The Steel Guitar Forum

Count me in. In 1976 I saw a MSA Red Baron in a music store, and being influence by the country/ folk rock movement decided to buy it with no clue what I was in for . After about 6 months with Winnie's book I was lucky enough to be introduced to a really good player, Russ Powell from Staten Island, who said to me " there's this guy from Nashville who goes around the country doing steel guitar seminars, and he's doing one in Pennsylvania next week. You should really go." I did and it changed my life. I probably attended four more of Jeff's seminars over the years, including a weekend at Jeffran with Buddy Emmons teaching C6th. All of the other students left on Sunday, and as I couldn't get a flight until Monday, I got to hang with Jeff & Fran for a couple of hours after the class. We drank a couple of beers and they told some wild stories. They were both great people.
A while back Herb Steiner wrote that Jeff was as responsible for there being as many steel players today as anyone, including Buddy Emmons, and I couldn't agree more.

And yet another group shot. A great bunch of guys and (gal!), lots of learning, and fun like there may never be again! That's me, just to the left of Jeff! Remember, and enjoy!

Hi guys I attended Jeff's seminars in Newbury England in 92 94 97 99 and 2002.
the bigest thing i remember was the laughter he made us work be we had so much fun. i'm still learning fron the seminars now as things constantly make sense about music generally not just steel

picture from 2002 sadly my grea friedn Rob Massey is no longer with us.

Yep, another one here. I did one of the boot camps at Jeffran, somtime around '78 or '79. Drove down from New Jersey for the week. It was an amazing experience and cemented my lifelong love of our instrument.

." HERE are two pictures when I attended Jeff,s school. Are any of you still out there?"

Yes Larry, I'm in your 1st picture in the blue shirt, I think it was May 1981.There were 4 of us in the class that week and Hal Rugg came in to play for us at some point. Jeff referred to us by our state rather than our name.I was Massachusetts, you were Alabama and there was Florida and I believe North Carolina.
He sure was a great teacher!

I attended the week-long intermediate course at his Jeffran College in 1980. Buddy Emmons co-taught it a day or two. For the Thursday night (?) jam Bob Browning handled vocals and Sid Hudson just killed on 6-string!

Here's a story from that week. Buddy was co-teaching that day and for lunch a few of us students decided to go to Bobby Seymour's steel guitar store. While there we saw a Fender D8 Stringmaster that Bobby said he would "sell for $400." We went back to the school and told Buddy about our visit and that Fender. He paused while noodling on his steel and asked if anyone would like to go buy it for him. Of course, we said "sure!". So, right there, he pulled out the $400, thanked us, and then added, "But don't tell Bobby you're buying it for me!"

Pete, Wondered where life took you. Remember when you took a bath outside with the water hose. I had a picture of you getting up in the morning off the cots Jeff brought us to sleep on to post but couldn't find it. Jeff gave us a life's lesson .He told the guy from Fla to keep his job and play on the side. I believe he told you to go for it (I don't think you were working then). Maby the guy from Fla. is still with us ,I don't remember his name only that he had a Franklin.

Larry H.- Ha, I'd almost forgotten about sleeping on those cots! I'd like to see that pic... When Jeff ran us around one morning looking for a session with a steel player, he popped into 2 or 3 before he found one with Sonny Garrish on it, We saw other great players at places at night including Doug Jernigan and Bobbe Seymour. That was one jam-packed week.

I was lucky enough to attend 2 or 3 of the seminars in Phx. in the early to mid 70s', still have some of the papers including tuning chart that I still use. He was such a likable and knowledgeable teacher, it just made me want to practice all the time. Best thing I've ever done to improve my abilities. I regret not keeping up with it over the years as playing this thing is not like riding a bike!

I attended several of Jeff's classes. Always had a great time with him and Fran.
Jerry

I attended in July 1982 can't remember the day. Will never forget the great time I spent there with the other classmates.

I did a 3 day E9 intermediate in 80 or 81, and remember Paul Franklin Sr installing foam on the rods of my new D10 Black Sho Bud, and then on Sunday on the way home, getting to hear a jam with Hal Rugg, Paul Jr, and Jeff at the bowling alley. That was priceless, and a once in a lifetime experience.

Jeff took our E9 class to see Stu Basore at a TV taping (maybe Hee Haw, maybe not) one morning. Another night we all went to a jam session at Melvin Sloan's (GOO square dancers) house. What a blast...

In 1974 Bruce Cogburn told me about a Jeff Newman teaching seminar in the Boston area. I was skeptical because back then it was unheard of. That was one of the biggest highlights of my life. It was a room filled with steel guitar players set up with their audible amps. He showed us so much it was overwhelming. Later years his seminars went to headphones so he wouldn`t have to yell, "SHUTUP!" every time 20+ amps would be cranking away trying to play a lick he had demonstrated. Still later, his seminars were conducted without steels. I went to several for about 25 years because he was so entertaining with humor and new things.

i still have some of my tapes from the seminars i did as its a perment reminder of what we did.

As a newbie to steel guitar I started with Winnie Winstons book, from that I discovered Jeff, then I attended a beginners seminar in Long Island, NY. got hooked at that point. At the seminar Jeff taught & then played: I love you so much it hurts me & Last Date and I was hooked. After that I think it was the summer of 79 spent a week at the college. Doug Jernigan played there one night. What a great time. Miss him so much. I'm to Jeff's right.

Nebvury October 1994 we were working on crying me heart over you. Jeff started to sing now we all know he was not the best at vocals. He says i see you don't like my singing as we were laughing of course this made us laugh all the more we all started singing evern thoses hwo did not know the song happy memories

I attended the school the last week of June 1977. Wish I could rember the names of of the other people attending the class. We recorded at Bradleys barn, went to a recording of Pop Goes The Country and Hal Rugg did the concert at the school.

I attended an Emmons C6 weekend at Jeff's school, 1982 or 83. Two days with Buddy and Jeff. It was excellent. Buddy showed us many of his classic C6 riffs, intros, endings. Jeff taught us some standard chord patterns on C6, using the pedals to play 9ths, 7ths, dim & aug chords, and how to use those chords in swing patterns. Very useful stuff, explained in Jeff's folksy, humorous way. He was an excellent teacher and he loved the steel guitar!

O happy day

It seems like everbody constanly laughed in Jeff classes. I taucht IT in my library for about 10 years and i used a lot of Jeffs methods namely we laughed a lot.

Did a 'Top Gun" week with Jeff back in '94. Humbling, fun, and encouraging all at once. Got to watch Jeff shoot a rat with a '22 under the cabin - wasn't sure if he was going to get the rat or his foot! Spent Halloween night on the porch of his old house in the Hermitage listening to stories about Ruggs and Emmons and early days at the Opry. Breakfast with Jeff and Fran the day I left - like leaving a distant relative's house having never before realized how cool they were. A fond memory.

There is a Tv presenter here in the UK who is new to the pedal steel. Got one or two of Jeff's videao and is presenting Jeff as some scary old fashioned piano teacher who would shout at you if you got it wrong. To say im annoyed is saying it lightly becasue we all know that. Jeff was not like that. I heard froma friend tha that Paul FRanlyun is about to inscruction on the forum whihc im looking forward to i wonder ho much this will be influeneced by Jeff.

Larry Hobson wrote:O happy day

That's great Larry! I still can't believe Jeff let us sleep in there-good times.