Family members that play steel

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 1 Mar 2019 9:03 am

My dad ,uncle, son an brother in law have played for years.
My dad an uncle took lessons in Hawaii after The Pear Habor bombing they were there for a year doing clean up. Can you imagine two Arkansas Farm boys getting a opportunity to live in Hawaii an take steel guitar lessons.
My son Zane started taking lessons from Zane Beck at the age of 9.
After a few months of lessons Zane Beck would only give Zane Mostly Jass lessons an cord structure. With Zane Becks 12 string tuning.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 1 Mar 2019 2:12 pm

I have a cousin (RIP) in Michigan that played pedal steel. I didn't know he played until it was too late. His name was Billy Vann. He played for Rem Wall as I recall. I wish I knew that he played decades ago. It would have been great to share the journey with him.

http://www.hartfordmichigan.com/wwwroot ... illiam.htm

Jim Cooley · Post by **Jim Cooley** » 1 Mar 2019 2:50 pm

My uncle has played since the 1950s. He's to blame for my obsession.

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 1 Mar 2019 4:25 pm

Yes I move to Flint Michigan from Arkansas in 1968 My Uncle Burl King played pedal steel I would play acoustic rhythm for him every Sunday for hours. We also built two pedal steels in his Basement. At that time there were several very good steel players playing at the palace garden an wagon wheel an several other places in Flint Chuck Adams,Ray Scarce, I think Terry Bethal took Steel lessons in Flint.
Don Green, an Bobby Houston. Good memories for sure

Ron Hogan · Post by **Ron Hogan** » 1 Mar 2019 6:08 pm

The Kings are Steel Guitar royalty! Kings of Steel.

I met my my Wife while I was on the road with Freddie Hart and found out she was a steel player. SO I HAD TO MARRY HER.

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 1 Mar 2019 7:54 pm

Ron you never told me that story thatâ€™s cool. I guess sheâ€™s much better player than you Ha ha

Chris Sattler · Post by **Chris Sattler** » 2 Mar 2019 5:15 am

My brother is a member here. He has nice Carter but it needs to be played more.

Hear that Paul!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 2 Mar 2019 10:13 am

My brother Dennis King plays steel as well in our family. The difference in him and me is he is much better looking, at least that is what he tells everyone.

Steven Hicken Jr. · Post by **Steven Hicken Jr.** » 3 Mar 2019 4:03 am

2 and a half generations...

My ol' man

My big brother

The one born hilariously late...
(The best mistake you could ever make).

On a more serious note I love Zane King's playing, very unique in his choice of phrasing and techniques.

Cheers,

Steven Hicken Jr.

Cameron Fulp · Post by **Cameron Fulp** » 13 Mar 2019 9:48 pm

My Grandaddy , Jerry Phelps from Tyler TX. Grew up sitting on his lap watching the grand oleâ€™ opry (back when it was real country) on Saturday nights. Heâ€™s a preacher , so Sunday mornings I would watch him play during sound check....until I got ahold of some drum sticks. Preachers have this great con â€œletâ€™s get our kids into music ministryâ€= itâ€™s heck to find a consistent drummer or pianist or guitar player....haha but on a serious note I wouldnâ€™t trade growing up the way I did for anything. See my Grandaddy every day and heâ€™s 77 and still rocking and rolling ! Groove has no age limit!!!!! ðŸ˜Ž

Ron Scott · Post by **Ron Scott** » 21 Mar 2019 8:59 am

Johnny I knew all of these players in Flint and started taking steel lessons from Chuck Adams in 1968 or !969. He was a lead guitar player but knew how to teach steel guitar. Quite a good time to grow up in Flint with all these guys playing their. I was very good friends with Ray Scarce for years until he passed away.

Johnie King · Post by **Johnie King** » 21 Mar 2019 10:51 am

Ron thatâ€™s so cool yes at that time in Flint you could go here pedal steel just about any time of the week. Do you know Clyde Vaughn an Howard Klunz?

Ron Scott · Post by **Ron Scott** » 21 Mar 2019 1:53 pm

Yes I do Johnny. I used to work with the Vaughn family some.I bought my first pedal steel from Howard in 1968 or 1969,a Double neck fender 1000. Traded it for a Sho-bud double Ten next from McCloud music in early 1970's on Corunna Rd in Flint.

Richard Smelker · Post by **Richard Smelker** » 21 Mar 2019 2:30 pm

Richard Sinkler - my brothers and I opened for Rem Wall a few times in the 60's. My parents owned a music store in Hastings Michigan - about 30 miles from Kalamazoo. If I remember right, Rem worked at the Gibson factory too. Now my older brother plays steel, I play steel, and my younger brother plays steel. They both started on steel in the 70's, I started in 2011 - just took me longer to get the bug!!

Bob Bestor · Post by **Bob Bestor** » 22 Mar 2019 1:19 pm

Everybody loved music though. Mom and Dad, aunts and uncles and grandparents all passionately listened to just about everything. But nobody played. Looking back, I'd have thought that there'd have at least been a dusty old, out of tune guitar stuffed away in a closet somewhere in the family. But no. So growing up, playing an instrument wasn't even on the radar. I don't recall giving it a thought until I got to high school and didn't get started until my early 20's. Fortunately both of my daughters play. Hopefully it's a new family trend!

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Family members that play steel

Family members that play steel

Nobody played an instrument in my family.