What kind of music do you actually want from the Pedal Steel

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 23 Jun 2011 1:49 am

With all these threads in regard to traditional Country as gone by the wayside and Pedal Steel is dead, I guess I am puzzled..

As a musician, are you only wanting to play traditional Country music and only wanting to hear the Pedal Steel on this genre of music ? Because if you are ,you are part of the big finger pointing to Pedal Steel guitars as being only a Country Music Instrument. You have placed it into the big lock box. Seeing that modern Country music is NOT the same as early Country Music ex; 60's 70's....we have a problem here...

We are complaining that the Instrument is dead... well, which is it ? The early style of music is dead or the Instrument is dead ?

Yeh I know, some of us will say

"You can keep that rock new Country music trash ,I won't play it".

I do find it odd that the D10 camp carries around a Country music neck and a Swing/jazz neck... so evidently it's not just about Country music afterall because everyone on this bd loves Buddy ,Paul, Curly , Doug , Herby etc...when they play jazz !

So , to my way of thinking the Pedal Steel must be a Country Music and Jazz Instrument ! The proof is we buy the Jazz CD's and gobs of TAB lessons from these fine Jazz players.

It's ok to play Country and Jazz, but do not play pop or rock ...

Now how did this happen

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 23 Jun 2011 2:15 am

I have rotating chunks of stuff I listen to, and I tend to play in that vein. Classical-> 50's horn jazz -> Indian -> early 70's type rock -> modern rock -> artsy weird noise music -> ummm. I listen to a rather small amount of each type, a lot, a couple of times a day for a good CD. Dave Easley & Mike Perlowin have supplied me with a stash of excellent, off the main track stuff, lately.

The types of music I don't like seem to be grouped together by the fact that the spoofs and the real stuff seem one and the same. You really can't spoof rap... or opera... or heavy metal. If you group together the most ridiculous aspects of one of these, you've got a hit record! - Metalocalypse -

I wasn't too enamored of the modern Allman Brothers, they seemed "over-rehearsed" as a friend said. But I've uncovered a small run of 2010 shows on Sugarmegs.org where they're playing extraordinarily well:

http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/Allm ... terNYC.asx
- "Jessica", dear me.
http://tela.sugarmegs.org/_asxtela/Allm ... terNYC.asx

They're playing a lot of the old Dickey Betts-penned stuff, now that he's retired maybe it feels more comfortable. Trucks and Haynes are superb. So, I'm stuck back where I started on steel - playing "Stormy Monday", "Whipping Post" etc.

P.S.(Something tells me I'm not quite the "average" here.)

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 23 Jun 2011 5:29 am

I would love to hear more players playing in the style of the great ECM recordings--ethereal, very harmonically adventurous and informed, just wide open. It would require someone with exceptional compositional skills.

I am very appreciative of what Susan Alcorn does and I wish listeners would get past their own biases and try to appreciate it for what it is. It seems that many will only give something a chance if the player in question has proven him-/herself by playing traditional styles first, as if that is a benchmark for a player's validity.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 23 Jun 2011 6:48 am

I want to hear the steel in EVERYTHING. (well, maybe not rap.) I want artists in every genre to have a steel player in the band.

Dave Hopping · Post by **Dave Hopping** » 23 Jun 2011 7:07 am

Now wait just a gol-derned minute there,Tony!Wanting to play country 'cuz it's got lots of steel is NOT the same as wanting steel excluded from other genres.I'm with Mike in wanting to see steel everywhere in music.To me the addition of steel makes something sound more country.And therefore better.

Philip Sterk · Post by **Philip Sterk** » 23 Jun 2011 7:31 am

I'll chime in here.

I think that one of the great things about the world in which we live in today is the fact that any one performer can follow their own musical path. For me, I believe living in a place that gives me a multitude of musical experiences has brought me an undeniable amount of joy and education.

One of the many blessings of playing the steel guitar is that fact that it CAN be played in so many different musical settings. Under the umbrella of American roots based music (this includes everything from Hawaiian, Country, Rock, Jazz and all its kin), the steel has a unique, grand and pronounced VOICE. The exciting thing about the steel guitar IMHO is that it really is a young instrument in history. For example, the cello was brought to the musicians hands in the 16th century! It is still blazing new musical paths in the hands of the many esoteric and gifted musicians that play them.

The steel guitar (pedal or non-pedal) does and will continue to do this also. Old roots music isn't dead and will never die out. It may become more academic, as paradigms of popular music shift, but will always find a home, (for better or worse, jazz is an example of this). Performers and composers will find a place for the steel guitar. This has been happening from day one.

All this talk about steel guitar dying a slow death is rubbish. Music doesn't die, people do. If you want music to live, you are responsible for being a good teacher and passing it on. The best teachers are those who have reverence for their forefathers and yet are able to create an environment for learning. Most importantly a great teacher allows the student begin to follow their own musical path. You take from the old and you make new again. Its the cycle of life.

Personally, I love any kind of music that I can tell is honest and has conviction. I want to hang and every note and every word. That is high art in my book. It doesn't matter what year is was made. If someone can't understand that, then they just are refusing to listen.

Bob Hempker · Post by **Bob Hempker** » 23 Jun 2011 7:49 am

I appreciate all kinds of music. I don't care what one wants to categorize it as, as long as it's performed well, I like it. I've heard steel guitar in all genres of music. Some of it I like, some of it I don't. I hear steel guitar on some Country things that I don't care for. My main thing is for this great instrument to get positive exposure. That promotes the steel guitar, which in turn, will get us all work.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 23 Jun 2011 8:03 am

Achy-Breaky Heart.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 23 Jun 2011 9:27 am

My personal preference is to apply the pedal steel guitar to any kind of music that I can.

Last year I played several "straight" jazz shows with the inimitable Tom Grant, more recently I spent two nights playing at the Spirit Mountain Casino, one with former Nashville singer-songwriter John Bunzow, the other a full night with The Boomer Band, a 9-piece Doo-Wop revue complete with costume changes and a couple of total babes on saxophones, who gave my steel guitar a solo on nearly every song. We had a blast, the audience loved it, and we plan to do it again next month at Carlton, Oregon's "Walk in the Park" festival, right after I play a traditional western set with the incredible Miss Joni Harms.

I recently laid down tracks for a classical chamber group's new album and am currently working with several excellent groups, each of them distinctly different but all of them fully appreciative of what the steel guitar can do.

Blue Moon Highway plays a mix of country, blues and 1970's "country rock" standards - http://www.bluemoonhighway.com

Buck Smith and the Connollys features Merle Travis' old sidekick and the Columbia Gorge's own Bob Connolly, playing lots of traditional swing and country tunes, a few more modern gems from the likes of Rodney Crowell and Dwight Yoakum, and many of Buck's great original tunes such as "Honey Shave Yer Legs, We're Going Dancin'" and "Harley Hawg."

What more can I say about the fabulous Miss Joni Harms, a great singer and songwriter who plays old and new and stays true to the western spirit throughout. Her website - http://www.joniharms.com - showcases lots of her material with prominent steel guitar from the likes of Mssrs. Sonny Garrish and Paul Franklin.

Most of my time these days is focused on a project we call Ron Rogers and the Wailing Wind, which features Ron's great song-writing and a four-piece collection of some of the best players around. We have recently released a new CD - "Country and Eastern" and have most of another already in the can, with dozens more yet to be recorded. Our material runs the gamut from pure country to over-the-top experimental and all of it most decidedly pedal steel guitar music - http://ronrogersww.com/
http://vimeo.com/24800685
http://www.pdxaudio.com/ronrogers/soulsalvation.mp3
http://www.pdxaudio.com/ronrogers/underthewheels.mp3
http://www.pdxaudio.com/ronrogers/restlesssound.mp3

So back to Tony's original question: I WANT IT ALL AND I WANT IT NOW!!!

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 23 Jun 2011 9:32 am

I can't think of any one instrument that's restricted to only one kind of music. A steel guitar with pedals or no pedals is just a guitar and is capable of producing some beautiful sounds no matter what style of music you play, so why restrict it to only country or any other style.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 23 Jun 2011 10:25 am

I want to hear (and play) it in any music for which it seems to fit, which is lots. The instrument is in its infancy - there's no telling where this will go. All this wrangling is completely pointless.

One thing for sure - there are certain things a steel guitar can do that no other instrument can. This is a very good thing for those that play it.

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 23 Jun 2011 10:50 am

Kevin Hatton wrote:Achy-Breaky Heart.

Kevin- Did you ever have to play it? :,Can you sing it?

No steel on the cover recording.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 23 Jun 2011 11:33 am

Dave Grafe wrote:

I recently laid down tracks for a classical chamber group's new album

I'd very much like to hear this. Do you have the final mixes yet?

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 23 Jun 2011 12:55 pm

I don't have a copy of my own yet, Mike, but hopefully will receive one before too much longer.

Funny thing, it was a modern composition and the comment was made that the steel guitar part was what made it sound "classical" so go figure $:\$

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 23 Jun 2011 1:54 pm

Hey - where'd all the rednecks go?

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 23 Jun 2011 2:51 pm

What Dave Mudgett said.

Dennis Graves · Post by **Dennis Graves** » 23 Jun 2011 3:28 pm

I'll let this video answer the question for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_m_iLLqey8

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 23 Jun 2011 3:40 pm

Mike Perlowin wrote:I want to hear the steel in EVERYTHING. (well, maybe not rap.)

Rap is a vocal style, not a musical style. You must really mean hip-hop.

I just want to hear steel in the music that I play. Style hardly matters.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 23 Jun 2011 4:51 pm

Joe, unfortunately I was forced to play Achy-Breaky Heart repeatedly in a band I was once in. I took hostages one night, and the authorities had to talk me down from th roof. The press was there and it was real embarassing. It made the 6 o'clock news. Yeah I can sing it, but so can Shamu, The Killer Whale at the Orlando aquarium. He can spit water outt'a his blow hole though when he sings.

Scott Henderson · Post by **Scott Henderson** » 23 Jun 2011 6:09 pm

Did you really expect someone to come on here and say..."Nope I want to hear it on country or I don't want to hear it!!!" This whole "death of steel guitar" thing is really getting silly. Go play your guitar, however you want to in whatever genre, and enjoy it. Heck you paid enough money for it so ENJOY IT!!! I thought this was steel guitar forum not steel guitar morgue.....Let's be green with our cyberspace and learn positive things from each other not depressing stuff...

Chuck Thompson · Post by **Chuck Thompson** » 23 Jun 2011 7:02 pm

man i have been trying to avoid these dead horses but i was going to post a 3-4 paragraph diatribe advertising KOFR (kranky old fart radio) but Scott said it all in such a short space and to the point.

Let's be Green! Lloyd and otherwise

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 24 Jun 2011 12:09 am

Tony Prior wrote:We are complaining that the Instrument is dead... well, which is it ? The early style of music is dead or the Instrument is dead

The early style of music is dead. That's what all the complaining is about. It's like "I can't get any gigs playing the music that I grew up with." or "I can't get any gigs playing the music that inspired me to play PSG." In both cases, that music happens to be 'traditional country'.

On the other hand I can't say I don't sympathize with the grumblers. I felt the same way back in the late 1970s when it looked like disco was going to annihilate rock 'n' roll. Gigs for rock bands started to become fewer and far between back in those days.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Jun 2011 12:53 am

Just remember fellow 10 strong pluckers..
I am asking the question..not answering the question in the initial post...

Achey Breaky Heart is not an answer, it's a song...not one I happen to care for but apparently millions of others did...

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 24 Jun 2011 12:55 am

Just remember fellow 10 string pluckers..
I am asking the question..not answering the question in the initial post...

Achey Breaky Heart is not an answer, it's a song...not one I happen to care for but apparently millions of others did...

Oh and just for posterity...

Many of us really like Duane Allmans style of slide on the Les Paul thru those stacks, killer tone, killer licks...he has become an ICON in the genre.

Did you know that the made for Country Music Pedal Steel guitar such as a Maverick, using just TWO Pedals (A+B) you can pretty much mirror all those great Duane Allman phrases. Now plug that Maverick into a stack and lets see what happens !

Just throwing it out there...

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 24 Jun 2011 2:02 am

Actually, if I could play 70's funk on steel guitar, I would!

Clete

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What kind of music do you actually want from the Pedal Steel

What kind of music do you actually want from the Pedal Steel

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