When did you start playing steel?

[Tommy Boswell]

I got bit by the pedal steel bug after playing in a production of Always Patsy Cline with my elder cousin Kenny Boswell (RIP) on steel. That was in the late 2000s. My son brought me my 1st PSG from Alaska, a MSA Classic he found at a garage sale. Four PSGs later, all my 6-string guitars are collecting dust.

[Pete McAvity]

Some time in 2005 my neighbor saw me take delivery of a 12 string Yamaha acoustic I'd purchased off of Ebay. He told me that he had a guitar in the basement which I may be interested in- it was Grandpa's old guitar. I told him that Gradnpa's old guitar is my favorite kind of guitar, and he came back with this little case. I knew before I opened it, and informed him as such, that it was a lap steel. Turned out to be a (probably) 60's white MOTS "English Electronics" badged Valco (with original case & 3 telescoping legs!). Great sounding guitar w/ string thru PU. I ended up cutting a check for $200 after he tried to give it to me for free, informing him he was still shorted on the deal. A couple of months later I signed up for a talent show type thing at a local bar where I had 3 weeks to write and perform three songs with four randomly assigned strangers, so I tuned it to DADGAD and had a trial by fire start.
Graduated to an 8 string 3 pedal Miller, Then an MSA Sidekick, then my first proper 10- a GFI Student S10 that I got new from Scotty's with student loan proceeds, all used as gig instruments. Later purchases from Scotty's were my D10 Excel Superb and U12 Kline. Dewitt (Scotty Jr.), Michael Scott and Don Curtis (RIP) were the most gracious and courteous hosts and fielded all of my stupid questions while offering to share the endless stream BBQ and cake that seemed to flow through the store. Had I not been born in St. Louis, I don't know that I would have progressed along the learning curve & stuck with it given the hands on support that was available. That- and the fact that I didn't have to get on a damn plane once a year to see how it's really done.

[Mike Bacciarini]

I got infected in the late 60’s by Buffalo Springfield’s Kind Woman. Seeing Poco live at the Fillmore in SF pushed me over the edge. But it took until 1971 to actually buy an MSA Semi-Classic S-10 4/2 and a bar. That's all... no fingerpicks, no amp. Just a flat pick and a stack of Poco records. I concentrated on strings 5,6,7,8 and figured out what the pedals and levers would do, then began adding in the other strings. Toured in a Christian country-rock band “Hallelujah” in ‘74 & ‘75. Man, that was great.
Eventually sold the steel years later
Finally decided to jump in again in 2019 when I sold my sound company. Jim Palenscar had an MCI Arlington S10 3/5 that was so cool that I took the plunge. Have been playing in a folk-rock cover band “Garden Party” since just before the virus hit and now it feels like I’m home where I belong.

[Willis Vanderberg]

1948 steel for me. BR-9 Gibson with matching amp
Pedal Steel 1968.

[Bill L. Wilson]

My very first instrument in about 1954. Pedal steel began in 1973.

[Tom Keller]

1960's I was 12 years old.

[David Mitchell]

1972 to be exact. I had been playing Spanish guitars since 1962 so one day in 1972 Shot Jackson and Dave Musgrave came to my hometown music store in Tyler, Tx. to promote Sho-Bud steel guitars. The store owner was a friend of mine and called me at home and said "These guys with steel guitars needs someone to back them on guitar, can you come over for a while? I always liked it when a steel was in the band and of course I had watched all the country music shows every Saturday night on TV in the 1960's at our local station here in Tyler, Tx. So Dave Musgrave played the pedal steel all day and Shot played a dobro and I played rhythm acoustic guitar. Shot and I shared each others Red Man chewing tobacco. We both were chewers and spitters.
After about 4 hours of playing Shot turned to me and said "What you need son is a pedal steel guitar."
I said "You know I've been thinking about that."
He just happened to have a fire engine red Maverick with 3 pedals and no knee levers. It was the early version with a mounted neck and Gumby keyhead. At the time I didn't know what knee levers did anyhow. It was brand new and $395.00 I didn't have any money but left the store with it anyway. Store owner Marion Alredge toted the note, I talk to him at least once a month or go out and eat together.
Music store owners and instrument builders are like dope dealers, "The first one is free."
I started playing that Maverick 4 nights a week in a club about a month later. Wasn't a very pretty sound but the guys bared with me and I got a lot of practicing in while on the job.😂

[Archie Walpole]

May 19th, 2020. Age 67. I finally purchased a GFI Expo from Billy Cooper.

Here's the deal.....I had wanted to learn the pedal steel since I was 16 yo. Talk about a procrastinator. Having lost those 52 years definitely has its drawbacks. The old memory and hands just ain't what they used to be.

[David Mitchell]

May 19th, 2020. Age 67. I finally purchased a GFI Expo from Billy Cooper.

Here's the deal.....I had wanted to learn the pedal steel since I was 16 yo. Talk about a procrastinator. Having lost those 52 years definitely has its drawbacks. The old memory and hands just ain't what they used to be.

I hear ya! I'm 67 too. The good thing about old age is everything is always new. I can read the same book 3 times and each time it's all brand new.

[Joe Naylor]

When I was 5 Mom and Dad took me to see Leon McAllfee in Tulsa at the Cain Ballroom. When we left Mom and Dad told me that I said that I wanted to play one of those steel guitars. They finally took me to take lessons and the teacher told us he would not start a student until they were finished with the first grade. The day I came home with my report card finishing the first grade. Mom told me that I walked in the door and said Saturday I want start learning the steel guitar. Mr May was my teacher for a short time and then Bill Pruitt. Then at 12 started on what they called back then the "Spanish" guitar - regular 6-string. He started me teaching steel as a joke I think. My first student was a 70 year old retired railroad engineer. After 4 months he was playing in a Western Swing band and as a smart-elic kid I told him that I must be a better teacher than him because I already had a student playing in a band for money. He mentioned that up to the last time I saw him. Started the Pedal Steel 2001 and love all things steel and guitar.

[Dan Robinson]

I got the bug for "that sound" in the late 1960s, listening to country music on AM radio while working after school in the stockroom of my Dad's business.

My first record albums featuring pedal steel were "Sweeetheart of the Rodeo" and Bob Dylan's "Nashville Skyline." Ahhhh, JayDee Maness, Lloyd Green, Pete Drake.... that's who they are!

Got my first steel in 1973, a 21st birthday gift from Dad. Couldn't find a steel guitar in local music stores (greater Boston), and I didn't know any steel players. So I drove to Manny's Music in NYC, where I got a ShoBud S10/3+2.

[Jeremy Threlfall]

2006 - i would've been 44

wife left me. i figured - what the heck, may as well learn Pedal steel

[Ian Rae]

I had expected to see the wave of baby boomers in the 1970s, but the rise of new players in the 2010s surprised me. Very interesting.

The 70s was when I would have started if I could, and the 2010s is when I finally got round to it. Does that account for the two peaks? The coulds and the could nots?

[Al Evans]

I had expected to see the wave of baby boomers in the 1970s, but the rise of new players in the 2010s surprised me. Very interesting.

The 70s was when I would have started if I could, and the 2010s is when I finally got round to it. Does that account for the two peaks? The coulds and the could nots?

I'm surprised there are so many of us around in this position. When I first contracted the addiction, from an MSA brochure in a music store around 1973, I knew better than to have anything to do with it. I realized I finally had time and space for it in 2018.

I was correct in 1973, the addiction took hold immediately....

--Al Evans

[Duane Brown]

1975 is when I bought a new Emmons student model from Lynn Wooldridge in Roswell New Mexico. I was playing guitar in the Lubbock Tx area. I worked hard on the steel for a week and took It on stage. I would put the Tele in my lap and play what I could on steel and the majority on guitar. About all I could play was Johnny Rodriguez “Pass me by.”Every night I played more steel and eventually put the guitar in a stand as I was now “the steel man.”

For the last 10 years I have played with David John And The Comstock Cowboys in Virginia City, Nevada.Because of Bonanza (the TV show) we have fans all over the world. I play three guitars (not all at the same time) and steel and love it. I’m back where I started with a guitar in my lap and plan to stay as long as the band is working.

[Bill Sutton]

I started playing Steel in 1976. First guitar was a Emmons student model with 3 on the floor and 2 knee levers. I didn't know anything about playing Steel Guitar. I would copy licks off of records and practice all night long trying to get them to sound like the record...nearly driving my wife crazy. I played the Emmons for about 6 months and went to a MSA classic 12 string with 8 on the floor and 5 knee levers. The MSA was one of the best guitars I have ever owned...I wish I had it back...but I always loved the sound of the Emmons...and that is why I try to play my Emmons to this day...But after 45 years of trying I still can't play LOL.
Bill.

[Allan Revich]

Another Boomer, born in the late 50s. Played harmonica in bands for many years, and ukulele with friends for about 10 years. Had no real interest in steel guitar until 2018. I was at a guitar show and a friend with a booth there offered me a Valco National for a ridiculously low price. I bought it, tried it, and loved it!

[Dana Blodgett]

I started in ‘74 with a 3 pedal Birdseye Maverick Sho~Bud no roller nut no knee levers, no instructors etc. struggled for 16 yrs. sold it, and kicked myself in the head until I walked into J.P.’s shop at least 11-12 yrs ago, bought another Sho~Bud from ‘73 or ‘74 6139/40 model with 3&2 ,later had Jim add 2 more knees giving me 3&4 set up. I took lessons for a couple years from 2-3 people, I talked with many people about the psg and the non pedal players including 4-5 Hawaiians about C6/C13 tunings.
I consider myself a perpetual student so to speak.

[Eddie Sterling]

I started taking lap steel guitar lessons along with Jeff Newman and Howard Gregory in the middle to late 50's in Texas City,Tx. Jeff and I went to the same high school and were good friends. We formed a trio when we were still taking lessons that consisted of lap steel,accordion,and rhythm guitar. We played at some pretty big Venus such as Lions Club and opening of a gas station. We made big money also. I remember each of us getting a whole $5.00 When we played at Lions Club. Jeff at 13 years old was such a smooth player. I played the steel in the trio not because I was a better player than Jeff but because he could play rhythm guitar and I couldn't. Jeff and I remained close friends. We both stopped playing before we started high school. I decided to try pedal steel when I was about 30 years old. I called Jeff and he sent me two of his courses free to get me started. He was pretty strewed because I have purchased almost all of his courses over the years. He was a good friend and I miss him too.

[Terry Winter]

Mid 70's.

[John Larson]

Fall of 2020.

[Larry Jamieson]

I started Uke at about age 7 and by 9 or 10 the guitar. My dad was a musician and music teacher so we had instruments. By 15 I had started a rock band and we played high school dances in my area during 1965, 66 and 67. I had always listened to different types of music and our local radio station played lots of "Country" so I heard and liked steel.
In the service I played guitar in a country band in Germany. In 1973 I walked into Zampi's House of Music in Vestal, NY and there on the floor was a brand new MSA Semi-Classic with 3 and 1. I walked out with the MSA and started teaching myself.
In 1974 I went the the Hank Thompson School of Country Music at Claremore Jr. College, Claremore, Oklahoma. There I got private lesson from Gene Crane. I was also assigned to play in a school country band. We practiced 4 hours every week and played shows on some occasions. I was also recruited for a week-end band gig playing local bars and clubs. I had to learn fast to keep up and all those hours of playing were probably the best teacher.

[Scott Denniston]

1979. I was 28 and trying to study jazz guitar and had a stretch where I just got sick of it. So I walked into a country bar unsuspecting and the steel just knocked me over. Since I had some real musical background at that point I could look and kind of understand it. Then as I started learning could see it's more about remembering combinations of things and mind-body coordination. That's a lot of years ago and I should be a lot better.

[Terry Wood]

I started on lap steel age 12 but really got into it at age 19.

Bought my first pedal Steel Guitar April 1975. Never looked back! LOL

[Steven Hicken Jr.]

2012. I started a few months before my 15th birthday.