That Thing That Sound Documentary

[Jon Irsik]

I've been watching this project for a few years now and it will premier tomorrow afternoon at The Tallgrass Film Festival here in Wichita. Looking forward to seeing it and meeting the film makers Kelsey Hammer-Parks and Nathan M. Emerson.

https://vimeo.com/632291416

[Matt Kidney]

Do you know if they are going to make it available online to buy?

[Jon Irsik]

I think that remains to be seen. During the Q&A after the film one of the filmmakers, Nathan Emerson, spoke about distribution and said while he would love to do streaming it would likely come down to being released on DVD. I've kept my eyes on the project for several years and was delighted to have a screening in my town.

I enjoyed the film a lot. It doesn't go into history much but spotlights efforts to keep the instrument relevant and follows the efforts of Iowa steel instructor Roger Miller. There is good footage from Cowboy Eddie Long, Buddy Cage, Paul Niehaus, Bruce Bouton, Jay Jackson, Spencer Cullom, Russ Pahl and others. They touch on sacred steel a bit and address the fact that it's an expensive and complicated instrument and that it's not very popular, at least at the moment.

From the filmmakers:

Logline: Introducing a new generation to a rare instrument, by breaking stereotypes the steel guitar is pigeonholed to country music and a dying instrument. Meanwhile, lovers of the instrument can rejoice for the future with THAT THING | THAT SOUND.

Synopsis:

That Thing That Sound explores the uncertain future of the steel guitar, an instrument primarily played by older, white men. Because it’s an expensive and challenging instrument, most young and diverse musicians do not have access to steel guitars or instructors. The film follows a man's journey to pass on his knowledge and keep the steel guitar alive. His inspirational story is a model for anyone looking to make a difference in the world.
Description: That Thing | That Sound is a love story for a rare and unique instrument of steel guitar.

Directors Statement/Our Story:

We decided to make this film after taking steel guitar lessons from our mentor, Roger Miller, who inspired us to give back to the steel community. While we weren’t seasoned enough to give lessons ourselves, we combined our skills in journalism and filmmaking to inspire more young people to play the steel guitar. It was our way of giving back to the instrument and community we love. Our original vision was to follow some young players through their career and capture a beginner’s journey. We struggled to find young people who stuck with the challenging instrument long enough to make a compelling story arch. Little did we realize the story was right in front of us the whole time, we needed to tell Roger’s story. This film began as a passion project, but became a mission to honor Roger and save the steel guitar. We hope this film inspires others to become mentors and teachers in all walks of life.

I hope to get a DVD copy if/when it's available. I'm glad for anything that keeps the steel guitar relevant and introduces it to new people.

[Bud Angelotti]

Looking very forward to seeing this!!

[Andy DePaule]

Looking very forward to seeing this!!

Me too, but it looks like you can only sign up with Vimeo on Google which I avoid whenever possible.
Does anyone know of another way to join?
Thanks,
Andy