How many years have you been playing?

Craig Baker · Post by **Craig Baker** » 17 Dec 2014 5:45 am

It's long been my observation that to become a really great world-class player, you must begin at a young age.
Carter, Charleton, Day, Emmons Franklin, Wallace and White are all examples of my theory.

Unfortunately, it doesn't always hold true. . .
I began in 1966 and you ought to HEAR some of the mistakes I make !

Merry Christmas to All

Craig

billchav · Post by **billchav** » 17 Dec 2014 6:48 am

69 yrs. Started in 1945 at age of 11.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 17 Dec 2014 7:28 am

I envy you guys that started playing at a young age when hands and brain al worked in unison. I got my first steel on my 45th birthday and just turned 70 this year so I've been sitting behind a steel for 25 years, been playing about 5,

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 17 Dec 2014 9:49 am

steve takacs wrote:I'll take the 5th amendment; I'm too embarrassed to say. stevet

Ah! Come on Steve. We already know you are 136 years old.

Bob Gondesen · Post by **Bob Gondesen** » 17 Dec 2014 11:11 am

BoB Gondesen
La Marque Tx

I've been trying to play steel since I was 8 years
old , now I am 83 , and still learning {75} years .

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 17 Dec 2014 3:28 pm

Wow! When I see these posts where they have been plying 60, 70, 80 years, it just blows my mind. I remember a conversation I had with Bobby Black where I asked how long he had been playing. He told me he had been playing (at the time) 35 years. That totally floored me. I couldn't comprehend anybody playing any instrument for that long.

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 17 Dec 2014 4:10 pm

About 46 years. Graduated college in the spring of 1968. Landed a job by the fall of 1968. Bought a car first thing and an Emmons PP D-10 the 2nd thing. Played guitar from age 13 until college graduation. Played Banjo in college during the 60's Hootinanny craze.

When somebody asks me how long I have been playing, I don't want to tell them the truth for fear their next question will be "After 46 years of playing, why aren't you a lot better than you are?" Good question and the answer is "I don't know but I am beginning to suspect lack of talent." I am slow to catch on sometimes.

Craig, I recall several years ago, I read about a Swedish study involving the top musicians and athletes in the world. They were trying to find a common thread among them as to why they were successful. According to their study, the great one's all started before they were 9 years old and had 10,000 hours of practice. Base that 10,000 hours on a 40 hour work week. They have practiced 250 weeks or 4.8 years of practice. This is actual practice in real time.

John Booth · Post by **John Booth** » 17 Dec 2014 5:04 pm

Wow, are we all old fartz?

I know I am. We're like wine with age men.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 17 Dec 2014 5:55 pm

I'm past the "getting better with age" wine slogan. I am now in the "falling apart with age" stage.

Bob Russell · Post by **Bob Russell** » 17 Dec 2014 7:26 pm

I've been playing lap steel about 3 years, pedal steel about a year and a half. I'm just getting to the point where I'm starting to suck.

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 18 Dec 2014 9:53 am

Not enough!

David Hartley · Post by **David Hartley** » 19 Dec 2014 12:04 am

Keep your replies coming. Here's some of the British guys comments.
http://www.thebritishsteeliessociety.co ... f=7&t=6259
There's a lots more of you out there who must have worked out your steel playing time.

Happy Christmas all.

Marcus Provis · Post by **Marcus Provis** » 19 Dec 2014 12:25 am

I first started on pedal steel a little over 5 years ago, at the age of 27.

Marcus

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 19 Dec 2014 1:49 am

35 years. I'm starting to figure it out.

Dick Hitchcock · Post by **Dick Hitchcock** » 19 Dec 2014 7:27 am

55 years.....Egad!!

Markus Mayerhofer · Post by **Markus Mayerhofer** » 19 Dec 2014 8:13 am

I started playing guitar at the age of 12, studied jazz-guitar at the age of 20. I got interested in Lap-Steel and Dobro playing in 2009 and i got my first pedal-steel in April 2013. I'm 40 years by now and completely fell into it...

Peter Nylund · Post by **Peter Nylund** » 19 Dec 2014 11:15 am

I'm just a slow learning beginner. Started in 1978

Jody Taylor · Post by **Jody Taylor** » 19 Dec 2014 12:12 pm

I am 53 and have played guitar for 41 years. Just started learning pedal steel a little over 1 year ago.

Don Barnhardt · Post by **Don Barnhardt** » 19 Dec 2014 3:41 pm

started steel 1950 plus or minus ayear. Hard to remember. I turned 78 today.

Andy Eder · Post by **Andy Eder** » 19 Dec 2014 3:58 pm

50 years on 6 string guitar and 40 on pedal steel.

Andy Vance · Post by **Andy Vance** » 19 Dec 2014 4:00 pm

2 1/2 years on PSG, 29 on 6 string and vocals.

I used to be the "young kid" and while still not as old or been playing as some of you on here, I'm not usually the "young kid" anymore.

Andy

Bishop Ronnie P Hall · Post by **Bishop Ronnie P Hall** » 20 Dec 2014 2:34 pm

Playing in church, a young lad of 9 yrs of age, plus quite a number of other instruments, drums, Standard guitar, Bass guitar, piano, Bb Cornet ( I thought I was Louis Armstrong), Organ, and of course Steel guitar (Lap at first, and Pedal Later) and now I am 72 years young, and I`m still at it. To tell the truth, I dont know if I`ll ever get the hang of any of them (Haha) I`m having a good time though! Glad you asked Dave, and Merry Christmas everybody!!!
Ron BTW It has been 62 years of musical bliss!

Alan Harrison · Post by **Alan Harrison** » 20 Dec 2014 2:52 pm

Six string guitar 72 years and pedal steel for 45. I'm work'n real hard on em.

Don Ricketson · Post by **Don Ricketson** » 20 Dec 2014 6:13 pm

Started in 1949. Will be 66 years next month on my 79th birthday.

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 21 Dec 2014 1:11 am

It'll be 30 years next year. Started in 1985 at age 24.

Kind Regards, Walter

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