"WESTERN EDGE" Country Rock Pedal Steel Panel 10.2.22

Fish · Post by **Fish** » 23 Feb 2023 8:53 pm

On October 2, 2022 I had the honor of moderating a panel discussion about LA country rock pedal steel with three of my heroes: Dan Dugmore, Al Perkins, and JayDee Maness. The discussion was tied to the grand opening of the Country Music Hall of Fame's superb "Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of LA Country Rock" exhibit, now open at the museum.

The CMHOF posted a link to the panel discussion today:
https://watch.countrymusichalloffame.or ... ssion-2023

I'd like to thank JayDee, Dan and Al for their time and personal insights. Thanks also to the Hall of Fame for curating and presenting this incredible exhibit. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Steve Fishell

Kenny Davis · Post by **Kenny Davis** » 23 Feb 2023 10:13 pm

Thanks for sharing Steve - Certainly one for the history books!

Diane Diekman · Post by **Diane Diekman** » 24 Feb 2023 4:39 am

There is a companion book that goes with the exhibit, jointly published by the University of Illinois Press and the Country Music Foundation Press. Here's my review: http://internetreviewofbooks.blogspot.c ... music.html

Mike Bacciarini · Post by **Mike Bacciarini** » 24 Feb 2023 8:17 am

Steve, this is so great….. thanks. What a treat to hear from these three giants of pedal steel. If Rusty had still been with us, I can picture him there as well. Quite the acknowledgment of Poco’s influence on the “Western Edge”. Must have been satisfying for Richie to see.

Rick Bernauer · Post by **Rick Bernauer** » 24 Feb 2023 4:51 pm

Thanks for posting. My favorite part is at the 1 hour mark when Dan Dugmore talks about asking Sneaky Pete "Tell me how it's tuned and what the pedals do" and Sneaky Pete replies "Well, when you step on the first two pedals it goes up a 90 degree angle and then if you put the bar at the 7th fret that's a 180."

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 24 Feb 2023 4:57 pm

thanks so much Steve... I've been waiting for this to surface. I was so close to dropping everything and going to this event, this is the next best thing.

what a rare opportunity to hear from 3 outstanding players, each one so unique and influential. also nice to hear the other greats from that era acknowledged: Buddy, Sneaky, Rusty, Red, Tom, and more.

I'd sure love to see more steel-focused discussions at the CMHOF and elsewhere. Lloyd deserves an event all to himself, Sonny Garrish too. and the list goes on

DALE WHITENER · Post by **DALE WHITENER** » 25 Feb 2023 6:11 am

Thanks Steve! I thoroughly enjoyed that. It’s a shame Rusty was not still here to weigh in. He was the reason I was drawn to the pedal steel back in the day .i appreciate what you are doing to bring the history of the great west coast players to the forefront.
Dale

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 25 Feb 2023 6:44 am

Wow, awesome! Thanks so much, Steve!

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 25 Feb 2023 10:32 am

What a wonderful presentation - thank you Fish and the CMHOF.

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 25 Feb 2023 5:53 pm

Thanks, Steve, for hosting and posting this event. I just love learning all this history of the music I listened to in my youth that drew me to steel guitar. All these gentlemen are such wonderful and amazing players and it is so interesting to hear their stories.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 26 Feb 2023 5:33 pm

scott murray wrote:I'd sure love to see more steel-focused discussions at the CMHOF and elsewhere. Lloyd deserves an event all to himself, Sonny Garrish too. and the list goes on

Scott, do a search and there is an excellent Nashville Cat interview with Sonny. Maybe we’ll see Lloyd some day.

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 26 Feb 2023 6:44 pm

Steve; that was just incredible and so capturing of the great musical spirits of those three: JayDee; Al and Dan.
Wow; thank you, thank you, thank you for doing that.

Ricky(My first pedal steel teacher was Tom Brumley)

tom anderson · Post by **tom anderson** » 6 Mar 2023 10:30 am

Thanks so much for posting this. Although I attended the event, i was unable to see this panel it was as good as I imagined. I’m also struck by Steve and Dougs comments on Rusty Young and Sneaky Pete. The first time i ever saw a pedal steel was Sneaky with the FBB. I knew I had to have one then. A few months later I got to see Rusty with Poco and later Bobby Black with Commander Cody All of them were encouraging to me when I spoke to them. It’s refreshing to hear so many other steel players being influenced by this group!

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 8 Mar 2023 11:47 am

Steve, I'm glad you mentioned Red Rhodes near the end of the panel (and moreso that he got applause) - I thought I had read somewhere that Jay Dee used to sneak into the Palomino just to hear and watch Red play, and I have to think they were somewhat close over time. I was fully expecting Red to be one of the top 3 influences that he would list...though he had a pretty darn good list (hah!).

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 8 Mar 2023 7:10 pm

Rick Bernauer wrote:Thanks for posting. My favorite part is at the 1 hour mark when Dan Dugmore talks about asking Sneaky Pete "Tell me how it's tuned and what the pedals do" and Sneaky Pete replies "Well, when you step on the first two pedals it goes up a 90 degree angle and then if you put the bar at the 7th fret that's a 180."

That's what finally got me playing 8-string, 9 pedal B6 steel after so many glitches with E9. Pete spent about 45 minutes after a Burritos show explaining everything in geometric terms; weirdly, even though I am certifiably "math phobic" (yes,it's a real thing !), I sort of grasped what he was saying...

...and when I got a 400 and tuned it to B6 the world suddenly made sense!

Jonathan Shacklock · Post by **Jonathan Shacklock** » 11 Mar 2023 6:43 am

I’m a long way from the exhibition but I’ve been enjoying the book and the panel discussion was great - thanks Steve!