No Country Allowed !!

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 28 Sep 2006 2:36 pm

Calvin, ny feelings arent hurt and I'm not offended that you don't care for my stuff. Disappointed maybe, but that's all.

You are entitled to like whatever you like, and have the right to play whatever you choose to play, and nobody can tell you otherwise.

I was concerned however about the workbench comment, because the implication is that I and others like me who are exploring other kinds of music don't have that same right.

Your comment de-legitimizes my efforts and those of players like me.

It is difficult being out on a limb. The whole time I was working on my first CD I was afraid that all the steel players would reject it because it's not country, and the classical music community would reject it because it's steel guitar. In fact some people in both communities did just that. However there were also many people in both communities who embraced my efforts.

I feel there should be room for everybody. it's important that some players keep traditional coutry steel playing alive, but it doesn't follow that EVERYBODY has to.

Likewise, it doesn't follow that everybody should explore new ideas and genres. But there has to be a place in the steel guitar community for players like me and Joe Goldmark and Bruce Kaphan and Robert Powell and Hal Merril and David Phillips and Dan Tyack and Bob Taillifer and Demola Adepoju and Robert Randolph and even for Susan Alcorn.

It's all steel, and it's all good.

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Warning: I have a Telecaster and I'm not afraid to use it.
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My web site

[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 28 September 2006 at 03:38 PM.]

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 28 Sep 2006 2:42 pm

Les, I'm just curious, when you speak of avoiding "sneaking in country licks or sounds", what kinds of things you were avoiding? What particular phrases or techniques are "Country Only"? Surely the best thing is not to worry about whether something "is country" or not (and that would apply equally to trying TO be country, or trying NOT to be country) and just listen, feel, and play what feels right?

Mike Shefrin · Post by **Mike Shefrin** » 28 Sep 2006 2:48 pm

I've started mixing country licks into jazz
tunes. I'll start playing a jazz lick and then end the phrase with a country lick. It
sounds pretty hip. Not much different than throwing in blues licks when playing jazz.. Who cares if it's country,jazz,rock or whatever,as long as it sounds right to you.As far as I'm concerned there's only two kinds of music...good music and bad music.Just my two cents worth.[This message was edited by Mike Shefrin on 28 September 2006 at 03:49 PM.]

Bob Hickish · Post by **Bob Hickish** » 28 Sep 2006 4:30 pm

A world were No Country is Allowed !! ????

That would be an empty place !

The Steel can do anything ! BUT !

No Country Allowed ??

Like life with out Air !

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 28 Sep 2006 5:16 pm

How'd you like to play steel in a band like the Mike Snyder string band on the Opry? For me I probably wouldn't be playing if it weren't for country music but my interest doesn't stop there.[This message was edited by Frank Parish on 28 September 2006 at 06:22 PM.]

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 28 Sep 2006 9:08 pm

"but you can't take country out of pedal steel."

I disagree.

The instrument, bare and alone, doesn't have "country" in it. A lot of the players do.

There are plenty of players working at pedal steel with no country in their music.

Mike Archer · Post by **Mike Archer** » 29 Sep 2006 3:19 pm

great playing larry bell
and by the way i lived in sanford fla
a long time

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 29 Sep 2006 6:51 pm

Music is music.
If you can play something on an instrument go for it.

If you limit yourself to one genre,
then
you just limit yourself.

Mike Shefrin · Post by **Mike Shefrin** » 29 Sep 2006 7:16 pm

Just want to second what Mike Archer just said. Nice work, Larry. Sounds good.

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 30 Sep 2006 2:46 pm

I love to play music and my instrument of choice happens to be a steel guitar. With me, the love of music comes before the instrument. I'm amazed with the diverse tones a steel guitar produces.

Paul[This message was edited by Franklin on 30 September 2006 at 04:00 PM.][This message was edited by Franklin on 30 September 2006 at 06:51 PM.][This message was edited by Franklin on 30 September 2006 at 06:53 PM.]