Introducing STEEL RESOLVE, steel guitar nonprofit

[Josh Killian]

I know the forum cares about the future of the steel guitar, so I am very happy to announce Steel Resolve, a nonprofit organization whose purpose is providing steel guitars, lessons and mentoring for the next generation of players.

Within the next few months, Steel Resolve will be a fully tax deductible charity and our initial goal is to have ten kids in the program within a year.

While we would greatly appreciate any donations from forum members, what we really need now are your contacts and support. I've been playing the steel for a short time, and while I have met some great players and people, I don’t have the relationships you guys do.

In order for this to work, we will need dedicated kids that want to play! We will also need teachers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers and your ideas.

If you would like to get involved, have some ideas or have any questions, please post here and let me know! If you would like to talk to me personally, please email through the forum. I would be happy to answer any questions.

[Erv Niehaus]

Sounds very similar to what they're doing in Iowa.

[Josh Killian]

Sounds very similar to what they're doing in Iowa.

Hi Erv, I'm assuming you are talking about Jump Start? I've spoken to a couple of former students that have great things to say about the program. They doubt they would be steel players today without it.

From my limited knowledge, it sounds like we have a very similar goal, which is to get as many kids as possible access to guitars and lessons.

[Erv Niehaus]

Josh,
Yes, you are correct. Give Lefty a call and I'm sure he would be glad to help you get started.

[Kelsey Hammer]

I'm one of the Jump Start students from Iowa and co-creators of That Thing|That SOUND (the steel documentary about the future of the instrument). I can say first hand how a program like this will change lives. It will do as much for new players as it will for the instrument itself. Josh is a great guy who is devoting a lot of time and energy. He is doing this right and I'm excited to help him anyway I can. Please consider getting involved!

[Jim Cohen]

Josh, is your program regional (Georgia) or national?

[Josh Killian]

I'm one of the Jump Start students from Iowa and co-creators of That Thing|That SOUND (the steel documentary about the future of the instrument). I can say first hand how a program like this will change lives. It will do as much for new players as it will for the instrument itself. Josh is a great guy who is devoting a lot of time and energy. He is doing this right and I'm excited to help him anyway I can. Please consider getting involved!

Thanks so much, Kelsey. That Thing|That Sound will certainly increase the exposure of the steel to many new potential players. My hope is Steel Resolve can help meet the demand you guys create!

[Josh Killian]

Josh, is your program regional (Georgia) or national?

Hi Jim, we will be national.

I'm hoping to match kids with instructors around the country, with the instructors being compensated for their time. We also want lessons to be availible through Skype or other video chat services. This is why I need recommendations from the forum as to the best teachers out there. We have two outstanding pedal steel teachers in Tommy Dodd here in Georgia and John McClung in Washington that we are looking forward to working with, but we will be needing more, particularly lap steel instructors.

[Bud Angelotti]

Looks like a great thing!
Good luck with your endeavor.
Cheers!

[John McClung]

Four things:

First, Josh Killian is currently a student with me and going like gangbusters in his progress with E9.

He's also a really nice guy, Skype lessons with him are always fun.

He's also father to a 4-year old(?) son and now an infant daughter, so how he thinks he'll have time to spearhead this project, I'll never know. I do know he's dead serious about getting a younger generation interested in playing steel guitar, so I'm throwing my hat in to help in any way that I can. I hope you will consider doing the same.

Lastly, can someone link me to the Iowa project, I think this is the effort I recall from a few years ago, but couldn't find anything online or on the Forum, after several detailed hunts. Thanks. Just post it in a reply here.

[Donny Hinson]

What will be the main source of income for the corporation? Raffles? Donations? Shows? I do know the IRS looks into non-profits very closely, so you'll have to have ongoing and meticulous bookkeeping records (receipts, disbursements, issuing 1099's, filing taxes, etc.) to avoid problems with them.

It's a noble effort for you to do this, but it's not an insignificant task.

[Nathan Emerson]

In my conversations with Josh I am blown away by his compassion and excitement for the pedal steel, reminding how fortunate I was to have mentors from the Jump Start Academy and why we started That Thing|THAT SOUND.

We have put Josh in touch with those on the board for Jump Start and Lefty to figure out what would work best. Josh has done his research and decided a non-profit would work best for his mission of clarity, transparency, and trust. There has been a lot of suspicion and criticism within our community for those trying to help further the steel guitar and Josh knows this is the best way.

I am excited Josh is spearheading this program. Though I can't speak for the Jump Start Academy, I will say many of us are feeling a glorious exuberance that more programs are starting and hope the idea will grow. EVERY player under the age of 40 I have met in Iowa (or moved away) started LEARNING from the Jump Start Academy. The #1 roadblock the academy has every year is lack of mentors! Some mentors can only take on one student and a few students drop out, but most who finish don't need a lot of time but just a source of knowledge to ask questions without public ridicule. Again, the program will need mentors not just resources. I would take a bullet for my mentor Roger Miller, the steel guitar saved my life...

Thank you Josh for your mission of furthering the steel guitar

[Josh Killian]

Looks like a great thing!
Good luck with your endeavor.
Cheers!

Thanks, Bud! It was good talking to you and I appreciate your support.

[Josh Killian]

Four things:

First, Josh Killian is currently a student with me and going like gangbusters in his progress with E9.

He's also a really nice guy, Skype lessons with him are always fun.

He's also father to a 4-year old(?) son and now an infant daughter, so how he thinks he'll have time to spearhead this project, I'll never know. I do know he's dead serious about getting a younger generation interested in playing steel guitar, so I'm throwing my hat in to help in any way that I can. I hope you will consider doing the same.

Lastly, can someone link me to the Iowa project, I think this is the effort I recall from a few years ago, but couldn't find anything online or on the Forum, after several detailed hunts. Thanks. Just post it in a reply here.

Thanks, John! Its been fun getting to know you, too. Here's a link to the Jump Start page, btw.
www.steelguitarjam.com/?Page=3

I'm really excited about John joining as instructor, for both his teaching skills and his forward thinking. I was skeptical about lessons via Skype, but it is a very effective and convenient way to learn. It will also allow Steel Resolve to reach many more kids who don't have access to a local teacher.

[Josh Killian]

What will be the main source of income for the corporation? Raffles? Donations? Shows? I do know the IRS looks into non-profits very closely, so you'll have to have ongoing and meticulous bookkeeping records (receipts, disbursements, issuing 1099's, filing taxes, etc.) to avoid problems with them.

It's a noble effort for you to do this, but it's not an insignificant task.

I appreciate the questions, Donny. Income is going to come from a combination of fund raising events like concert benefits and shows, donations and grants.

We are working with a nonprofit attorney who is in the process of securing our 501(c)3 designation now. We will be a registered Georgia corporation in the coming weeks, with the federal designation following in the next 3 months or so. We also will be working with an accountant with experience with nonprofit corporations.

We want all the i's dotted and t's crossed so we will have no issues with the IRS. It is also very important that those donating have complete confidence that their donations will used effectively and will be tax deductible.

[Josh Killian]

In my conversations with Josh I am blown away by his compassion and excitement for the pedal steel, reminding how fortunate I was to have mentors from the Jump Start Academy and why we started That Thing|THAT SOUND.

We have put Josh in touch with those on the board for Jump Start and Lefty to figure out what would work best. Josh has done his research and decided a non-profit would work best for his mission of clarity, transparency, and trust. There has been a lot of suspicion and criticism within our community for those trying to help further the steel guitar and Josh knows this is the best way.

I am excited Josh is spearheading this program. Though I can't speak for the Jump Start Academy, I will say many of us are feeling a glorious exuberance that more programs are starting and hope the idea will grow. EVERY player under the age of 40 I have met in Iowa (or moved away) started LEARNING from the Jump Start Academy. The #1 roadblock the academy has every year is lack of mentors! Some mentors can only take on one student and a few students drop out, but most who finish don't need a lot of time but just a source of knowledge to ask questions without public ridicule. Again, the program will need mentors not just resources. I would take a bullet for my mentor Roger Miller, the steel guitar saved my life...

Thank you Josh for your mission of furthering the steel guitar

Thanks for your support, Nathan.

We wanted everything to be above board on this project. We chose to be a 501(c)3 corporation, not just to garner donations, but to have a open, reviewable process that builds trust and transparency.

I couldn't agree more about the importance of the mentors and teachers. They are going to be the lifeblood of the program. They are the ones who will be in regular contact with the students, to guide them, keep them motivated and assess their progress.

To those on the forum: if you or anyone you know would be interested in being a teacher, please let me know. This will be a paid position.

[Tommy Dodd]

I want to publicly acknowledge my involvement with this project. Josh has a been student of mine for over a year now and has made remarkable progress. I've even had him set up beside me at some local jams to help him "jump in" playing with a live band.

In the process of getting to know Josh, his wife, and his Dad I have gained a great deal of respect for him as a father, son, and overall family man. I think his efforts here to help out the "less fortunate" beginners of steel guitar says volumes about the character this young man has.

I will do whatever I can to help ensure that this project is successful and hopefully we can soon see some young, fresh faces sitting behind a steel guitar.

[Josh Killian]

I want to publicly acknowledge my involvement with this project. Josh has a been student of mine for over a year now and has made remarkable progress. I've even had him set up beside me at some local jams to help him "jump in" playing with a live band.

In the process of getting to know Josh, his wife, and his Dad I have gained a great deal of respect for him as a father, son, and overall family man. I think his efforts here to help out the "less fortunate" beginners of steel guitar says volumes about the character this young man has.

I will do whatever I can to help ensure that this project is successful and hopefully we can soon see some young, fresh faces sitting behind a steel guitar.

Thanks so much, Tommy. We are very grateful to have your support, help and know-how.

One of my luckiest days was when I made the decision to play the steel. I did a Google search and found out I had a world class player and teacher in Tommy Dodd 15 minutes up the road. Tommy has been an awesome teacher and mentor for me and we are looking forward to giving others the same opportunity to learn from him.

[Joe Naylor]

I know there are many young players around. Many think that it is dying.

I just sold a seat to a 15 year old and yesterday to a 16 year old. Last week I shipped a seat to Europe to a young man that is 16 also. He is taking Skype lessons from someone, maybe in Europe because of the language. There are a lot more out there than most know.

Saying all that, I agree with anything that gets more people playing.

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com

[Josh Killian]

I know there are many young players around. Many think that it is dying.

I just sold a seat to a 15 year old and yesterday to a 16 year old. Last week I shipped a seat to Europe to a young man that is 16 also. He is taking Skype lessons from someone, maybe in Europe because of the language. There are a lot more out there than most know.

Saying all that, I agree with anything that gets more people playing.

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com

Hi Joe,

Getting more people playing is probably the simplest way to describe our goal. Anything that makes it easier to get started playing the steel is a good thing.

By the way, I'm loving my new seat!

[Roger Miller]

One of the things that come to my mind is how to accomidate this program to fit your area. You must have a program design to #1 Have enough instructors and have a agreement with the instructors on how the guitar will be taught. #2 Cost of everything. There are more, these are a few. Everyones program will be different than ours, but the point is the same.

I just recieved a email yesterday from someone in a very repitable school in Los Angeles, asking the same questions about a Jumpstart program there. They had said the kids are crazy for steel guitar.

[David Mason]

As is probably my expected niche, I'm gonna go wide looping left here: consider that MAKING a lap/console type steel guitar has got to be one of the very easiest instruments imaginable, and ANY high school wood shop is already well-equipped to perform the whole shebang.

Here are three big sites for builders; online advice, connections etc.:
http://steelguitarbuilder.com/forum/index.php
http://www.mimf.com/phpbb/
http://www.projectguitar.com/

There are an ever-increasing number of parts suppliers, and I'd bet a class or group of people could source wood en masse* and find some groovy-grained stuff; but the two biggest suppliers, and ones that I know have already participated in this sort of thing, are these guys:
http://www.stewmac.com/
http://www.lmii.com/

They may even have established models for organization, it's (easily?) another entire full-time idea, really. PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE SIMILAR THINGS KNOW WHAT PROBLEMS LURK AND HOW TO AVOID THEM. The power you can generate for suppliers has to do with combining purchases into bulk orders, of course. Like, the MIMF people and Stew-Mac already have some whammy built up together, and the MIMFers have their own tool outlet: http://www.mimf.com/toolstore.htm

I'm gonna throw Frank Ford's site in here, just because he's a cool dude, would know stuff that could be helpful (like MAKING certain tools can often get you better & cheaper results on some things) and if you dig through his site, between he and Stew-Mac's Dan Erlewine, there's enough online advice to build a spaceship ALREADY:
http://www.frets.com/

I tinker a lot, fix things, I've made some guitars that... worked (ahem); "finishing" is NOT my raison d'etre*. However, I've had two friends with similar skill levels who bit the bullet and went to luthier schools (1. Roberto/Venn, 2. Minnesota Southeast Technical), and they'll be employed or employable as long as they wish to.

I wonder if enterprising high school boys can still trick gooey-eyed high school girls into painting the damn things, or is that sort of thing "incorrect" nowadays? O.K., personal caveat #1: when a normal six-string electric guitar sucks, the standard response is: "But it'd be a great slide guitar!" Partially because of this, but mostly because THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STRINGS, a lap steel with only SIX STRINGS is vaguely toy-like. Yes, I KNOW there are gorgeous $4,000....... (toys?); but an EIGHT STRING steel kicks open the door and shoves you through it, you know? It's a REAL STEEL GUITAR, not just a half-useless six-string with crappy action and no frets.
(flashbangs, smoke bombs, ya ya ya - I said "personal"...)

But the main, heaving, monstrous caveat here, the GIANT one, is: there have been a number of scamsters plowing up this field for quite some time, a couple of them right here, and you'll need to BACK UP your claims of what you're doing and how. We are some really swell folk, but the gooey-eyed "I'm just doing it for the li'l chilluns" model of collecting instruments and equipment - to sell for a profit - it works GREAT the first time, NOT-SO-HOT the second time, and, I hate to say, but we're all prepared for Mr. Three with sharpened pitchforks and billowing torches. As of yet, attempting to breed "human nature" out of "human beings" has not met with great success, unfortunately. Hey! Another project for ya... I don't mean to be a dick, but without articulating this, you -might- hit little pockets of resistance that seem inexplicable - you are now explicted!

*(ooh la la!)

[Roger Miller]

Dave lets open a new thread on this, not hyjack this thread.

[Josh Killian]

One of the things that come to my mind is how to accomidate this program to fit your area. You must have a program design to #1 Have enough instructors and have a agreement with the instructors on how the guitar will be taught. #2 Cost of everything. There are more, these are a few. Everyones program will be different than ours, but the point is the same.

I just recieved a email yesterday from someone in a very repitable school in Los Angeles, asking the same questions about a Jumpstart program there. They had said the kids are crazy for steel guitar.

Thanks for the advice, Roger. I've heard nothing but the best things about you and your mentoring in the Jump Start program.

We are working on getting instructors committed to teaching in the program and I would agree that an understanding with them is very important. We are also realizing the costs and how quickly they add up. Figuring out ways to develop steady revenue is going to be paramount.

[Josh Killian]

But the main, heaving, monstrous caveat here, the GIANT one, is: there have been a number of scamsters plowing up this field for quite some time, a couple of them right here, and you'll need to BACK UP your claims of what you're doing and how. We are some really swell folk, but the gooey-eyed "I'm just doing it for the li'l chilluns" model of collecting instruments and equipment - to sell for a profit - it works GREAT the first time, NOT-SO-HOT the second time, and, I hate to say, but we're all prepared for Mr. Three with sharpened pitchforks and billowing torches. As of yet, attempting to breed "human nature" out of "human beings" has not met with great success, unfortunately. Hey! Another project for ya... I don't mean to be a dick, but without articulating this, you -might- hit little pockets of resistance that seem inexplicable - you are now explicted!

*(ooh la la!)

I do appreciate the warning. I've heard the stories and I understand that there will be plenty of skepticism. That's one big reason why we wanted to become incorporated, so we will have the oversight of the IRS. The combo of the IRS and the threat of forum pitchforks will keep us in line.

There will also be plenty of pictures and videos that will be posted here, on social media and on our website, as soon as we get some students started in the program.

As for the pockets of resistance, we've already encountered some, but they have been the minority. I hope once they see the good we are doing, their minds will change. In the meantime, we are going to be focused on the things we can control.