ANYTHING. That's what my doctor makes the big bucks for.No more than I would ask the salesman that sold me an auto why it's running rough,think it makes more sense to go to the service center and consult an automotive technician.And don't worry about those old grizzlys,don't think they hang out in your neck of the woods,YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 29 May 2011 4:16 am

Charles,

"If the truth be known", I doubt if I could match wits with you or Barry, in a serious argument. As usual, it's difficult to actually arrive at your peak competence levels on the pedal steel. If my recollection serves me, I seem to recall that your tuning arrangement differs slightly from the usual E9th chromatic tuning. Some of the early starters who began playing nonpedal steel back in the 40's and 50's, would savvy your tuning, much better than I. As for Barry, he spends way too much time trying to stir up nonexisting, trumped up assumptions to settle down to real life situations. Notice that he is even vague about normal avenues of information, such as his locale, or present activities. I spend too much time discussing irrelevant issues with him on this forum. It has become a nuisance trying to make sense of why he behaves improperly. Apparently, he wishes to remain in a group of jesters with no purpose, other than to remain true to an early acquired bad habit of stepping over the line of respect for others.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 29 May 2011 4:42 am

Bill it all boils down to "People who have nothing to do,usually wind up doing it"..

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 29 May 2011 5:30 am

Joe,

There is no substitute for good neighborly relationships. It wouldn't take longer than a mayfly's lifespan to realize that I'd need to make other living arrangements, should I find myself surrounded by certain elements who choose to detract from the grace of good fortune.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 29 May 2011 6:36 am

Bill, I am not, nor was I ever, arguing with you here. I am simply asking you to produce a drawing of your changer, as you stated you could. I have not seen it yet.

Bill it all boils down to "People who have nothing to do,usually wind up doing it"..

Bill, you are becoming one of these people.

Post your playing and I will post Bills playing..

Joe Casey, I have posted my playing, now the ball's in your court…

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 29 May 2011 7:07 am

Barry,

This kind of behavior is suffocating to the senses. Why can't you lighten up on this course of belittling each of my endeavors, one by one? I can assure you that I've put some serious effort into learning the basic moves on the pedal steel guitar. Try as you may, you can't change the facts of life.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 29 May 2011 7:11 am

Bill, wouldn't it be easier to just produce the drawing?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 29 May 2011 8:56 am

Les Anderson · Post by **Les Anderson** » 29 May 2011 10:13 am

As one who is a published author and writer of many essays and editorials in news papers, there is one golden rule we are taught to adhere to at all times. Compose and use words and phrases that are easy to understand and follow by your targeted genre of readers.

Bill, you obviously enjoy writing on subjects that encourage or spark follow up discussion. You must however, appreciate that the large majority of the readers of this forum are not schooled in advanced English prose nor are they comfortable with trying to read your puzzling phrases and ambiguous statements.

If it is your goal to draw attention to yourself or to your discussions by using a myriad of misplaced words, ambiguous sentences and paragraphs and confusing written statements then, you have succeeded in your goal remarkably well.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 29 May 2011 10:42 am

Bill,You say if your recollection is right that my[Charles] tuning is different. SHOW me ANYWHERE, at ANYTIME you SAW that,READ that,or HEARD that. PLEASE

I'm waiting.

Barry made a very SIMPLE REQUEST,Of course he will never get an ans.Don't forget I would like to know how you know so much about my tuning. YOU BETCHA.DYK?BC.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 29 May 2011 2:14 pm

Charles,

I would not make that kind of mistake. The reason for not doubting my memory is due to what you might call repetitive thinking about your original statement. I found your statement rather disappointing at the time. It was one of those exchanges that followed a stretch of uninterrupted civility. Can you believe that? I'll try to locate the statement, although it might prove to be temporarily futile, at least for now.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 29 May 2011 2:37 pm

Les,

Thanks for pointing out the areas where I have failed in my attempts to communicate with both contrary and agreeable forum members. It's my turn to respond in like fashion. Have you ever taken the time to view some of the techniques of body builders? Everything they do is a silly iota or increment of the former exercise. When you see me warming up, take it for granted that someone is egging me on. I'm very much involved with the pedal steel guitar, but extracting new news about techniques, tunings, and amp settings has all but eluded my friendly approaches to discuss those subjects in detail. I live in a "0ne Horse" city, population, 50,000. Pedal Steel Guitars are a rarity in this section of The Berkshire Hills. There are thousands of 6 string Spanish guitar players here as of today. I would imagine that somewhere down the road, the city will acknowledge an increase of at least a smattering of steel guitarists.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 29 May 2011 7:01 pm

Bill,which mistake are you talking about. Still waiting for an ans.How do you know ANYTHING about my tuning.Now you are throwing body builders and steel together,Saw lots of those Charles Atlas ads when I was a kid,Never once thought of a steel guitar.When you find the article,interview,or post showing my tuning please print it,My inquiring mind wants to know.You said you would locate the statement although it MAY be temporarily prove to be futile. I can guarantee it will be futile,You can't make fact out of fiction,just that simple.

YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 30 May 2011 2:14 am

Charles,

If my recollection has not been beset by your constant fuming, I seem to recall where you said something about an extended 12 string tuning. I can't be precise without reading the page, and for some reason names such as Anderson, our hero from the state of Texas seems to be intermingled in your comment. This would of course ascribe to your (wow) 12 string utilization. I've always felt a desire to remain with the wonders of the single 10 string steel guitar. I know, many or most of the experts playing pedal steel, have moved to the 12 string models, to capture those bottom bass notes of the extended 9th tuning. Would you be willing to recite your extended 9th tuning for me? I would be interested in knowing for sure each individual pitch level of strings seven through twelve, for the purpose of making comparisons. Did you arrive at your present tuning piecemeal, or did you purchase the steel tuned to its present tuning? Have you ever experimented with 13th tunings?

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 30 May 2011 4:07 am

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 31 May 2011 11:50 am

Bill I Apologize for my use of what I guess is Latin terms used by lawyers in my last post. It was merely an unconscious outburst from watching too many Perry Mason reruns.
I never dreamed that it would stir such controversy.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 31 May 2011 2:24 pm

Bo Legg,

I'm with you, and all things that are "cool" in life. Good news after a physical exam will make life much brighter, as would many other sunrises on a day when pleasant surprises in music, friendships, and new incentives open up new opportunities. Not surprisingly, quite often fitting very well into an individual's lifestyle. Almost everyone, has had memorable moments in this life. That is the best that we can hope for. Thanks...

Mike Pace · Post by **Mike Pace** » 31 May 2011 5:54 pm

Bill,

Just want to chime in~ my only memorable "steel guitar" experience concerning the "one horse towns" which surround Pittsfield, pertains to a speeding ticket which I received on rte. 8 South in Hinsdale as I was in route between pow-wows with fellow fourmite/steelers Doug B. (north hampton) and Gordon T. (winsted)......

The next month I sat down with a magistrate and the pin-head sheriff of the above mentioned borough at the district court in Pittsfield. Although I got off, I still wasted a day of work..... Looking back, my only regret of the whole experience was not knowing you!!!!!

Next time I end up in Pittsfield, we definitely have to sit down and trade licks..... I promise I'll keep my eyes closed the whole time~ if I catch a glimpse of your changer you might have to kill me!!!

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 1 Jun 2011 8:49 am

Mike,

Indeed, Doug and Gordon are two of the best teachers of guitar and pedal steel within a large radius of the Central Massachusetts/Connecticut borders. They have taught numerous students over the past 30 or more years how to become proficient players of either instrument.

I have written in the past, that I do enjoy visiting and jamming with steel guitarists or guitarists who would be interested in driving to this one horse city at their convenience. I enjoy country oriented steel guitarists, although old standards are good challenges; as well.

On the various speed traps that are all too common traveling east on Route 20 from the Lee, MA. area to Westfield, I'm very well schooled on the unreasonable trooper concentration along the Route 20 byway. The State Police Barracks are located in Russell, MA where the speed drops to 35 M.P.H. from 55 M.P.H. traveling west on Route 20. Drivers beware! Law officials have a much better than average appetite along that strip. And BTW, don't count on the road crews trimming the branches back, that obscure the speed signs! This much I know.

Thanks for filling me in on your Berkshire County experience. As for that particular village where you were stopped, I doubt if you are aware that some changes are taking place in that community. Say hi to Doug and Gordon for me. Thanks..

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 2 Jun 2011 8:19 am

Yesterday a Tornado tore up Springfied pretty bad..It spared my Kids homes but I'm told it took the roof off my old house and took down a tree..My Other Daughter in Monson saw the thing from her home as they live high on Monson Hill..They were spared but scared..Downtown where all the clubs use to be had numorous big building damage and a lot of homes were lost..Tho that area is not a Tornado alley it has had some big ones in the past...The kids may be happy several schools were badly damaged..One might say there is always something popping in the Bershire foothills.I'm told the one horse survived...

Lynn Kasdorf · Post by **Lynn Kasdorf** » 29 Apr 2012 4:48 pm

I did a double take when I saw this posting- because I am the One Horse Town pedal steel player! That is, I was the steel player in the Washington DC/Northern Va based band called "One Horse Town"!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/onehorsetown

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 29 Apr 2012 6:45 pm

In my previous post, I stated that I came from a 1/2 horse town..........due to threats of personal harm, I cannot name which half it was.

Bob Hickish · Post by **Bob Hickish** » 30 Apr 2012 5:16 am

Roual Ranes wrote:In my previous post, I stated that I came from a 1/2 horse town..........due to threats of personal harm, I cannot name which half it was.

Larry Rafferty · Post by **Larry Rafferty** » 30 Apr 2012 7:07 am

I am also from a one horse town...Ballston Spa, NY with a population of 5500. I know at least 12 PSG players within a 25 mile radius of my home. The steel guitar is alive and well here in upstate NY. Larry Edwards is among the top of the list with some of the best John Huey licks...Randy Rollman, a former Nashville Studio musician is a top PSG player with whom I visit often. Randy is also owner of the Legend Music Store.
He styled his playing after the great Little Roy Wiggins...
George Schacter (leader of the Aged in the Hills Band) lives just a couple of miles from me...Tiny Olsen, David Bevins, Andy Narzinski, etc.,etc.

Many of these players and instructors have stopped in to pick a few songs, and I am fortunate to be surrounded by so much talent and interest in the steel.

I never would have met some of these players if it were not for the Steel Guitar Forum and contributors like Bill Hankey.

I met Bill for the first time at last years MassBash.
He took the time to show me his angled fretboard extension. I made one out of cardboard and it helped greatly in attaining accuracy on the upper register. Most of the steelers are more than willing to share their expertise. This has been a great thread.