Who is Your Favorite Steel Guitar Player?
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
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Favorite Steel Players
Santo Farina, David Hartley, Tony Arrowood.
- Steffen Gunter
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Danny Stewart
My fascination for the steel guitar started with listening to him and he's still the one I'm listening the most when listening to instrumental steel guitar recordings, even more often than to JB's – although I really admire JB's playing I'm not so happy with the productions.
My fascination for the steel guitar started with listening to him and he's still the one I'm listening the most when listening to instrumental steel guitar recordings, even more often than to JB's – although I really admire JB's playing I'm not so happy with the productions.
My YT channel: www.youtube.com/user/madsteffen
- Tony Lombardo
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Favorites???? It depends on the day and the mood that I am in........Tuesday it was driving all day and listening to James Farmer playing behind Marty Robbins singing REAL country music of the early to mid '50's. Tom Brumley any day that I listen to him play his 'Hank Williams Medley'.....Jody Cameron on any day that I listen to him play 'Here's That Rainy Day' or his Dicky Overbey inspired 'Another Bridge to Burn'...... and of course, Buddy Emmons any time of any day.
D10 Emmons LeGrande SKH (rebuilt by Billy Knowles), D10 Emmons Push/Pull (setup by Billy Knowles) , SD10 Rittenberry
- Steve Branscom
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Well, without including JB, my personal candidates are Dick McIntire, David Keli'i, Benjamin Rogers, and George de Fretes. I just cannot pick one of them! Outside of Hawaiian music, Bob Dunn's idiosyncratic style was one of my first exposures to early electric steel playing - and he still thrills me!
Commodore S-8
John Allison S-8
JB Frypan S-8
Sho~Bud LDG SD-10
1966 Fender Super Reverb
John Allison S-8
JB Frypan S-8
Sho~Bud LDG SD-10
1966 Fender Super Reverb
My favorite player will always be Speedy West. He roped me in to the steel guitar, thanks to Guitar Player magazine, which published a small but informative number of steel guitar articles back in the 70s and 80s. The most evocative player I've heard yet. Of all my favorites, he's probably the one I play least like, but conceptually I feel closest to him. Guitar Spectacular is a top notch LP and I can say that I tried to live up to that with my own record.
Next would be Sol Hoopii, Gabby Pahinui and Buddy Emmons.
Next would be Sol Hoopii, Gabby Pahinui and Buddy Emmons.
- Guy Cundell
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- David M Brown
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Speedy was rather unique!Mike Neer wrote:My favorite player will always be Speedy West. He roped me in to the steel guitar, thanks to Guitar Player magazine, which published a small but informative number of steel guitar articles back in the 70s and 80s. The most evocative player I've heard yet. .
He did some crazy good stuff with Jimmy Bryant, too.
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It depends on the day as there are qualities I admire in many, many players. But if you made me narrow it down, the list is Speedy West, Mike Auldridge, Curly Chalker and David Feet Rogers. There's a richness and depth to Speedy's playing that stays with me. Mike's Dobro first caught my ear at age 17 and the finesse and poetry of his Dobro playing still stands out from the crowd. I bow at the waist to Emmons but Curly's pedal playing (except for when he used a B3 simulator) slays me. Lastly, there are many beautiful Hawaiian-style players but there's something about the poetic, minimalist approach Feet had that always moves me emotionally.
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
- Chris Templeton
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- Bob Tuttle
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- George Piburn
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1st Chair and all around 1st class person.
I've always considered the 1st chair player and so much more.
Maurice Anderson
His ability to play a melody in every key in a single tune and improvise the most intense Swing - Bee Bop Lines is beyond Compare.
Maurice Anderson
His ability to play a melody in every key in a single tune and improvise the most intense Swing - Bee Bop Lines is beyond Compare.
GeorgeBoards S8 Non Pedal Steel Guitar Instruments
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel
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I agree with George. Reece Anderson is my favorite. Pedals or not, D10 or U12, country, jazz or pop, Reece brought unmatched elegance and a sense of luxury to his playing.
Besides being one of the finest people I've ever known, Reece was a master musician, teacher, scholar and innovator whose instrument happened to be steel guitar.
Besides being one of the finest people I've ever known, Reece was a master musician, teacher, scholar and innovator whose instrument happened to be steel guitar.
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ditto. So many great ones who bring their own personalities to their playing, but the riffs just seem to flow out of David Keli'i. Virtuosity matched with seemingly endless ideas and stylistic flexibility...slow and sweet or blazing fast. His backup playing alone is uncanny. Often intricate and busy like he's playing a duet with the singer, but never gets in the way.Einar Baldursson wrote:Impossible to pick one of course but these days it's David Keli'i.
For a modern player, I like Jeff Au Hoy.
- C. E. Jackson
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Thank you Roger. I am highly honored and humbled. This old civil engineer never expected to be named anyone's favoriteRoger Conant wrote:First message on site.Too old to understand process.My favorite steel (and dobro) players= C.E. Jackson and Shot Jackson.
steel guitar player.
C. E.
My Vintage Steel Guitars
My YouTube Steel Guitar Playlists
My YouTube Steel Guitar Songs
A6 tuning for steels
My YouTube Steel Guitar Playlists
My YouTube Steel Guitar Songs
A6 tuning for steels
- Tony Lombardo
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- Bob Watson
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- Larry Lenhart
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Bob Watson, I would agree with you exactly !Bob Watson wrote:Pedal Steel: Jimmy Day
Non Pedal Steel: Jerry Byrd
Zum Encore, Pedalmaster D10, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, 1976 Ibanez, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, Boss Kamatra 100, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp
- Roger Crawford
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So many greats to choose from! I'll break it down into two categories.
Legend players, Buddy Emmons and Lloyd Green
Soon to be Legend players, Mike Johnson and Tommy White.
Actually, Mike and Tommy are pretty much legends now.
While a lot of players have a signal path that goes from their head to their hands, these guys share a signal path that goes from their head to their heart, then to their hands. It makes a difference.
Legend players, Buddy Emmons and Lloyd Green
Soon to be Legend players, Mike Johnson and Tommy White.
Actually, Mike and Tommy are pretty much legends now.
While a lot of players have a signal path that goes from their head to their hands, these guys share a signal path that goes from their head to their heart, then to their hands. It makes a difference.