Ed Ringwald, aka "Pee Wee Charles"

[John Viterito]

I've always loved Ed Ringwald's steel playing ever since I started listening to Gordon Lightfoot in the early "70's. It was his steel playing on "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" that got me interested in playing steel (though I still can't play a lick). I'm curious if any other Forumites have had a similar experience with him, or have any other comments/thoughts about this (IMHO) vastly underrated steel guitarist.

[John McClung]

I saw him with Gordon Lightfoot sometime in the late 1970's, and was inspired by his playing on his MSA, and ultimately bought my own D10, then a D12. I seem to recall he used a phaser or chorus, and that set me on the road to try those out too.

I wasn't aware Pee Wee Charles was a pseudonym!

Is he still with Western Swing Authority? I think he sold his nice Rittenberry and now plays an Emmons ReSound, right?

[Larry Allen]

He’s on the forum..I just sent him a new bar..

[John Viterito]

John.......I believe he is still with WSA. As for his guitar, he was playing the Rittenbury as recently as two years ago, can't say what he is playing these days. The MSA he played on the road was, I believe, one of the lightweight "portable" guitars. His early affinity for MSA may have been due to the fact that Reece Anderson was his teacher when he started learning. Larry..........That's cool! Do you make bars?

[Dave Campbell]

here in canada we have this thing called cancon (canadian content). in order to counter the american cultural juggernaut, licensed television and radio stations need to play a percentage of canadian music. in the 70s and 80s that meant a steady diet of gord lightfoot , anne murray, and ian and sylvia tyson, all of whom were backed up by pee wee charles. i'm sure he was the first pedal steel player i ever heard (my parents not being real country fans).

[Larry Allen]

Aloha John, no I don’t make them, I bought a John Pearse bar but never used it. Always BJS.. Ed’s bar and picks got stolen and we hooked up .. Larry

[Dale Rivard]

Hopefully Ed will see this and chime in: Yes, he is still with the Western Swing Authority(The best band in Canada). Not that long ago, I saw & heard him at an awards show and he was playing & sounding amazing on his fairly new Emmons Resound. In addition to his incredible talent, he is 1 of the nicest & most generous guys you could ever meet. He's my hero, love him!

[Steve Hinson]

Ed is a wonderful cat and a great steel player!