Is Steel Guitar Fading Away?

[Dustin Rigsby]

If you show up in boots, snaps and a Stetson for an alt hipster gig, they won't call you back.

LOL! A couple years back, I got a call from a just such a band. They'd never seen me but heard I was a pro steel player, and they were a hot new country band and needed a steel player for a local showcase gig. It paid good so I accepted and learned the material.

I showed up in b0b's exact description of my clothes. Talk about feeling like a marshmallow in a raisin box! I could have come onstage in a wheelchair and couldn't be more out of place.

Everyone in the band was in uniform. Sleeveless t-shirts, torn jeans not even suitable for paint rags, and backward ball caps.

It felt like I was onstage at the Grand Ol' Opry.



Hey, they played good, and when I was their age I lost gigs because I had long hair. I know from rebellious youth and changing preferences of dress.

I'm reminded of an old Hank Jr. tune: "Why don't you leave them boys alone and let'em sing their song."

Herb, that kind of reminds me of my cousin asking my father "...is that a real hippie ? My straight laced Air Force father begrudgingly answered in the affirmative....LOL

[Jeremy Long]

thanks for the shout out Will and Jon!! Steel is alive and well. You just have to know where to look these days. Most likely not on your terrestrial radio. Check out Will's playing on Robert Ellis' stuff. Super tasteful and creative playing.

[Niels Andrews]

Music and how it is consumed is what is changing. There has been a huge reduction in the amount of live music venues and therefore opportunity to play. The next and probably largest impact is almost all radio stations are controlled by a handful of entities. It is very difficult for artist to get their music heard. This has changed the entire way money flows through the music World.
In the digital music age an artist has to tour to hope to make a living. It is a big dollar World, and very competitive. So for a handful of musicians in can work. But definitely not like in the 70's where every little bar had a band on the weekends and dances held on a regular basis.
There has also been a cultural change. When I was young it seemed like every weekend there was some kind of get together in the community that resulted in music being played and people singing. I don't see that anymore and possibly because there has been a collapse of the family and there are so many other diversions. Now people all stand around with earphones and an i-something and don't even talk.
So I don't see the motivativating factor present in today's World for young players to take up an instrument as complex as the Pedal Steel guitar. I have talked to young standard guitar players who have given up trying to form a band as there are too many diversions and little reward.
Will it change? Only if and when the underlying dynamics change. I know there will be people who say life is wonderful in their little World and they know a person who knows a person that has a cousin who has a steel guitar, but that is not what I am talking about.

[Herb Steiner]

Music and how it is consumed is what is changing. There has been a huge reduction in the amount of live music venues and therefore opportunity to play. The next and probably largest impact is almost all radio stations are controlled by a handful of entities. It is very difficult for artist to get their music heard. This has changed the entire way money flows through the music World.
In the digital music age an artist has to tour to hope to make a living. It is a big dollar World, and very competitive. So for a handful of musicians in can work. But definitely not like in the 70's where every little bar had a band on the weekends and dances held on a regular basis.
There has also been a cultural change. When I was young it seemed like every weekend there was some kind of get together in the community that resulted in music being played and people singing. I don't see that anymore and possibly because there has been a collapse of the family and there are so many other diversions. Now people all stand around with earphones and an i-something and don't even talk.
So I don't see the motivativating factor present in today's World for young players to take up an instrument as complex as the Pedal Steel guitar. I have talked to young standard guitar players who have given up trying to form a band as there are too many diversions and little reward.
Will it change? Only if and when the underlying dynamics change. I know there will be people who say life is wonderful in their little World and they know a person who knows a person that has a cousin who has a steel guitar, but that is not what I am talking about.

^^^ +1

[Michael Douchette]

Fading away? Well, I can say this much; the clubs on Broadway here in Nashville no longer ALLOW steel guitars on stage after 5pm. One in an afternoon shift is "ok," but it's more "tolerated."

That's pretty sad.

[Rick Campbell]

Fading away? Well, I can say this much; the clubs on Broadway here in Nashville no longer ALLOW steel guitars on stage after 5pm. One in an afternoon shift is "ok," but it's more "tolerated."

That's pretty sad.

Michael,

What reason do they give for this restriction? I'm not surprised. I agree this is pretty sad. I think this answers the original poster's question.

RC

[Bobby Boggs]

Looks like they'd let em play till 9 or 10. You know till the cool crowd gets there.

Seriously, I had heard it was bad. But didn't know it was that bad.

[Dave Grothusen]

My 36 year old daughter who now lives in the KC area, formerly of San Francisco and NY, tells me that the "hipster" generation is getting into steel guitar. Their interest, of course, will not be to our taste but it may proliferate the instrument.

[Bryan Staddon]

Is it really true what Michael said about no steel after a certain time on Broadway,? Because that's really freaking me out, Also do you have to wear one of those porky pig hats to get in after 10 ? Anyway here's my plan to take over the world with pedal steel,
I will create a pounding 2 note phrase at mind melting volume at 140 bpm , it will then loop forever, I will then use every effect available and play a 4 note phrase painful enough to loosen grout in the restroom, then I will steal samples of every great steel player that can't afford a lawyer and I will randomly insert them on top of everything else,I will charge $20,000.00 for a 45 min set and I will just tell everybody that I am the greatest musician of all time, I think this plan is foolproof and by next year everyone on this forum will have a gig doing a Doritos commercial , I will then retire and use my billions to add Willie Nelson to Mount Rushmore

[Neal Goodloe]

So...here's one singer-songwriter's view of pedal steel.

I have been writing songs on dobro for about 6 months, and realized the potential of using a tone bar in song-writing. I bought a '54 Fender Dual 8 Pro last month, and was officially bitten by the bug.

I then found a Stage One listed on my local Craigslist, bought it in the parking lot of a nearby McDonald's, set it up at home and 20 minutes later, a song came out of it.

I took the pedal steel to two open mic nights this week and used it as vocal accompaniment. In a sea of acoustic guitars. Heads turned. Mouths shut. People listened. And loved the sound.

Was what I played considered "traditional" pedal steel? Hardly. But the instrument attracts attention, and conveys a feeling and a vibe that is unique.

Now I just have to get good.

[Michael Douchette]

Is it really true what Michael said about no steel after a certain time on Broadway,?

Per Jamie Lennon; he's the one that told me at lunch one day.

[Barry Blackwood]

Bryan Staddon wrote:
Is it really true what Michael said about no steel after a certain time on Broadway,?


Per Jamie Lennon; he's the one that told me at lunch one day.

Maybe Jamie can weigh in and clear this up for all of us..

[Maurice Daulton]

I am 71 and playing with a 21 year old doing Haggard,Hank,Waylon, among other stuff. It amazes me that a young man will still sing this the way country is today. The steel I think is comming back in a different way. Miranda Lambert has one,Chris Stapleton has one among some others. It will not sound like George Jones or others of the 60's 70;s and 80's but I think it will have a purpose. Too beautiful not to have,.

[Maurice Daulton]

One more thing. Younger players cannot afford to get into a steeel with the cost being what it is. A steel and amp and seat among the peedal at least 2500 dollars. But a lead guitar and amp, around 500. I wish there were a better way of young people being able to afford them.

[Curt Trisko]

A problem caused downstream is that without exposure, other musicians never learn how pedal steel can be utilized in their music.

[Bobby Boggs]

AS for the cost of pedal steel's holding the instrument back. In 1966 my dad payed $1000 for a new Emmons p/p 8 pedals no levers. Now dad payed a little too much. He ordered from a dealer, and sometimes that happens. As for used pedal steels. There were none to be had. Maybe a Fender 400 or 1000. But used 10 string guitars were as rare as hens teeth.

My point. According to the inflation Calculator. What cost $1000 in 1966 would cost $7801.78. So new pedal steels are more affordable than ever. And used ones are plentiful. No, it's not like going to Walmart and buying a $60 6 string. It just cost more to build a pedal steel. No getting around it. One could always start on a lap steel. Play gigs till they could afford to purchase a starter pedal steel. In my area, more paying gigs for lap steel than pedal. Your mileage may vary.

[Curt Trisko]

AS for the cost of pedal steel's holding the instrument back. In 1966 my dad payed $1000 for a new Emmons p/p 8 pedals no levers. Now dad payed a little too much. He ordered from a dealer, and sometimes that happens. As for used pedal steels. There were none to be had. Maybe a Fender 400 or 1000. But used 10 string guitars were as rare as hens teeth.

My point. According to the inflation Calculator. What cost $1000 in 1966 would cost $7801.78. So new pedal steels are more affordable than ever. And used ones are plentiful. No, it's not like going to Walmart and buying a $60 6 string. It just cost more to build a pedal steel. No getting around it. One could always start on a lap steel. Play gigs till they could afford to purchase a starter pedal steel. In my area, more paying gigs for lap steel than pedal. Your mileage may vary.

Young Americans are generally poorer now.

[Bobby Boggs]

Young Americans are generally poorer now

Can't say for sure. I picked cotton by hand to afford my first steel. Also worked at a used car lot washing cars in the winter. Pee Wee Whitewing told me he picked almonds to afford his first steel. I think if someone wants something bad enough. They'll find a way to get it. Some may even resort to working.

[Curt Trisko]

Young Americans are generally poorer now

Can't say for sure. I picked cotton by hand to afford my first steel. Also worked at a used car lot washing cars in the winter. Pee Wee Whitewing told me he picked almonds to afford his first steel. I think if someone wants something bad enough. They'll find a way to get it. Some may even resort to working.

You may not like it, but that's a genuine answer. There are tons of young musicians who like the idea of learning pedal steel, but never take the next step because they don't have money for those kinds of whims.

[Bobby Boggs]

I didn't have the money for those kinds of whims either. That's why I took grunt work like picking cotton and washing cars in winter. My parents provided Food, clothes, and shelter. Anything else I got. I had to work for.

[Curt Trisko]

I didn't have the money for those kinds of whims either. That's why I took grunt work like picking cotton and washing cars in winter. My parents provided Food, clothes, and shelter. Anything else I got. I had to work for.

As much as I enjoy pedal steel, I can't recommend that a young person sacrifice paying their student loans, rent/mortgage, car payment, childcare, etc. in order to get one. I don't think you're understanding that what makes young people poorer now is that unless they want to live on the margins, the basic things take more away from their discretionary income than in the past.

[Kevin Fix]

I am playing in a vintage country group doing county fairs and festivals. Every show I play someone always comes to visit with me after a show because of the fascination with Steel Guitar. Always will get a guitar player who is really interested in the complexity of what it is. I will tell them, "Nothing To It", HA, Both hands, Both Knees and Both Feet!!!!! 20 strings, 8 pedals and 6 knee levers!!!!! Nothing To It, Right? HA!!!! It's been a journey...…..

[Bobby Boggs]

No Curt, we are not on the same page. Or even the same planet. You're thinking young college educated adults with children. I was describing my life from age 9 to around 13. I just assumed that because I started real young and all my hero's started real young. That you were referring to pre-teen's not being able to afford a starter steel. My Bad.

[Donny Hinson]

One more thing. Younger players cannot afford to get into a steeel with the cost being what it is. A steel and amp and seat among the peedal at least 2500 dollars. But a lead guitar and amp, around 500. I wish there were a better way of young people being able to afford them.

But yet they can afford $2,000 for a set of 22" wheels, $1,000 for a smartphone, $500 for a diamond ear-stud, $300 for a tattoo, $200 for sneakers, and $6 for a cup of coffee.

And anyway, who worries about spending money these days?

[Drew Howard]

Older players don't listen to young players, don't work with younger musicians nor listen to new music. If you're set in your ways, fine, but if you're isolated like that, of course you think world is going to end.