B.B.King’s thoughts about steel guitar

Lee Warren · Post by **Lee Warren** » 1 Jul 2022 6:27 am

I stumbled across this nice quote, though I have no way to verify it.

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 1 Jul 2022 6:06 pm

Back in the mid 80's, I was in London to play the Silk Cut Festival at Wembley Arena with Moe Bandy. When we got back to the hotel after the show I got into an elevator to head up to my room, and there inside was none other than B.B. King. He had just finished his show right up the street at Royal Albert Hall. I said hello to him (in total awe of course!) and he was very cordial. I guess it was obvious that I was just coming in from a show myself, because B.B. asked me "So what do you play?". When I responded "Steel guitar", he said "Man, I like that!"

I thought that was so very cool, and Lee the quote you shared certainly echos my experience with the great bluesman!

Lee Warren · Post by **Lee Warren** » 2 Jul 2022 10:20 am

Hey Tommy,
Thanks for relating your experience!
It’s always good to hear that music icons can be nice and approachable, and especially that they appreciate steel guitar, even if it’s not typically associated with their music genre.
Lee

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 2 Jul 2022 10:43 am

great quote.

I can't remember if it was Merle Travis or Les Paul who said when they were coming up with the idea of a solid-body electric guitar they were thinking of the sustain a steel guitar had.

other guitar players like Jerry Garcia and Clarence White were emulating pedal steel licks on guitar.

and I just stumbled on this great footage of Chuck Berry gettin bluesy on psg: https://youtu.be/B8F9n7qg8wo

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 2 Jul 2022 10:49 am

How COOL is that???

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 2 Jul 2022 11:45 am

There's more than a little similarity between the playing of B.B. King and that of the many popular Sacred Steelers. Their emphasis on single notes rather than chords, and the pronounced vibrato and voice-like note inflection they employ, are essential hallmarks of their style. Their departure from norms adds to the variety of our instrument, just as B.B.'s playing adds to the variety of guitar playing.

There is something to be learned from every style and approach, and we should keep that in mind if our instrument is ever to grow in popularity.

David Maniscalco · Post by **David Maniscalco** » 2 Jul 2022 5:51 pm

According to the preface of John Troutman's excellent book, Kika Kila How the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Changed the Sound of Modern Music, B.B.'s appreciation of the steel guitar was also recounted in a Fresh Air interview, as well as his autobiography.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 3 Jul 2022 12:48 pm

I watched a video interview a few years ago where Sonny Garrish talked about how he did a session with B.B King. When Sonny was asked about the session, he said that B.B had no idea what a steel guitar was until Sonny played on the session, and when B.B heard Sonny, he loved the sound right away!

John Larson · Post by **John Larson** » 4 Jul 2022 8:27 am

scott murray wrote: other guitar players like Jerry Garcia and Clarence White were emulating pedal steel licks on guitar.

When I started learning steel one of the things that really jumped out is how much the lead style of a lot of rock guitarists was influenced by the steel playing those players heard as kids on 40s, 50s and 60's recordings.

Mark Knopfler comes to mind. "Sultans of Swing" leads are so steel influenced.