Anyone play steel and sing... at the same time!?

ebb · Post by **ebb** » 2 Oct 2001 5:56 pm

Pete Burak does it, is really good, handsome,nice and has hair. Cohen and myself were thinking about how we could compete and decided to put his modular pickup in backwards to try and even the playing field.

wayne yakes md · Post by **wayne yakes md** » 2 Oct 2001 6:29 pm

I've seen Buddy Emmons, Wally Murphy, Jimmy Day, And Buzz Evans do it!

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 2 Oct 2001 6:44 pm

I am sure that a lot of steelers ,sing while playing steel. I used to do it too.

Mostly old standards, I used to use the Leslie quite a bit, and comp the chords and fill ins while singing.Fun days....al

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 2 Oct 2001 6:52 pm

Hell. I gotta spit out my GUM before I try to play this thing.

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 2 Oct 2001 6:57 pm

Yes, I'm not a very good singer, but I get by. I sing a few tunes and sing a bit of harmony, too.
I think the reason you don't see many mics is that the mic gets pushed out of the way for the picture. (At least that's what I do. When I see early pictures of me playing with the mic in front of my face, I think to myself: I should have pushed that off to the side. Now I just do it automatically.)

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com
[This message was edited by Ernie Renn on 02 October 2001 at 07:59 PM.]

Tim Rowley · Post by **Tim Rowley** » 2 Oct 2001 6:58 pm

I play steel and sing at the same time. Lots of harmony work and generally sing two songs per set or per show. I set up a boom stand on my right, run the stand up high with the boom slanting down to me. Doesn't get in my way like that. With practice, I can sing a harmony part and play a fairly difficult lick at the same time. Where I sometimes run into trouble is trying to sing the lead vocal and fill behind myself at the same time, because sometimes the steel and the vocal part get sorta intertwined, either that or one of them will temporarily "cut out" on me.

Larry Bell, who posted earlier, is very good at singing and playing steel at the same time. He seems to be able to do both jobs rather independently and smile at the same time. He also has the ability to carry on a meaningful conversation while setting up his gear, something that I've never been very good at doing.

Editing to add this remark: the great Bud Isaacs sings awesome and plays awesome, both at the same time.

Tim R.[This message was edited by Tim Rowley on 02 October 2001 at 08:01 PM.]

Randy Reams · Post by **Randy Reams** » 2 Oct 2001 8:18 pm

I played drums in a band at The Red Raider motel in Lubbock, TX in 1986 or 87 with a steeler that sang well and played very well.
I cant remember his name. His steel was on the stage as were my drums the night it burned.

Al Johnson · Post by **Al Johnson** » 2 Oct 2001 8:56 pm

Leon McAuliffe didn't do pedals, but he would play 4 necks, lead a band, and sing a lotta songs. Also, he was a nice guy when talked with him once. Al

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 2 Oct 2001 9:44 pm

Dang Ernie!Anybody ever tell you, you look like Buddy Emmons?

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 2 Oct 2001 10:24 pm

As Jason stated, Billy Mize used to do that all of the time, also Billy Easton does that with the group he plays with, "Three Wheel Drive" here in Arizona and does a great job at it, thanks, Gary

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 3 Oct 2001 6:39 am

It's not pedal steel, but don't forget Junior Brown.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 3 Oct 2001 7:05 am

I think it's a pretty good idea for all of us not to rule out the idea of singing and playing at the same time with any instrument we choose to learn...for many reasons. No matter what we might think of our vocal chops, singing trains our ears and helps our communication skills. (which ultimately is the reason to be a musician IMHO)

I'd be willing to bet that if the so called "Steel Guitar Messiah" (that we've all been waiting for) ever comes to give our instrument world wide acceptance, he/she is almost certainly gonna be a singer.

...and BTW, Junior Brown can sing & play good Pedal Steel too!
[This message was edited by Rick Schmidt on 03 October 2001 at 08:11 AM.][This message was edited by Rick Schmidt on 03 October 2001 at 08:25 AM.]

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 3 Oct 2001 8:43 am

It's all in the Mic stand placement!

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 3 Oct 2001 9:21 am

I've done it many times - I even fronted a band for a few years. I'm not a good singer, but I enjoy using the mike and entertaining folks.

It's not really that hard to sing and play rhythm steel at the same time on an S-12. Once you know your basic rhythm patterns, it's not much harder than playing guitar or piano.

If you're playing fills, they always work best in between the vocal lines. So you're not really playing and singing at the same time - you just switch from one to the other a lot.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
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Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 3 Oct 2001 9:24 am

I think it's a pretty good idea for all of us not to rule out the idea of singing and playing at the same time with any instrument we choose to learn...

Actually, it's sort of rough with wind instruments.

RickRichtmyer · Post by **RickRichtmyer** » 3 Oct 2001 9:52 am

When he played in the DC area with a group called The Rosslyn Mountain Boys, Tommy Hannum was one of the two lead singers. He sings almost as well as he plays steel and that's saying something!

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Rick Richtmyer
Good News

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 3 Oct 2001 10:08 am

Ha! You got me on that one bOb! Although Roland Kirk used to sing through his sax mouthpiece while he was playing....actually while he was playing 3 horns at once. Sounded gawd awful, but he was singing all the same.

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 3 Oct 2001 12:14 pm

I did it for a while with my originals band the D-V-8's back in the 80's. It's one of the hardest things I ever tried to do, but wow, what a feeling of accomplishment when you pull it off!!

I've gotten really lazy since then.

every once in a while i try one of those tunes by myself in the practise room... by myself is the operative phrase...

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 3 Oct 2001 12:35 pm

I've seen John Swain do it, he has a great voice, too....and Al Brisco, both make it look effortless....

Dave Burton · Post by **Dave Burton** » 3 Oct 2001 12:48 pm

I do it all the time,back up too.Not so easy to do sometimes.

Tommy Mark · Post by **Tommy Mark** » 3 Oct 2001 4:20 pm

Rusty Walker does it all the time with our band. One of the best voices I`ve ever heard. Tom

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 4 Oct 2001 3:59 am

The greatest boost I ever got about singing and playing came from Herby Wallace. We were at Larry Selfs' steel show in Debary Fl. about ten years ago. I sang and played Night Life. Herby said he thought I did a decent job of it and I was honored that he would even mention it. I'm not trying to blow my own horn but trying to tell everyone that when you play at these shows the "big guys" do listen and express appreciation for what us little guys do. Well maybe just a little horn blowing.

Henning Antonsen · Post by **Henning Antonsen** » 4 Oct 2001 4:41 am

I play steel & sing harmony in our band, if that counts...

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Henning Antonsen
Emmons LeGrande III

Bill Nauman · Post by **Bill Nauman** » 5 Oct 2001 5:39 am

Well,I was hoping I wouldnt have to type this today but here goes. Since 1973,I have doubled on Keyboards and Steel but Vocal has always been what got and kept the house jobs.
I used a secretary's swivel chair back then and have now built a large pack-a-seat and risers to align keyboards to my left at the proper height. Some stages dont have enough room for me to set up this way..so if not..I cant switch comfortably. It requires dropping the pick sometimes depending how intense the keyboard solo is, but the tough part is putting them back on with one hand..try it!you will see what i mean...I mark the insides of the two picks (red or blue)
I use Peavey Keyboards,DPM3se and Dpm4 plus a Yamaha piano module via midi.
The Emmons goes to a Nashville 400,lines out to the Peavey 8 channel powered mixer,115h international series speakers ..with high and mid range horn ..black widow 15s.
This makes a powerful setup that most bands need,covering fiddle sounds,sax,steel piano,strings and horns...
What is fun is singing a line and starting another instrument voice at the same time...
All the best from the west..Bill in Vegas

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 5 Oct 2001 5:53 am

I can't get this done. To me it's like drinking a glass of beer with a sigarette in my mouth

Besides that, my band forbids me to sing

JJ

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