What drew you to Country Music?

Dennis Manuel · Post by **Dennis Manuel** » 13 Nov 2001 7:21 am

The biggest draw to me was the "Steel Guitar". If a song came out and had great steel in it I would rush out and buy it. The wording simply didn't matter. How about you?[This message was edited by Dennis Manuel on 15 November 2001 at 10:22 PM.]

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 13 Nov 2001 7:31 am

You mean those songs have words too?

John Sluszny · Post by **John Sluszny** » 13 Nov 2001 8:16 am

As a teenager,Rock'n' Roll and Elvis'first recordings.Then in the early sixties,the Grand Ole Opry show on American Forces Network radio.And believe me,that was a discovery!

Bob Shilling · Post by **Bob Shilling** » 13 Nov 2001 8:46 am

Disco.

Seriously, I always heard and enjoyed country music over the years, but I was always more into rock 'n roll. Somewhere about the mid seventies I got REALLY fed up with the stuff they were producing. It got really formula and boring. That's when I got primarily into country. Now the same thing has happened to country. I find myself listening more to "world music". Whole new scales and tones and some really great musicians out there.

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Bob Shilling, Berkeley, CA--MSA S10, "Classic"

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 13 Nov 2001 9:23 am

Definately the steel guitar.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Ray Jenkins · Post by **Ray Jenkins** » 13 Nov 2001 10:01 am

WOMEN!!!! Remember them "Hip Huggers"they used to wear.

Ray

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Steeling is still legal in Arizona

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 13 Nov 2001 10:44 am

Came with the instrument. I actually hated country music until I got into the guitar, then I became obsessed with it, go figure.

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 13 Nov 2001 12:50 pm

How many steelers have said to the singer! Hey, sing that pretty ballad that you do in "F"? I still dont know the words to any songs,& not always the Titles either! So it was definately Steel that got me into Country! It's about the only real music today!

Greg Vincent · Post by **Greg Vincent** » 13 Nov 2001 1:11 pm

I grew up listening to rock 'n' roll.
The guitar disappeared in rock for awhile in the 80's --at least as a major force. When it came back (grunge) it was awash in a sea of fuzz-muck power chords. That bored me to tears.

After that, the only interesting guitar playing I could find on the radio was on the country stations. That's what got me interested in C & W. Then I started noticing that STEEL GUITAR!

GV[This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 13 November 2001 at 01:13 PM.][This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 13 November 2001 at 01:15 PM.]

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 13 Nov 2001 1:30 pm

A song by the name of "theres a green light"and Hank Thompson. One appearance of Hank and the Brazos valley boys got a twelve year old kid twisting the dials.And old Charley Marshall and his big Gibson Flat top on KFBK in Sacramento.

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CJC

Leigh Howell · Post by **Leigh Howell** » 13 Nov 2001 1:46 pm

I was Born!!! :0
Leigh

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 13 Nov 2001 2:36 pm

I've always been around Country music. I remember listening to the Wheeling WWVA Jamboree and the Old Dominion Barndance from WRVA Richmond Va when I was a little kid. However, Little Roy Wiggin's steel on the Eddy Arnold records was what sucked me into steel.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » 13 Nov 2001 3:06 pm

Several things......
First, growning up in Los Angeles in the 40's and 50's with a mother who listened to jazz, country and classical. Having an Alabama farm boy for a father, who made good in business.
What this led to was a love of most kinds of music, but least of all R&B. Through my dad and his work, I had the chance to spend many hours behind the scenes on the radio and TV stations that had live country shows. Meeting greats like Joe and Roselee Maphis, Merle Travis, Speedy West, Cliffie Stone, Ernie Ford, and others.
Second, after leaving L.A. for good in '56 I lived most of my life in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Couldn't help but be exposed to great country music, live and on radio and TV.
Somewhere along the way in the 50's I fell in love with the steel guitar. And as they say "..the rest is history".

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Allen Harry
Mullen D-10, 8 & 6
Nashville 1000

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 13 Nov 2001 4:36 pm

Buck Owens, Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard. I grew up in Southern CA, and in about 1967 I "turned country".

I also have to credit my older brothers and those Saturday night TV shows by Buck, Whisperin' Bill Anderson, ET, The Stoneman Family,, and Stan Hitchcock. I think that was before Hee Haw.

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HagFan

Anne Giroux · Post by **Anne Giroux** » 13 Nov 2001 7:50 pm

It's funny you should ask that question. I was always intrigued on how people got interested in Steel Guitar actually more than country music. For myself it's two words Neil Flanz. My first time in a club was to hear a country band and Neil was playing a Fender 1000 then. I was into classical music and the piano and knew squat about steel guitar. After that I became an instant fan and bought my 1st Fender 1000. Neil got me hooked on Emmons and Day and I've never been the same since. Boy those were the days eh Neil? BTW Neil I sure wish you and the Porch Pickers success with the new CD Still Safe At Home.

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 14 Nov 2001 4:37 am

Without a doubt it's the steel guitar that drew me into country. I started off listening to punkrock and hardcore, and kind of grew into jazz.

Country music was not something I listened to on purpose.

When I took up the steel though, it was like a whole new world of music opened up to me.
Now, I'm obsessed with (traditional) country.

Ally · Post by **Ally** » 14 Nov 2001 7:24 am

I'll second Mr Gleespon on that: from classic punk, to hardcore/grindcore, then a retro step to the Velvet Underground and Dylan, and finally ended up in country by way of the Byrds, Burrtos and the sound of steel. Stuff from my past which has stayed with me and which I still adore usually have at least a few roots in a more traditional form though ... I never thought of the Cowboy Junkies' as country at all back in 1990/91.

Derek Duplessie · Post by **Derek Duplessie** » 14 Nov 2001 10:33 pm

I too was drawn to country by steel.I've
even bought c.d.s by people I can't stand
just because of the steel like kenny chesney.
By the way, who plays on "she's got it all?"
-Derek

Frank · Post by **Frank** » 15 Nov 2001 12:37 am

Hey Jack, do you remember station WCKY In Cincinnati,and that all night station broadcasting out of Del Reo Tx, with the transmitter in Mex."KXRL"..?
Back to the question,I guess growing up in Baltimore In the 40`s and 50`s ,and waking up to country music every morning, with a father from Colt, Arkansas, what can you expect.
I remember well the first time i heard The Golden Rocket by Hank Snow, talk about blown away,another that stands out in my mind is
Elton Britt and Chime Bells. Talk about walkin down memory lane.
Ya`ll take care, enjoyed the trip. Frank.
BTW, found my first steel in a pawn shop, a Epiphone Zepher, Got a music teacher to tune It for me ,as I recall it was E with a high A base, first song I learned to play, Candy Kisses.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 15 Nov 2001 3:17 am

Frank, I remember those. Also WJJD in Chicago. Some of those stations would fade in and fade out at times but we'd listen to them. And then there was the 101 Ranch Boys with Leonard Zinn that was on WORK in York, Pa and later on TV (I think Channel 8 in Lancaster??).

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 15 Nov 2001 5:54 am

Derek,
That would be Sonny Garrish

Dave Diehl · Post by **Dave Diehl** » 15 Nov 2001 3:06 pm

No steel... No fiddle... It's not music!

Derek Duplessie · Post by **Derek Duplessie** » 15 Nov 2001 3:06 pm

Theresa,man I havn't heard that much of
sonnys stuff before,but he's INCREDIBLE!!!
thought it was paul at first!
-Derek