Where will the steel guitar be in 20 years time?
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
Where will the steel guitar be in 20 years time?
Will there still be manufacturers making pedal steels or will they all be closed down?
Will the pedal steel be considered to be a bona fide rock instrument or blues machine á la Robert Randolph?
Will the listening public be appreciating that the instrument is capable of so much more than country or swing music?
Will younger people still be attracted to learn to play steel?
I wish I had a crystal ball as I probably won't be around in 20 years time, but I would like to think that this relatively new instrument of ours will stand the test of time and be even more popular than it is now. I'm not fully convinced though.
Will the pedal steel be considered to be a bona fide rock instrument or blues machine á la Robert Randolph?
Will the listening public be appreciating that the instrument is capable of so much more than country or swing music?
Will younger people still be attracted to learn to play steel?
I wish I had a crystal ball as I probably won't be around in 20 years time, but I would like to think that this relatively new instrument of ours will stand the test of time and be even more popular than it is now. I'm not fully convinced though.
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Steel Players
I don't know,but I hope that still here to find out
God Bless
God Bless
Daniel J. Cormier
Rittenberry with Tone to the bone,profex or tubefex and what ever amp, hilton pedal, BJS bars. Email at kajunsteelman@yahoo.com.
Rittenberry with Tone to the bone,profex or tubefex and what ever amp, hilton pedal, BJS bars. Email at kajunsteelman@yahoo.com.
- Paddy Long
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I think they were asking the same questions 20 years ago, except they said Jerry Garcia instead of Robert Randolph.
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- James Morehead
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If everyone who is a member or even a lurker on this forum, were to turn around and help one newbie get started, and THEY then turned around and help someone get started, steel manufactures would not be able to keep up with demand. So help someone get introduced to the pedal steel guitar.
Last edited by James Morehead on 17 Jan 2007 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Alan Brookes
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I like James' idea, we should get passionate about exposing younger people to this instrument.
DESERT ROSE D-10 8/5...Joe Naylor "SteelSeat"...
Gallien-Krueger MB200 amplifier through an Alessis MicroVerb w/15'Peavey cab.
TELES & STRATS...
FENDER TWIN & SEYMOUR DUNCAN 50W tube amps...1-12" 2-12" & 4-12" cabs and a FENDER MUSTANG-3
Gallien-Krueger MB200 amplifier through an Alessis MicroVerb w/15'Peavey cab.
TELES & STRATS...
FENDER TWIN & SEYMOUR DUNCAN 50W tube amps...1-12" 2-12" & 4-12" cabs and a FENDER MUSTANG-3
- Marlin Smoot
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- Restricted
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20 years
Steel guitar will be alive and well, as it today. They'll probably be some new names and brands on the market. Years ago you had Sho-Bud, Emmons, Fender, MSA and a few others. Now look at what's available. There's 5 or 6 builders, or more, just in Texas alone. PSG is addictive, so in my opinion, I believe there'll always be players that are willing to take it to the next level and never give it up. For me personally, when I'm buried 6 foot somewhere, then I'll give it up but until then, I'll do everything in my power to promote PSG and help all steel players. 20 years from now, I'll be 69! So that'll leave another 30 years. At 49, if I make it to 100, that's about 50 years of more PSG! Ha!
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Gee Whiz!!
I would like to think that the Steel Guitar will still be here, I probalby won't be. I don't think the steel will ever be like guitar or piano, every kid on the block is just not going to have one, but theres that one kid, you probalby remember him, he'll be the one to keep er going strong. Mfgs may change, come & go, but that sweet heavenly sound will still be being played on the pedal steel.
Ernie Pollock
http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm
Ernie Pollock
http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm
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- Mike Sigler
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I think the steel guitar is doing just fine and will be doing fine 20 years from now and here's why. I've been playing steel for 50+ years. When I started there were about 3 good brands of steel guitars you could buy. Now look, B0b probably has close to 40 builders listed here on the forum.........Steel guitar instrumental XP's or LP's were few and far between. Once in a while you could come up with a 78 or 45 rpm steel instrumental. How many does B0b have listed here for sale now?
Many..........Instructional material was virtually non-existant. Now almost every one has a course or course's for sale. Some are not that good but when I started I would gladly have taken them.........Tabs, don't think the word was even invented yet. Now there's more tab floating around than you know what to do with..........Meeting one of the top players was maybe once a year at some county fair. Now we have all kinds of steel guitar shows, conventions, seminars, jam sessions, etc, etc. Yep, I think the steel guitar is doing just fine. Would I like to see it better yet? You bet I would and it may just do that.
Many..........Instructional material was virtually non-existant. Now almost every one has a course or course's for sale. Some are not that good but when I started I would gladly have taken them.........Tabs, don't think the word was even invented yet. Now there's more tab floating around than you know what to do with..........Meeting one of the top players was maybe once a year at some county fair. Now we have all kinds of steel guitar shows, conventions, seminars, jam sessions, etc, etc. Yep, I think the steel guitar is doing just fine. Would I like to see it better yet? You bet I would and it may just do that.
- Micky Byrne
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Re: Where will the steel guitar be in 20 years time?
Geez Ken, don't be so negative LoL, you're younger than me,I was the big "60" last month, I'm still here despite....well you know!!!!! you'll out live me for sure LoL
Re your question, I think the steel will always be around and there already seems far more manufactures now than when we both started,and I think that will continue, and most of us at sometime want another new "toy" It's just a shame that the Country scene these days doesn't seem to feature steel as much as years gone by. Take the Country awards for example, every time a band comes on stage, my eyes are searching for the steel man, but there doesn't seem to be that many appearing,but I'm glad that steel has moved on to other kinds of music than years ago. I think there will always be younger players interested in this fab instrument we play. Just hearing it a few times sucked us all into learn "that thing" and I think that will always be the case
Micky Byrne www.mickybyrne.com
Re your question, I think the steel will always be around and there already seems far more manufactures now than when we both started,and I think that will continue, and most of us at sometime want another new "toy" It's just a shame that the Country scene these days doesn't seem to feature steel as much as years gone by. Take the Country awards for example, every time a band comes on stage, my eyes are searching for the steel man, but there doesn't seem to be that many appearing,but I'm glad that steel has moved on to other kinds of music than years ago. I think there will always be younger players interested in this fab instrument we play. Just hearing it a few times sucked us all into learn "that thing" and I think that will always be the case
Micky Byrne www.mickybyrne.com
- T. C. Furlong
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I had the opportunity to play steel recently with a band of 24 year old musicians (they are less than half my age and BTW a great band). I played on their record so they asked me to play at there CD release show. It was amazing to experience the energy and vitality of a young band that is determined to "make it" . The guitar player asked me if I would consider giving him pedal steel lessons and how much I would charge. I told him that I would do everything that I could to get him off on the right foot and I wouldn't charge him a penny...under one condition...that he do the same should he ever be asked. I agree with James that we all should do everything we can to help younger players get started. If you think about it, there are so many more resources to learn to play now that there were even 20 years ago. BIAB, instructional DVD's, tons more tab, etc.
TC
TC