The Steel Guitar Forum

Hank Williams with The Great Don Helms making him sound even better.RS

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Franklin Guitars

John Fogerty and Pete Townsend made me want to play the guitar. Joe Walsh, Jeff Beck, Steve Morse and Ty Tabor keep me wantin' to play the guitar!!!!!

Bobby Garrett and Duane Alman. There are more who I admire but those are the best two in that order.

Rick

since michael lee allen mentioned buddy fite i'm going to have to check out others on his list

I have been trying to figure out who might have influenced my wanting to play the steel guitar and I can't come up with a single name. I was about 10 when I fell in love with the sound of the steel guitar and from there on I strived to learn to play. I have no idea of who the greats were at that time, although Jerry Byrd does come to mind.
I have been playing for over 55 years now and have never enjoyed it so much.
What else is there to say?
I am not famous, but those who listen enjoy immensely. What more could I ask for?
I am satisfied with what I have accomplished, with the help of our wonderful Creator who makes all things possible.

Influences: a lot of the guitarists already mentioned plus Jerry Donahue (Telecaster string-bending wizard)
I also would like to add Norwegian guitar player Øystein Sunde(fingerstyle picking like Chet Atkins/Jerry Reed)

Bengt Erlandsen

Stephen Stills
Roy Buchannon
Bernie Leadon

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Bernie Straub
Emmons LGII S-10
Peavy NV 1000

For steel playing, without a doubt, Jeff Newman.

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Gary Shepherd

Sierra Session 12

www.16tracks.com

Odell Martin was my hero.

Now that I think about it...

As a guitar player, I've been influenced by all the usual suspects mentioned above, but as a steel player I must admit that I'm the most influenced by one guitarist.

i.e.....ME.

Yes that's right. I have a natural tendancy to work out all the harmonic stuff using the "air" guitar in my head (also made of air BTW) before I translate an idea to steel. Kind've abstract thinking, but it's the way I've always done it.

No particular order, but these "unknown" guys have caused goose bumps.

Barney Minton (sp)
Leon Richardson
Jerry Starr
Jerry Case
Billy Price
Billy Williams
Billy Charles
Billy Brown
Don Bristow
Gerald Daniels
Al Bruno
Al Casey
Bobby Davis
Jimmy Rivers
Jack Rivers
Ted Green
Lloyd Ellis
Jimmy James
Bucky Barrett

Any info on these guys would be interesting.

As For steel I'd Say Lloyd Green. SONNY.

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When struggling to learn as a teenager, almost anyone who used a thumb pick was my hero. About six decades later, I will have to say that Chet was king. then Merle comes in second. I got all wild eyed when I was 18 and BE came to Nashville. From then on he had a lofty spot on the list. Then Jimmy Day, Walter Haines(Haynes?) Jerry Byrd. I finally decided to try and learn a bit on steel a couple of years ago. All in all I like all pickers who play with class.

I have many favorites but as for influences, I was privileged to be a close friend of Roy Nickols and his brother Jimmy. Roys playing had a strong effect on me, and he taught me a lot. In the early seventies we practiced together almost every day, when we were not picking we rode our Honda 350s around Bakersfield. Jim is probably the most knowledgable guitar player I know, he really did his homework, and helped me a lot.
I took a course from Mickey Baker once that influenced me greatly, mostly in chord voicings. As for rock, Peter Framptons tone and taste are unbeatable and are in my mind when I play.

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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com

Chet
Jerry
Moss
Reggie
Colvard
R. Hicks
Weldon
Mr. Green

William Cofield and Gary Mullen.Two local guys that could play as good as anybody and were happy to saty close to home and have fun.

Mike Richardson

I couldn't name only one, since I went through so many "eras" and musical incarnations in my playing.
Here's how it happened for me:

Early influences:
The Ventures / Nokie Edwards- The sound that made me crazy to play the guitar as a 12-year old.
Chuck Berry
Duane Eddy
All the early Beatles stuff.

later on, the psychedelic rock and blues awareness period:
Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Freddy King
Albert King
BB King
Buddy Guy
Michael Bloomfield
Johnny Winter
Robben Ford

And some acoustic players:
Leo Kottke
John Fahey
Jorma Kaukonen

And still later on, the Jazz guitarists:
Wes Montgomery
Django Reinhardt
Joe Pass
Tal Farlow
Grant Green
Kenny Burrell
Lenny Breau
And many more jazz guitarists, I can't list them all.

After I got over being a jazz snob,
I picked up stuff from:
All the steel guitar greats, Emmons, Chalker, Reese, Charlton, etc.
Chet Atkins
Jimmy Bryant
Leon Rhodes
Eldon Shamblin

When thinking about influences, I have to mention that while I was getting inspiration and picking up licks from all these famous recording artists, I was also profoundly influenced on a more personal level by a number of local players that nobody ever heard of. In particular, in the early 70's, I had made friends with a local guitarist and pedal steeler named Steve Koski. Steve was my mentor. He introduced me to pedal steel, taught me about Jazz guitar, taught me basic music theory, and generally pointed me in the right direction.

Interesting thread!

Cliff Gallup,Scotty Moore,Duane Eddy,all the "Kings"! A good friend John Garcia (John Lee Hookers old lead Guitar player.)

On steel...Bobby Lee(Also a good friend)
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jack Francis on 17 December 2004 at 05:26 AM.]</p></FONT>

Stan Kenton, George Shearing, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz............ ----j-----
!!!!!

JIMI HENDRIX

and then, everybody else.

Dr. Hugh-Most of Those are not guitar players, but influenced my playing too.

I also listened to sax players Paul Desmond and Charlie Ventura.
Another one of my favorites, was Nat King Cole trio with Oscar Moore playing guitar. Very tasty jazz..

Happy Holidays...al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

I guess my biggest guitar influence (when playing "clean") would be a player in the Ohio area while I was growing up, Ken Langdon who was influenced by Jerry Reed, Chet Atkins, Roy Nichols and Gary Adams.

I like everything Brent Mason plays.

But...

the guy who is my absolute favorite hero who keeps me from putting down my lead guitar (and takes away from steel practice time) is: (you may be able to guess once you see the photo of one of my guitars) http://frankestesmba.com/MyOLP.html

I started out on 6-string guitar. I have too many influences for 6-string to list them here. For the psg, my approach to playing in mainly influenced by jazz guitarists:

Howard Alden, George Van Eps, Gene Bertoncini, Barry Galbraith, Joe Pass, and Chet Atkins.

I also think of non-guitarist such as Louis Armstrong and Miles.

I think I lean towards a jazz influence on the psg because I'm forced to think more about the notes, voicings, etc than when playing a 6-string guitar, and it just kind of happens. There are so many choices, levers, pedals, slants, etc., on the psg. It's great!

SK

Myself who Else.They all impress me and if I could only play like all of them I would just love it.
Sam White
SD-10 Emmons LaGrande III
Nashville112
Pro Fex II<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Samuel E. White on 21 December 2004 at 01:10 PM.]</p></FONT>

John David Call. Listening to Pure Prairie League pushed me over the edge to quit dreaming about steel guitar and try it.