Is Steel Guitar Fading Away?

[Doug Beaumier]

I've been playing pedal steel with a group of twenty-somethings for the past couple of years and it's been a lot of fun. We play a mix of classic country, 50s/60s pop, and originals. I'm 40 years older than anyone in the band, but we all get along fine and we love the music. It's nice to play steel guitar for a whole new generation of listeners, young folks who really appreciate the music and are curious about this amazing contraption called the pedal steel guitar!

[Pete Burak]

I would bet there are more people playing Pedal Steel Guitar today, than any other point in history.
On FaceBook they have this feature called "People You May Know"...
I sometimes scroll through the pics of Steel players, and there are a phenomenal number regular folks playing Steel that I have never heard of.
Tons!

[Drew Howard]

There are young guys I know who play steel.
They may or may not play it how you like to hear it.
Some of them want to keep the old music alive, others couldn't care less, it's a tool for them.

[Jerry Overstreet]

The last few posts are the reality, I think. Steel guitar is all over the place. It's not in danger of extinction. There will always be someone somewhere that loves the steel guitar sound and will pursue it. Also groups and other people who want it to be incorporated into their sound. To what end, and to what context notwithstanding.

Cost wise, I think Donny pretty much summed it up.

[Cameron Fulp]

I’m 24 years old , and have been playing since I was 17. Traveling on the weekends. I obviously love to play shuffles and a bunch of the standard honky-tonk stuff like probably everybody on here, and prefer to play that, but What I am finding out on a daily basis is in order to keep this instrument alive we have to blend To the type of music that’s current. Paul Franklin talk specifically about this in his seminar that I attended in Dallas a few weeks ago. For example, He said back in the day Pete Drake told him when playing “chimes” or doing swells on a pop record always make it known that you are playing a Pedal Steel, otherwise a producer will replace you with a synthesizer in a hot second because that’s a lot cheaper. With that being said, I think that steel guitar is in a very exciting time right now. Millennial’s like myself do like it, in fact I have personally helped at least four different guys get into playing in the last two years. I think what is a major hindrance for young people like myself is the price of guitars, and the rest of the equipment. It’s really hard for someone who is in college or high school, or heck even just getting life started to afford to buy a $3000 instrument... now granted I do I understand there are thousands of great used guitars, and some under $1000, but a lot of people will google a steel guitar and see that it is 3500-5k dollars and immediately mark it out.

I have never heard of a pedal steel guitar company financing a guitar… I know you can go down to guitar center and get an instrument or equipment financed... I know as a business owner there are pros and cons to that, but I know too as a young man that that is a huge help… Just a little food for thought, I might be crazy for even opening this can of worms but that’s just what I’m thinking.

[Bob Russell]

I'm finding lots of younger musicians who embrace the sound of the steel guitar. Their tastes may not always meet the likings of the older steel guitar players, but they are very interested in what the steel guitar can do in their music. If we don't stay stuck in the past, our instrument will live and evolve.

[Paul Sutherland]

Steel Guitar is like Banjo, Accordion, and Bag Pipes. They just can't be killed.

[b0b]

I think what is a major hindrance for young people like myself is the price of guitars, and the rest of the equipment. It’s really hard for someone who is in college or high school, or heck even just getting life started to afford to buy a $3000 instrument... now granted I do I understand there are thousands of great used guitars, and some under $1000, but a lot of people will google a steel guitar and see that it is 3500-5k dollars and immediately mark it out.

I have never heard of a pedal steel guitar company financing a guitar… I know you can go down to guitar center and get an instrument or equipment financed... I know as a business owner there are pros and cons to that, but I know too as a young man that that is a huge help… Just a little food for thought, I might be crazy for even opening this can of worms but that’s just what I’m thinking.

Truth! If you go to Sweetwater (for example), you can buy expensive equipment on time. They bill your credit card every month so that you don't have to pay interest on the full amount. If I were starting a working band, that's how I'd finance the PA. Problem is, they don't sell pedal steel guitars (or marimbas!).

My own path to pedal steel was through a 6-string lap, then a D-8 console, then a piece of junk, then a loan from my inlaws to buy a Sho~Bud. Not ideal but I knew from the day I put a bar to strings that it was my destiny.

[James Mayer]

I took a new job a couple of months ago and, getting to know a co-worker, I learned that his 14-yr old son is really into Santo & Johnny. He's also into early instrumental surf-music and rockabilly, Link Wray, etc etc.

[scott murray]

the number of steel players in my town has easily doubled in the last 5 years. there's a resurgence in older styles of playing and a ton of experimentation and envelope-pushing as well.

the instrument is alive and well, and loved and appreciated by players and non-players alike. more steels become available every day, and the market is such that a good steel can be afforded without too much difficulty. it's also never been easier to learn.

most pedal steels are built to last, and there's a lot of them out there. they'll be around longer than most of us will and someone is going to come along and try to play it.

hearing the steel guitar used in surprising new ways, like on Daft Punk's last album or the Superman soundtrack from a few years back is refreshing. so is hearing older-school sounds from country to swing and jazz. the steel can do it all, and that's why it won't fade away.

[Brett Lanier]

I can't remember the last time I got a gig because I play pedal steel, and perhaps that speaks to the point of the original post. But, it is pedal steel that i play primarily and somehow I keep getting gigs. In a lot of cases I'm filling the role of what a synth or keyboard player would be doing. Plenty of times I've been asked to not play things that are obviously pedal steel sounding, but I'm fine with that, and enjoy the challenge of expanding my rolodex of sounds and textures that can add to a song.

[Fred Treece]

Two years ago I was the only steel player in my county. The number has doubled since then. The guy is about half my age. But now we’re the only two in 4 counties.

I concur with Cameron Fulp on the prohibitive cost of pedal steels for young people. I certainly could not afford to spend what I would have paid for a decent used car in 1978 on an instrument. Even now, I have to do some hard bargaining with Headquarters to justify the expense, especially given that at my current rate it will take two years worth of gigs for a new guitar to pay for itself.

[Bob Carlucci]

here's my take on the subject-.. listen hard for it in any type of MAINSTREAM radio.. its not there at all.. Yes there are certain venues, certain areas of the country, and some local or regional acts that use steel.. however there are local or regional acts using a Hammond b3 and leslie too..
we all hear about how great the steel builders are doing, many new builders etc, but don't forget, very few guys own A steel these days.. they own a bunch, and will buy a 3rd or 4th for a specific purpose... What are the musical forms that all these mysterious new players are focusing their learning curves on?.. Jazz steel guitar?.. Classical?.. Few great players out there to draw inspiration from I suppose.

Country?.. Could be,,, for all the many 17-21 year olds that listen to Buck Owens/George Jones/Merle Haggard etc The guys that were most popular before their fathers were born.. Sorry I don't buy it.

The pedal steel is a great instrument, and it will always be played, and people will always like its lovely sound??. Will they go out of their way to seek it out?.. not likely.

Will a band thats doing ok financially add a good pedal steel only player to sweeten their sound?. nah.. Well maybe if he plays 3 or 4 other instruments. sings great, is 21 and looks like a young Warren Beatty.

Pedal steel is one of the worlds great musical instrument, and in its most finished and accepted form is a 100 percent american invention.
However, its had its best days for the most part in mainstream music , with a few notable exceptions of course.
It will be in bars , clubs, small venues, and some popular regional acts will always have one, but be honest steel players, Us old timers can recall the days when a good steel player was hot ticket, and good bands would do anything to get a good player, and if he quit they were devastated by the fact that they might not find another.

Always, year after year, way more bands were looking for steel than good players were looking for bands.
Nowadays, thats reversed.
Bands have dumped the steel because their music doesn't require it, or they can't afford it, and its simply not that important in the grand scheme of things.
Nationally known country artists tour regularly without it, and don't use it on their recorded music to any extent.

110 years ago, Mandolin Orchestra music was all the rage, but 50 years later they were unheard of, and the accordian was the instrument of choice for many young musicians, and was extremely popular on TV shows and recordings..
People change, their tastes change.

Pedal Steel had its day in the sun, and now is past its peak. So to answer the OP question, Is Pedal Steel fading?.. In my opinion, yes it is, but as always, exceptions are to be found... bob

[Jerry Overstreet]

I believe the original question concerned the commercial value of steel guitar in music. None of us have any control over that nor should we worry about it. It's out of the players' hands.

There are still large groups, like the forum here, many clubs and organizations around the world for steel guitar.

It just doesn't matter if it's on so and so's new artist's recordings. All we can do is continue to expose it within our means. We're not the ones who decide what goes on in the music industry.

I just recently saw some PBS stuff that was a Dulcimer gathering of sorts. There was a huge group of participants and followers. Can you make a living playing Dulcimer? I doubt it. Will you always be able to make a living playing steel guitar? Maybe not, but you can still enjoy playing it and if you want to make music a career, you can still learn another more popular instrument and try to insert the steel guitar wherever you can.

Many steel players are just plain bullheaded and sullied because everyone doesn't accept the instrument like they do and refuse to see it or use it as anything other than an element of country music. That's too bad.

My advice is to love it, make it interesting and play it as well as you are able, whenever and wherever you can and stop worrying about it's future.

The cost factor...well, it's a matter of priority. If someone wants to do it, they'll find a way.

[scott murray]

let's be honest: mainstream music's best days are behind us. artists can't sell albums anywhere near what they used to and much of the new stuff being played on the radio is not even worthy of being called music.

the most meaningful music being made these days is live, in a variety of venues, and/or among friends. seems like there's a steel jam happening somewhere just about every weekend and that certainly wasn't always the case. there's still a lot of recording going on too, even if the finished product can't sell like it used to.

if you're lamenting the fact that steel will never reach the heights it did in the 60s and 70s, you need to realize that no artist or band or song or album will ever have that level of success again. and that includes every instrument under the sun.

all things considered, steel guitar is doing well. it's not going to die out anytime soon, in fact just the opposite is what I'm observing.

[Curt Trisko]

If we're only talking about steel guitar as it was played in music in the 60s and 70s, then I don't think the question is a complicated as we're making it out to be.

Aside from the passage of time and evolving tastes, steel guitar was a victim of its own success. It's been branded in ways it'll probably never outlive. Also, there was so much of that music produced that everything in that style has been done before (repeatedly) and very few people feel the need to keep reliving and rehashing it.

So if you look at it that way, it's wrong-headed to think of it as "fading away". Instead, how about thinking of it as having its "flash in the pan" moment and now finding a more permanent "normal" and natural place in the music universe.

[Bruce Bjork]

I’m a 71 year old retired guy who has been playing banjo, dobro and guitar for 35 to 55 years. I now have 22 months on Pedal Steel and play out every week at open mics, primarily back up. People love it, will they take it up “no”, but I point to those who express an interest to music they’ve heard that has Pedal Steel so they can relate to it. I also play PSG at a monthly Blues Jam (very very good musicians) at a local brewery, i play because that’s how I’m working on my chops. One of the better guitar players who didn’t know my short tenure on the instrument told me I was an awesome player. My advice, and I love old country and americana music, mix it up, play music that’s not associated with the 60’s sound of PSG and over time folks will appreciate it more.

Probably totally off point on this topic but everything comes around eventually.

[Landon Jarrel]

I'm 18, and I play Joaquin Murphey-sounding stuff.

People my age know the sound of non-pedal steel from the T.V. show Spongebob, which featured Jeremy Wakefield playing Hawaiian-style lap steel. It is not dead in the public's musical subconscious. Most people I talk to know exactly what a steel sounds like, but they don't know what on looks like.

I would have never gotten into steel as seriously as I have if it weren't for hearing Joaquin with Spade Cooley and Tex Williams.

[David Mitchell]

Being young and fashionable is important for stardom, but you don't have to be beautiful. A sideman playing the steel guitar just has to fit with the visual style of the band, which is mostly about clothing and haircuts. Look at pictures of Buddy and Paul in the '80s. Trendy clothes are expected. If you show up in boots, snaps and a Stetson for an alt hipster gig, they won't call you back.

This is true. About 20 years ago when my little brother and I were in Lufkin, Tx. my brother got a request to audition as a bass player in a country band that he later found out at the audition that the band never worked paying gigs. They just got together every Sat. night in their homes and played. My brother noticed they were all dressed up like George Strait getting ready to shoot an album cover. They told my brother he was an awesome country bass player but just didn't fit in with them. My brother told me that in his opinion the only reason he got rejected from the non-paying band is because he showed up for rehearsal in blue jeans, tee shirt and tennis shoes. Sometimes old men reject the young players. That's okay, I hired him to play bass and sing the harmony with me and we made our entire living for 5 years playing music. We only quit because we were worn smooth out from playing 8 gigs a week. We played matinees and at night.
May seem off topic but a lot of old steel guitar players helped put the steel guitar on the endangered species list by living in the box and that includes the way they dress and the song list.

[Fred Treece]

This is true. About 20 years ago when my little brother and I were in Lufkin, Tx. my brother got a request to audition as a bass player in a country band that he later found out at the audition that the band never worked paying gigs. They just got together every Sat. night in their homes and played. My brother noticed they were all dressed up like George Strait getting ready to shoot an album cover. They told my brother he was an awesome country bass player but just didn't fit in with them. My brother told me that in his opinion the only reason he got rejected from the non-paying band is because he showed up for rehearsal in blue jeans, tee shirt and tennis shoes. Sometimes old men reject the young players. That's okay, I hired him to play bass and sing the harmony with me and we made our entire living for 5 years playing music. We only quit because we were worn smooth out from playing 8 gigs a week. We played matinees and at night.

That is one of the best, funniest music business stories ever! Sounds like your brother almost found his way into some weirdo George Strait cult...

[David Mason]

I usually leap on this one with fangs, claws and nosehairs unfurled (REMARKABLY similar posts occur every 4 months - and have for the 15 years I be here now) but I waited and sure enough, the smart people already said it all:

I would bet there are more people playing Pedal Steel Guitar today, than any other point in history. P. Burak

If we're only talking about steel guitar as it was played in music in the 60s and 70s, then I don't think the question is a complicated as we're making it out to be. - K. Trisko

"Real country" music is now called Americana and it's drizzling steel guitars out of every orifice. But what's called "country" music, like what's on AM, FM radios and television, is some form of POP-rock in hats. Perhaps the greatest insult levied by that stuff IS in the so-called solos - it's usually one bar of tele-twank, one bar of steel, one bar of either "fiddle" or harmonica and one bar of a dog crapping in your ear and/or banjo. These are called signifiers so you know you're listening to country, if pop-rock songs about about chucking some "gurlz" into yer "truck" to get drunk at the "ol' fishing hole" leave you goal-oriented types confused. It would be interesting to know how many steel guitars are sold every year, as there sure are a lot of people making them.

[Donny Hinson]

You don't need a new BMW or Lexus to learn to drive. You also don't need a $3,000 guitar to learn to play pedal steel.

(There are presently six very decent guitars for beginners for sale on eBay for under $1,500 - not including two Carter Starters that are also listed.)

[Bobby Boggs]

Landon Jarrel wrote.

I'm 18, and I play Joaquin Murphey-sounding stuff.

I would have never gotten into steel as seriously as I have if it weren't for hearing Joaquin with Spade Cooley and Tex Williams.

You're a freak. But I'm impressed. Got any youtubes? Speaking only for myself. Thanks for introducing great steel guitar playing to the younger generations.

[Paul McEvoy]

I’m not sure why players seem to pass by the lap steel on the way. I started with a crappy rogue 6 string which was prob a mistake but now have a Melbert 8 string which I love. I’ve been working hard on C6. I used to love the sound of pedal steel but never really understood it. For the $250 I paid for this guitar used I’m starting to get what feels like a nice bar technique down which I probably would have missed if I went to straight pedal steel. Also now working on string pulls, together with vends I’m getting some reasonable pedal steel sounds but also getting some of the history of the instrument.

Now I’m pretty sure I know exactly how I would use a psg. But I’m not totally sure I want to get one because this thing is pretty awesome and cheap and portable. If I could really max it out, it would be cool to make it my instrument.

Anyway. The buy in is much lower and it seems like a great foundation. I don’t know why people pass it by other than I think initially it’s more work to get it to make a sound. Also there’s a lot less educational material.

[Maurice Daulton]

I would bet that other steel guitar shops will have a way to finance steel guitars and equipment. My 21 yr old singer has just bought a Collins accoustic guitar 4 thousand plaus and his bank gave him the go ahead to finance it with their credt card.