Will True Country Music Make A Comeback Without Deviations?

About Steel Guitarists and their Music

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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

Craig,

Years ago I enjoyed listening to KENNY ROBERTS, RUSTY ROGERS, JOHNNY WHITE and others doing their double and triple yodels. I've been associated with some of the top guitarists in the country, so forget about sweating the multichord issues. Furthermore, pedal steel guitar is my main instrument of choice.
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Craig A Davidson
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Post by Craig A Davidson »

Bill, then please tell me what qualifies you to spout your knowledge about capos and guitars.
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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

Craig,

I can pick out the most playable of your guitar collection, and most assuredly I never resort to capo use due to impractical issues.
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Craig A Davidson
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Post by Craig A Davidson »

Bill whatever you are trying to tell me okay. You have your world and I have mine. Since you seem to talk in language that only your highly educated mind understands, I will no longer comment on this topic which no longer has anything to do with the return of true country music. I leave you now to your world of million dollar words and phrases. It is somebody else's turn to do battle with you .
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Lane Gray
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Post by Lane Gray »

Bill, certain chord forms sound better than others, so one capos to get the tonalities of certain forms in keys that comport to the singers.
When the Seldom Scene played Rider, in C, Starling would capo to 8!! Because it sounds better out of E, but even if I, Vince Gill or John Cowan COULD sing it in E, that sounds kinda high for that song.
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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

Craig,

I know that it is impossible to weigh another's abilities without weighing his/her claims on accurate scales. Many have learned that "show me" is always more foolproof than claims made from any source or any reason. Thank you for your exchanges.
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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

Lane,

There has been steady decline in listenable and enjoyable music these days sent via the airwaves by DJ's. I would like to hear that those locked doors that promote country music, have once again opened. If you gave me a box full of capos, I would have difficulty finding a practical use for them.
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Bob Simons
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Post by Bob Simons »

Why I get involved in these silly conversations IO don't know, but-

Since when are there rules of creative music? (A concept that has been rightfully mocked throughout EVERY generation of musicians throughout time....)

I quite enjoy the TimeJumpers, but if their claim to excellence is based on selling out a 150 seat bar, let's apply the same criteria to acts that can sell out an 80,000 seat stadium in two hours. There is something to music that people actually like instead of all that old crying in your beer garbage.

Objecting to capos or any form of modification of an instrument to achieve a particular sonic effect is simply foolish and hardly worthy of comment or objection.
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Bill L. Wilson
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Is This Thing Still Goin'?

Post by Bill L. Wilson »

Bro. Bill, I know some folks don't know, how to take your comments and threads you start. But I must say, you really have a way with words, and frankly, I enjoy readin' your stuff, even if half the time I don't understand what you're sayin'.......Being the wordsmith that you are, I'm bettin' you could write some Great Country Songs......Keep throwin' this stuff at us Dim Bulbs in the circuit, and maybe it'll help us Light Up a Little Brighter.
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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

Bob Simons,

I'll wager that less than 5 percent of so-called country music followers have not seen the video or heard Grandpa Jones' song called "FALLEN LEAVES". If you are not left with afterthoughts after listening to the words of the song, your roots as a country devotee are not showing. I'd much rather befriend in social gatherings those who value cultural down to earth country music. It's all a matter of I N F L U E N C E. Luckily, I grew up listening to country music.
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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

Bill Wilson,

I can only wish that I could fulfill your wishes, and live up to your expectations. You are much too kind as the saying goes. I've wondered if you ever heard BUZZ EVANS play when he played in the "Picker's Club" in Oklahoma?
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Bob Simons
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Post by Bob Simons »

Bill! Sadly 9 years of college didn't equip me to decipher and enjoy any idea what the heck you are talking about. Are you really basing your argument for the destruction of all modern music in deference to your view of country music on the work of Grandpa Jones? With all due disrespect, your nuts! Oh! I get it! This is a joke! Wow. You've got quite a sense of humor!
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Barry Blackwood
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Post by Barry Blackwood »

With all due disrespect, your nuts!
Bob, nine years of college and you missed that one?
Last edited by Barry Blackwood on 30 Jun 2014 7:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Bill L. Wilson
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Good Ol' Buzz Evans.

Post by Bill L. Wilson »

Bro. Bill, I've only heard Buzz play on You-Tube, and he is a Great Player. I think I put this in another post about having his old Edwards Light Beam vol. pedal. But not a Smidge of His Great Talent, was left in the pedal, so I'm back to using my Emmons pot pedals. I've heard that Buzz had some health issues, here lately, and I do hope he recovers and can play his steel guitar again. And by the way Bro. Bill, some folks think you're nuts, but to my way of thinkin', anybody that plays, plays at, owns, looks to buy, or has a thought to learn anything about a steel guitar, IS NUTS!!!!!We're all in this together, Lightin' Up Boys.
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Ken Byng
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Post by Ken Byng »

I watched a recording this morning of Dolly Parton performing on the Legend spot at the Glastonbury Festival this weekend. She absolutely stole the whole event, blowing away metal band Metalica and loads of other rock acts. She had the biggest attendance of the weekend and certainly had the huge crowd eating out of her hands.

As well is singing many of her hits, she did a load of bluegrass numbers, and the audience just went crazy for them too. She went a long way to raising the profile of country music in the UK, even though she is far removed from traditional country music these days. The only downside - no pedal steel. That would have been the icing on the cake for me.
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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

Ken,

Thank you for the measure of civility in recounting DOLLY'S appearance in the UK. As is readily readable, there are those who profess in no uncertain terminology that they alone determine who is making a great deal of sense. Obviously, it becomes apparent that certain privileges have been bestowed within their grasp. What a contrast! Listening to the soft spoken words of DOLLY PARTON, and turning to listen to a ranter of subject matters from A to Z. There comes a time when a good bar of soap would do wonders for those who have difficulty keeping a civil tongue in their heads.
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Jack Hanson
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Post by Jack Hanson »

Bill Hankey wrote:Luckily, I grew up listening to country music.
Luckily, I grew up listening to many different genres of music.
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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

Jack,

There are no excuses for not listening to a variety of genres in the average home today. During the great depression when the stock market crashed, many families were hard-pressed to manage raising their children. If you've never known hunger or felt the stubbles poking at your bare feet, chances are you could have difficulty understanding the words of some country songs.
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Lane Gray
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Post by Lane Gray »

Bill Hankey wrote:Bob Simons,

I'll wager that less than 5 percent of so-called country music followers have not seen the video or heard Grandpa Jones' song called "FALLEN LEAVES". If you are not left with afterthoughts after listening to the words of the song, your roots as a country devotee are not showing. I'd much rather befriend in social gatherings those who value cultural down to earth country music. It's all a matter of I N F L U E N C E. Luckily, I grew up listening to country music.
Great song. Here's a pretty version of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKr1WyLKWZI
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

Lane,

Thank you for introducing another arrangement of "FALLEN LEAVES". I can relate to the words of the song. Birds, flowers, leaves, are all very meaningful as part of growing up in the country. I appreciate the warm gesture on your part.
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Bill Hankey
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Post by Bill Hankey »

One last word on the habit of slipping capos off and on during performances. Each chord on the neck of the guitar has its own distinctive tonality. The capo cancels out a given number of colorful tonalities. Whatever is gained is lost through this false methodology.
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Barry Blackwood
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Post by Barry Blackwood »

One last word on the habit of slipping capos off and on during performances.
Doubtful.. :roll:
Dana Blodgett
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will country music return without deviations

Post by Dana Blodgett »

...returning to the topic of original post...What is the definition of true Country music? Staying in the confines of a 1-4-5 chord progression? Any song with Pedal steel guitar in it or lap steel,fiddle?
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Storm Rosson
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Post by Storm Rosson »

:roll: Dana ,obviously Mr. Bill is the sole assessor of what's country!!!! Can't u read/!!! :lol:
Chuck Thompson
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Post by Chuck Thompson »

Re "listenable music on the airwaves" Be assured if the music isn't being listened to by a measurable audience it wont get repeatedly played.

Re: capos. Bill's last foray upon the capo showed that his asserted non-capo heroes were actually found using the dreaded beast......just sayin........ ;-)
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