Survey: age of most steel players

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 22 Jun 2003 8:59 pm

Turned 67 on the 21st.........started at age 7. Started pedals in 1956!...at age 20.

ESnow · Post by **ESnow** » 22 Jun 2003 9:30 pm

48 now, got my first steel when I was 29. ESnow

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 22 Jun 2003 9:37 pm

I am 34

Began guitar in 1977 at 9

Began gigging in clubs in 1982 at 14

Began playing a B Bender Telecaster in 1988 (before it was the "thing")

Began steel in 1990 - non pedal Fender D-8 at 22

Began Pedal Steel in 1991 at 23

Giving it all up when I am dead!

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Tim Harr - Carter D-10 8 & 9 - Troy Cook Jr Band ~ Stardust Nashville Recording Artist

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 23 Jun 2003 4:40 am

Thought I'd better put an Aussie reply on this topic to let you know there is two
other Aussie players,other than myself I know of, that are my age playing Steel in Bands across Australia.I first started picking steel at 12,Really started putting a
lot of time in at 25 & I'm now 30.I Hope there is more 30 and under steel players in the US than we have here ? other wise we are in trouble.I went to Scotty's Convention for the first time last year with a group of Aussies.Had a great time.Then went onto Nashville & noticed every band i went and seen had a steel player.It was Heaven for an Aussie player believe me!!!.It is sadly not the case in Australia. It is very hard to find a country band with a steel player,certainly in the South of OZ.

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 23 Jun 2003 5:09 am

70 years young, and loving every minute of it. Started on this monster in 1948 and with the exception of a short 5 year recess, have played every 'tonk' in West Texas, along with many years in Armed Forces Service Clubs, and 8 or 9 USO tours--(best audiences in the world). I relate strongly to Roy Ayres, Al Marcus, and Jody Carver. Still at it 3 and 4 nights a week with 2 different bands. Never migrated to E9, still use E-6/E-13 (even had MSA set the new Millennium up with it.)Hope to spend the next 70 years doing the same thing.

As my friend Ricky Davis says: YEEHAW!!! You come out in this part of the world, give us a call and we'll burn some Texas Beef on the Bar B Q, and serve you a cool one---your choice Texas Iced Tea or Coors light....

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The spirit be with you!
If it aint got a steel, it aint real

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 23 Jun 2003 5:36 am

53
Sounds like I'm near the average, but I always strive to be above average.

like all the kids in Lake Wobegon

Played my first gig on guitar at 12
Played my first gig on steel at 25
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 23 June 2003 at 10:02 AM.]

Tony LaCroix · Post by **Tony LaCroix** » 23 Jun 2003 5:40 am

Started playin the geetar when I was 10 cuz I sucked at baseball. Started the steel little over a month ago. I'm 26.

Charlie Vaughn · Post by **Charlie Vaughn** » 23 Jun 2003 5:42 am

I am 65, here is my story. I started piano at 10 years old and started playing piano in a rock band in the late 50's. I was about 18 then. Somewhere about that time, I heard the sound of a pedal steel on a Bud Issac recording. I knew I wanted to play steel guitar. There were no instrucional materials available back then as there are today and I didn't even know where I could get a steel guitar but I knew I wanted to play pedal steel. I was lucky enough to find one that I could borrow. At the age of 19, I started learning to play play pedal steel. At 23 I was finally able to own one, thanks to Shot Jackson. At 25 I started playing professionally and did so until 1990. Worked the road for many years and I made a decent living at it. Came back to my hometown in 1990 and got a day job doing electronics and played locally on weekends. I celebrated my 65th birthday this year, retired from my day job and still playing almost every weekend. [This message was edited by Charlie Vaughn on 23 June 2003 at 06:45 AM.]

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 23 Jun 2003 5:53 am

49::17

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 23 Jun 2003 6:10 am

42+1/4

Gerald Menke · Post by **Gerald Menke** » 23 Jun 2003 7:25 am

I'm 33. Have enjoyed learning to play the steel guitar more than anything else I've tried to do. Only wish I'd started earlier!! Look at all these greenhorns from Brooklyn...

Len Ryder · Post by **Len Ryder** » 23 Jun 2003 8:50 am

Took lessons on a six string Hawaiian acoustic at 12 yrs old, electric six sting at
14, double neck at app. 17, aquired first pedal guitar in the early 60's where I had to try and learn by the seat of my pants as no instruction material was available. Still have my D-10 Finger-Tip aquired in '66.
I'll be 70 on July 17th of this year. DAMN ---- Where did the time go ???????

Len Ryder
Princeton
British Columbia

Bob I. Williams · Post by **Bob I. Williams** » 23 Jun 2003 9:06 am

I'm 64 started on 6 string around 12,got my first steel pedal steel at 26, did the road thing for 15 years,came back to Phoenix,got into real estate,did 5 tours (Europe and middle east)in the 90's It's been a good ride now it's living on a bad s.s.check and playiny week-ends. BOB

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 23 Jun 2003 9:17 am

44 - Started on regular guitar at 13, soon followed by bottleneck slide.
Didn't get into lap steel until 4 years ago, now it's lap steel, dobro and weissenborn all the time, hardly ever pick up a regular guitar unless I get paid to do it...

Jesse Harris · Post by **Jesse Harris** » 23 Jun 2003 10:04 am

Im 29
started at 25

Jason Stillwell · Post by **Jason Stillwell** » 23 Jun 2003 11:51 am

I'm 28; started on 6-string at about age 6 or 7, steel at age 19. Wanted to start learning steel even before starting on guitar. What am I saying? I think I wanted to learn to play steel guitar before learning to walk!

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 23 Jun 2003 11:58 am

I'm 52. Started playing pedal steel at 19. got my first lap steel two months ago.

Grant Johnson · Post by **Grant Johnson** » 23 Jun 2003 7:16 pm

I'm 38. I have played six string since I was 12. I 've played lap style dobro and lap steel since my mid 20's. I owned a student pedal steel for a few years and sold it as it took too much time away from the Telecaster. But the pedal steel has always been in the back of my mind....
Just a beginner, but it is a blast being a beginner again!

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www.bigsmokey.com

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 24 Jun 2003 2:28 pm

If no one has been to my web site and done the math on my Bio Page, I'm 70; started when 6. (70 3/12) HJ

Kenneth Kotsay · Post by **Kenneth Kotsay** » 24 Jun 2003 3:31 pm

54 Year old, started 1965 Hawaiian Guitar lessons in Flushing, NY.

Started playing pedal steel in 1975 (Sho Bud D-10).

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 24 Jun 2003 4:33 pm

I started in 1948 at age 11, and I'm now 66. That amounts to 55 yrs. I began playing my 1st. real PSG, with an early (#3 to #6) Sho-Bud in 11/57.

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“Big John” wknsg®
Franklin, D–10 w/9 & 8
Peavey, Classic 50 – 212
Enhancer, E–LG
Ibanez, AD–9 http://community.webtv.net/KeoniNui/BigJohnBechtels

Chris Heinrich · Post by **Chris Heinrich** » 24 Jun 2003 5:12 pm

Started at 21, I'm 24 now. I couldn't be happier. It's taken me all over the states and Europe, AND the chicks dig it.

Bob Hayes · Post by **Bob Hayes** » 24 Jun 2003 6:34 pm

Started playing harmonica when I was 11, Guitar at 15, Bass at 32,and steel 34. Iguess it's not long enough...Im 63.
GV

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 24 Jun 2003 7:00 pm

AND the chicks dig it

Chicks? What 'chicks'? You found 'chicks'??

Matt Brydges · Post by **Matt Brydges** » 24 Jun 2003 7:05 pm

I'm 22 now and fooled around on steel a little before, but only seriously this past year.

Matt