What was the first Steel Guitar Song you learned?

[Jason Rivet]

My first song was What Child is This?

This discussion should help all new players to try easier songs first.

Jason Rivet
Richardson, TX

[Andrew Goulet]

I was hacking away on stage before I knew any complete songs, but I think one of the first real ones was Greensleeves or Tennessee Waltz.

[Jack Hanson]

In my very first lesson with the great Cal Hand...

...he tried to teach me the Tennessee Waltz.

[Ian Rae]

Three cheers for Mansion On The Hill!!!

[Dale Rottacker]

I think Honkey Tonk Angels

[Larry Dering]

For me it was Harbor Lights on lap steel. I still love that tune.

[Roger Rettig]

When I got my first steel it coincided with my first exposure to Emmons' 'Wichita Lineman' ('Suite Steel'). I drove down to my old friend, Gerry Hogan, in Newbury and begged him to show me where it lay on my 3+1 set-up. Note by painstaking note, I wrote it in a sort of shorthand tablature (before I knew that tab existed) and I'm delighted to say that I still have that piece of paper.

I learned nothing from that ordeal, however - learning 'by rote' teaches you nothing.

I was already an experienced guitarist and realized pretty quickly that I needed to learn the steel's fretboard and its musical symmetry. Only then, and by using my intuitive sense of 'intervals', was I able to play anything that came into my head. That, for me, was the real 'open sesame'.

Learn your scales and you can play any tune. I'm glad I came to that realization early.

[b0b]

Sleepwalk

[scott murray]

Pleading - Pete Drake

[Bill Fisher]

"Steel Guitar Rag".

Bill

[Chris Templeton]

"She Thinks I Still Care"

[Marty Broussard]

Chere Tout-Tout……😂😂….seriously, I first learned Cajun Music and it was on an 8-string Fender that my uncle loaned me. That’s a 2-chord song. The guitar was tuned in open G.

On E9th about a year later I learned Danny Boy…pretty sure it was a Sho-Bud course with a LP record. The tab had slants in it instead of using the E to F lever. Looking back I’m thankful because I like slants better and my guitar didn’t have that lever. I’d have been pretty discouraged without that course because I didn’t know anybody who played E9th…..nor any knowledge of intervals, scales, etc…. Next was the Neil Flanz Sho-Bud LP course with the intros and endings. When I played that Memphis Vamp on the bandstand I thought I’d made the big time….😂😂😂😂

[Ronnie Boettcher]

It has to be "MAKING BELIEVE".

[Slim Heilpern]

The first thing I learned was Buddy's first solo on "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight" (by ear) off "The Steel Guitar & Dobro Sounds of Shot Jackson & Buddy Emmons". Five and a half years later I still can't play it as smooth as Buddy, but still tryin'....

- Slim

[Fred Treece]

Little Grass Shack, on the Stringmaster E6 tuning.
Red River Valley (Winnie Book) on the Stage One psg

[Edward Dixon]

Little Wing. Mar 2021

I learned to play Steel Guitar Rag on my dad's Fender 1000 when I was a kid but learned nothing about PSG. 60 years later I actually bought my own steel and started learning the instrument Feb. of this year. The 1st month I learned chords. When I learned how to make a minor chord (A pedal) I taught my self Little Wing because I already knew the chord progression inside and out. It took about an hour to get the chords right. A month later I found out I could also make minor chords with the B+C pedals I tried that and now I mix 'em up and I'm also using the E-Eb KL. It just keeps getting better with this instrument.

Ed

[Robert Parent]

It was either I Love You Because or Steel Guitar Rag...

Robert

[R Crow]

My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean

Rick

[Ron Hogan]

Ramblin Rose on lap steel.

Easy Lovin on pedals

[Ken Pippus]

Mansion on the Hill, from the Bruce Bouton DVD.

[Scott Appleton]

steel guitar rag

[John Peay]

Amazing Grace

[manny escobar]

Back in 1959 I started taking lessons on a lap steel. My instructor made learn an old Roy Rogers song called "The Man in the Moon is a Cowhand".

[Ben Lawson]

I can hardly remember what I had for breakfast this morning. My guess for my first song would be 'Steel guitar Rag'??????

[John Palumbo]

Red River Valley, from Winnie Winston book