WINNIE WINSTON Forgotten?

[Robert Lashier]

I hope that refreshing this thread with my post brings all this great info to the attention of others who, like myself, weren't aware of the man or the book. I was fortunate enough to meet Chuck Back (the guy that makes Desert Rose Steels....Wow! What a player and what an instrument) at a gig he was on recently, and he brought up the "Steel Player's Bible," assuming I knew of it. I was as unhip as usual, but after his description and reading these posts, I can't wait to get my copy. Thanks to all of you, especially Chuck, for making the steel world even better.

[Donny Hinson]

It matters very little weather Pedal Steel Guitar sold 1 mill or 100 thou. Main thing is that in its time it was the bible for pedal steel...

I have thousands of books, but that one has never been in my possession. By the time I did run across it, I was already fairly advanced in my playing. I'm sure it would have helped me, early on. But sometimes in life, the things you need just show up a little too late.

[Robert Lashier]

My understanding is that it isn't just a how-to book (although there's always something else to learn) but an anthology of steel as well.

[Tony Prior]

It matters very little weather Pedal Steel Guitar sold 1 mill or 100 thou. Main thing is that in its time it was the bible for pedal steel...

I have thousands of books, but that one has never been in my possession. By the time I did run across it, I was already fairly advanced in my playing. I'm sure it would have helped me, early on. But sometimes in life, the things you need just show up a little too late.

Donny you should still acquire the book, there are some very advanced items discussed., its not just a book for beginners , its a book for Steel players. If you grab one thing from it that improves your playing or phrasing, that alone may make it worthwhile. Quite frankly for a novice or early student, there are things in this book that they may find too much too soon. Give it a shot !

[John Palumbo]

Years ago and I think even before the internet existed, I bought a Sho-Bud Maverick at a local music store in the philly suburbs and I also purchased Winnie and Bill Keith's book 'Pedal Steel Guitar'. Not a lot of information was available at that time on Pedal Steel. Me dying for instruction, I sent Winnie a post card and he got back to me asked me to bring my equipment to his place. At that time I had an MSA S-10 and a Peavey Nashville 400 and I just could not sound good at all. Winnie played through my equipment and man I mean his tone was no doubt incredible, I could not believe it. And that proved to me the player makes all the difference. Thank you Winnie for all you have done!

[Tony Prior]

Here are a couple of things I picked up from the "Winne" book early on, the moving 8th string , lower, natural, raise and the musical power those 3 notes have within a phrase. The other tidbit that I picked up and carried with me forever is using the 9th string with our without the lower. I picked these things up from Winnie, not Buddy, Lloyd or anyone else !

For ex, Danny Boy in F, the intro comes off the 9th string, 8th fret. I never would have thought of that !

Of course if players did not have those changes on their early guitars, they would not know what they missed.

[Ian Rae]

I bought the book when it first came out in the 70s. I was fascinated by pedal steel even though it would be many years before I acquired one.
It's not really a course of instruction (some of the early exercises are way beyond a beginner) but more of an encyclopedia of what the instrument can do. Every so often I go back to it and discover something new that I've missed before.

[Duane Becker]

I started playing steel in 1968. There was nothing available for tab or instruction on country steel guitar. A few teachers in the Eastern Washington area where I lived taught Hawaiian steel and country non steel. If you wanted to learn pedal steel, the teachers would teach you pedals related to getting chords, not specific steel guitar licks.
Hoffman Music was the big retail store in eastern Washington at the time. Dean Simmons was the long-time steel guitar instructor, and he taught the Hawaiian non pedal stuff. My first tab was a Jeff Newman song, it was either late 69 or 70.
When Winnie's book came out, that opened the door for me on country pedal steel. I was 15 years old, looking around the Hoffman Music counter and music book rack. Found Winnie's book on the rack blazing out the "Pedal Steel Guitar" title-I couldn't believe my eyes. At the time I told my mom I just had to have that book, she bought it, and I was on my way!
I found out about strings 3 and 5 and the movements around the neck with those strings and pedals. It presented the way to play the steel using licks and pedal squeezes rather than chords and styles using chords in place of notes. My go to pages of Winnie's book was the licks on pages 50 and 51. It was incredible, the photos in the book, Hal and Weldon on the Opry, the Bobby Black photo...It still thrills the daylights out of me. By far Winnie's book set the standard, not only for me but for many steel players.

[Bob Blair]

Nice to be reminded of Winnie's book. It was important not only for the great instructional content but also for the inspiring overview of the steel guitar world that it provided.

[Don R Brown]

Every so often I go back to it and discover something new that I've missed before.

That's a good idea and I will do so.

[Jerry Overstreet]

That was my first really helpful guide. I probably don't even realize all that I learned from that book. It's dog eared, marked up and taped up. I still refer to it from time to time after 45 yrs. of playing.

One of the things it introduced to me was 3 frets up AF major chord move. Also going from the 1 chord to the 2 chord back one fret with the B pedal and F lever from his "She Thinks I Steal Cars" tab. I use that change every time I play that tune as well as any other time I think of it.

string 3 B pedal [raises 3rd string 1/2]
string 4 F lever [raises 4th string 1/2]
string 5 open

Takes some contortionist type practicing with the Emmons pedals tuning.

The Chord Theory pages were also extremely helpful learning which intervals make up what chords.

I took some of this with me mentally when I visited with Jeff at his school in Nashville. It kind of gave me a head start on what I was about to encounter there.

[Larry Dering]

Like Jerry said, I can't remember all that book gave me but it was the basis of my early steel learning experience. I started pedal steel in the middle 80s after years of regular guitar. Material was scarce so this book was a godsend. I still have it and a collection of later materials but none more thorough than Winnies book. God bless him and all the teachers and players who have shared their knowledge and experience with the steel guitar industry.

[Jack Hanson]

One cold winters day about three-quarters of the way into the last century, I sauntered into Suneson's Music Center...

...on East Lake Street in Minneapolis. That's Uncle Roger Suneson on the right standing in front of the Hohner harmonica display case. I was planning to purchase a set of strings for my Ovation roundback. Uncle Rog could sell ice cubes to Eskimos. I walked out the door with a new MSA Red Barron, signed up for lessons the next Saturday morning with the great Cal Hand, and a brand-new copy -- fresh off the Oak Publishing presses -- of Winnie Winston & Bill Keith's Pedal Steel Guitar. I've long since parted with the Red Barron (good riddance!), but I'm still learning from that book, published nearly a half-century ago. I'm presently on my third copy. A true classic for 48 years and counting. Thank you, Winnie (& Bill)!