What song made you buy a steel guitar?

Rob van Duuren · Post by **Rob van Duuren** » 11 Sep 2002 2:24 am

first cd by the chicks, with Lloyd Maines. rob.

Ian Finlay · Post by **Ian Finlay** » 11 Sep 2002 6:04 am

Bill Haley "Dance with a Dolly".

Ian

Michael Wilson · Post by **Michael Wilson** » 11 Sep 2002 8:21 am

I think I fell in love with the sound of the steel guitar back in the 60's listening to Hank Williams songs then when I heard a Lloyd Green album not sure of the name. But, what made me decide to buy one and learn to play it was hearing a steel player named RAY MANGRUM playing an instrumental "Way To Survive". Man, what a great player I thought he was. So I bought one and learned how to play.

Perry Hansen · Post by **Perry Hansen** » 11 Sep 2002 10:23 am

Glen Thayne in Wellington, Utah got me interested. But when I heard Red Foleys Tennesee Border with, if I remember right, Jerry Bird, That sinched it.

Chick Donner · Post by **Chick Donner** » 11 Sep 2002 12:33 pm

Hard to remember for sure, but was probably "I threw Away the Rose" by Haggard. COuld have been "Together Again," though.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 11 Sep 2002 3:26 pm

Loved Mooney when I saw Waylon in "72, and all of th e songs mentioned here, But what made me want to get a steel was when b0b
left the band I played in in Santa Rosa
I had him hook me up with a steel and get me
started.
Jack
Rustler S-10, Nashville 400

Greg Vincent · Post by **Greg Vincent** » 11 Sep 2002 3:31 pm

Thanks for starting off this thread with a mention of my playing, Will! I'm flattered

I was led to the steel guitar by way of Interstate 5 here in California. I'd spent years going up & down that dern freeway from Sacramento & SanFrancisco to L.A and back, and the only things you can get on the radio in the central valley are farm reports and country stations. It was on those drives that I became fascinated with the sound of the steel. It was all contemporary stuff so most likely it was a lot of Paul Franklin & Bruce Bouton that I was hearing. I HAD to find out how that was done.

Still learning!

-GV[This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 11 September 2002 at 04:34 PM.][This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 13 September 2002 at 01:50 PM.]

jim milewski · Post by **jim milewski** » 11 Sep 2002 3:43 pm

imagine if we could get a CD set with all these tunes mentioned on this post

Gene H. Brown · Post by **Gene H. Brown** » 11 Sep 2002 8:03 pm

I would have to say Jimmy Day and Buddy Emmons both influenced me and I started playing my Ray Price albums over and over and scratched them up quite a lot going back again and again to learn licks. Wish I could do it all over again, wouldn't change a thing.

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If You Keep Pickin That Thing, It'll Never Heal!

David Biagini · Post by **David Biagini** » 11 Sep 2002 9:15 pm

Add me to the "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" list. That and a local steel player named Don "Windy" Howe. It took me 30 years to get around to buying one but that's where the seeds were sown.

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 11 Sep 2002 9:27 pm

One friday night while still in college. . .I was working Master Control at WBKO-TV 13 in Bowling Green, KY. I was running Don Kirshner's Rock Concert on the air. The Marshall Tucker Band came on and started playing "Fire on the Mountain". When I saw that black Sho-Bud doing the
kick-off. . . .WELL BABY, WAS I EVER HOOKED! NR [This message was edited by Nick Reed on 11 September 2002 at 10:29 PM.]

Marty Pollard · Post by **Marty Pollard** » 11 Sep 2002 9:31 pm

...what made me want to get a steel was when b0b left the band

Well, keep up the good work b0b!

The song that made me decide to learn the durn thang was Lloyd Green's version of Steel Guitar Rag on a Readers Digest compilation set.

Now I can do a whole lot of things and am pleased w/my overall progress to date but I STILL can't play that song the way he did.

GRRRRR...

Joe Goldmark · Post by **Joe Goldmark** » 12 Sep 2002 8:31 pm

Hey Chip Fossa,
thanks for mentioning "Sugar Babe" by the Youngbloods. Most don't know this tune but it's real fun. Banana has some screwy tuning on there, if you ever try to cop it. Did you say he was playing a Fender 400? I always thought it was a Multicord.
Anyway, I also heard that early on, but it was Garcia with the New Riders at the Carousel Ballroom (later to be the Fillmore West) who slayed me. They were doing Glendale Train and Last Lonely Eagle, etc. and I decided to play that thing and soon got a Fender 400.

John Robel · Post by **John Robel** » 12 Sep 2002 8:52 pm

I'm with Joe on the New Riders,but it was Buddy Cage on Panama Red that grabbed me. It still makes me want to drive 130 mph.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » 12 Sep 2002 10:24 pm

If "steel" includes resophonics then the song would be "The Year Clayton Delaney Died." I just had to have a dobro after I heard those fills after, "Now Clayton was the best picker in our town ..." I love Tom T. Hall - "Country Is" indeed!

Ian Reynolds (Hey, I finally read the rules: first AND last name please)

Bob Hayes · Post by **Bob Hayes** » 13 Sep 2002 6:33 am

I wouldn't say "Any Particular Song" but if it was ..It was.by.Hall of Fame Members "Santo & Johnny"..Sleep Walk.,.but there were a few pickers back in Massachusetts..that inspired me initially..A Guy named "Buddy" from Pittsfield that playes a three legged 8 string steel, There was another guy ..from Greatbarrington that was toying with a steel with pedals..and theb the great Smiley Roberts..from Springfield ,Mass...and then all of the fantastic players in the Washington,DC area in the late 60's and early 70's..Don West,"Pancake Norris" Clyde Bloodsworrth,Don West,Jim Whited, and of course my Mentor Buddy Charelton.. Oh there were other...and I think Lloyd Green "Shades of Green" album was Realy an insperation..But having the chance to see and hear so many of the great Country stars and their great bands and steeler pickers..while living in the DC area and in Las Vegas...so Ralph Mooney and Tom Brumbly were a couple of the biggest influenses...And I'm Still trying!!!
Grouchyvet

William Steward · Post by **William Steward** » 13 Sep 2002 6:34 am

"...imagine if we could get a CD set with all these tunes mentioned on this post"

Jim I have a compiled a list from the thread so far if you want a copy please email me...I am seeking out as many of these tunes as I can find from the miracle of the Internet.

My inspiration was St. Antonio Rose and then Leon playing Steel Guitar Rag. I can't remember if 'herb' was involved.

Wayne Cox · Post by **Wayne Cox** » 13 Sep 2002 8:35 am

No particular song,but I saw a guy playing one on TV (they only show the hands,ypu know)and thought it would be easier than guitar. This is typical of the many lessons I have learned!.....W.C.

Matt Steindl · Post by **Matt Steindl** » 13 Sep 2002 10:25 am

Anodyne by Uncle Tupelo. Was a big deadhead at the time, but Anodyne really grabbed me!

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Mattman in "The Big Sleazy"-:
S-10 Dekley, Suitcase Fender Rhodes, B-bender Les Paul

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 13 Sep 2002 10:57 am

In '68 I was playing bass with Bo Diddley. My sister was a cocktail waitress at the Whiskey, where the Byrds often played. She was dating Mike Clark, the drummer. That brought the 'Sweetheart' album to my attention, then after hearing Rusty playing on Kind Woman, I asked Bo if he had an old steel laying around, and he DID. He sold me a Bejay pedal steel for $150. So I guess it's 'Kind Woman' and the 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' album that made me change directions and jump on the steel. And thanks to Bo!

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 13 Sep 2002 1:26 pm

Living here in Fresno, I heard Freddy Roulette & Sonny Rhodes play blues steel locally. I heard the Youngbloods, Flying Burrito Bros and Poco lots of times. But that didn't nail me down. Don't hate me but "Teach Your Children" did!

I thought I'd never be able to afford one. Them suckers were expensive! I couldn't get enough steel records. Alvino Rey blew my mind. Hawaiian music is to die for. When I heard Buddy Emmons, I fell flat on the floor. I think he is the living Mozart.

I saw Paul Franklin play live and I thought smoke must be coming off his fingers! I've never heard a bad sounding steel guitar or player. These steel guitars are addicting. I play mine all of the time, especially playing blues live. I could go on and on... There outta be a warning label on the records and the guitars!

Robert Rogers · Post by **Robert Rogers** » 13 Sep 2002 1:39 pm

The album that got me hooked was Jimmy Crawfords "A Ton Of Steel" and getting to hear Weldon on the radio each weekend.

Robert

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 13 Sep 2002 2:42 pm

It was a steeler by the name of Danny Williams in Louisville,Ky. I was on vacation and played drums for a living and was called to come and play a real country gig at a place called Crossroads Bar in Shively. This guy was setting this white Emmons P/P up and I was taken with the sound and everything about it. It's a long story but that was the first time I'd really seen one close and I was hooked after that. I seldom ever play the drums any more. I only wish I'd started sooner.

Bob Shilling · Post by **Bob Shilling** » 13 Sep 2002 3:16 pm

Well, having been in my younger days primarily into rock 'n' roll, I only had a vague awareness of what a steel guitar was. In the mid-seventies, when rock went the way country has the last few years, I got into country music. Anyway, I was noodling around on my 6-string trying to figure out how to play some licks from "He Stopped Loving Her Today", and also to Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou". The light finally dawned. Fifteen years later I finally got me one.

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

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 13 Sep 2002 3:50 pm

I bought my first steel ( BR-9 Gibson )
as a fourteen year old who was tired of three boys all pickin flat tops.Fortunatly
the other two liked to sing Eddy Arnolds stuff.So I listened to Roy Wiggins and learned every Eddy Arnold song there was.Then I heard Lime house blues by Jerry B and that was the end of the old E tuning.
I still have my guitars.The six string, the double eight fender,fender thousand,Two MCI's and A LeGrande 111.
The best part of this story is ...I live in Flo0rida where we have the venues to play all that old music.We even have bands with no lead guitar , just steel ( Eat your heart out )
Buddy Van