Why did you start to play the Steel?

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 22 Aug 2001 4:57 pm

Two reasons....

1. I wrote a country song which desparately needed steel and my gawky synthesizer imitation just didn't cut it. (I'm still not up to tracking the real steel myself yet, though....)

2. Milo Deering's work on the Leann Rimes' song "Blue."

------------------
Bill (steel player impersonator) | MSA Classic U12 | Email | My music | Steeler birthdays | Over 50?

Steve Frost · Post by **Steve Frost** » 22 Aug 2001 5:14 pm

For thirty years I resisted.... but finally, the steel's power proved to be too great.

Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 22 Aug 2001 5:20 pm

Heritage!

Rick

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 22 Aug 2001 5:42 pm

I was hooked on steel long before I started playing it. Something both haunting, and different, was calling me. I wish I had answered that call when I was 8, instead of waiting 'til I was 15 or 16. The first steel I ever remember was one of Bob Sandy's old records, and the first pedal work that got my attention was on a Texas Ruby record.

Though attracted by the the steel, I was simply mesmerized by the pedal steel. I've always been one to get involved into technical stuff anyway, and WOW!...here's a guitar with levers, and pulleys, and springs, and rollers, and all kinds of neat mechanical stuff!

If ever there was a "tinkerer's instrument...this is it!!![This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 22 August 2001 at 06:44 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 22 Aug 2001 5:43 pm

Bill Keith on Geoff & Maria's "Pottery Pie" LP.

To me it was a toss-up between steel and vibes. I knew I could never compete with all the guitarists, and I wanted to play something that sounded beautiful. A lap steel was cheaper than a vibraphone.

------------------
<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E7, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 22 Aug 2001 6:01 pm

My dad and I were sitting on our front porch when a man carrying a cheap guitar walked up and said to me,

"Son let me lay this git'tar in your lap".

Which he proceeded to do. He then put a small thumb pick on my thumb (backwards I realized later) and a flat steel bar in the other hand. He then said,

"Son, strum them strangs and slide that bar".

I did and he looked at my dad and said,

"Your son is a natural! Did you hear what he just did?".

Well of course what dad on this earth would not be proud at a moment like this? What my dad did NOT know was, this salesman had told every parent he visited the same thing. He was selling a 72 week course in Hawaiian Guitar at Waldrop Music Studio in Tampa Fla. This was in 1945.

My dad did not have two dimes to rub together. But again how can a father deny his son's chances of being a "star of stars" (as the salesman was quick to point out).

So, I got signed up for the course. It included that cheap (and I mean cheap) guitar with a raised nut. The studio taught Hawaiian guitar using the tab method. The first 2 lessons ONLY used the thumb pick and the first song I ever learned from tab was "Nearer My God To Thee". I was soo proud. But nowhere near as proud as my dad. My mom hated it.

Only wish the salesman had have been right even in a miniscule way. He wasn't, and not only was I never going to be a "star of stars". But it is now 60 yrs later and I still cannot play much beyond "Nearer My God To Thee".

The good Lord gives us all talents. Mine was NOT music. But he did bless me in other ways beyond my ability to describe.

Praise His holy name,

carl

Glenn Boppre · Post by **Glenn Boppre** » 22 Aug 2001 6:33 pm

The first time I ever heard a steel was in
1952 when my cousin Robert Thomas and
family from Oregon came to visit in
Minnesota. He could really play and I
liked the sound. The next year(1953) I
started on the steel, trying to learn it
as there wasn't anyone around to help me.
It has been many years and I'm still
trying to figure it out!! I still have the
same love for it as I first did. Thanks
to my cousin Robert Thomas for his
influence!!
Glenn..

David Weaver · Post by **David Weaver** » 22 Aug 2001 7:17 pm

I drifted into Don Edwards Guitar City sometime in '76 and walked out with a steel. As Jimmy Buffet said..."How it got here, I haven't a clue..."

------------------
Sho-Bud Pro II Custom, Sierra Artist S-10, Fessenden S-10, Session 2000

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 22 Aug 2001 7:21 pm

Why did I start to play steel. Hmm

I guess I was about 14 a played cornet in the school band. A guy came over to me house and played "Nearer my God to thee" on a wooden guitar when I heard those chord changes .I was hooked ,traded my cornet in on the lessons, ohau.

I really liked hawaiian music. It was number lessons. I could already read music. After about 4 lessons I looked ahead and played the next 20 lessons. What am I doing here? so I quit the lessons.

I still had the 5 dollar guitar so took the nut off and a drummer showed me some orchestration chords so I played guitar for while.

Then I got a supro lap steel with 60 lessons, notes this time, Alvino Rey singing guitar method. After a few lessons, I started playing bars in Cleveland, Ohio.
Mostly with older Musicians. I got a lot of experience playing
just about every kind of song imaginable. Hawaiian, Polkas, country, pop, jazz, semiclassic.(There was no Rock then, yet)

Then I heard Alvino Rey playing a double neck non pedal. And he was getting knocked out modern chords. So I had to have a double neck and copied all his Records. "on the alamo", "St.Louis Blues"."hindustan", "Tiger rag","Mamma Blues",(Made it talk with a tone control).

Then on to the Electra-Harp after he got one. Alvino Rey and Jerry Byrd (who was about 2 years old than me.) Were the 2 guys that influenced me the most.

About 25 years later it was MauriceAnderson, and of course BE ,Speedy west and Herb Remington .
That was a long long time ago....al ...

[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 22 August 2001 at 08:36 PM.]

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 22 Aug 2001 8:17 pm

Three words. LITTLE ROY WIGGINS. Jody.

billchav · Post by **billchav** » 22 Aug 2001 8:32 pm

Listened to Hawaiian Music on short wave radio in the late 30's [Dick McIntire,Tau Moe,Pete Kirby, Cliff Carlisle,Leon with Bob Wills and of course Herb R. in the mid 40's before he met Mel and settled down in Houston. www.billchaviers.com

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 22 Aug 2001 8:55 pm

I heard Buddy Emmons cut on Red Wing and Country Boy Bounce.This was around 1964.The record was cut with the Dickens band in the late 50's I guess.My dad played steel,but his playing didn't move me.Sorry Dad!

.I had never heard and still haven't heard any one play with that much FIRE.His solo's didn't really sound like a steel guitar.I later learned it was because he was thinking more a like guitar player.He was the first steeler I heard that could out (hot lick) a great guitar player.I know there is much more to playing steel than great speed combined with great note choices, plus the often over looked, and to me the most (important) POWER behind the speed.But that's who and what first turned me on to steel.And yes I still try to out hot lick the guitar player.

This is Bobby, not Noel's son Boggs.----bb

Roland Buras · Post by **Roland Buras** » 22 Aug 2001 9:04 pm

Hal Higgins, His style won me over , I was a burnout Blues Picker, Played little country guitar not much, worked Bourbon for about four years [blues guitar] i was ready for something new.. Thanks Hal"

Roland Buras

GFI S10 pro3&5 w/p LDG sho~Bud 3&4 Green
session five; [Hal's old Sho bud PAc a seat]
61 Gretsch Tennesean; 78 ST 300 Ibenez; 98 artstar Jazz Ibenez;

Mike Weirauch · Post by **Mike Weirauch** » 22 Aug 2001 9:29 pm

Buddy Charleton, Pete Drake & Buddy Emmons.

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 22 Aug 2001 10:04 pm

After reading my last post I should add that Buddy's not bad on the slow stuff either.

BJ Bailey · Post by **BJ Bailey** » 22 Aug 2001 10:28 pm

I have had 5 all togather, still got two.Somedays I wonder what ever made me become attacted to ,or posess by such and expencive instrument???????Could it be like the words in the song that Allen Jackson sings,There ai'nt nothing like a steelguitar

[This message was edited by BJ Bailey on 22 August 2001 at 11:37 PM.]

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 22 Aug 2001 11:30 pm

Ya mean,I didn't inspire anybody??

------------------
<pre> ~ ~
©¿© ars longa,
mm vita brevis
-=sr€=-</pre>

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 23 Aug 2001 3:59 am

I started learning how to play 6 string guitar in '66. My Dad was a big Ernest Tubb fan. So, I listened to ET records to hear Leon Rhodes, and of course they were covered with steel guitar, too.
It was 1972 and I was practicing up to get into Mom and Dad's band. A friend of the family had a music store. I went in one day and he asked me if I knew who Buddy Emmons was. I said the steel player on ET's records. He handed me Emmons Guitar, Inc. and said I really should listen to this, (BTW: he plays steel, too.) I took it home and listened to it and was COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY! It lit a fire. Then to top it all off, later that same week, Ernest Tubb and the Texas Troubadours played a show near us. The whole family went to the show. I was there to see Leon, but he wasn't with the band any more. It was Jack Moulette. He was fantastic, but after hearing the black album I was watching the steel player, too. I didn't know who the steel player was until ET introduced the band. Buddy Charleton. (I didn't know there was a second Buddy. I thought that Buddy Emmons was always the "Aw, Buddy, now...") Something clanged loudly in my head. Wow, I wanted to do that "REALLY bad"! Now, even on a bad night - I have succeeded. Buddy Emmons and Buddy Charleton are still my favorite players.

Smiley;
Before I started playing steel (and before all the above,) I saw you with Tommy Overstreet, (Susan Raye was on the ticket, too,) in Brainerd. I remember you playing and me liking it, but the 6 string guy was what I was there to see. Isn't it funny, 29 years later, I remembered your name, but not his.

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com[This message was edited by Ernie Renn on 23 August 2001 at 05:12 AM.]

Tony Davis · Post by **Tony Davis** » 23 Aug 2001 5:32 am

Smiley,
you didnt inspire at all on the Steel Guitar but you did touch my life....in between spanking me with a wooden spoon and washing my mouth out with Lye soap, Grandma would take time out to show me your picture which she kept in the Dog Kennel and would say.."If you don't change your ways young man.......dont forget I was 29 at the time...........you will finish up just like this Rascal who jilted me in the Gold Rush year of '42 and ran away with
'one eye Kate the dance hall singer."
So my life has been totally enriched by the knowledge that some of my family....even though it was my Grandma who was the all round bull riding champion of 1843....are still wandering with loaded shot guns looking for you so that you will make her an honest woman!!!!!!
Tony

Mike Weirauch · Post by **Mike Weirauch** » 23 Aug 2001 6:23 am

Ya mean,I didn't inspire anybody??

......Oh, all right!!! You inspire me everytime I talk to you but don't let your head swell!

Robert · Post by **Robert** » 23 Aug 2001 6:45 am

The sounds of Ralph Mooney, Leon McAuliffe, Don Helms, BE, Jimmy Day, Tom Brumley, etc.!
Heroes, really, all of them . . . besides, I was getting tired of trying to play "Blue Hawaii" on a Stratocaster!

Rob

P.S. I forgot to mention Gene Beaver and Radar Hearst![This message was edited by Robert on 23 August 2001 at 08:01 AM.]

Alan Michael · Post by **Alan Michael** » 23 Aug 2001 7:18 am

I've only been playing for a little over a year but have had Lloyd Green's licks from "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" replaying in my head for thirty years.

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 23 Aug 2001 7:42 am

Weldon Myrick on Hemphill gospel recordings and Sonny Garrish on Hinson gospel recordings in the 1970s and 80s. Those guys really got me hooked. I was into lead guitar before that.

------------------
1978 Rosewood Emmons Push-Pull D-10 8+4

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 23 Aug 2001 8:15 am

I was playing nuthin but blues but my wife wanted to see Charlie Rich. Waylon was opening the show, and according to Waylon, Charlie was to drunk to perform, so he was going to take up the whole show.
As I sat there right in front of Mooney's
amp I was mezzzmerizzzed!
After that I started playing country music with some guys in San Jose. (guitar)
I then moved to the Santa Rosa area and started a band with some new friends and
Bobby Lee joined us, sometime later he left the band and I missed the steel so much b0b helped me locate a steel and got me started.
I love this thing and will always be greatful to b0b for his friendship and for this great instrument.
Jack

Rustler S10 - Peavey Nashville 400
and a bunch of guitars
My present band is www.roadhousekings.com [This message was edited by Jack Francis on 23 August 2001 at 09:19 AM.][This message was edited by Jack Francis on 23 August 2001 at 09:20 AM.]

Gary Carriger · Post by **Gary Carriger** » 23 Aug 2001 8:51 am

Will be revealing my age here, but somewhere around 1963 / 1964 Ray Price came out with a song "You Took Her Off My Hands, Now Please Take Her Off My Mind". It had a great steel solo (the chimed intro still inspires me). I had also acquired a Dwayne Eddy plays country instrumental album about the same time. It had great steel playing on it. The combination of those two influenced me to take up steel.
It wasn't until several years later that I figured out (from the stylings & feeling), that the player on both was, of course, Buddy Emmons.
30 plus years after the fact - Thanks Buddy !!
Gary