Can we just call it what it is - STEEL GUITAR?

[Steve Ahola]

I am sad that the clean sounds have been lost, and the wall of distortion now fills pop country music, so that perhaps the only thing "country" that is left is the Southern accent on the vocals...

... and the cowboy hat! It seems to me that if you want to hear 70's rock you have two choices: the top 40 oldies stations or the country stations. However there are still some artists playing old school country music. Like Patty Loveless singing "Crazy Arms" with Al Perkins on pedal steel. (Al used to switch back and forth between his pedal steel, his lap steel and his strat when he played live with the Flying Burrito Brothers and Steve Stills' Manassas. Of course Sneaky Pete could sound like all of those instruments on his 8 string pedal steel...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4gsbBDyfvo

I ran across that tune in the Tablature section.

Steve Ahola

[George Rout]

Personally, I don't care what folks call it. But for unknown reasons, it's a big problem for some folks. Just play it (whatever it is) and enjoy it (whatever it is).

Somebody mentioned steel drums. That actually happend to me also. My sister was telling folks that I played steel drums. I will say that is stretching the descriptive name just a bit too far.

And, back many years ago I was playing at a book release concert in Toronto. At the break, a young person came to me and said, "Sir, we have to rearrange some items on the stage and we have to move your slide guitar, but we don't want to touch it. Can you please move your slide guitar. At that time, I didn't know what the heck he as talking about. I tought he had the wrong person!!!!

When I'm asked what do I play, I say "the Hawaiian steel guitar" as I think that those words best describe what they expect to hear. The word "Hawaiian" is a bit more descriptive for what I play, but I wouldn't dicker over it.

Have a good day folks.

Geo

[Dom Franco]

Nearly every time I perform, I take some opportunity to explain what it is I am playing. This way I head off the barrage of questions later on.

When I get ready to play the Steel guitar rag, I sometimes hold up the bar and tell them, this is a steel bar, and that's why it's called a steel guitar.

When I play a Hawaiian song, I tell them that it is also called a Hawaiian Guitar, and then I go into a Western Swing number and I say something to make the connection between Hawaii and Cowboys songs...

Then I slant the bar in such a way to make a train sound, pumping the volume pedal (Very convincing) and I lead into Chattanooga Choo Choo, and later Explaining that the 6th tuning Get's that Glen Miller tight harmony.

Occasionally I will compare the lack of frets and the sliding into notes, with a slide Trombone and then lead into Tommy Dorsey's signature tune "I'm Getting Sentimental over You"

So basicaly I "teach" the history, and varied uses of the Steel Guitar in music as part of my Show.

It is very well received and over the years I have learned what to say to get laughs, and keep it entertaining. Playing solo steel to my own background tracks allows me to be very flexible and take requests, and tailor each set to my audience.
Dom

[Chris Walke]

It is very well received and over the years I have learned what to say to get laughs, and keep it entertaining. Playing solo steel to my own background tracks allows me to be very flexible and take requests, and tailor each set to my audience.
Dom

Well, Dom, I don't think I'll be in Oregon anytime soon, but if I find myself there, I'll be looking for a venue you are playing. Sounds like great fun.

[George Rout]

Hi Dom and Chris. Dom, I have a chamois with which I wipe down my gutar when I'm finished. Before playing Steel Guitar Rag, I hold up the cloth and say, "This next tune is all about this cloth. It's titled the Steel Guitar Rag". Steel players snicker and others wonder what the heck I'm talking about!!!!

Chris, I play with a lot of my own tracks also, and I agree you can have a lot of flexability. When folks come to my home and we play in the music room, I refer to all my backing tracks as "my house band".

Music is really so much fun.

Geo