There Are NO Fans Of Steel Guitar Music

Richard Plummer · Post by **Richard Plummer** » 3 Jan 2013 6:12 pm

What can we do to get the instrument out there as a viable instrument for the church envirement?I hate being put into a catagory and limited.We have if we have achieved the level of proficincy and tone that we want,have put in literally hundreds of thousands of hours of practice,tears,sweat,fits of anger,frustration etc.Those of us,that choose to play this difficult beast,in a sacred envirement of church,should be given our place I feel.Any suggestions?

Bill Brunt · Post by **Bill Brunt** » 3 Jan 2013 7:54 pm

At our church, we used to periodically have what we'd call a "Gospel Music Explosion".
we had the Manuel Family Band one year.

http://www.mikemanuel.com/pop-ridinhigh.html

They are also the authors of my favorite Christmas album, A Manuel Family Christmas.

I'd say do benefits, volunteer for specials, or on Wednesday nights till they fall in love with you.

Wherever there are people, there are Steel Guitar fans, either present, or future.

Bob Simons · Post by **Bob Simons** » 4 Jan 2013 8:42 am

You guys have exceeded even my expectations of how completely sappy and out of touch this conversations is. ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINK!!!! For heaven's sake!!!! You couldn't be MORE irrelevant!

The problem is that this forum doesn't seem to exist to promote steel guitar as much as it seeks to keep the long past traditional country and western music afloat. Just like early rock and roll was hog heaven for saxiphone players, and early (pre-amplification) jazz was a field day for trumpets and banjos, time and musical tastes change. And our time as the key noodler of all country music instruments is over.

Guess what? Except for aficianado's mostly over 60 years old, nobody much gives a **** about Ray Price and Johnny Bush and all that dated,redundant stuff. Reliving the past is okay- the philharmonic does it every day, but until you all understand not only that a steel guitar need not be a genre instrument AND that you need to encourage its application to new music the instrument will stagnate from your point of view.

I live in Kansas City. WE have a steel guitar club that is barely supported by its own members. I'm 67. I appreciate great country music and can play some of it, but frankly the jam sessions they hold are a totally mystifying bore of second rate tunes few except fanatic fans have ever heard of.

I played about 25 "new Age" jazz gigs this fall with a prominent jazz piano player - keyboard and steel duet. The total support I got from the formal steel guitar community here that is always complaining there is no place to play or hear pedal steel was ZERO!!!! Perhaps it is a comment on me personally but I think the implications are broader than that.

There is a second steel guitar community of young people in Kansas City. There was recently a showcase of 5 local bands - none of them country- that feature pedal steel. These people are totally unknown to the local steel establishment and quite rightly have no interest in the local steel guitar establishment. They are playing music, not just an instrument. MOre power to them.

At least I am pleased to say that there is still one place on the planet where I can still feel like a young man and a rebel by comparison- ANY STEEL GUITAR CONVENTION!!!!

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 4 Jan 2013 9:41 am

Bravo Bob !

“The vast majority of human beings dislike and even actually dread all notions with which they are not familiar... Hence it comes about that at their first appearance innovators have generally been persecuted, and always derided as fools and madmen.”
― Aldous Huxley

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 4 Jan 2013 10:20 am

"Brevity is the soul of wit."

So, brief I shall be:
Mr. Bob Simmons, I thank you for your long-winded rambling of misinformation.
Please let me know (so I might avoid it) how one becomes so out of touch at the age of 67.
But, please be brief __ I don't want you to become confused.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 4 Jan 2013 10:44 am

Rick Collins wrote: Mr. Bob Simmons, I thank you for your long-winded rambling of misinformation.
Please let me know (so I might avoid it) how one becomes so out of touch at the age of 67.

Mr Bob Simmons sounds in touch and accurate to me.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 4 Jan 2013 10:49 am

Earnest Bovine wrote:
Rick Collins wrote: Mr. Bob Simmons, I thank you for your long-winded rambling of misinformation.
Please let me know (so I might avoid it) how one becomes so out of touch at the age of 67.
Mr Bob Simmons sounds in touch and accurate to me.

I agree. I also agree with him about the younger players who most have never even heard of--they are out there.

Bill Brunt · Post by **Bill Brunt** » 4 Jan 2013 11:04 am

I like jazz.
...
...
...but it ain't country.